Howdy Friends!

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When I was a sophomore at Northwestern University, I joined the college radio station. The airwaves of WNUR probably reached not much farther than the next dorm, but I still got a kick out of being in the broadcast booth and talking into the microphone.The downside was that fledgling DJ's were constrained to playing music only from the "easy listening" category. Every week before my show I would thumb hopefully through the designated shelf of LP's, (yes, I'm dating myself), only to find variations on Mitch Miller and/or the Swingle Singers (okay, I'm really dating myself!).

I would sigh, make a few selections and hand them to my engineer as I headed into the booth. Now this was a time when in the music world, the British Invasion was in full swing. In the political world, the Civil Rights movement was cresting with "Women's Lib" not far behind. Folks headed to San Francisco with flowers in their hair (got the date yet?).

I knew no one was listening to bouncy Mitch Miller sing-a-long tunes on WNUR. Yet when I spoke into the mike I pictured a friendly and interested audience tuned to my little show. I spoke personally to them with the full assumption that someone was listening. I told the weather with caring and concern; I read liner notes with enthusiasm and expression. I even staged a pseudo contest between two Mitch Miller numbers, reporting passionate responses from various callers. (Actually, no one called in except the station manager, but that's another story.)

When I write this blog, I picture the same friendly audience that tuned into my radio show -- interested in and appreciative of news from the farm, or about food and family. Maybe you're out there; maybe you aren't, but it doesn't really matter. This blog is still for you. I believe that people are basically good and like being friendly, and I write to all those good friendly people who appreciate simple stories about life, love and living lightly.

So I won't stage any fake contests to get some response to my blog. Instead I used my 2007 Holiday letter for shameless hinting to check out the Frog Log. So if that's why you're here, thanks for stopping by! I have a back log of Frog Logs in my head and will release them after the holidays.

When I returned to the dorm after my first broadcast, I went down to the dining hall and everyone sitting at my usual table stood up and cheered. I guess they were listening!

You don't have to cheer. But thanks for tuning in. And have a lovely holiday! (And, oh yes, Mitch Miller did record some classic holiday tunes. I think I have that album right here...).

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