Sign up for the Adventures with Grammy newsletter by texting Grammy to 22828 to get started!
Newsletter subscribers are eligible to win the next book giveaway: April 7. Grad to Grown-up by Gene Rice
My guest today is Anieke Lamars, the co-founder & CEO of Peekabond — an app that helps families across the world build bonds with young children at a distance. The app combines asynchronous video connections, with playful, science-based inspiration, including games, stories and songs to help long-distance grandparents connect with their grandchildren. I like the app because I can record a video my grandchildren can watch when it is convenient for their parents. Links to learn more about the app and download it are in the show notes.
Sign up for the Adventures with Grammy newsletter by texting Grammy to 22828 to get started!
Newsletter subscribers are eligible to win the next book giveaway: April 7. Grad to Grown-up by Gene Rice
Rob Gorski’s three sons are on the Autism Spectrum. When he first learned about autism, he was angry, bewildered and often felt alone. He poured his thoughts and feelings into a blog he never imagined anyone would read, but they did. In 2020, he launched his podcast … the Autism Dad. Rob is with us today to share his journey, to introduce us to his sons, and to assure families who enter the world of autism they are not alone.
Sign up for the Adventures with Grammy newsletter by texting Grammy to 22828 to get started!
Two hundred years ago Harriet Tubman was born enslaved on a farm on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the United States. The exact date of her birth is unknown, but consensus is sometime between 1820 and 1822. She died March 10, 1913, at about age 90, in Auburn, New York.
Kicking off today and throughout 2022 events in Maryland will trace Harriet Tubman’s footsteps and highlight her fight for freedom.
Today we are talking with Sarah Jackson, the mom behind the Instagram site 4DMVKids, and Ranger Cierra, a park ranger at the Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Church Creek, Maryland. It is run by the National Park Service and commemorates the life of former enslaved Harriet Tubman. The park has a visitors’ center, a history museum, and, according to Sarah, an awesome, price-friendly gift shop. There is a statue of Harriet Tubman sitting on a bench in the visitor center, and as Sarah’s son discovered, the perfect location for a picture to remember your day at the park.
Programs and events scheduled for the anniversary weekend include:
Friday, March 11:
7 p.m. – Virtual Premier of “Rooted Wisdom: Nature’s Role in the Underground Railroad” This film chronicles the experiences of freedom seekers’ journeys through the wilderness. The documentary film will stream live on Friday, March 11 at 7 p.m at naturesrole.org. The virtual event is free and open to all, though registration is encouraged at bit.ly/RootedWisdomPremiere. A panel discussion with historians and filmmakers will follow.
Following the premiere, the film will be shown in the multi-purpose room every hour at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. throughout the celebratory weekend.
Saturday, March 12:
10 a.m. – Opening ceremony featuring a living history interpretation by Millicent Sparks
11 a.m. – “The Discovery of the Ben Ross Homesite” Hear from Dr. Julie Schablitsky of the Maryland Department of Transportation about the successful effort to locate and excavate the homesite of Ben Ross. The artifacts are on display for the first time at the Visitor Center for the entire month of March.
12 p.m. – “Foraging Freedom: Experiencing the Natural World of the Underground Railroad” Join an interactive walking tour with historian Anthony Cohen through the Legacy Garden and adjacent Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Participants should expect to be on their feet and are encouraged to wear comfortable all-weather shoes.
1 p.m. – “Jubilee Voices at Harriet’s House” Hear the Washington Revels Jubilee Voices during the Tubman 200th festivities. Jubilee Voices is an ensemble that is committed to the preservation of African American history and traditions through songs and storytelling.
2 p.m. – “The Education of Harriet Ross Tubman” Kate Clifford Larson, a Tubman biographer, discusses the free and enslaved people who helped raise, protect, nurture, and educate Minty to become the woman we know as Harriet Tubman.
3 p.m. – “‘Designing a New Place to Experience History: An Exploration of the Architects”
Listen to Chris Elcock, associate principal of the architecture firm GWWO Inc., as he explains the design process behind creating the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center
Sunday, March 13:
10 a.m. – “Meet Harriet Tubman” Living history interpreter Millicent Sparks performs as Tubman and shares her monumental life with audience members.
11 a.m. – “The Hidden Chesapeake Through Harriet Tubman’s Eyes” Kate Clifford Larson, a Tubman biographer, shares about some of the places around the Chesapeake Bay that bear witness to the histories, memories, and legacies of the Underground Railroad and its most famous conductor.
12 p.m. – “The Chronicles of Adam” A powerful and inspirational first-person historical interpretation of an enslaved man by the name of Adam.
1 p.m. – “The Legacy Hour” Hear from community members and enjoy musical selections from Renna McKinney as we honor the lives of Donald Pinder and Herschel Johnson. During the second half hour, become inspired by Tina Wyatt, great, great, great grandniece of Harriet Tubman as she shares “A Letter to Soph.”
2 p.m. – “The Legacy of Slavery in Maryland” Chris Haley of the Maryland State Archives presents a general overview of slavery in Maryland, which will include examples of records specifically related to the state and to counties of the Eastern Shore and how both the enslaved and free were affected by the ‘peculiar institution.’
3 p.m. – “Freedom Bound”
Join public historian and historical interpreter Marvin-Alonzo Greer in this family-friendly program with interactive songs and stories.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Department of Commerce, National Park Service, and other federal, state, and local partners will continue to celebrate and highlight aspects of Tubman’s story throughout the year.
One of the upcoming events will be a lecture:
Connecting Past to Present: How to use artifacts and photos to create dynamic stories Saturday, April 2 – 10:30am-Noon, at the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center, 424 Race St., Cambridge, MD. This is the subject of my newest book, Snapshots of My Life: How to Write a Memoir. You can purchase the paperback version online, or you can receive a digital version for free by signing up for my newsletter: text Grammy to 22828 to get started!
To learn about this remarkable woman, visit the following sites:
Hart County, Ky, is a fascinating destination for grandparents and their grandchildren to spend time. Located in south central Kentucky, you’ll find gently rolling hillsides, underground rivers, caves, ziplines and covered wagons in which to rest your head. It’s a grandparent’s dream come true … a place to make memories with your grandchildren.
Joining me today to share the fun families can expect once they hop off the interstate is Sandra Wilson, the executive director at Hart County Tourist Commission.
Spring Break is fast approaching, and many families plan to head to Disney. Listen to Nikki Hendrix and her father, Manny Oliverez (Episode 52), talk about everything Disney. Their tips will help your family make the most of your Disney vacation. Let the Magic Begin!
Ivy Butler loves to snap photographs. He’s done so since his children were little, and he is continuing that tradition with his grandchildren. You can view those images on his Instagram site @thegrandfatherdiary. He and his wife were foster parents to numerous children and adopted the last five, which makes him and his wife the parents of seven children and the grandparents of 13.
The Butler Family is of mixed race and experiences challenges many grandparents face: lack of contact with children and grandchildren, long-distance grandparenting, and grandchildren living with grandparents.
Ivy cherishes his family and enjoys the times with them life affords. Part of his handling life’s challenges so graciously comes through being a certified life coach. He says neuroscience has proven one can rewire his or her brain and change one’s life with new input. Listen to his joy of being a grandfather, the impact Earl Nightingale had on his life, and Ivy’s mission to help others learn the value of positive self-talk and the necessity of positive talk with children.
Episode 57 of the Adventures with Grammy podcase is an edited version of Episode 8 that features Kaitlyn Jain, author of Passports and Pacifiers Traveling the World One Tantrum at a Time.
I am putting that interview on replay because I am caring for four of my grandchildren while their parents are away. I chose playing with my grandchildren instead of creating a new episode. This interview was popular last year, and I think new listeners will like it, too.
Before we listen to my interview with Kaitlyn, I have three important announcements. All links are in the show notes.
I interviewed Manny Oliverez, the author of 100 Things I love about Grandpa on Episode 52. We will be giving a copy of his book to one of the Adventures with Grammy newsletter subscribers when he and his daughter are guests on an upcoming podcast. You may recall that Manny is a HUGE Disney fan and regularly vacations there with his family. His daughter owns a Disney concierge travel service; they will be here in time for spring vacation to give us tips on how to best navigate the Florida theme park.
Kaitlyn Jain says of her book, “Welcome to the true story of two crazy parents traveling with four small children…on a budget. Part memoir, part guide, this travelogue serves as an inspiration to new and seasoned parents alike. Starting with two bumbling parents taking their Never-Sleep infant to Italy and ending with an adventure across Scandinavia, Passports and Pacifiers follows a naïve, baby-wearing family on eight memorable, and nap-centered trips.”
Alejandro is a young entrepreneur from the Washington D.C. metro area. He’s the founder of Smell of Love Candles, a company that specializes in creating natural, hand-poured vegan candles that are good for you, good for the environment and are socially responsible. He started Smell of Love Candles to buy more books, save money for college and to help those in need.
Alejandro believes that we are stronger when we take care of each other, so his company donates a portion of each month’s profits to charity.
Alejandro is the founder of the YouTube channel: Smell of Love Candles, where he shares tips on candle making with natural waxes and business lessons learned as he runs his business. Alejandro also shares his entrepreneurial journey on his podcast: Lessons from a Kidpreneur, which is available on major podcast networks.
Alejandro has been featured on media, both print and broadcast. He hopes to inspire others to pursue their dreams, no matter their age.
Before we listen to my interview with Alejandro, I have three important announcements.
Sign up for my newsletter by visiting my website: https://adventureswithgrammy.com and clicking the newsletter signup link, or text to join! Start by texting Grammy to 22828.
I interviewed Manny Oliverez, the author of 100 Things I love about Grandpa on Episode 52. We will be giving a copy of his book to one of the Adventures with Grammy newsletter subscribers when he and his daughter are guests on an upcoming podcast. You may recall that Manny is a HUGE Disney fan and regularly vacations there with his family. His daughter owns a Disney concierge travel service; they will be here in time for spring vacation to give us tips on how to best navigate the Florida theme park.
My guest for Episode 55 is author/illustrator Dori Durbin. Her book series is titles Little Cat Feelings. She has published two picture books in that series: “Little Cat Needs Space” and “Little Cat Feels Left Out.” She will release her third book, a chapter book titled, “Little Cat & Dog’s Birthday Bake: A Recipe in Caring,” February 2, 2022.
The former teacher and fitness instructor lives in Michigan with her husband, son, daughter, three pampered indoor cats, and her old Great Dane.
A few days before our conversation, the Durbins were in Florida for her daughter’s soccer tournament. Before we talked about her books, Dori and I chatted about the trip.
The Adventures with Grammy Podcast is pleased to welcome Storyteller Debra Weller, a creative performance artist using oral tradition storytelling, puppets and music to engage her audiences and students.
Debra began her career as a Storyteller more than forty years ago in New Jersey as part of the Annie Lynn Storytellers. They performed in schools, libraries, festivals and the Philadelphia Folk Festival. After a move to California, she helped to form the non-profit, South Coast Storytellers Guild. In California, she led storytelling camps, after school storytelling clubs, performed at schools, libraries and festivals as well as teaching kindergarten for thirty years.
She was the Storyteller in Residence at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles for six months. Her favorite character is Mrs. Santa Storyteller. Three years ago, she moved to Florida and has served as the president of the Tale Tellers of St. Augustine and on the Board of Directors of the Florida Storytelling Association. Debra has taught workshops from docent training to teacher professional development. Storytelling has taken her to China, Vietnam, and Scotland.
During the past two years, Debra has been presenting at international, virtual conferences and storytelling concerts. Her presentations deliver quality professional development and entertainment. In June 2021, she presented a workshop, Storytelling the Heart of the Curriculum for Early Childhood Development Forum and was a speaker at the Sphere of Influence Forum.
She provides voice overs for the Magic Polygon Storytelling App and is a frequent guest teller on Basket of Talez podcast. She offers online education and virtual coaching on her web site: https://story-tellingcourses.com and her YouTube channel. She is driven by a personal philosophy to provide valuable, educational experiences and performances for children and adults to bring stories alive!
