August brings camping trips, family reunions, picnics, and of course, back-to-school activities and the inevitable END OF SUMMER!  (Has it gone as quickly for you as it has for me?)  Well, as you are having last family outings, don't forget to include storytelling with your children and grandchildren in the program.  Our family had a camping trip last week, and as we prepared to leave, one of my granddaughters asked if I was going to tell more stories.  Personal stories, family stories, folk tales, ANY story...it doesn't matter so much WHAT you tell, just as long as you DO!  As you are preparing for that back-to-school time and programs for the children during the year, why not invite a storyteller to your school and introduce your kids to the magic of story.  It's such good food for the brain and the imagination.  We need those interpersonal connections more and more as the world gets increasingly "high tech".  So...start telling,  Laurie

July is the month when we think about our country, patriotism and the freedoms for which we are all grateful.  It's also a great time to think about our history--whether that's the history of our nation, our family, our community or our culture.  What better time to get together and let your children know a little more about their heritage--they love those stories that can be told around the campfire, the barbecue grill, the picnic table or the patio.  Spend some of these long summer twilight evenings exchanging anecdotes and reminiscing about your family.  If you are planning a reunion or a larger "event", remember to add storytelling to the agenda.  There are family members just waiting to tell their tales, or hire a professional storyteller to "liven up" that occasion.  Remember--everything goes better with story, so keep telling tales, Laurie.

Summertime; and the telling is easy!  What a great time of year:  school is out (for most), flowers are blooming, sun is shining, and ice cream is available everywhere.  While you sit in the shade and cool off with a cone of your favorite flavor, why not share a story or memory with someone?  It's a valuable way to cement a friendship, teach a grandchild, or just enjoy the company of another traveler on the planet.  If you are planning a summer get-together, add stories to your plans, whether told by members of your group or by a professional teller that may be available in your area.  It's a "different" type of entertainment that can be enjoyed by young and old alike.  Many festivals in the park now include storytelling in their offerings--hey, that's a good idea!  Keep telling tales, Laurie

It's May!  It's May!  This is the time when the flowers bloom in abundance and children are looking forward to the freedom of summer.  Why not celebrate this joyous time of year with story?  Spend some time with someone you care about and share an important story from your life, or just enjoy a funny or touching story together. As you begin plans for the summer, include stories and storytelling.  Share with each other, attend a storytelling festival (there are many from which to choose), or invite a teller to come along and bask in the entertainment.  You are sure to create your own stories this summer, so prepare to tell them to others, and enjoy the season!

The tulips in my yard are several inches high, the daffodils are blooming, the crocus are "past their prime", so it looks like spring...despite the somewhat cool weather and occasional snowstorm!  This is a time of awakening--for nature and for the rest of us, too.  It's a great time to "awake" to the stories we all have inside ourselves.  Have you shared a story with someone you love recently?  There's no better way to bring you closer to others than to "open up" with a story.  If you don't have enough of your own, bring a storyteller into your party, event or activity and let someone else fill the spring air with the sound of story.  (Then you can re-tell those stories to others!)  A good story bears repetition.  Have a great spring and keep telling tales, Laurie

March is fully here and with it the promise of spring!  Some of us who have weathered the long winter are looking forward to the chance to "get out" a bit and enjoy nature.  While we are looking toward the warmer weather, there are also many opportunities to share the "warmth" and reawakening that stories provide.  I was able to spend last weekend with two of my grandchildren, two of my little "story listeners".  It is always a treat to be able to tell stories to them and watch their eyes light up as they enter that magical world with me.  If you haven't told a story to someone recently, what better time is there to share a bit of yourself?  And what better time to invite a storyteller to your next event to share that magic with others?

February is the month of love, and I "love" to tell stories.  There have been some amazing storytelling events in the northern Utah area the past couple of weeks, and more to come in the near future.  What a great opportunity to curl up with a loved one and listen to stories!  Clearfield Storytelling Festival just completed its 4th successful year...we have outgrown the venue and will have to find a larger one for next January.  Weber State Storytelling Festival will be February 22-24, with great local and national tellers.  I look forward to performing (and listening) during that event.  If you haven't discovered the joy of listening to storytelling, you are missing something truly entertaining and life-affirming.  If you haven't tried sharing stories with your family, you are missing a great chance to get closer and just enjoy each other. Try it...you"ll be glad you did!

Catch the 4th annual Clearfield Storytelling Festival on January 29th from 7:00-8:30.  It will be held at 140 East Center Street in Clearfield, Utah.  (The building is located just east of the main city building.)  There will be some great storytellers to help you warm up on a winter evening.

Well, the holidays are over and winter has fully set in.  This is a time to "cocoon" in our homes, drink hot chocolate, read a good book, and tell stories to our families.  Years ago, before TV and radio, families spent the evening hours by the fireside and told stories to each other to pass the time.  Men would repair tools needed during the warmer weather; women would sew or knit; children would listen and learn about their ancestry, the values espoused by their kin, funny stories about their parents as children, or maybe just folk tales from their heritage.  This was the time to "pass on" many valuable lessons to children--and the kids didn't even realize they were being "taught":  they thought they were being entertained.  This time of year, when things have slowed down(?) a bit, is still a good time to feast on stories.

November is the time to be grateful for all the freedoms we have and for our families and friends.  It is also a time to get together with those we care about.  While we are enjoying their company (and eating our hearts out), why not share some stories about holidays gone by?  Maybe this would be the time to let our children know more about their grandparents (you know, the ones who lived in the dark ages before everyone had cell phones!) or about important traditions and memories that the family shares.  Don't let the time go by without telling and re-telling these stories...that's the "glue" that holds the family together.  Besides, sharing stories is fun!  No one ever laughs harder than in remembering that embarrassing moment when mom forgot to turn the oven on while cooking the turkey, or the time the toddler made the announcement of a pregnancy while the mashed potatoes were being served.  Hug your loved ones...they are the most important ones. Enjoy each other.

October is the perfect month for tales about ghosts and the supernatural.  (Though I can enjoy these stories anytime of the year!)  Take the time to read, or better yet, listen or tell a ghost story to someone this month.  There are many events around this time of year where you can hear a nice, chilling tale.  In my area we have the Ogden and Salt Lake City Ghost Tours that do an excellent job of providing the right amount of "spook" to fill your October evening.  Maybe you even have some personal or family stories of the ghostly variety.  Enjoy the haunting season with stories!

With cooler weather coming, it's time to start thinking about the warmth of stories in our lives.  Or how about the shivers of a ghost story to go with a crisp autumn evening?  Whatever your taste for stories:  family, folk tales or the supernatural, a beautiful early autumn day (or night) is the perfect time to hear...and tell. 

Summer is winding down and school bells are beginning to ring across the land.  What a great time to listen to stories, whether around the dinner table after a hard day, or on the way to school, or in class to help "drive" a subject home to the students.  Everyone learns better with a story!  Share yours today!

Midsummer is a great time to sit down with a book and a cold glass of lemonade...It's also time to travel to your favorite camping spot and sit around the campfire telling stories.  Maybe a ghost story would add some chills to this sultry time of year!  Possibly you just want to share some favorite family memories.  When getting together with family and friends, stories always make the event more special.  Keep telling tales, Laurie

Summertime is a great time for stories, whether at a family picnic, around the campfire, or when "catching up" at a family reunion.  Find someone and tell them your favorite story.  And maybe they'll return the favor!