If you live in the United States, do you know anything about your culture and history?  We have so many stories from the plethora of immigrant cultures, but we also have stories that are uniquely "American".  Discover your country and claim your heritage!  I have been researching stories of the "American Experience" the past few years and it is an amazing journey.  Find out where your ancestors are from and what they have to offer and then keep digging until you find the roots of American story.  There was a recent storytelling festival in Fillmore, UT that focused on stories from that region and helped those in central Utah feel more connected to their area.  Ask a storyteller or family member to help you do the same!

The Weber State Storytelling Festival was this past week and I was able to tell stories in Ogden's Egyptian Theater--that is always a pleasure!  There is so much ambiance in that location and yes, it also has resident ghosts!  I enjoy asking the people who work backstage about Allison, a girl ghost who died in an accident while the theater was being built and whose antics seem to touch anyone who works there for any length of time.  The theater also boasts a great stage and twinkling lights like stars in the ceiling for an all round fantastic experience.  The artist in me was fully fed.

What a wonderful storytelling festival we had in Clearfield, Utah last Saturday!  It was exciting to see tellers, old and new, perform and feel the audience reactions.  Intertwined within the stories were music, juggling, and puppets.  We heard true tales, tall tales, flights of fancy and "should be true" tales.  There was poetry and laughter, silliness and some more serious reflection.  Storytelling has it all!  Now to the end of February (26-28) when the Weber State University Storytelling Festival (in Ogden, Utah) will be in full swing.  Three days filled with national, regional and local performers and it's all free.  Come and see what storytelling is really all about.

With the holiday season winding down, it's time to start thinking about....Stories!  Yes, winter is the perfect time to cuddle up to some good tales.  Earlier societies used the winter to pass along family tales, folk tales or stories that taught the children family and cultural values.  Get out of the electronics and spend some effort to let your children know about their roots.  Hire a storyteller for an event and find out the beauty and excitement of telling tales.  Any effort you put into this will be well worth it!  Clearfield, UT will hold a storytelling festival on January 27 at 7:00 at the Community Arts Center building 140 East Center in Clearfield, UT.  You could come and hear professional and community tellers share their favorite stories.  It's a free event and will warm up your winter evening!

The storytelling in October was glorious, and now it's time to settle down for family and holiday stories.  With Thanksgiving approaching (in the United States), consider telling stories around the dinner table.  We did that a couple of years ago with my grandchildren, and they absolutely loved hearing about the past, what their parents did as children, and sharing their own memories of times they have enjoyed.  Children need roots AND wings, and we give them roots by sharing our stories, our beliefs, our traditions and our culture.  Have a happy Thanksgiving!

This is a glorious time of year for storytelling....who doesn't love a good ghost story?  Stories that have a bit of chill to match the weather, tales with just a hint of a twist, adventures that excite and make us wonder are all part of the fun of autumn.  I have been working with Storytours and Ogden Ghost Tours for over a dozen years, and it seems we never run out of paranormal happenings to retell on our tours.  Even young children love the stories of this time of year--they just don't need as much "scare" factor.  Be sure to include tales in your October and fall celebrations.  They stir up the imagination and help us appreciate the warmth of our homes and firesides.  

School days are upon us again and the air is getting (a little) cooler, so fall must be on the way!  One of the best things about fall (besides pumpkins!) are the stories and storytelling opportunities.  I love to tell stories with surprise endings and a little bit of chill, and ghost stories and other seasonal treats seem to provide that in abundance.  Don't miss out on the chance to hear, or even tell, a slightly spooky story this season.  As you make plans for harvest activities and family events, include stories in the plan.  After the heat of summer, it's time to cool off with a ghostly story!

What do you do in Utah when the weather stays around 95 degrees for several weeks....go camping!  And when you sit around the campfire at night what do you do.....you tell stories, of course!  It really doesn't matter whether you are spinning family tales, trying to scare the older kids with ghost stories of creatures that inhabit the woods, or just sharing your favorite folk tale, camping and stories go together.  Plan on sharing stories during family outings this summer, and as the summer winds down and school starts, don't forget to include storytelling in your back-to-school activities and carnivals.  Children always love to hear about all their parents' misdeeds and school horror stories.  Let's face it, so do adults.  Happy telling!

This summer seems to be going way too fast!  I just finished a performance called "Sing Me a Story--Ballads, Songs and Stories from the American Tradition" for an appreciative group of "empty nesters" and will be on stage at the Gallivan Center (239 South Main) in Salt Lake City on July 10th at noon for the Lunch Bunch Concert Series.  I will be performing stories and songs with an American theme, as it just seems like the thing to do in July.  It's important to remember our heritage and reconnect with what has made our country free.  Remember to share your family stories with your children and grandchildren as you travel, camp, hike or whatever you do to celebrate the beautiful days of summer.

I just spent a wonderful evening telling American history stories (and one tall tale) to a group of nearly a dozen women.  With all the experiences they have had in life, they were enthralled to hear some parts of history that they never knew, and bits and pieces of stories they hadn't fully heard before.  It's important for us to know about our own culture and stories that make up the "American experience", and so much of that can get lost if we're not actively preserving it.  The stories also got them talking about tales from their own families--these also shouldn't be lost!  We need to tell and hear each other's stories....that's how we pass culture to the next generation.  Culture is best transmitted person to person, in the spirit of love and friendship.

March is here and it seems like spring is around the corner!  That's always good news after a long winter.  Crocus are blooming and their yellow blossoms seem to make everything brighter.  Why not brighten someone's day by telling a story?  Whether you tell a folktale, a family story, something historical, a ghost story, or a healing tale, you have made a connection with your audience (be it 1 or 100).  It's a connection that cannot be made with electronic media, as it's a truly human connection.  Whether we are the teller or the listener, stories help us become more human.  Try it today!

What better way to warm up a winter night than with story?  Cuddle up in front of the fire with a cup of hot chocolate and your favorite book and life seems complete.  Of course, it's even better if you spend the evening with family or friends and share your own stories, or versions of stories you have heard.  Winter used to be the time for telling tales...that time when the farm work was less taxing and the evenings were long and dark.  Families had to make their own entertainment, and story and music were the ways to do just that!  Hey!  The evenings are still long, dark and cold, so try story as a way to warm things up this January.

It's the winter holiday season again and whether you celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa or Dewali, there are stories to share with others.  This is the time of year for sitting in front of a fire (or in another warm location) and telling stories of your family and holiday traditions.  This is what binds us to each other and to those who have gone before.  And don't forget, when you plan your celebrations and parties, include storytelling.  It makes the time unforgettable!  And remember, in Victorian times, this was the season for ghost stories...try it out!

I just attended a Storyswap with the Utah Storytelling Guild and it was great to see old friends, meet new ones and hear amazing stories.  I have spent the last month telling ghost stories to anyone who would listen and it was a great ride!  With all the talent around the area, if you are in northern Utah and haven't been to a storytelling presentation of some kind...you are just plain missing out!  I have the privilege of performing an hour long program of stories entitled--"From Sea to Shining Sea:  Stories on the Quest for Freedom" on November 11th for Veteran's Day.  I am excited to be able to share tales from our history and those who have given so much for the freedoms we enjoy.  As you gather with family later this month for the Thanksgiving holiday, be sure to share some stories with your children and grandchildren.  They'll remember that long after the leftovers have disappeared!

The air is becoming cooler, leaves are vibrant shades of crimson and gold, the mountains are topped with a dusting of snow...it must be time for ghost stories!!  Almost everyone likes a good ghost tale--one that gives just the right amount of chill, and especially one with a surprise ending, so...get your cup of hot chocolate and doughnuts or popcorn or caramel apples and sit back and enjoy the season and the stories.  Ogden and Salt Lake City (Utah) Ghost Tours offers ghost stories every Friday and Saturday this month, plus on Halloween night.  These are re-tellings of actual experiences people have had in these haunted cities.  Some tours are walking, some are bus tours. Check out the website at www.storytours.com for more information.  If you're having a Halloween party, make storytelling a part of it.  There are great stories for all:  from the little ones who don't need a scare to bigger people who may enjoy it!  Happy Fall!

I started out this month with a wonderful 3 days at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival!  There's nothing better than sitting at the foot of our beautiful mountains and listening to storytellers from all over the country give us their best!  Now is the time of year when the weather is getting cooler, the leaves are starting to turn, and that means...time for ghost stories!  If you live in northern Utah, check out Ogden and Salt Lake City Ghost Tours and hear the history and ghostly encounters in these two haunted cities.  Wherever you are, enjoy the crisp autumn weather and the chill of those stories that always surprise and delight.

I don't know about you, but I have been traveling and seeing some beautiful sights in nature this summer.  The western part of the United States has interesting and unique scenery and it's here for all to enjoy!  It makes me think about the sacrifices so many have made when this country was new, and the pioneering efforts of so many to give us the ease and beauty we take for granted.  These stories need to be told, and I am researching stories that are begging for audiences!  We all need to be more aware of our history so that we can pass the culture down to our children and grandchildren, so that we are informed citizens (wherever we live) and so that we have a sense of where we have come from and where we are headed.  Share stories...hire storytellers who know more stories...share more stories...it's a great way to learn and feel and enjoy life more!

I had a great time telling a program of freedom stories and folk tales at the Gallivan Center in Salt Lake City last month.  The audience was just wandering around, but the sound system was great and I could see the occasional person stopping in their busy day to listen to a story...we should do that more often!  I have been researching American history stories so that I can tell more of our nation's amazing stories.  Too many don't know anything about the history here, as evidenced by some random Facebook posts that present fictionalized accounts as truth.  The real stories are too good to ignore!  Make sure, whatever culture you hail from, that you acquaint your children and others with the tales that make up your background.  Children need to know where they come from to have a firm idea of where they are going!  So...spread culture and stories this summer!

"June is bustin' out all over"...there should be a song with this!  Summer is truly here and the relaxing and busy times that come with it.  Festivals, parties, get-togethers, reunions...they're all better when accompanied by stories.  I just came back from a wonderful trip to southern Utah and one of the most beautiful places on the globe:  Bryce Canyon.  Before the hike on the Navajo Trail Loop, I had to tell my grandchildren about the time I took that hike as a seven-year-old with a mother who was pregnant and sick, an aunt recovering from whooping cough, a three-year-old brother who had to be carried part of the way and my grandfather.  I was full of more energy than sense, and probably travelled the trail at least twice running up and down in my excitement!  My mother was worried that I might fall off the trail to my death, but she wasn't strong enough to do much about it.  What a great memory and what a fun story for the next generation.  Don't forget to share with your family and friends.  Also, check into what storytelling festivals may be around your area this summer.  You'll be glad you did.

It's May and time to start thinking of summer and vacation plans.  If you are planning a festival or carnival, consider hiring a storyteller to round out the activities and remember...storytelling is not just for children.  EVERYONE loves a good story that is well told!  Stories are the way we share culture, language, ideas and values, so make sure to include it in your summer plans.  If you are traveling with family, there is no better way to keep everyone happy than to share family tales.  The miles will go by much more quickly and there will be less of the question, "Are we there yet?"