Summertime is a great time to tell stories: around the campfire, during a walk in the woods, at a picnic or family reunion, at a festival or celebration.  Share your past with your children.  Share the folk tales of your culture (or another culture).  Add storytellers to your next celebratory activity.  Stories are what make us human, teach us how to interact with others and help the rising generation understand what is expected of them.  Don't let this time of year pass without sharing with those you love!

Yesterday I had the experience of attending a "Patriot Camp" and telling some stories about American history.  I did a "first-person" account of Sybil Ludington, a young girl who made a midnight ride to collect militia for an important Revolutionary War battle and also told a bit about Deborah Sampson:  a female who managed to enlist in the army during that war.  It was exciting to be able to educate some young people about exciting events in the history of the United States and let them know that even teens can make a big difference! What power there is in storytelling.

Summer is here and with it a fantastic season for storytelling!  Camping trips, picnics in the park, fairs and festivals, road trips....wherever you are and whatever you're doing, stories can make it better!  I have just finished telling for the Story Crossroads Festival in Salt Lake City and am looking forward to performances at the Gallivan Center and Pioneer Park in Provo, Utah during the summer months.  Ghost Tours are going year-round and there are many opportunities to tell, and listen, to stories.  Watch for opportunities to catch a professional teller at an outdoor festival and make sure you share family stories with those you love.  Make memories this summer with stories.

On May 10th we are celebrating the sesquicentennial of the "wedding of the rails" here in northern Utah--the time when this large country was finally connected from east to west, from "sea to shining sea", by the transcontinental railroad.  That event changed our way of travel and our lifestyle forever.  Many events are being scheduled to celebrate this and museum exhibits, concerts, songs and stories are being used to bring this to life for a new generation.  Check out the storytelling opportunities in the area this summer and enjoy a bit of history with your stories!

Storytelling events are happening in Utah and it's great to be a part of them!  I participated in the Weber State Storytelling Festival this past February and it is always a pleasure to perform in front of such gracious audiences and on the same stage with the national storytellers.  This past week I was able to watch Bil Lepp perform and that is a treat.  Next month will be the Story Crossroads Festival and I will be participating on May 15.  Good stories, good times!

The holiday season is upon us again, and whatever celebrations you have at this time of year, remember that storytelling is part of every culture!  Share family tales, religious stories, traditional tales or whatever makes you feel warm and friendly with others.  In Victorian times, it was the tradition to tell ghost stories at this time of year.  Why not?  Sharing with those you love is always appropriate and especially during a season that tends to focus on loving and giving.  So give of yourself to others and make some good connections to lighten the dark days of winter.

   Well, the haunting season has passed and it was great fun telling the ghost stories of Ogden, Utah the entire month of October.  One of our more haunted buildings was quite active...I guess the ghosts like to "show off" for their guests this season.  Haunted Salt Lake City, a new book that I recently co-authored, is in stores.  Read 13 stories about some of the haunted buildings in our state's capital. All four authors were involved with book signings this past month and we enjoyed meeting with people and sharing ghostly discussions.
   Thanksgiving is just around the corner and that is a family time that is made so much more meaningful with story.  My grandchildren are fascinated with stories of their grandparents, their parents when they were younger, and even ancestors they have never met.  It's important for children to have roots, so tell the stories that make them laugh, cry and think.  Have a happy holiday season!

This past weekend was an amazing storytelling feast as I attended the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival in Lehi, Utah.  I heard tales that were funny, poignant, serious and spooky and they raised every emotion by the end!  Stories do that:  they take us out of our everyday lives and transport us to places we have never seen, places that don't even exist and put us in historical events we have not experienced.  It makes me excited to try to expand my own story repertoire and share the stories that are important to me.  Stories are powerful.  Share yours with others.

I can't believe that summer is winding down so quickly!  Where has the time gone?  As school schedules start taking over and events get planned, be sure to include storytellers in your activities.  Stories are the best way to learn literature, history and many other subjects.  Plan ahead for using stories in classes and other presentations.  If you are in the Utah area, check out the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival September 6-8, 2018.  National and international tellers will be on-stage sharing some of their best tales.  Enjoy this beautiful time of year.

We are now in the depths of summer and what a wonderful time of year that is!  I enjoy the freedom from the strict schedules many of us have to keep up with the rest of the year and the feeling of "more time" that it sometimes gives me.  But don't just lounge away the summer.....spend some moments making great memories and turn those memories into stories!  Look for storytelling festivals in your area, or events that sponsor storytelling.  If you are planning a carnival or celebration, hire a professional storyteller and make the event even more memorable.  And remember, ice cream and lemonade always make the season better!

Keep the stories rolling!  Summer and a break from school has arrived and what better way to spend it than with family?  And while you are at the beach, on the road trip or visiting relatives, be sure to share those favorite (or lesser known) family tales.  It's the best way to keep kids entertained and away from the constant stream of technology.  You might actually have conversations together!  If your summer plans include festivals and parties, make sure that storytelling (professional or otherwise) is included.  Children who are exposed to story become more excited about reading, and summer is a super time to get the books out.  Visit your local library and stock up with books, lemonade and your favorite people.  It's a great way to make memories.

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.