Podcasts Worth Listening To

As we slowly approach a post-COVID world, I find myself with slightly less time to binge-watch every show that Amazon Prime and Netflix carry, and instead I have been turning to the wonderful world of podcasts. I am back in my office and working, but I am one of those people who focuses best on what my hands are doing when I have something else for my brain to think about. So I have been...binge-listening?? to a number of different podcasts. Here are ten podcasts that I recommend - but I'd love to find some others, so if you have a favorite that isn't mentioned here, please feel free to post it in the comments!

Word Matters

Their description: "Word Matters is a show for readers, writers, and anyone who ever loved their English class. Join Merriam-Webster editors as they challenge supposed grammar rules, reveal the surprising origins behind words, tackle common questions, and generally geek out about the beautiful nightmare that is language."

My description: It's a bunch of smart and witty people who love words sharing the interesting things they've learned about every aspect of the English language and the joys and struggles of creating and maintaining a dictionary of it.

Why I love it: I discovered it because my husband added Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day" to our morning Alexa news brief, and when I heard it, I sat up and blurted, "Hey, I know that voice! I know that guy!" M-W WotD is compiled and narrated by an old high school friend of mine, Peter Sokolowski. Peter is also one of the editors who participates in Word Matters. He, like the other editors, has a fascinatingly varied background which brings an interesting perspective to the discussion. It doesn't hurt that he has a wonderfully soothing voice and a penchant for tossing off French terms in a magnifique accent, either.

A few good episodes to whet your appetite: "What is a Learner's Dictionary?" (April 28, 2021) and "Words That Are Their Own Opposites" (January 6, 2021).

Unspooled

Their description: "Actor & comedian Paul Scheer and film critic Amy Nicholson want your advice as they make the ultimate list of the greatest movies of all time. In Season 1, they watched every one of the AFI’s Top 100 films…and decided they could kick off half. Now, they’re filling in the gaps by investigating wildly diverse areas of film through miniseries on topics like horror movies, documentaries and romantic comedies, with help from listeners’ picks. Along the way, they’ll dissect iconic scenes, spotlight their favorite characters, and talk to some of the actors and directors who worked on these classics. And when Unspooled has built their own list of the best movies on earth, they’ll blast them into space to be immortalized for eternity. Seriously.

My description: Movie analysis from two different perspectives, with a lot of insider knowledge, trivia, and hilarity, plus frequent guests with even more insider knowledge. An interesting look at what makes classic movies classics, and why some "classic" movies haven't aged as well as others. 

Why I love it: I first came across Paul Scheer's other podcast, "How Did This Get Made?," in which he and his co-hosts analyze - in a hilarious way - absolutely terrible (but often still very fun to watch) movies. Unspooled is the flip side of that. Amy's years of experience as a film critic looking from the outside in and Paul's years of experience as an actor and director looking from the inside out are a great balance of both perspective and knowledge. This podcast has not only introduced me to a number of unfamiliar movies that are well worth watching, it has also given me a new appreciation for the art of filmmaking and what goes into making a film that creates compelling characters and storylines.

A few good episodes to whet your appetite: "The Best Years of Our Lives" (November 13, 2019) and "A Trip to the Moon" (May 5, 2021).

Says You!

Their description: "A public radio game show of bluff and bluster, words and whimsy."

My description: A bunch of really smart, well-read and well-educated, extremely funny people getting together to play general knowledge games. Includes games like picking out the correct definition of an obscure word, solving puns, identifying what an individual was famous for, defining shades of difference between two similar words, etc.

Why I love it: It's like spending an afternoon with your smartest, funniest friends playing Trivial Pursuit and all those word games your family used to play in the car on long trips. It gives me a sense of pride when I get the right answer before the team does, and I'm continually learning interesting factoids and bits of trivia and history. 

A few good episodes to whet your appetite: "From Home #5" (February 12, 2021) and "Back-9 #21" (April 16, 2021).

Morbid

Their description: "Morbid is a true crime, creepy history and all things spooky podcast hosted by an autopsy technician and a hairstylist. Join us for a heavy dose of research with a dash of comedy thrown in for flavor."

My description: The hosts may be a little goofy, but their fascination with and passion for the true crime stories is apparent. Topics range from recent crimes (solved and unsolved) to historical crimes to the occasional episode consisting solely of weird (but usually surprisingly well-told) personal stories submitted by readers. 

Why I love it: The hosts are hilarious, albeit a bit irreverent for the topic at times. But they tell the story well and their own interest in the story as it unfolds makes it compelling. Plus, they frequently ask the questions I'm asking in my own head ("Why did he bring a BOWIE KNIFE to a baseball game?!?" "Why did he go look for footprints instead of trying to give his dying wife CPR?!?"). Their style may not be to everyone's taste, but their giggles and overblown reactions somehow make their subject a little less (sorry, have to go there) morbid.

A few good episodes to whet your appetite: "The Abduction and Murder of Daniel Morcombe" (April 17, 2021) and "The Weepy Voiced Killer" (January 10, 2021).

Disorganized Crime: Smuggler's Daughter

Their description: "Host Rainbow Valentine discovers her artist mom and 'businessman' dad were deeply involved in the illegal drug trade and unknowingly spent her childhood among a massive pot distribution operation. As she talks with her father in intimate interviews, Rainbow Valentine uncovers a history of her childhood that causes her to reassess everything — and gives us a unique personal window into the infamous."

My description: A long-retired hippie pot distributor and his equally hippie artist wife recount their days in the business to their daughter, who grew up having no idea that was what her parents did for a living. A fascinating account of living a relatively normal life amid a relatively dangerous operation. 

Why I love it: It's really interesting to hear the daughter's response to hearing these stories for the first time as you're also hearing them for the first time. The dad is particularly hilarious and disarmingly charming, usually sounding like he can't believe how much they got away with either. It helps that he sounds EXACTLY like a guy I know who is also hilarious and disarmingly charming. I don't usually think of drug dealers as being either personable or devoted family men, so it's particularly interesting to me to hear the first-hand story of someone who is both. The podcast is as much a story of a loving but offbeat family as it is the story of the life of a drug dealer.

A few good episodes to whet your appetite: "Psychedelic Pioneers" (December 11, 2019) and "Savings and Loam" (January 8, 2020).

LeVar Burton Reads

Their description: "In every episode, host LeVar Burton invites you to take a break from your daily life, and dive into a great story. LeVar’s narration blends with gorgeous soundscapes to bring stories by Neil Gaiman, Haruki Murakami, Octavia Butler, Ray Bradbury and more to life."

My description: ^ What they said. 

Why I love it: The collection of stories is truly eclectic; it's all fiction, and it's all short, it's all (mainly) in English, and LeVar likes it all. That's literally all the stories have in common. So I never know if I'll love a story or if it will leave me cold. And honestly, I've listened to episodes in both categories. But LeVar Burton has one of those voices that I'll happily listen to reading the phone book, so I'm willing to give any of the episodes a shot. Because, as LeVar always said at the end of every episode of Reading Rainbow and also says at the end of these podcasts, "You don't have to take my word for it." I may or may not like the book, but I always like hearing his take on it at the end. 

A few good episodes to whet your appetite: "The Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu (August 21, 2017 - be sure to have tissues handy) and "Pockets" by Amal El-Mohtar (August 10, 2020). 

Smithsonian Sidedoor

Their description: "More than 154 million treasures fill the Smithsonian’s vaults, but where public view ends, Sidedoor begins. With the help of biologists, artists, historians, archaeologists, zookeepers and astrophysicists, host Tony Cohn sneaks listeners through Smithsonian’s side door to search for stories that can’t be found anywhere else.

My description: Stories cover a wide range of intriguing topics including everything from little-known but interesting stories of both famous and unknown people, fashion history, random scientific concepts and discoveries, true mysteries, space travel, video games, and any other topic you can come up with.  

Why I love it: Much like the Smithsonian Institution itself, the podcast is full of curious tidbits you didn't even know you needed to know about. 

A few good episodes to whet your appetite: "Apollo 12's Really Close Call" (July 20, 2020) and "Discovering the World's Oldest Winery" (June 27, 2018).

Conspiracy Theories

Their description: "The truth is rarely the best story. And when it’s not the only story, the truth deserves another look. We tell the complicated stories behind the world’s most controversial events and possible cover-ups. Conspiracy? Maybe. Coincidence? Maybe. Complicated? Absolutely. "

My description: Two reporters research various conspiracy theories: How much is based on truth, and how much is just rumor and speculation? They present the known facts and then rank the believability of each theory on a scale of 1 to 10. 

Why I love it: In their own words, the hosts aren't conspiracy theorists, but they are open-minded. They approach each case without the premise of attempting to prove or to debunk, but simply to determine the truth. I'm sometimes surprised at how much factual backing there is for some theories, and sometimes by how little there is. But in every case, I enjoy tracing how a few facts can lead to either outrageous or relatively believable explanations. Plus, some of their subjects are unfamiliar, and the theories themselves are as intriguing as the possible explanations. 

A few good episodes to whet your appetite: "Mysterious Humming" (Parts 1 and 2) and "Mozart's Death" (Parts 1 and 2).

Lore

Their description: "Lore is a podcast about true life scary stories. Lore exposes the darker side of history, exploring the creatures, people, and places of our wildest nightmares. Each episode examines a new dark historical tale in a modern campfire experience."

My description: A blend of folk tales and urban legends, this podcast is one part Twilight Zone, one part Once Upon a Time, and one part tween sleepover bedtime stories.

Why I love it: I am constantly in search of storytelling podcasts, be it true crime stories or literature reading, and this fills the bill while being distinctly different from others. The stories are often fantastical and sometimes vaguely creepy, but never to the point of being off-putting or nightmare-inducing. They're simply tales that make you go, "Hmmm..." 

A few good episodes to whet your appetite: "Loyal Companion" (February 15, 2021) and "Adding It Up" (October 11, 2020).

How I Built This

Their description: "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built."

My description: Discover the ways various entrepreneurs found success; some with rough starts and multiple failures, and some with slow but steady climbs.

Why I love it: Don't you ever wonder if people like Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett are truly smarter and more talented and savvy than most people, or if they just happened to be in the right place at the right time with a good idea and a lot of determination and persistence? Isn't it amazing to think what a different place the world would be if just a few tiny factors in someone's life were different - they didn't happen to have a godfather in the industry, or they weren't bold enough to accost a CEO in an elevator, or their financing didn't quite come through in time? These stories are as different as the people and products they center on. 

A few good episodes to whet your appetite: "How I Built Resilience: Lisa Baird of National Women's Soccer League" (March 18, 2021) and "Norma Kamali" (February 1, 2021).

Happy listening!

My Latest Favorite Recipes

As many of us have over the past year, I've been doing significantly more cooking (and baking) during the pandemic. And not only cooking, but experimenting with new recipes and trying recipes that are a bit more time-consuming. Here are a few of my family's favorites that we've discovered (or rediscovered) over the past year. 

Chicken Pad Thai

Some time before the world shut down, my daughter had gone on an Asian food kick, and I'd picked up (among other things) a box of soba noodles. But I'd never gotten around to using them. So when I was poking around in the cupboard one day, I decided to use them, and I stumbled across this wonderful recipe. I made a few alterations and substitutions (I don't keep fish sauce on hand and my kids are not bean sprout or cilantro fans), but you can use the link above to go to the original recipe. 

5 oz soba noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb chicken breasts, pounded thin
1 red pepper, sliced thin
2 lbs carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 eggs
1 tablespoon peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lime juice
1-1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup chopped peanuts

Cut chicken in 1 inch square pieces. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in cubed chicken to the pan and cook over medium high heat for 12-15 minutes until completely browned and cooked through. While chicken is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook rice noodles according to the directions on the package. Whisk together the peanut butter, honey, lime juice, vinegar, and soy sauce, and set aside. 

Once chicken has cooked, remove from the pan and set aside. Add the peppers, carrots, garlic and onion to the same (unwashed) pan and sauté uncovered for 10 minutes. Push vegetables to the side of the pan and scramble eggs in the center of the pan until cooked. Stir vegetables and eggs together. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the sauce mixture to the same (unwashed) pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Return vegetables, chicken, and noodles to the pan with the sauce and toss to combine. Garnish with chopped peanuts. 

Chicken Fajitas

My family prefers chicken fajitas, but it's easy enough to adjust the recipe to use steak or any other protein you prefer. Again, I've adjusted the recipe for our preferences, but the original is linked above.

1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced in half horizontally (do not pound)
Salt
Olive oil
1 large onion, sliced root-to-tip in 1/4 inch slices
2 sweet bell peppers, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
8-12 flour tortillas
Optional toppings: shredded cheese, sliced avocado or guacamole, salsa or salsa verde, sour cream 

Combine lime juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a glass or plastic container and mix well. Add chicken and toss to coat. Marinate at room temperature for up to 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours. 

Drain the excess marinade and salt each piece of chicken. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Lay the chicken breasts in the pan (you will need to do this in several batches) and allow to cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes, until well seared. Flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Use the tip of a knife to check the centers for doneness. Set aside, cover with foil, and allow to rest.  

Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and increase heat to high. Saute onions and peppers, using a spatula to scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Allow to cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, being sure to get a good sear with a bit of charring. Stir and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Slice the chicken into thin strips across the grain. Spoon chicken, peppers, and onions into warm tortillas and serve with your choice of toppings. 

Lobster Mac 'n' Cheese

Our local supermarket frequently has fabulous sales on chicken lobsters, so we pick up a couple any chance we get. Most of the time we use them to beef up ("lobster up"?) ready-made lobster bisque, but sometimes we get inspired to make lobster mac. Using a fancy pasta shape, like cavatappi or orecchiette, makes the meal feel even more decadent. I don't even know where I originally got this recipe, but it's a good, basic starting point for you to adapt to your own preferences.

8 oz pasta, any shape
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup milk
1 cup light cream (I usually use half and half)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Lobster meat from 2 chicken lobsters (roughly 1 cup)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large saucepan. Whisk flour, salt, and pepper (to taste) into butter until well-blended. Gradually pour in milk and cream, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cheese little by little, then simmer for 5 minutes more, stirring, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Add lobster and pasta to pan and toss to coat. Transfer to a buttered baking dish. 

Toss together the breadcrumbs and melted butter, then sprinkle over pasta. Bake at 400 degrees F until top is golden brown. 

Potatoes Gratin

Anything involving potatoes and cheese is a guaranteed win in my house, but this recipe is especially delicious. You can slice the potatoes on a mandolin, but I prefer them a little thicker, so I cut them by hand. You can either dip the individual slices of potato into the sauce as you lay them in the dish, or pour the sauce over each layer. It's delicious either way. Also, adding a little bacon on top of each layer is a great addition. 

3 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, minced/grated

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

3 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups gruyere cheese, shredded

1 pinch nutmeg (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

4 pounds potatoes, thinly sliced

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for another minute or so. Sprinkle in the flour, mix well and cook until it starts to turn lightly golden brown (about a minute).  Add the milk and cook 1-2 minutes, until thickened. Reduce the heat, add 1/2 cup cheese, mix, and let melt into the sauce before adding the nutmeg and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Spread some of the sauce over the bottom of a large baking dish and layer the potatoes, covering each layer with sauce. Pour any remaining sauce over the top, then sprinkle on the remaining cheese.

Bake at 350F until potatoes are tender, about 45-60 minutes.

 Chicken Pot Pie

This recipe is a combination of a bunch of other recipes. I adapt it based on what I have on hand at the time in terms of fresh vegetables and herbs and whether I have frozen puff pastry or refrigerated crescent roll dough on hand (I've even been known to slum it with fresh or frozen pie crust). You can easily use a mix of fresh, frozen, and/or canned vegetables. 

3 chicken breast halves, skinless and boneless
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
2-3 small potatoes
1 cup chicken broth
¾ light cream, half and half, or milk
1 medium onion, chopped (or ~1/4 cup frozen onion)
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, carrots - I use thinly sliced fresh carrots and a mix of frozen peas and corn)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
dash poultry seasoning
1 package single-sheet crescent roll dough (or frozen puff pastry, thawed)

Place the chicken breasts in a pot of enough water to just cover the chicken and add salt and pepper and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, turn off heat and cover. Let cool in the pot. 

Peel potatoes and cut into bite size pieces. Boil till almost fork tender. Drain and set aside. 

In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter and saute onions for 5-8 minutes, until tender. Add the vegetables and cook another 5 minutes. Add flour and cook about 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and cream/milk and bring to a boil. After it has become thick, add potatoes. 

Remove chicken from pot and cut into bite-size pieces. Add to vegetable mixture and season with salt and pepper and poultry seasoning to taste. Pour mixture into a 9 inch deep dish pie plate (or other deep baking dish) and cover with dough. Make a few slits in the dough and seal the edges to the plate to avoid spillage. 

Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until pastry is cooked and golden brown. 

Twice Baked Potatoes

When my husband requested twice baked potatoes, my Google search immediately sent me to the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, who has never steered me wrong. Her original recipe (linked above) is double the one below. The recipe below is my adaptation of her recipe.

4 large baking potatoes, scrubbed
Vegetable oil
1 stick butter
1/2 cup bacon bits (I fried up 6 or 7 slices of bacon and cut them up)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 shredded cheese (cheddar, pizza cheese, or Mexican blend all work well), plus additional for topping
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
dash onion powder
dash black pepper
pinch sugar

Rub the potatoes with vegetable oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour, until tender. While potatoes are baking, cut the butter into slices in a large mixing bowl and stir in bacon bits and sour cream. When potatoes are ready, remove from oven and reduce temperature to 350 degrees.

Slice each potato lengthwise with a sharp knife. Using a large spoon, scoop out the center of each potato and add to bowl with butter, sour cream, and bacon, leaving just enough to allow the potato skin to hold its shape, and place the skins back on the baking sheet. Smash the potato/sour cream mixture with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon until well blended. Add cheese, milk, and seasonings and stir until completely combined.  

Spoon the potato mixture into the potato shells, rounding gently. Sprinkle additional cheese on top and bake at 350 for an additional 15-20 minutes. If desired, potatoes can also go under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp the cheese. 

Soft Breadsticks

My family loves bread in any form, but these "Olive Garden" style breadsticks are one of our new favorites. They're a little time-consuming to make, but not especially difficult. The recipe calls for garlic salt and/or Italian seasoning sprinkled on top along with some melted butter, but we love them with just butter and coarse sea salt. 

1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 egg
3-1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt

For topping:
3 tablespoons butter, melted
coarse sea salt, or garlic salt or Italian seasoning

Using a stand or hand mixer with dough hooks at low speed, combine all ingredients except topping. Continue mixing for about 5 minutes, adding a little more flour if needed. Dough will still be fairly sticky and will not pull away from the sides of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead a few times until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, until nearly doubled. 

Turn out dough on a lightly floured board and roll out into a roughly 12"x16" rectangle. (Note: It's easier to stretch the cut sticks a little if they're less than 12" but if they're longer than that they may be hard to fit on the cookie sheet!) Using a pizza cutter, cut into 16 strips. Smooth the sides of each strip to form a stick shape and place on a greased cookie sheet, leaving a little space between strips. Cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 30 additional minutes.

Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown. (If baking on both the upper and lower oven rack, swap the racks halfway through to ensure even browning.) Remove from oven, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with desired seasonings. 

Backyard Birds, Part Deux

Last fall I posted a blog about the most common birds that I had been seeing at my feeder. But after a full year of living at this house, I've discovered a few more visitors that I thought it would be fun to add to the list. My first list included the titmouse, chickadee, goldfinch, cardinal, white-breasted nuthatch, hairy and downy woodpeckers, flicker, pileated woodpecker, mourning dove, blue jay, ruby-throated hummingbird, Carolina wren, Baltimore oriole, bluebird, mockingbird, catbird, phoebe, and red-tailed hawk. This one will cover the robin, junco, red-breasted nuthatch, cowbird, chipping sparrow, red-bellied woodpecker, song sparrow, Cooper's hawk, turkey vulture, and house finch. 

American Robin

Robins are harbingers of spring in my New England yard, although we sometimes have a few that hang around for most of the winter. This year for most of the winter I had flocks stopping to feast on the berries of my holly bushes on their way south. Robins have a distinctive bright red chest. They prefer worms and berries, so are often seen hopping along the ground. They often fly close to the ground as well. Their most distinctive calls are a loud repeated scold and a happy "cheer up! cheerily!" sounding call. They often build nests near houses, including in bushes and even in wreaths on doors.  Robins are quite territorial and will occasionally "fight" with the rearview mirrors on cars, thinking it's another bird. 

Dark-Eyed Junco

Although I tend to think of juncos as winter birds, they are around all year. Although similar in size to titmice and finches, they're easy to identify based on their white bellies which don't extend up to their chests and contrast nicely with their dark gray bodies. They also have yellow beaks. Juncos will come to a hanging feeder but more often forage on the ground. They don't make a lot of noise, but will occasionally let out a long chirring call or a repeated "chip chip" that reminds me of pinging a high tension wire. 

Red-breasted Nuthatch

I had never seen these fascinating little birds until living where I do now! They share a streamlined body shape with their larger cousins, the white-breasted nuthatches, and they also occasionally hang upside down on trees or feeders like them. They have a rusty-red belly and chest and a well-defined black-and-white eye stripe, and are about the size of a chickadee. They are somewhat aggressive with each other and with other birds and will often squawk and flap their wings to drive others away from the feeder. They have funny little squeaky, nasal voices that are easy to recognize once you've heard them. 

Brown-Headed Cowbird

Male cowbirds are very easy to identify, as their bodies are glossy black and their heads are brown. Females are more non-descript and are easy to confuse with the many mottled gray types of finches and sparrows, although both genders are noticeably larger. I try not to encourage the cowbirds, as not only are they fairly aggressive and drive other species away, but they lay their eggs in other birds' nests and leave them to care for their eggs! They have a wide variety of calls and frequently chitter at each other or even sing to themselves while they're at the feeder. 

Chipping Sparrow

There are a lot of finches and sparrows that I struggle to differentiate between, but the chipping sparrow is relatively easy to identify, based on its small size, rusty red cap, and black eye stripe. The pattern and color on its wings is similar to a house sparrow, but it is much smaller and the rusty patch on the male house sparrow's head does not cover the top of the head. In addition to a long, sharp trill, it makes a repeated "chip chip chip" from which it gets its name.

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

This woodpecker looks a lot like a flicker at first glance, but although they are the same size, the red on its head goes all the way over the top, and the black-and-white mottling is only on its wings and back, leaving its belly pure white, unlike the flicker's gray polka-dotted belly. They have a short, rasping squawk which is hard to describe but easy to recognize. I heard them in the trees many times before I finally saw one at the feeder. 

Song Sparrow

Another small finch/sparrow-type bird that can be hard to distinguish, the dark streaks on the song sparrow's belly help to identify it, as well as its brown eye stripes. Not surprisingly, the best way to identify it is through its long, melodic, trill-laden song, which you are most likely to hear early in the morning. Like many other sparrows, it also has a loud "chip! chip!" alarm call.

Cooper's Hawk

Along with red-tailed hawks, we frequently see Cooper's hawks loitering in the trees near the feeder, hoping to catch a plump mourning dove unawares. The easiest way to tell the two types of hawk apart is to look at the tail in flight. The red-tailed hawk's tail is not only distinctly reddish (usually although not always), it is also short and fan-shaped, while the Cooper's hawk has a much longer, narrower tail. 

Turkey Vulture

Another raptor we see regularly is the turkey vulture. Since the bright red head is often difficult to see while the birds are flying high overhead, the easiest way to distinguish them from the hawks we frequently see is their flight pattern. The vultures have a noticeable "bobble" when they soar, and they tend to hold their wings in more of a "V" position when seen head-on, as opposed to the flatter profile of most hawks. They are also larger than red-tailed hawks, but size can be hard to distinguish in flight. Although hawks will frequently roost in trees near the bird feeders watching for potential prey, the vultures have no interest in the songbirds that frequent backyard feeders. 

House Finch

Let's start with a disclaimer: I cannot tell the difference between a male house finch and a purple finch. Even when I look at photographs comparing and contrasting the two, I can't see the differences described. So I'm grouping them together as house finches, merely because it sounds like house finches are more common. Another example of big differences in coloring between the sexes, the males have a bright to dark red faces and breasts, while the females are mottled brown all over. (Note: I learned while researching for this blog that finches are more likely to have sexual dimorphism than sparrows, so when trying to determine between the two, that's a good starting place!) The female finches closely resemble song sparrows, but lack the sparrow's head stripes, and the streaks on their bellies go all the way to their feet, as opposed to the sparrow's which fades out at the chest.

Now get out there and enjoy watching those birds!

Interesting Women in History (That You Probably Don't Know About)

In honor of International Women's Day, I would like to introduce you to half a dozen interesting women from history. Some are famous; some are not. Some are famous for something other than what makes them so interesting. But all of them left their mark on the world, and all of them are worth learning more about. 

Hedy Lamarr, Inventor (1914-2000)

You've probably heard of Hedy Lamarr. She was a well-known movie star in the 1940s. But she was so much more than an actress. Born in Austria, during World War II her first husband, a weapons manufacturer, often brought her to business meetings. The discussion was about electronic devices that could intercept and jam American radio frequencies. It occurred to Lamarr that it was possible to defeat such a device by rapidly changing frequencies in a pattern that was known only to the sender and the receiver. Lamarr actually worked on turning the concept into reality, joining forces with a composer named George Antheil. The pair designed and patented a working technology that used a piano roll to move among 88 frequencies, but when offered to the U.S. Navy, it was declined.

Eventually the technology resurfaced and was not only used during the Cuban missile crisis, but has become the basis of current technologies used in cordless and cell phones, WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS. 

For more information, check out these links:

Smithsonian Magazine

Forbes Magazine

Harriet Chalmers Adams, Journalist and Explorer (1875-1937)

Adams lived during a time when it was common for men to explore as-yet-unreached parts of the world, but it was unthinkable for a woman. As well as exploring the globe from South America to Siberia to North Africa and more, Adams was a writer and photographer for several magazines including National Geographic and Harper's, served as a journalist at the French front during World War I, and after joining Britain's Royal Geographic Society but being refused membership in the American Explorers Club due to her sex, she founded the Society of Women Geographers. 

For more information, check out these links:

Adventure Journal

National Geographic

Althea Gibson, Athlete (1927-2003)

Gibson made history in 1956 when she became the first African-American woman to win a Grand Slam title, going on to win both Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals the following two years. Tennis coach Bob Ryland, who played professionally at the same time as Gibson, has said that Gibson could have beaten Martina Navratilova and both the Williams sisters. And as if breaking barriers in professional tennis wasn't enough, she went on to become the first Black woman to play on the Women's Professional Golf Tour.

In the 1970s, she followed up her career as a player in both sports by helping to provide sporting equipment to underprivileged youth as well as by running training clinics and outreach programs, and by coaching. 

For more information, check out these links:

Thoughtco article

NY Times

Ellen Ochoa, Astronaut & Engineer (1958-)

Ochoa earned a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Stanford and joined NASA, specializing in optical systems. She has logged four space flights, including a mission aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery, logging over 1,000 hours in space, and was the director of the Johnson Space Center. 

For more information, check out these links:

NASA bio

Scholastic.com

Sybil Ludington, Revolutionary (1861-1939)

"Listen, my children, and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere." Sadly, no-one talks about the midnight ride of Sybil Ludington. Ludington's father was a New York militia officer who eventually became an aide to General George Washington. When Col. Ludington heard that the British were attacking Danbury CT, 15 miles away, 16-year-old Sybil took it upon herself to ride out and alert the countryside. She rode nearly 40 miles raising the alarm before returning safely home. The Danbury raid was successful, but the Patriots fought the British in nearby Ridgefield and succeeded in driving them back to Long Island Sound.

For more information, check out these links:

Encyclopedia Britannica

Battlefields.org

Shirley Chisholm, Congresswoman (1924-2005)

The daughter of a father from Guyana and a mother from Barbados, Brooklyn-born Chisolm was the first African-American woman to serve in Congress and both the first woman and the first African American to seek the nomination of one of the two major political parties as President of the United States, using the motto "Unbought and Unbossed". A teacher and political activist, in 1964 she was elected the second African American in the New York legislature. Four years later she became a U.S. Congresswoman, eventually becoming the first Black woman and the second woman to serve on the House Rules Committee.   

For more information check out these links:

National Women's History Museum

Smithsonian Magazine

2021 Golden Globes Fashion Review

The Golden Globe Awards were a little different this year: There was one live host on the East Coast and one live host on the West Coast, a small live audience of masked (and tested) First Responders, and celebrities in their own homes, most of them still dressed to the nines. All things considered, it worked remarkably well. Cohosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler know each other so well that they played off each other despite being separated by an entire continent, to the point that I occasionally forgot they weren't standing on the same stage. There were a few technical glitches, including failed audio for the first acceptance speech - which, fortunately, was rectified in time to allow the recipient to give his speech, widely varied picture and audio quality from the various stars, and hilariously awkward throws to commercial breaks that included a random sextet of celebrities on Zoom screens dealing with the same difficulties and awkwardness that the rest of us peons encounter in our Zoom sessions. But on the other hand, we got some fun glimpses into the celebrities' homes, the occasional dog wandering through the background (or foreground), and the delightful inclusion of various assorted spouses and children. (One of my favorite moments of the evening was the gentleman who gave an acceptance speech with a squirmy little girl in a party frock crawling all over his lap and throwing her arms around his neck while he spoke. ADORABLE.)

I wondered how many nominees and other celebrities would be wearing formalwear, but I was pleasantly surprised that the vast majority of them were, with only one or two stars opting for hoodies or pajamas. And there were definitely more than enough to justify a fashion blog - so here it is!

Amanda Seyfried looked lovely in a softly draped, off-the-shoulder coral gown with frothy flowers around the shoulders and a short train. The color suited her nicely, and I loved her wavy hair and understated makeup.  

 

 

Cohost Amy Poehler started the evening in a shiny black thigh-length dress with a high neck and long sleeves and metal buttons down the front. It was okay, but nothing special. I really liked her second dress, a short fitted sheath with a scoop neck, trimmed with lace at the hem, sleeves, and neckline, accessorized with a simple black neckband. It seemed much more her style than the first. Her third look was much more elegant and traditionally "red carpet," with its plunging neckline being held together with a large gold ring. It was cute and flattering, but didn't feel as much her style as the second look. No bad looks here, but #2 was the best for her. 

Angela Bassett was one of my favorite looks of the night. Her dramatic deep plum one-shouldered gown had a full marabou feather strap and a high slit. She also sported a thick, waist-length braid with a narrow plait braided into it, which added a touch of both whimsy and elegance. She looked absolutely glorious.

Awkwafina's gown was certainly eye catching, although not at all to my taste. I didn't like the colors or the color combination; I found the wavy pattern too busy, especially when combined with a very shiny finish; the tulle sleeves and under-ruffle looked out of place; the bodice was an unflattering shape; and the thick platform shoes looked clunky and overly casual. But somehow it seemed to suit her, so...thumbs up? I think.

Carey Mulligan was one of several stars wearing nicely-draped satin columns. Her ivory gown had criss-cross draping across the bodice and a small capelet. Her gown was pretty and flattering, but not terribly memorable. 

Cynthia Errivo, on the other hand, was distinctly memorable. Her vivid lime-green gown appeared to be made of a textured Spandex reminiscent of surf gear, and the slightly-too-short skirt was supported at the bottom by a single hoop, which caused it to swing stiffly as she moved. It was oddly paired with elbow-length ivory gloves. The concept wasn't terrible, but a few too many details were just a little off, and in the end, it just didn't come together. 

Elle Fanning looked absolutely exquisite in a figure-hugging ice blue, bias-cut satin column with matching shawl. I found her slicked-back hairstyle a bit too severe for her personality, but her makeup was striking and she looked simply dazzling. 

I was not a big fan of Emma Corrin's dress based on the collar alone, which was all that could be seen in her early Zoom appearances, but the rest of the dress was actually quite stylish. I would have toned down the puffiness of the shoulders and the overall volume of the collar, but the silhouette of the dress was lovely, and I liked the scattered pearls all over the dress, the silvery-white cuffs, and the deep slit. Overall, not a bad look. 

Jamie Lee Curtis hit it out of the park in this yellow draped column with long cuffs, full sleeves, square shoulders, and a deeply plunging neckline, topped by her signature silver pixie. Simply fabulous. 

Jane Fonda also rocked a short silver haircut, pairing hers with a slim white suit that emphasized her still impossibly slim figure and perfect posture. Pointed metallic kitten heels completed this tailored and polished look.

Jodie Foster went for comfy chic in Prada pajamas paired with minimal makeup, a simple necklace and earrings, and a sleek bob. She looked both comfortable and elegant. Win-win!

Julia Garner's gown was shapeless, colorless, and lifeless. The silhouette of the dress was unflattering and the wide plunging neckline was not right for her delicate frame, making her look skinny instead of sexy. The dropped waist made the overall line shapeless and broad. I think that if the top had been fitted instead of loose and the fabric had some kind of texture or hint of color to it, it could have worked. But as is, it was just blah.

Kaley Cuoco wore another gown that was much prettier when seen in full view than when seen only from the waist up. Like many red carpet gowns, it did not seem to sit quite right on her figure when she was seated. But the floaty fabric, adorned with silver patterns, moved beautifully, and the simple fitted bodice paired beautifully with the soft fullness of the skirt. A really pretty and feminine look.

Kate Hudson also falls into the category of gowns designed for standing rather than sitting. In her early Zoom interviews, I absolutely HATED this gown. The bodice did not sit right on her figure and looked very uncomfortable, and the puffy black sleeves looked shapeless and droopy. But in the context of the full look, the full black sleeves were balanced by the slim black skirt, and I love the shape of the metallic-patterned bodice and the wide belt. The bodice still sat a bit lower than was flattering, but overall I liked the look.

Kyra Sedgewick wore beautiful blush peach satin wide-legged trousers and a softly pleated, twist-front halter top with a short cape. It set off her coloring beautifully, moved well, and looked incredibly comfortable as well as elegant. 

Laura Dern frequently missteps on the red carpet, but I really loved her look here. A tailored black tuxedo with a peekaboo black shirt underneath and a wide black neckband was a great riff on standard menswear, and although I didn't love the Pinhead-esque shoes, the touch of whimsy was fun, and the bright red lips but otherwise natural makeup and simple, soft hairstyle were great accessories.

Not many people could pull off this ruffled, busy-print dress, but somehow Margot Robbie still looks stunning. A crisper fabric or a livelier color might have worked better, particularly with the interesting lines of the bodice, with its cold shoulders and thin straps.

 

Nicole Kidman was the picture of elegance in a long black halter column with a pair of metallic gold bands running down the front. I especially loved her curly updo and vivid red lipstick.

Regina King wore a black and metallic silver column that I loved except for the odd line of the asymmetrical bodice. The angled inset was pretty, but the short sleeve looked like an old black t-shirt.

Rosamund Pike's dress was a beautiful color, but the line was just...weird. The narrow bodice was straight and fitted, with wide straps, but then a huge, multi-layered tulle skirt jutted out directly from the empire waistline. I did like the narrow black ribbon trim, but the heavy black tights and clunky shoes didn't tie in. Drop the waistline to the natural waist and accessorize with sheer black textured hose and little ballet flats and this would have been a terrific look.

Salma Hayek's simple red gown featured a halter neckline, a wrapped sash, and a graceful trailing scarf over the shoulder. It set off her figure perfectly, and its simplicity drew the eye to the wearer and not the dress. Sheer elegance.

I am rarely a fan of Sarah Paulson's red carpet looks, to the point of wondering why her stylist hates her. I'm not sure if she used a better stylist or if she styled herself this time, but whatever she did, she should keep doing it. I loved her off-the shoulder, full-skirted black satin gown, her natural makeup, and her slicked-back, flipped-ends hairstyle. It was a little bit retro and a lot bit classic Hollywood glamour. I love that Prada designed her a petalled purple cast cover to go with her outfit; I only wish there had been another tiny touch of purple somewhere to truly tie the look together. 

Still photos don't quite do justice to Tiffany Haddish's striking chain-mail-inspired column. Its mirrored panels somehow managed to be barely opaque, allowing glimpses of long legs and a demure thigh-length underskirt as she moved. One of the most dramatic looks of the night.

 

 

Like her cohost, Tina Fey sported three different looks over the course of the evening. She started off in a Judy-Garland-esque thigh-length tailored tuxedo jacket over sheer textured black hose, Which was a fantastic look for her. Her second look was a matronly black-and-floral-print with an oddly stiff A-line skirt and a wide black band at the hem that made the skirt look like a cotton print apron. And her third look included a poorly-fitted gold sequin sportcoat trimmed with red-white-and-blue cuffs, which was not a bad concept, but somewhat poorly executed. Her first look was far and above her best.

Another striking and dramatic look was Viola Davis' African-inspired mermaid gown. The vivid red, yellow, and blue print dress had a fitted column for a base, but burst into a huge mermaid skirt at the knee and added asymmetrical leg o' mutton sleeves, one off the shoulder, for an amazing silhouette. 

But lest any of the celebrities above feel slighted by my commentary, or any celebrities feel bad that they didn't even make it into this blog, let me reassure every one of them that no matter what they wore, they were more well-dressed than Jason Sudeikis.