Out There: Recent Episodes
Ruthy Woodring
Who are my neighbors? Tune in to Out There to meet some of them. Out There airs every Tuesdays from 3 to 4 pm with me, Ruthy Woodring. Come with me and my recorder to meet people and plants and think about ways we can share the world.
I got a spot in Thurs night’s NEPM Valley Voices story slam at the Drake in Amherst! and shared a story about my friend “Waldo” : “He drives a truck for USA Waste; I ride a bike for Pedal People…” official story starts at min 8:40 Thinking of stories, I played story songs to go … Continue reading #283: StorySlamWaldo, cold bike fixing n riding tips →
another unmotivated week in Out There interview gathering land, so I resort to reading some of the flyers on our house bulletin board.
Christmas is in a few days. As a trash hauler, Christmas means Consumerism, Trash, Waste. 1: Rev Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping sing it like it is 4: myself and my coworkers have a debriefing session. Brett, Miguel, Cara. oh, and a former coworker and current customer Emily Fabel brings out the cookies … Continue reading #280: PPConsumerism, Eric and Pamela Matlock →
25 mile march for Palestine coming up (was supposed the be Dec 10th but got postponed to Dec 16th due to rain/flooding). 4: my 16 y.o housemate, in the prime of her able-bodiedness, keeps asking her great aunt to drive her the 1.2 miles to high school. Why, my child, why?? ( and so many … Continue reading #279: Paving, Palestine Rally speakers →
My coworkers Neal and Colin did their Pedal People routes today together on a tandem bike. 11: the PVTA is free again this year, from Thanksgiving to Xmas. Nao Sakurai tells us why she rides the bus, all year round. 25: Tom Lehrer sings “Hanukkah in Santa Monica” 27: my friend Bill is taking a … Continue reading #278: PVTA Free: Nao and Alex, community events and tidbits →
The Flo-Op is finally official! 6-8 High St in Florence signs the papers to transfer from being owned by me, Alex, Tammi, and Matt, to being owned by the Flo-Op Inc, which I think is currently me and Alex Jarrett and Sara Howard, and growing. Alex, Sara, Rebecca Fletcher from Cooperative Fund of the NorthEast, … Continue reading #277: The FloOpHousingCooperative, Vincent Hedger and Francie Delaney →
Yesterday was Thanksgiving. National Day of Mourning at Plymouth Rock, for many Native Americans. I took a hike on Thanksgiving Day to “the mossy rock” in the Sawmill Hills, where Duane grew up, and asked to have some of his ashes “dumped”. What a tear-jerker. 23: Diana Ross sings “Missing You” 34: Cleveland P … Continue reading #276: MissingDuaneInTheSawmillHills, songs →
I took a bike-bus-train trip to the Hudson R Valley and met up with my friend Giselle visiting from Trinidad. Enrico (I played this clip last week) with his bike and blower clearing leaves from the Manhan r-t Satcha and Sonia at L3Harris encampment (L3Harris is a military contractor with a Northampton base, supplying the … Continue reading #275: FundDrive, L3 Encampment, repeat/songs →
This show is all about my life in the wake of Duane’s death. Memorial for Duane this Sunday, Nov 12th, at noon, at Veteran’s Field (Skate Park), on the rail-trail/ West St in Northampton. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/gazettenet/name/duane-ranney-obituary?id=53550011 (I left out the sex, drugs, n rock n roll when I wrote this. It’s like, you die and overnight … Continue reading #274: Grieving Duane Ranney, Enrico clearing path, MaxWill apples →
Lots of observations to be had today, riding to Valley Recycling: the persistent r-t scribbler, finding cucumbers, counting cans at Cans4Cancer, “building community”, the inefficiencies of life, the point of it all: one of my ditties on love, minute 13. Gifts of scavenged watermelon and homemade lunch. Kristen Rhodes and Nataya Birch from the just-opened … Continue reading #269: BikenC4C observations, DCC opening, DylanSavingSharing, Frankie Max →
a couple repeat clips – hitchhiking stories shared with a guest Stephanie from trustroots; my niece Christina and her rattler catching story; and new material is my little visit to the site of this 14,000 sq ft house being built at the end of Turkey Hill road, Florence (now reduced to 12,000 square ft, George … Continue reading #268: repeat of hichhiking n rattlers, +14,000sqft sitevisit →
Doing my PP route and using my fully loaded trash trailer to escort an exhausted man a little out of it trying to walk away from police. Michael Skillicorn form Grow Food Northampton is at Hampshire Hts with weekly food distribution. On last night’s planning board agenda is a couple’s plan to build a 14,000 … Continue reading #267: PoPo, MichaelSkcnGFN,14,000ft3 house, repeats/music →
Car crashes, Lies rant: counting cans at cans4cancer, reading the advertising labeling lies etc Cliff Notez was installing an art box display when I came across him on the rail trail. Satish rode his folding bike from NYC, found us on the warmshowers traveling cyclist network, and stayed with us. one of his hobbies in … Continue reading #266: LiesRant, CliffNotez, SatishWS, Weedwhacker →
I ran into Jamie Elkins of Ford Crossing (Hospital Hill) while doing trash pickup, and he talks about his train art project and his wife Ginny’s Music Garage open mic nights. next one is Thurs Aug 17th, 2023, 11 Ford Crossing, in the garage/driveway. Jen Roberge has been working on the rail trail extension from … Continue reading #265: ElkinsMusicGarage, JenRoberge on S’tonR-T, MayorG-LS and CarolynMisch on Northampton Bike-Friendly →
Suffering crows and spilling tangle of bikes dodging traffic on route 10; Historic readings of the old Northampton state hospital; People painting a history of Florence mural on the Florence Paint building along the r-t; 26m: Galantis: No Money My thoughts on the housing crisis in Northampton amidst ample empty space in houses that we … Continue reading #264: Rte10 traffic,FloMuralPainters, Housing Crunch →
Finally – about 6 months later than my naive self originally thought – about 55 of the bikes I’ve been collecting at the Bike Lab made their way to a marina in the Chesapeake Bay, where they eventually will go on the Zeepaard sailboat to Haiti. My friend Kalia drove the Uhaul, through/over the 18 … Continue reading #263: Zeepaard bike boat to Haiti →
No, I’m done with being ashamed of my nipples. I’m a mammal, ok?! Many of my nipply breasted friends share about their experiences growing breasts, the unwanted leers, the unwanted bras, the double standard based on someone else deciding what sex you are. And even getting told they were being inappropriate when they were doing … Continue reading #261: No Nipple Shame →
My housemate Nancy talks about trying to get more fair pay for PCAs, a profession largely occupied by people of color. More KY clips, some repeated from last week, but the new one:Joana and Michael of Sylvatica forest farm near Berea, KY, tell how they built their house by hand, from the trees on the … Continue reading #260: NancySEIU,TimiR,Sylvatica in KY →
I love to travel. This episode is stories from this past month’s trip to KY with my friend Cale. Jean Ritchie: Movin on Down the River Earth Day in Berea: Ruwan Chang presented on yardens; cub scouts pack includes boys and girls Timi Reedy in Berea/Disputanta, talks about her Mamaw and Papaw John and Frances … Continue reading #259: KY trip: Timi Reedy, →
Today’s show… 2m – Angelique Kidjo and Jessy Wilson sing Keep Rising from The Woman King 8m: Bike Club interviews from JFK Middle school, the boys and Adele and I. Yomaira and Pablo are at Musante Beach for a 50-something degree Easter dip, after dancing the Sunday morning Dance Spirit free form dance at the … Continue reading #258: YomPabDanceSwim, BikeClub, Gabor’sBamboo →
DTT thoughts on phases of aging; the Chase Bank takeover of downtown N’ton; spring peepers in the Barrett St marsh; 7m : Alicia Spence, timber framer, leads a group of largely women builders in the (re) construction of a timber frame barn at Historic Northampton. 11m: Shakira, Whenever Wherever 15m ; LinGen and I talk … Continue reading #257: DTTthoughts, BarnRaising, LinGenPPerson, My Money Story Pt 2 →
lots of little clips this week. Actually, they’re from the week before since I didn’t do a show last week due to tech difficulties. 3m: DTT observations, you see what you’re primed to see; forced TV; decisions around having kids; housing court professional says his 4 divorces are all the women’s fault 9m: bike ride … Continue reading #256: DTT, E’tonLights,B4A,AlexJ25mph,jfkBikeClub,Nancy →
Johanna Bronk came our way from Eastern Mass via Couchsurfing this weekend. I appreciated her wisdom sharing about communal living situations she’s been in, and how to make them work better. 12m: Ben E King: Stand by Me (yes, my community-mates) 25m: Patti Smith: People have the Power 30m: we’re trying to get a pickup … Continue reading #255: JohannaB on living in cmty; Ruthy tells My Money Story Pt1 →
Heather Diaz tells us all about what it’s like to be an information services (aka reference) librarian at Forbes, the main library in downtown Northampton. Who comes? How did she become a librarian? Does the library loan drums and induction cookplates? Can she help you host a virtual meeting about reparations? Are they open til … Continue reading #254: Heather Diaz: librarian at Forbes →
Tech problems in the studio for this show. Electrical issues. it went over the air sporadically, there was no internet connection, and it didn’t record. so this recording is just a hashing together of my clips. only 28 min.
with stories from my life. and songs about water. Not gonna save the world, but these tips can give you freedom to live well without needing a lot of water.
I rode the length of Rte 9 in Hadley today on an errand, which inspired this show. That and I’ve been reading Andy Singer’s book CARtoons. Mostly this show is bike songs from the Americas and Europe, and quotes from Andy’s book, including other thinkers such as Ivan Illich. But first my neighbor Derek … Continue reading #251: Carmageddon and bike songs →
Back to clips from my October KY trip – transfer at the Lima, OH, crossroads; Sarosh Haider is fishing at my family’s place. Islamabad to Southeast KY, for school, work, etc. Pakistani Outdoorsman is his youtube channel. Marry a woman from Harlan, and start a youtube channel about fishing in KY, how’s that for adaptation? … Continue reading #245: Lima, Sarosh, Gryhd Survival Stories →
I took Amtrak to Chicago the last weekend in September. Train trip reflections – apples in Albany-Renssalaer, Loud fearful white rider afraid of Black neighborhoods, the Amish contingent…In Chicago: Seth Tristan Jensen talks about Perennial Cooperative in Madison where he livesLucky’s bike placard says “Bicycling: A Quiet Statement Against Oil Wars”Maria Barnes and Tim Herlihey, … Continue reading #244: Chicago trip! Train and old Catholic Worker friends →
I took Amtrak to Chicago the last weekend in September. Train trip reflections – apples in Albany-Renssalaer, Loud fearful white rider afraid of Black neighborhoods, the Amish contingent…In Chicago: Seth Tristan Jensen talks about Perennial Cooperative in Madison where he livesLucky’s bike placard says “Bicycling: A Quiet Statement Against Oil Wars”Maria Barnes and Tim Herlihey, … Continue reading #244: Chicago trip! Train and old Catholic Worker friends →
Live in the studio with me today is Nevline Nnaji, a fellow cyclist and Florencian. We talk about her recovery from a recent crash with a car; becoming a professional pole dancer; writing a memoir about it. She’s also an in-home cat sitter, with a newly made website: cat nanny love. She published the documentary … Continue reading #243 – Nevline Nnaji – cyclist, filmmaker, dancer, author, catsitter, etc →
Well, yesterday we were gonna ship like 100 bikes to Haiti, the youth org Sakala-Haiti in Cite Soleil outside Port au Prince. Daniel S. was on his way to come pick them up to take them to Boston, but that morning the shipper canceled. (Later I found out that the ports have been closed, controlled … Continue reading #242: bike deflation,Indian Boarding Schools, local songs, rice, compost, PP20thanniv →
1m fitst ever Doozy Do parade, fundraiser for Northamoton Neighbors Black walnut harvest, by the skate park! (i got 3000lbs in KY last October) oof, I almost ran over a snake on the bike path with my trailer! How do animals deal with stress and trauma about losing their homes/habitats? My new housemate Nancy Luce … Continue reading #241: black walnuts, snake on path, Maya Lieberman Scents, Nancy moves in →
My friend KC (and dog Gal) are live in the studio today! Lots to talk about, with food distribution and her work with GrowFood Northampton; tales of fatback and homemade icing-protected birthday cake; classism and racism and housing segregation in N’ton, etc
April says used to, they would wear big bushy dresses in winter and put warm bricks by their feet and the dress would keep their feet warm. 1m: short on material this week/morning, so I just took my recorder on my biking day with me. street intersections with lights that don’t flip for cyclists. Valley … Continue reading #239: My day on Bike, LinGen MidAutumn Moon, Lisa Solvents →
Intro: biking back home to 8 High St on the path on a Friday afternoon – 8-year olds on ebikes, pedestrians crossing streets at will, the abundance of the freedge 5m: excerpt from UVA prof Peter Norton’s book, “Fighting traffic: the dawn of the motor age in the American city”https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/when-cities-treated-cars-as-dangerous-intruders/?utm_source=pocket-newtab 11m: and for a balanced … Continue reading #238: Car Menace; Eunice Mukuria – mother of Peter ; Catherine Orland – park ranger →
It rained!!! yay! Thunderstorms and flat tires on my bike and trailer. Flat tires are a good way to meet neighbors. 7m: Peter Paul and Mary sing Day is Done 11m: going back to clips from my trip from KY to Knoxville to Atlanta to Richmond on August 1-3, 2022. 14m: Nedra Deadwyler, of Civil … Continue reading #237: Flats in Rain, Nedra of Civil Bikes, Atlanta trees, summer drought nights →
2m: Woodring family reunion, July 28-30th. I asked lots of my nieces and nephews, What are 3 things you do during the week? Relatives from Castlewood, VA; Morgantown, WV, and Chenoa, KY. From saving seed for Southern Exposure, to dealing cards at the casino, to engineering titanium staples for surgery zipping up. 18m: Jean Ritchie … Continue reading #236: KY Family Reunion, Sound of Scything, Carmencita →
I just got back from 3 weeks in KY. (and TN, GA, VA, etc.) I took a folding bike with me on the train/bus, and biked from Bristol, on the VA/TN line, to Middlesboro, KY, where my family picked me up. It was 107 miles, took me a day and a half. I recorded things … Continue reading #235: EastTN bike ride – Bristol to Cumberland Gap →
2m: Sigrid and Winston and family have a pear tree in their yard that still technically belongs to the woman who sold them their house many years ago, who wrote it in the sale agreement that the tree would remain hers, tho she lives in TX. But Sigrid and squirrels eat all the pears. 5m: … Continue reading #234: Manya,Sigrid,Kalia,Jules&ErinGFN,CalebPP,Smiles →
This week for OutThere, live from the Dow studio at Valley Free Radio: 3m: Aimee Francaes, Shanna Fishel, and Tony are repairing the Freedge/take-it-or-leave-it food shelves on the bike path behind my house. The Freedge here is almost one year old. facebook: Northampton Community Freedge 9m: David who lives downtown recently got an ebike. Being … Continue reading #233: Freedge, DavidEbike, LolaSwimming, Ali WP →
Cherries! Mulberries! Chestnut flower aroma! sorry for the sound quality of my voice, the mic in the studio is still problematic. 5m : Northampton High School math teacher Brant Jones coordinated a 4-day bikepacking trip of 7 NHS sophomores a couple weeks ago. 14m: Ava Medaugh was one of the students who biked. It was … Continue reading Ep 232: NHS bike trip: Brant, Ava; automobeasts vs cyclist (Charlie, Salem); corded vs battery; Pitt’s transfer day →
The episode got misplaced in the audio-digiverse. Originally from Nov 20, 2019. Patrick Angel, former mine reclamation inspector, talks about growing up in Eastern KY around the strip mining. After retiring as a mine reclamation inspector with the Dept of the Interior, he started Green Forests Work, to plant trees on sites that were … Continue reading Ep 171B – Patrick Angel mine reclamation, Katt B, Noriga-Trinidad →
Mitch and Teresa Osborne are family friends from Harlan Co, KY. Mitch passed on May 17, 2022, at age 67, and I wanted to replay this as a tribute. This interview is actually from October of 2019, but somehow got lost in the shuffle and didn’t make into the archives at that time. Mitch talks … Continue reading Ep 171A: Mitch the miner, Teresa Osborne →
We got a new soundboard and mics in the studio…sorry for the live mic sound quality, we’re figuring it out. For today’s show…It’s mulberry, and juneberry season:3m: Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty sing Pickin wild mountain berries6m: Catberry re Florence Farmers Market11m: KC at Abundance Farm14m: Mama’s and the Papas sing Safe in my Garden17m: … Continue reading #231: Catberry, KC Abundance, Dr Dorcas DirectCare, Bike Lab, LiquidSoapConspiracy, Chistes →
Welcome to the new time for Out There! Fridays 4-5pm. I just returned from another trip to KY, and have some stories. But first, from today, back in MA, I ran into my friend Kalia at Cans4Cancer, and she told me she and her bf have an official campsite for the summer, $750/mo. On my … Continue reading #230: Kalia camping out, Dr Steve Fisher becoming a radical professor, Solki running →