As family activities go listening to National Public Radio(NPR)/American Public Broadcasting's Prarie Home Companion tops our list. Listening to Garrison Keillor's clever skits, his crews sound effects and the talented musicians he gets to schlep all the way to Minnesota is a delight. We often find every member of the family laughing out loud together at a joke, a story or even the sound effects. It has the old fashioned effect of sitting around the radio listening to an old time radio drama.
If you haven't tried it do it soon.

Prarie Home Companion is having a Valentine's day poem and song contest. They're choosing several and if they choose yours they will put it on Valentine's Day and let you know so your sweetie can listen.

It can all be done on line and the deadline is on Friday, February 13 at 12 Noon. Songs and poems must be original and it must be to a real person. They won't announce it but you must tell them who.
Get the rules, contest description and submit application(submit on-line) at:

http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/features/contests/valentines_day/

If you win let us know so we can listen too.

In the V Day (Valentine's Day of course) Spirit,
Linda

PS When my husband and I traveled around Ireland, everywhere we went people wrote poems and songs to their loved ones - in the papers, for the birthdays, weddings, anniversaries etc. So if your celtic this may be your chance to rediscover your roots. Another poetry story involves Jackie Kennedy and her children. For their entire childhood's family members would write poems as a gift for each other's birthdays and special days. So start a new tradition (might as well submit it once you've written it)!

By Northcountrymom on Sunday, February 15, 2009 - 02:23 pm:

Did anyone try this?