Trundlebedtales

Welcome to our sixth annual on air birthday celebration for author and pioneer Laura Ingalls Wilder. Laura fans are invited to call in and share either the story of how they became a Laura Ingalls Wilder fan, their favorite Laura Ingalls Wilder related experience, or annual family traditions based on Laura. Based on requests, I'm continuing it as an hour so you'll have plenty of time to call in. So please call in and help fill the time. If you want to share your story, but don't want to talk on air, you can send a story to me ahead of time or in the chatroom live during the show. Live callers or chat get time before sent in stories. Call tollfree 1 (877) 633-9389 Contact me through social media at Trundlebed Tales or send stories to info@trundlebedtales.com

"American Gothic," the frequently parodied painting of the old couple (really father and daughter) standing in front of a white farm house with a gothic style window holding a pitchfork, is one of the most recognizable paintings in the world. You know the painting, but what do you know about the artist? Wood was one of the school of Regionalist painters, but his art ranged from recycle art to murals to stain glass. Wood was born and raised and returned to work in Iowa. Tune in to learn about Wood's life, his art, his Iowa connections, and a new display coming to the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art.  

We look at what's going on in Laura Ingalls Wilder fandom this month including events around the country andTrundlebed Tales programs. Looking ahead to future episodes and how you can give your suggestions.

There are plenty of Walt Disney World podcasts out there (truly there are, take a look) and I'm not aspiring to add to the list, but I have been so excited about the trip that I've been sharing. This episode will be me summing up the trip what worked for us and what didn't. I had a great time and hope I can go back before 30 years goes by again.

What will happen in Laura Ingalls Wilder or Little House fandom during 2015? There are events scheduled, books coming out, and new products to buy. Catch this sneak peek. Also, feel free to call in and give your predictions or projects that you're working on.

Join us as we review what went on in Laura Ingalls Wilder fandom on the Little House on the Prairie this year. We mark four years of Trundlebed Tales podcasts with this episode. The first episode was broadcast Dec. 19, 2010 and also featured a round up of Laura fandom. Please look at it as an opportunity to check in with us. Think about calling in, commenting in the chatroom or sending me an e-mail with a comment before the broadcast.

Our efforts to plan our family's Disney trip to Walt Disney World continue. This episode is going to be dedicated to the paper books that are available to help people plan their Disney vacations. I went on a bit of a buying bender and so you'll get the low down on the 5 books I bought. Two I'm recommending as must buys, 2 are maybes who they'd be good for, and one definitely do NOT buy. So come check out my opinion and feel free to make suggestions of your own.

We look at what's going on in Laura Ingalls Wilder fandom this month including events around the country andTrundlebed Tales programs. Looking ahead to future episodes and how you can give your suggestions.

How to get the most out of visit to Old Threshers. Never been to Midwest Old Threshers before or wanting to have a new experience during your trip, then check into our touring plan. Midwest Old Threshers in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa is probably the second biggest event in Iowa after the Iowa State Fair. It draws a large number of regular attendees from three states and has a large number of people who, just like Iowa State Fair, camp out and stay all week. It can be a confusing place with groups from the theater museum to steam engines to trains to trolleys to horses to a western town to a log cabin village to a doll collection. So learn what there is to see. Midwest Old Threshers Map

Look ahead at what's happening in Laura Ingalls Wider fandom and the world of Little House this month including programs, publications, and Laura events at Pepin, Wisconsin (including Laura Days with William T. Anderson); Mansfield, Missouri; Malone, New York; and the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch, Iowa.

As part of my Disney trip planning I've discovered a lot of touring plans for places for the parks. They've been very helpful and so I thought it would be nice to do some touring plans for some of the places I've visited. While I've done an episode on the Iowa State Fair before, I hadn't done an actual plan where I go through and tell you how to tour the fair. That's what I'm going to do today, take you exactly where to go at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa. From the Big Boar to the Old Mill find out how to go to have the most fun at the Our State Fair because it's a Great State Fair!

Check in with Roving Reporter Sarah Uthoff as she catches you up on what's going on in Brookings, South Dakota at the national Laura Ingalls Wilder Conference.

This winter my family is going to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The planning has already begun and we're really excited. It's a lot different than when I last went in the 1980s. Tune in to catch up on what has changed in the planning process and what decisions we've made so far. You can follow our trip planning and then tune in after we get back to find out how it all worked.

Look ahead at what's happening in Laura Ingalls Wider fandom this month including programs, publications, and Laura events at Independence, Kansas; Burr Oak, Iowa; and Old World Wisconsin.

We only got through the book organization last time, so join us for Part 2. As I often say in my presentations, it’s a DANGEROUS time to be a Laura Ingalls Wilder fan because there is just SO much merchandise out there. Pretty much whatever you want you can find it with either Laura Ingalls Wilder or Little House on it. You can even find unexpectedly odd things like a dogtag or a bobble-head doll. Where do you find all this stuff? It’s one of my post frequently asked questions at my programs so we’ll go over that too. So gather up your books, your stuffed Jacks, your Charlotte Dolls, and all your books, and listen up as we discuss how to organize your Laura Ingalls Wilder collection.

As I often say in my presentations, it's a DANGEROUS time to be a Laura Ingalls Wilder fan because there is just SO much merchandise out there. Pretty much whatever you want you can find it with either Laura Ingalls Wilder or Little House on it. You can even find unexpectedly odd things like a dogtag or a bobble-head doll. Where do you find all this stuff? It's one of my post frequently asked questions at my programs so we'll go over that too. So gather up your books, your stuffed Jacks, and your Charlotte Dolls and listen up as we discuss how to organize your Laura Ingalls Wilder collection. Please call in or contact me ahead of time through e-mail, Twitter or Facebook. I'd love to hear your organizational tips or unique things from your collection or your next collecting goal.

In honor of April being Poetry Month and April 18, 2015 being the 240th Anniversary of Paul Revere's famous ride, tonight's special episode features both some information about the ride and an elecution style delivery of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's famous poem "Paul Revere's Ride" as taken from the longer "Tales of a Wayside Inn." Laura Ingalls Wilder fans will enjoy hearing an elecution style delivery like Laura's teacher William Reed taught her in Burr Oak, Iowa which is believed to have helped influence her later writing style.

In honor of World Read Aloud Day, I'm going to be reading from Pa's Big Green Animal Book as described in the "Little House" books. I'll feature the section about the Great Auk.

Look ahead at what's happening in Laura Ingalls Wider fandom this month and all this year.

Last year I had requests to do an episode for Almanzo's birthday party, so I'm trying it out. Call in and share your favorite Almanzo stories, what you like best of Malone, Spring Valley, or De Smet. In honor of Almanzo's appetite, your favorite stories about Little House food. Call in and share or share ahead of time.