Diane Rehm you rock!

Diane Rehm with Maxie.

Dear Diane,

You've always been one of my favorite NPR personalities. Even though the last hour of your program airs opposite my morning classical music program I still like you (wink, wink). Hey! What's wrong with a little friendly competition! We're playing on the same public radio team after all.

Here's why, in addition to being a fan of your thoughtful, reasoned, compassionate and intelligent interviewing skills, I now say that you rock! You are donating
an autographed, framed photo and Top Dogs book to the Cesar and Illusion Millan Foundation that supports dog shelters around the country with donations and grants.


You go girl!

Sincerely,

Robin Rilette
Music Director
Northwest Public Radio

The Flower Duet

This duet, about Lakme and her servant Mallika gathering lotus flowers at the river, is one of the most popular in all of opera. The version that I played this morning features soprano Natalie Dessay
and Delphine Haidan.

Here's a video featuring both Dessay and Haidan.





Here's a link to an npr story from May of 2007 about the "Flower Duet" from the opera "Lakme" by composer Leo Delibes.

Road Trips

What is it about a road trip that makes us long to collect our favorite tunes, our favorite snacks, get behind the wheel and take off for parts unknown? This summer NPR featured a number of stories about this quintessential American automotive adventure.

"A Cross Country Road Trip Back in Time"

"Songs for the Gas-Guzzling Blues"

"Take Me To Your Leader: The Road Trip

The siren song of the open road strongly appeals to me even when it's over a route I've made so many times I could probably do it in my sleep (NOT RECOMMENDED).

The journey from the
Palouse


to Portland





is one that I know by heart. Over the years I've become rather fond of a series of landmarks, mostly geopgraphical, that mark the passing of time, climate and red vines reduction on a typical trip to my home town.

1.) Pepto Pig: If you travel on 26 between Colfax and Washtucna you know Pepto Pig!




With a face this attractive a close up is surely called for!





2.) Red Rocks!




3.) Connell National Forest It must be seen to be believed! A few years ago I met a native of the area who told me that the tree was once much bigger. A vandal cut it down in the middle of the night. Fortunately, the resilience of nature overcame the destructive qualities of humankind and out of the stump grew a shoot!



4.) Sundale Park






5.) Amazing Rock Formations Also found along the Lewis Clark Highway.







6.) Corral



7.) The Dalles Fish Bridge






8.) Meredith Gorge Hotel Sign
Sadly, to my shock and dismay I discovered that the hotel went out of business. The big sign that sat on the bluff above the river just outside of Hood River was like the final lap bell in a track meet! I'll miss you.


9.) Wind Surfers
The Columbia River Gorge is known to many as the "windsurfing capital of the world."






10.) View from Starvation Creek rest stop



11.) Hill And now I'm only about 18 miles from Portland.