Christian Carmack Sanderson (1882–1966) was a teacher, fiddler, square dance caller, poet, and noted local historian in southeastern Pennsylvania in the early to mid-20th century.   He corresponded with a wide range of notable people of his time and was a remarkable collector of historical memorabilia (which are the basis of the collections on display in the Christian C. Sanderson Museum).  Sanderson lived the latter part of his life in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, and was friends with the Wyeth family there (including artists N.C., Andrew and Jamie). From 1906 to 1922, Sanderson lived in the Benjamin Ring House, which was Washington's Headquarters before and after the Battle of Brandywine and "more than any individual in his time, Christian Sanderson focused attention on the Battle".  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_C._Sanderson 

Chris Sanderson was an inveterate radio performer who was well known for his work.  His broadcasting career spanned 43 years and four different area radio stations.  His first broadcast was in March of 1923 on station WFI in Philadelphia, for the Boy Scouts of America; his last was in October of 1966 on station WCOJ in Coatesville, less than a month before he passed away.  His first orchestra, “The Delmarvans,” performed briefly on station WILM in Wilmington in 1930.  His weekly program, “Old Folks at Home,” ran from 1930 to 1940 on WDEL in Wilmington, and was notable because in those 10 years Chris never missed or was even late for a scheduled broadcast.  At the time, this was believed to have been a world’s record for continuous broadcasting.  This, despite the fact that Chris did not own a car; he lived in Pocopson (15 miles away), then in Chadds Ford (10 miles away); and no matter the season, weather, or other circumstances, he depended entirely on walking and hitch-hiking for transportation.  The station figured that over that decade, Chris had commuted 13,780 miles to and from the station with no means of transportation but his thumb and his feet!  Invariably, Chris began every broadcast with a cheery, “Good morning, friends.  Here we are once again,” and he ended every broadcast with his signature invocation: 

“May the gods above bless you,
The devils of temptation miss you,
And the angels kiss you . . . with their wings, In your dreams.”  https://sandersonmuseum.org/christian-sanderson/  

Spring has sprung, the grass iz riz,  I wonder where da boidies iz?  Da boid iz on da wing!  Ain’t that absoid?  I always hoid da wing . . .  wuz on da boid!

My all-time favorite is based on Renaissance painter Botticelli’s “La Primavera” (Spring), a beauty I got to see first-hand in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. Ottorino Respighi wasn’t creating a piece about the season as much as honoring the allegory painted by Botticelli some 400 years earlier.  Respighi fills it with breezy Renaissance dances as he imagines Botticelli’s depiction of The Three Graces dancing to bird song.  Alexander Glazunov’s Spring, Op.34, is also one of my top choices to hear Spring in music.  It’s another gentle take on the season, asking you to imagine hearing birds just before a spring dawn.  There are so many wonderful spring pieces to explore.  I hope you’ll look for and listen to Schumann’s Symphony No. 1, “Spring,” and Vivaldi’s “Spring,” from The Four Seasons.  Then I’m hoping you’ll get “spring fever” and “branch out” to pieces like Lili Boulanger’s D’un matin de printemps and Verdi’s “Spring” ballet from his opera The Sicilian Vespers, and pieces by Beach, Copland and Grieg.  By Laura Carlo   https://www.classicalwcrb.org/blog/2021-03-30/spring-has-sprung   

There is a British chamber ensemble called The Fibonacci Sequence.  Their recordings include the Schubert Octet and Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time.  They are very good.  You can borrow these and other recordings through OhioLink.  Thank you, Muse reader!  

March 25, 2025  CROTON-ON-HUDSON — Road salt and human activities around reservoirs in Putnam and Westchester counties could cause levels of chloride in the reservoirs to exceed New York State standards by 2108, making some of New York City’s water undrinkable.  The revelation comes from a just-released report by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, which manages the city’s water supply.  The report states that levels of chloride—one of the two chemicals that make up salt—have tripled in the last 30 years in a major reservoir in Westchester County.  The revelation comes from a just-released report by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, which manages the city’s water supply.  The report states that levels of chloride—one of the two chemicals that make up salt—have tripled in the last 30 years in a major reservoir in Westchester County.  https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/new-work-reservoirs-salt-undrinkable-20234117.php

http://librariansmuse.blogspot.com  Issue 2922  March 27, 2025