That's Life

Corky's back! To talk to us about bats, bats, and more bats! -- primarily the Mexican Free-tail Bat which is so plentiful under the I-80 freeway at the causeway. Size, shape, habit -- all the things that one can know about these insect-devouring friends -- that's what Corky Quirk has for us today. And then there are the mysteries that scientists still haven't learns. The crack in the attached image is less than 2 inches wide.

Who's Tyler Lee, you ask? He's a very nice young man who Lois met at KDRT when he and another fellow were alphabetizing vinyl records in our library. Lois, of course, started chatting with Tyler and (not unusually) ended up asking him to come and be on the show. And he agreed! This is a man with a wonderful story. I hope you have as much fun listening to this show as we had making it.

Starting about 15 into this weeks show, Lois interviewed Mark Blake, the owner of Blake's Heating and Air Conditioning. Lois asks him about how extremely hot weather affects the efficacy of your A/C, how to maintain your system to cost you the least, and operate the best. Listen to learn and enjoy!

Songs from the Debbie Harry Blondie CD "Once More Into The Bleach" [1988, Chrysalis]

Summertime 2009 brought songs from "Misner & Smith" off their brand new album -- which was the first of MANY! For current info, see MisnerAndSmith.com (Also, as our PSA, info about controlling mosquitoes in your yard.)

Dierdre Wolownick, author of "The Sharp End of Life", shares her stories and introduces us to her son, Alex Honnold, who not only taught her to climb but is also the central figure in the recent award-winnig movie "Free Solo". This show will give you a feel for what modern climbing is like and help you know more about this fascinating woman. Dierdre climbed Yosemite's El Capitan when she was over 60; and is still going strong. The phrase "the sharp end of the rope" is used in climbing to describe when a person is climbing up ahead of their safety gear -- that is, the lead climber has to GET THERE before s/he can set in the next carabiner and hook the line into it. During that part, a fall could be more serious. Doerdre describes a time of leaving safety and GETTING to the next safe place as the "sharp end of life" -- a place she knows firsthand and has been in many times. According to her, you can accomplish very large movements by making small incremental changes. Like when she came back from walking their dog (who always goes faster than 'walk') and told her son -- in some amazement -- that she had just run a mile! His response of "If you can go a mile, you could do a mile and a half," got her inspired to run more and go longer. Eventually she was running marathons. Then Alex got her involved in his passion, climbing. Dierdre now hold the record as the oldest woman to climb El Capitan. I hope you enjoy listening to these stories of expansion and overcoming hard times. -- Lois

Today on "That's Life", Lois and Sharla Hardy talk about DCTV, SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism), brother Jim, art, history, and shared experiences. "Don't mix ammonia with clorox!" If you watched any of Lois' DCTV productions (from 1992 thru 2003), you saw some wonderful camera work by Sharla Hardy. She was part of the repetoire crew that helped me produced many shows and several series -- mostly running a camera, but occasionally on as a guest. Our last series was "Thoughtfulness" -- an eclectic production that ran weekly for several years. (Sort of like this radio program, but with moving images!) Sharla has been my friend for over 20 years and I thought it was time to catch up with her; so I'm doing that now and you're invited to listen in on our chat! Originally broadcast 2021-01-07; re-aired 2025-11-11and 2025-11-18.

It's starting to sound a lot like Christmas! Here are a few carols to pass the time. First broadcast December 2025.

A few of you were around in the 70s and 80s and knew John Denver. For you, here are some of his early songs. Some other listeners have never even HEARD of John Denver! For you, here is an introduction to one of the most influential singers of his time. I've included some history of John as well as some of his music. Today's songs are from his famous "Rocky Mountain High" album. (The CD was published by RCA, from recording of the 1972 album by BMG Music.) Original broadcast 2020-02-20. Re-broadcast 2025-10-30 and 2025-11-04.

The Yolo County Landfill has many programs to reduce-reuse-recycle. Tours of the landfill are available by appointment. There is also a "waste wizard" on the website where one can ask questions about what to put where: https://www.yolocounty.gov/government/general-government-departments/community-services/integrated-waste-management-division/central-landfill/a-z-waste-acceptability/a-z-list Kids love learning about recycling! Today, Marissa Juehler explains how diverting use-able items that would otherwise go into the landfill not only saves us space; it also makes things available for VERY low prices AND provides funding for other recycling programs. EVERY DAY one can drop things off to be sold. Then folks can BUY every Thursday, as well as the third Saturday of each month. BREAKING NEWS !!! Our landfill is getting a new methane-gas-capture system to replace the 40-year-old one we use now. And, yes, that means we have been capturing gas for that long. We were among the first landfills to do that. Marissa Juehler is now the "Integrated Waste Management Division Director", overseeing all Landfill operations and waste collection services in Yolo County. Her office is at the Yolo County Landfill (NE of Davis) and, among other things, she manages the Big Blue Barn. Marissa tells us about the hazardous waste facility out there where you can drop off light bulbs and batteries, old paint and pesticides, and other hazardous material. They ALSO have a pick-up service for seniors (over 65) and disabled folks anywhere in the county who want to properly dispose of such items but cannot get to the landfill on their own. Note: Any liquid that is still useable (paint, cleaners, auto supplies, etc.) is NOT dumped in the landfill. Instead all cans are checked and put onto shelves in the Paint Closet so that other residents can come and pick them up -- open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 7:30-3:30 (same as the hazardous waste drop-off). There are many more details in this lively conversation.

Today on That's Life: Family History = Genealogy = the story of one's ancestors. Lois tells all! Well... Lois tells some. "All" would take much longer! Hear what the main documents are that folks use to find their ancesotrs and how they create profiles to store the info and share with cousins. Records of Birth, Marriage, Death, and the Census. Using the regular data -- as well as avoiding some common problems. FamilySearch.org is Lois' go-to place for both doing research and creating profiles. See you there?

Today on That's Life, more MUSHROOMS! Professor Emeritus Mike Davis is back again this week to tell us even more about mushrooms -- and other fungus. Originally broadcast in May of 2021; this show was re-broadcast in 2025 on Sept 9 and Sept 16.

Today on That's Life: Mike Davis, a retired professor from UCDavis, tells us a lot about everyone's favorite fungi -- Mushrooms. There are THOUSANDS of species in California. This fascinating show includes detailed instruction on how to grow your own! If you want to know more, look for his book "Field Guide to MUSHROOMS of Western North America". Originally aired on 2021-05-20. Re-broadcast in 2025 on Sept 2nd .

Today on That's Life: Would you like another COLORful show? This is part two of the color "BLUE"! BLUE is in the name -- of the song, of the album, or of the artist/band. There were so many "blue" choices, that I made TWO shows this color! This one includes Kate Wolf, the Grateful Dead, Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, Ella Fitzgerald, Gershwin, and more. So here it is -- "Blue, part two". First aired 2020-05-07. Re-broadcast 2025-07-29.

Today on That's Life: Happy summer! If you can't travel in person, travel in spirit! Today you can listen to some mellow island sounds with "Favorite Hawaiian Songs", a CD from the collection of host Lois Richter. When that's done, we add a few instrumentals from Jeff Peterson's "Maui On My Mind". (Original was broadcast on 2021-05-06. Re-edited and then broadcast on 2025-07-01.)

Today on That's Life: Another friend Lois met online. Courtney Goodin lives in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles. He is a retired sound mixer who has worked on lots of documentaries and commercials as well as feature films. A 3rd -generation Texan, Courtney came to California after graduating with a college degree in media production. Our chat today roams from personal experiences, to the history of the movie business, to how production has morphed over the years, to unions. (LOTS about unions!) You can see Courtney most every day at 7:00 am on Office Hours. (To get the best seats, go to OfficeHours.global/join and sign up for an invite to Mukana -- the on-air live audience arena. Lots of fun!) Please send Lois your suggestions for guests or topics to -- [email protected] .

That's Life -- brought to you by California's Water and Soil! Soils and water and other things are fodder for this episode. Lois is talking to guest Don Shor (of Davis Garden Show fame!) -- about so many things that we won't try to list them all here. Understanding our water -- where it comes from , where it goes, how it's used, and by whom -- is vital to knowing what to expect in the future. Understanding how our soils were formed and how the various soil typesinteract with that water is the basis for many of our gardening and farming decisions. Why who got what soils. Davis is in the Sacramento River watershed. It was either marsh or grasslands before Europeans arrived. Because we had annual flooding, our rivers and creeks developed natural levees which overtopped each year and deposited gravel, sand, silt, and clay on the surrounding land -- the lighter particles travelling further than the heavier material. So your yard might be sandy-loam, silty-loam, or clay-loam -- depending on where in the county you live. "That's Life" broadcasts every Tuesday at 12 noon and replays every Wednesday at 5:00 pm, PacificTime. (Recorded and broadcast in 14 Oct 2021, re-broadcast 27 May 2025 and 3 June 2025.)

A repeat of the show with Tamra Pica -- talking about tech, "The Rundown Show", and non-tech things. (Broadcast 13 May and 20 May 2025. Archived forever on KDRT.org )

Today on That's Life: talking tech with Tamra Pica. Tamra and Lois talk about tech every Thursday evening on the video show "The Rundown" with David Paskin and others. To hear THAT, go to TheRundown.show and follow the link. But that's then and this is now. Tamra Pica agreed to be on Lois' radio show to talk about non-tech things; but we slipped and fell into tech talk as well. **Sigh.** So here is the first hour of our chatting together. (There may be more later!) Enjoy! Broadcast 13 May, 20 May, 19 August, and 26 August 2025. Archived forever on KDRT.org

A repeat of the show with John Puett about D&D, photography, and the Office Hours / After Hours community. [First broadcast 03/17/2022; aired again 04/23/2025 and 05-06-2025.]

Today on That's Life: Another fascinating story from a friend on After Hours. A self-proclaimed "dungeon master", John Puett leads a very active adventurous life while sitting down. "Dungeons and Dragons" is his game of choice and he not only plays D&D, but also designs, hosts, and teaches it. Join his Discord server or view his YouTube channel to learn more about the game. John does a lot more than play, though. He has a company that does "cyber security". Not sure what that means? Lois wasn't either, so listen to this episode to find out what it is -- and isn't. We touch on many other things and, again, we had more than an hour's worth of conversation. John is a photographer and is also very active in Office Hours and the After Hours community. A good talk today! [First broadcast 03/17/2022; aired again 04/23/2025.]

Today on That's Life: David Paskin Rabbi David, as he is often called, is an accomplished spiritual leader, a singer/songwriter, a Jewish futurist, a social activist, an award-winning Jewish edutainer, and your Torah Tech Guy. He's also the "Rock-n-Roll Rabbi". AND he has published several books. AND he is a speaker/presenter both online and in person. AND, most importantly, he is a friend and a wonderful human being. Join your That's Life host, Lois Richter, as she gets the story from David. And then another story. And another. These two can really talk!!! Hope you enjoy the show. Originally aired in June 2022, then re-aired on 15 Apr 2025.

Today on That's Life: author Bill Pieper. Local author Bill Pieper is today's guest. He has published many works -- mostly short stories. His most recent book -- Borders and Boundaries -- is a series of ten short stories which reads like a novel. While each story could stand on its own, the thread of characters and locations ties the book together into a greater whole. Listen to him reading from Borders and Boundaries along then hear Bill and Lois talking about ... well, just about everything. Bikes? Yup. Drumming? Yup. Publishing in the midst of a pandemic? Yup. Sci-fi porn? Yup. Reading books onstage? Yup. The effect of places on people and culture? That, too. Bill lived in Nevada City for many years, and his stories often are set in a western locale. Now he lives in Sacramento and comes to Davis weekly to be part of the Blue Moon -- a writers' group hosted by Scott Evans*. Bill Pieper is working on writing a new book (no date set as of 2021 recording); and he hopes to resume the promotion of Borders and Boundaries once restrictions ease and a new tour can be arranged. You can see a list of his books at: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/708305.Bill_Pieper That includes his popular Belonging - A Tale of Downieville and California's Modern Gold Country and Forgive Me, Father: Twelve Stories. But if you want to walk on a wilder side, read his most-popular-story-ever, at: https://www.redfez.net/fiction/sci-fi-alien-dreams-616 PS: This episode also aired on Thanksgiving, 11-25-2021 and on 2025-04-09. [* for an interview with Scott Evans, listen to my 10-7-21 show.]

Today on That's Life: Wind energy Kevin Wolf is a name well known in Davis. And Kevin Wolf is a person well worth knowing. Lois met him in the 1970s and has worked with him in several projects -- Davis Food Co-op, Davis Community Network, DCTV, KRDT, politics, and others. Kevin is probably most famous as a founder of the CoHousing project on N Street. Currently he is involved in the WindHarvest project which offers a easier, simpler, less problematic solution to getting energy from wind than the giant wind turbines currently in use. More info at WindHarvest.com This episde has chatting about the past and enthusiasm about the future. Hope you enjoy it. [This show aired 2025-02-05, 02-12, and 02-19.]

Today on That's Life: Wo-Ma-Mu !!! That's short for "Women Making Music". As their website says, it "is a nonprofit organization devoted to bringing music and other creative arts into women's lives through education, participation, and personal empowerment". They do that with retreats in the hills of California where (ta-dah!) women get together to make music! -- also to be creative, get immersed in nature, enjoy each other, and recharge. The current Artistic Director is Marianne Barlow -- who joins Lois on today's show. (Judy Fjell was the group's first Artistic Director and has now retired.) To get info on upcoming retreats, go to https://womamu.org/

Today on That's Life: Jack's back! John Muir Laws is an artist, naturalist, educator, and author. Jack was on the "Birding With Lois" video show in 2022 -- viewable as "How to Observe Better" at: https://BirdingWithLois.global Today we talk about his new book -- "The Laws Field Guide to Sierra Birds: Updated Edition". We also dive into NATURE JOURNALING and how observing the natural world can change our lives for the better. Be sure to check out the dozens of classes Jack has for FREE on his personal website -- https://johnmuirlaws.com/blog-archives/ -- and the events/ activities on the Wild Wonder Foundation -- https://www.wildwonder.org [This show first aired 2024-02-26; and again 2025-01-01 thru 2025-01-15.]

Today on That's Life: It's another time for the holidays! Here is the third of my xmas music shows for this year. Today's songs are off 3 CDs: #1 - #12 from "Christmas Card Disc"; #19 - #22 from "A Christmas Celebration - Volume 2"; and #12 from "'Tis the Season". Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! Originally aired for Xmas 2023; re-broadcast Dec 2024.

Today on That's Life: It's time for the holidays again! Here is the second of my xmas music shows for this year. All songs today are off the CD "A Christmas Celebration - A Collection Of Classical Brass, String & Choral Favorites - Volume 2". Originally aired for Xmas 2023; re-broadcast Dec 2024.

Today on That's Life: It's time for the holidays! Here is the first of my xmas music shows for this year. All songs today are off the 2003 CD "'Tis the Season" by the Chrismas Angels. Originally aired for Xmas 2023; re-broadcast Dec 2024.

Gitane is French! French-Canadian to be precise. She grew up in an entirely French-speaking area of Canada and says she didn't truly learn English until she moved to Santa Monica and no one spoke French! French to English. How does that work? How do you move from speaking (and thinking in) your birth tongue to speaking (and maybe thinking in?) a different language. Aside from the spelling and pronunciation, there is also a difference in philosophy between French and English. Dr G used as an example the first book she ever read in English -- The Little Prince. In the English version, the fox says "there is a secret place ..."; while in the original French version, the fox says "there is a mysterious place ...". (Gitane highly recommends this book as something to help one think about serious matters in a light way.) Gitane is a KDRT producer. And a Davisite with an interesting back story. (Our life-story interview aired on 2024-10-24. The idea for this discussion of French led from that chat.)

Have you ever listened to "Heart to Heart" here on KDRT? If so, you are familiar with the melodious voice of Gitane (Dr.G). She is a long-time radio personality -- having had a show in Florida for many years before she moved away. When KDRT was formed, she considered returning to the airways and in 2009 began her weekly show. Pre-pandemic, Gitane had guests with her in the studio and played songs to interlude the hour-long show. When the studio shut down, past shows of "Heart to Heart" were played while G figured out how to proceed. (A few off-line episodes were made, but mostly G has been waiting for the station to be up, running, and safe. If you want to engineer for G, please tell Jeff.) But that brings us to this interview. Hear lots of stories by or about Gitane, find out how she got to where she is, and her plans for the future. PS: Look at 2024-10-31 where Gitane talks about speaking French!

Judy Fjell is coming. JUDY FJELL IS COMING !!! Her concert in Davis is 23 October 2024 at the UU Church at 7 pm. More details at JudyFjell.com along with 70+ songs for free there on "Judy's Radio". About 1982, Lois met Judy in Davis when they both lived here and were both interested in Women's Music -- Judy on stage and Lois back stage! Today's show is a chat about old times, new projects, and interactions with nature. Judy is an avid birder and nature observer. Her website says: "Whether you're a longtime fan of Singer-Songwriter Judy Fjell, or you've recently discovered her through a camp, workshop, or worship experience ..." and "Judy has written and recorded over 20 albums, published several songbooks and ukulele instructional books, and continues to teach and perform from her home in Montana." All true. AND she is now a playwright -- writing and producing "Just an Ordinary Bird" in Montana. I hope you enjoy this episode and get to listen to this wonderful woman -- in person or on "Judy's Radio".

What are the current frauds, scams, and hazards that we should all be aware of? Fraud expert Don Malloy from the Yolo County District Attorney's office gives us an update on what to look out for -- and what to do if we get caught. Not a great thing to think about happening, but it's GREAT to be prepared and so avoid trouble altogether!

Bill Buchanan, an award-winning print journalist, decided to start a radio show on KDRT about Davis writ large. That is, not only the people and events within the City limits, but also the many things we connect to in the wider world. "Davisville" has been airing for over 15 years now and is one of the most popular shows on KDRT. It has been so well crafted that Bill is now also "an award-winning RADIO journalist" because the program has won 13 'Excellence in Journalism' awards from the San Francisco Press Club since 2018. Here's a fascinating chat with a very perceptive man who lives life well and shares his passion with all of us. To hear more, check out Bill's bio and the Davisville show archives at: https://kdrt.org/davisville First broadcast on 2024-07-04. Re-aired on 2024-10-14 and 2025-10-21.

Heidi Pidcoke. A Quaker, psychotherapist, teacher, and ... In all, a very interesting person.