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Lunar Datebook

Maine-based short fiction, essays, and interviews. Hosted by Jennifer Ellsworth.
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Now displaying: Category: Short Story

Welcome to Lunar Datebook...

Feb 10, 2017

Episode 81—February 10, 2017

The Fire Rooster is this year's Chinese New Year animal, and we cannot ignore his crow. Host Jennifer Ellsworth enumerates his traits that we should adopt to succeed this year. She also profiles a couple that lives the change they wish to see in the world, and reads a short story about a woman following doctor's orders and transforming her life. It's called "Executive Order."

            "...Isn’t this worse?

            I’ll do it because that’s how I am, but imagine if this was the prescription for the whole country? Ignore the media and eat red meat. Oh wait, it is! Is it possible Dr. Liz is one of them? Perhaps her chakra poster peppered walls are a ploy to make me accept her and her advice: ignore the media and eat red meat!..."

Moon Astrology: Full Sap Moon in Leo: Illuminate.

Healthy, happy hens; sugar shack time; and dressed burgers. 

Jan 12, 2017

Episode 79—January 12, 2017

Love abounds as Venus occupies its point of greatest eastern elongation. Host Jennifer Ellsworth offers a planet primer for our solar system sister. She also marries love and food in an essay about what makes a good cook, and a short story about waiting for a table at Neighborhood, Belfast's next best thing. It's called "The Waiting Game."

           “'Twenty minutes?'

            The return pitch of those two words, twenty minutes—the estimated wait for a table at Neighborhood, the new restaurant in town—was designed to equate that time frame with swimming naked in pig swill...."

Moon Astrology: Full Wolf Moon in Cancer: We are family.

Sex, love, beauty, and military victories; beans and rice; and She Talks to Angels.

Oct 15, 2016

Episode 73—October 15, 2016

We are all hunters at heart, tracking desires and dreams. Today host Jennifer Ellsworth explores the trophies of that hunt through the history of taxidermy and its ability to transport us through time and space. She also compares hardcore hunters to yogis, and reads a short story where a woman harvests a piece of her home. It's called "Measuring Wall."

"...Madge hadn’t expected the house to sell so quickly. The realtor said it would take at least a year, and when she had blanched at that, he’d comforted her by saying, 'more likely three,' explaining that the market bubbled on the coast, but inland, in these rural towns, homes still sold the old fashioned way—with time and a new price every six months...." 

Moon Astrology: Full Hunters Moon in Aries: we are wildfire.

The origin of "stuffed animal," Action with a capital A, and hailing a chainsaw operator.  

Aug 18, 2016

Episode 69—August 18, 2016

Is there evidence of aliens? Today host Jennifer Ellsworth investigates stories of out-of-staters, and way-out-of-staters. She hashes out the details of Maine's most famous close encounter, the Allagash Alien Abduction of 1976, visits the Roswell UFO Museum, and reads part one of a short story about newcomers to Jackson. It's called "Jackson Pond Party Boat.

...The phone rang at 7 o’clock.

“Is this Money Bags #1 or #2?”

“This is Billy.”

“#1 then. The party boat is ready. Please come to the dock at 10. Bring dinner.”...

Moon Astrology: Full Grain Moon in Aquarius: We aren't so different.

Art students fishing, Alien Bagels, and Melissa's middle finger.

Jun 4, 2016

Episode 64- June 4, 2016

Luna Moths are short-lived, single-minded insects. Host Jennifer Ellsworth describes their life cycle, and how we sometimes emulate them. She also tells a true story of a close encounter with one of these beautiful creatures, and reads a short story about a woman whose pursuit of a perfect garden leaves her lonely. It's called "Morning Glories."

"...Sandra submitted the application for the Belfast Garden Tour last year. It was only after she’d hit send that she realized how much she wanted it, and worried she should have said more in the answer spaces...."

Moon Astrology: New Strawberry Moon in Gemini: 'tis the season for manic multitasking.

Let's get it on, a treasure transported by spoon tip, and a 400 pound wake-up call.

Apr 22, 2016

Episode 61- April 22, 2016

May Day celebrates spring's conception of summer.  In this episode, host Jennifer Ellsworth examines the long odds it took for each and every one of us to be conceived, and how getting lucky really is.  She also finds gratitude for her lot in life and reads a short story where we revisit Ivan, a Jackson neighbor, whose numbers have come in.  

"...Bear was the one that woke Ivan in time to see his numbers trail across the bottom of the television set and discover he’d won the jackpot...."

Moon Astrology: Full Milk Moon in Scorpio: go whole hog.

One out of two hundred million, Gomer Pyle's lucky scarf and top shelf whiskey.

 

Mar 23, 2016

Episode 59- March 23, 2016

Spring brings ascension!  In this episode, host Jennifer Ellsworth enumerates world myths that celebrate rebirth come spring.  She also tells a true story about a Tokyo train serenade that goes sour, and reads a short story about an on-duty cop and his cargo.  It's called "Good Deeds."

"...The call comes in at 8:53. Right in the middle of the Sean Hannity Show. He’s gotten a bit too religious these past few years, praying as much as he politics, but I’ve got good filters...."

Moon Astrology: Full Egg Moon in Libra: tip the scales toward light.

Chippewa Robin Boy, "Sweet Caroline" embrace, and a porch Snuggly.

Oct 27, 2015

Episode 49- October 27, 2015

Contentment may be among our unalienable rights, but that doesn't make it easy to obtain.  Host Jennifer Ellsworth explores this desirable headspace and how the Universe may conspire to provide it.  She also tells a true story about happy meatball making and reads a short story about a woman writer whose patience has expired.  It's called "Silence Lies in the Ocean:"

...“Tonight’s writing exercise is another first line prompt,” Steve said.   “I’ve selected a launch pad sentence from the Sufi writer Rumi: Silence lies in the ocean. Let’s take fifteen minutes and see where you go....”

Moon Astrology: Full Hunter's Moon in Taurus: Dig deep before the freeze.

Moonlit nights, perfect parsley, and hands, hands, hands.  

Sep 13, 2015

Episode 46- September 13, 2015

September's Harvest Moon signals summer's end.  Host Jennifer Ellsworth philosophizes about rides we wish did not.  She tells a true story in which she played chaufeur to her tipsy grandparents and reads a short story where a man cannot bare to part with the bike of his youth.  It's called "The Numbers."

"...The bike had sat in the barn for five years.  The old Honda, a home for spiders, a spot holder for the snow blower in winter and the garden tractor in summer..."  

Moon Astrology:  New Harvest Moon in Virgo:  God is in the details.

One more fire in the pit, "Thank you very much," and a $300 dream.

Jun 2, 2015

Episode 40- June 2, 2015

The new age Moon Diet is an eating regimin that incorporates fasting, an age old practice.  Host Jennifer Ellsworth explores this fad, also called the Werewolf Diet.  She also tells a true tale about an overpopulated buffet line, and reads a short story about a woman redefining her appearance called "Nadine's New Look."  

"The date was next week, but Nadine was ready, or nearly, or could be.  She would wear her black jeans.  Snug, but not inappropriate, with the purple, satin embellishments on the back pockets.  They traced out a hint of butterfly wings without being actually insects..." 

Moon Astrology: Full Flower Moon in Sagittarius.  Restless and real.  

60% water, 3 square meals a day and the one thing five major religions agree on.

 

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