Time Spent with Meredith Baker: A Season in America Tall One Small One Productions

Cabbages and Carrots: good, clean fun.
As we take our last journey with Meredith for the season, we accompany her to her friends' home for some good company and, as always, a good meal. She contemplates the journey of age and adventure, reminiscing of her time as a vegetable artist, daisy picker, and cabbage laborer. Did you know that cabbage washes up nicely? What is next for Meredith? Perhaps she’ll tell us the story of her erotic carrots… “but that’s another chapter.”
For extra essays, citations of works referenced, and a transcript of this episode, head to www.timespentpod.com

Old Sweaters: gray skies and the warmth of old friends.
In our penultimate episode of the season, Meredith urges all of us to watch “Amend” a documentary about the 14th amendment, and fills her time by falling in love with Jazz. She moves through Florida to South Carolina and then to North Carolina, visiting her daughter, granddaughter, son-in-law and their noisy dogs. Then, leaving Snowball in Annapolis, thanks to some kind neighbors, Meredith hops on a plane to Seattle, finally heading home after five months away. She thinks of health, and love, and her home community over the past year, how people have shifted in their values. “time left versus time spent. These are the questions we ponder…”
Piano piece: 
https://freesound.org/people/ITheRealGooglekatClaire/sounds/570769/
Ragtime: Royalty free Music by Giorgio Di Campo
https://youtu.be/DPdXvM7qJds
For extra essays, citations of works referenced, and a transcript of this episode, head to www.timespentpod.com

Quirks and Quiddities: farewell to Ocean Springs.
Leaving Gautier Mississippi, Meredith heads to a friend’s house spotting quirky signs and t-shirts along the way. When she arrives, they reminisce on old spelling words over carbonara, collards, and crunchy salad. She continues on with Willie Nelson as her traveling companion, heads East past Fortress Mausoleum & Tombs, & contemplates the upkeep of infrastructure. There’s a lot to think about when you drive...
For extra essays, citations of works referenced, and a transcript of this episode, head to www.timespentpod.com

Technical Difficulties: mental health challenges.
 
Waking up on a 23 degree morning, Meredith zips through the challenges of staying warm in frozen temperatures, considers how Texas is suffering in the unexpected cold, and what makes for good mental health. She shares with us her mother’s end of life plan and her healthy mental health qualities. How are we? Well, the proper answer to that question, according to Meredith, is “Fine”.
For extra essays, citations of works referenced, and a transcript of this episode, head to www.timespentpod.com

Bookends: a jar of spring daffodils and the pursuit of happiness.
It’s a chilly February evening as Meredith watches the egrets rise on the bayou against the setting sun. She compares our political landscape to the landscape of various trees before her. “A metaphor to learn to live together in the pursuit of happiness.” The news may flood our daily lives but hope breaks through like spring. “It always does.”
For extra essays, citations of works referenced, and a transcript of this episode, head to www.timespentpod.com

King Cake Baby!: oh my!
Tired of being cooped up in Shepard State Park through days of rain, Meredith wanders around Lowes and Walmart for something to do, feeling like something’s off. Hopefully, just the weather. She walks us through her “Camping in an RV cookbook”: Top Ramen, Quesadillas, raisin toast and butter, tea and chocolate, jazz and a drink… the list goes on. She considers the lack of Mardi Gras parades due to Covid as she shops for a King Cake to bring to her friends (she got the baby last year).

For extra essays, citations of works referenced, and a transcript of this episode, head to www.timespentpod.com