Senior executives 'walk the walk' in firms that are truly customer-centric. How can you make it happen?
Senior executive buy-in is high on the list of ingredients for successful customer experience (CX) programs. In a previous column, I wrote about how to achieve this when you're starting a program. The next big question is how do you keep it going along the journey to build and maintain a customer-centric culture. It's important to consider what senior leaders do to set positive CX examples on a regular basis, and how they manage it all.
Hollenbeck and I worked together to start our CX program nearly four years ago. It started as an initiative to take our CX efforts to the next level under guiding principles to communicate proactively with customers, understand their business needs and making it easy for them to do business with us. We knew we couldn't achieve excellence in customer experience without support from the larger leadership team. Today we realize we're fortunate in that each member of our senior executive team is a strong advocate for our program's success.
Our president of customer engagement solutions writes an internal blog on a regular basis. It highlights efforts of employees to develop customers for life in our organization. Sometimes he highlights the customer projects that have been enabled by our software and services. Other times he focuses on exemplary, customer-centric behavior by employees.
Our vice president of professional services has recently established a CX committee just for his teams. The committee works closely with me and our CX Catalyst network to improve customer processes within professional services.
Our vice president of customer support has set up CX training for her teams. The training focuses on how to meet customer expectations by being proactive and striving to make it easy to do business with us.
In addition to the individual special things our senior executives do to support CX, all of them work within the infrastructure of our corporate CX program and help direct its progress. This is the biggest contribution any senior executive can make to the CX effort.
1. They provide structured guidance, feedback and support.
When we started our CX program, we interviewed 25 of our global leaders. They offered good illustrations of how the company was customer-focused, but all agreed there could be more structure and definition to the efforts going forward. From that group, we formed a cross-functional executive steering committee to guide the program and gauge its performance against a written set of guiding principles and objectives.
Our president, general manager, CFO, and senior vice presidents of sales, product and marketing are members of the steering committee, and the seriousness with which they take their responsibility is greatly appreciated. The group meets regularly and the first task is to review the latest customer feedback and monitor trends. Because they have set eight focus areas for improvement, their next agenda item is reviewing progress in those areas. The lively discussions we hear are an indicator that interest in our CX program is alive and well. Rarely do members miss a session.
The steering committee also supports the branding of our program company-wide. When it was time to replace coffee mugs in breakrooms, the decision was unanimous to print our program's logo, "Developing Customers for Life," on them. Program banners hang in our offices worldwide. We even had a muralist paint our guiding principles on the walls of our offices in Alpharetta, Georgia.
2. They take time to interact with customers.
We provide quarterly customer survey results to our senior executive team, but Hollenbeck and other members of the steering committee make it a practice to dig a little deeper. They read every one of the verbatim comments we assemble from those surveys. They find the comments offer valuable, specific insights into what the company is doing right and what areas need improvement. And, after review, the team agrees on action items that come directly from the voice of the customer. These verbatims are also a great way to recognize specific employees who are mentioned by customers in their survey responses!
Members of our senior executive team also visit our customers during the year as executive sponsors. When they discuss the partnership between our company and theirs, they do so using the guiding principles we wrote for our CX program. In other words, our program is not an afterthought in these meetings, but sets the framework for the entire discussion. In these visits, our senior executives are ambassadors for our CX efforts. What more could a CX professional want?
3. They preach the ROI of CX.
Sometimes senior leadership will surprise you. Early in the program, I didn't expect the executive in charge of our product group to be that interested in our CX program, but he emerged as one of our biggest advocates. Because of his analytical nature, he immediately saw the connection between CX and loyalty and revenue, and he worked with me to demonstrate the connection to others.
Some executives might think that CX is "fluffy" and not vital to the bottom line, but if done well it is an analytical subject and analytical people are drawn to it. They know that if you can grasp the drivers of customer loyalty, understand what operational parts of the business affect those drivers, and then measure the business based on those operational metrics, you will be successful.
One of the best ways our senior executives support our CX program is the way they make business decisions—through the lens of customer experience. They always ask the question: "Is this what our customers want?" For example, many contact centers cite average handle time or first-call resolution as measures of success. We don't use either of those metrics.
When we looked at our customer data, we knew that what's important to our customers within our particular business model is issue resolution time. It is one of our chief CX metrics because it takes the customer's perspective. And we don't call an issue closed until the customer says so.
Senior executives are busy people with many obligations. Speaking for the ones in my company, I know they appreciate any efforts to help them keep our CX program "on their radar." I produce a one-page, printable infographic that summaries the latest customer feedback. I ask each executive to print it out and keep it in their daily notebook so they can refer to the data during their internal meetings. This helps bring the customer to the table, so to speak, even when I'm not there to share the data myself.
I also make a point to share customer satisfaction stories that are relevant to the executive's responsibilities. Data is important, but individual stories have a real impact, too.
In addition, when the executives request customer insights that aren't included in our standard reports, we always work to find the insight in our data or, if necessary, design a special study so they will have the data they need for their operations.
We also find out what type of customer feedback is helpful to them, and we evaluate if we should incorporate that feedback request into some of our other projects. It's another way of reminding them that we are working together as partners in the quest to improve the customer experience. In return, our CX program receives a daily show of support from the senior leadership team.
Nancy Porte is the Vice President of Global Customer Experience for Verint. With a background in operations management, her passion is developing differentiated customer experiences through cross-functional collaboration and employee engagement. She is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP), regular contributor to the Verint blog and frequent speaker at industry conferences.


The past few days I've decided to work on stylizing the book trunk shelves in my tent.
After loading all the books I've made, 5 more books that I made while loading the already made books, and most of the other shelf items I had squirreled away, I realized I needed more stuff. At first I just thought more books. My husband suggested more artifacts and collected items. That sounded like way more fun than making more books.
Using fimo I made some little pieces of pottery, a few carved bird figurines, and some tiny pucca shells to adorn a "gourd vessel". The little bowls and the top of the gourd vessel are acorn tops from my yard.
I've been having fun researching things my little anthropologist would collect. However, this week has had a shadow looming over it. For a few days my husband has been telling me about a hurricane that's been headed our way. Sweet little Hurricane Matthew. I was in denial, teasing my husband about wanting to buy water and non-parishable food. I was convinced it wasn't going to happen. Well, tomorrow at 3pm the mandatory evacuation of our barrier island starts. The weather projections have it making landfall in our county. Woohoo! Thankfully my in-laws have a condo on the mainland that we can go and stay at. It will be our 3 kids, 2 large dogs, 2 cats (one of which is an outdoor cat that adopted us 3 years ago- I'm not leaving him behind), a guinea pig, and the adults in a small 2 bedroom condo. The plus side is it has awesome views to the east, so it will be fun watching the hurricane.
I keep joking about bringing my little tent with us, but I'm sure it will be safer here than with the zoo. Anyway, not much miniaturing will get done this weekend. I guess a hurricane makes a pretty decent excuse for not getting stuff done.
Oh, noes! :[ Do take care…hurricanes are no joke.
I agree with Brae, love the shell necklace. And the little bird statues are wonderful!
Be careful… Hurricanes are… yeah, you know. We lived in Orange TX before moving to DFW and my parents are in Pensacola FL and my experience with hurricanes has not been a pleasant one. Send up a post when you're safely home again so we all know you're safe please.


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HomeConcert ReviewsPatty Loveless, Stone Mountain Arts Center (Brownfield, Maine)
Patty Loveless, Stone Mountain Arts Center (Brownfield, Maine)
July 13, 2009 Guest Contributor Concert Reviews 19
The following is a guest contribution from frequent commenter and devoted Patty Loveless fan, Stephen Fales, who is better known to Country Universe readers as Steve from Boston.
Country Universe is a site where timeless artists like Patty Loveless are not merely acknowledged, but embraced and celebrated. So when Leeann invited me to review my favorite artist's Brownfield Maine concert as a guest contributor, I jumped at the chance. Thank you so much Leeann, Kevin and Country Universe for giving me this opportunity. And Leeann and Bill, it was a joy and an honor to join you folks for dinner and watch the concert with you. You both made this already memorable concert experience even more unforgettable for me, along with patty-loveless.net associates Nicole, Richard and Patti, and the following day Bob and Barbara, Kevin. And also, Marcia Ramirez from Patty's band. Many, many thanks to all.
Patty Loveless at the Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield Maine
Nestled in the northern reaches of the Appalachian Mountains, Brownfield Maine's Stone Mountain Arts Center is a beautiful and intimate 200 seat converted barn turned listening room. It has a warm and rustic ambiance, and a very helpful staff. The wood beam framed building makes for a rich acoustical setting, almost like a giant, wooden resonator box. It is a hard place to find out there in the Maine wilderness, but well worth the effort, especially to enjoy artists and legends like Patty Loveless, Ralph Stanley, Marty Stuart, Suzy Bogguss and Kathy Mattea. Think of it as a quest.
This beautiful mountain setting was a perfect match for Patty Loveless, the celebrated neo-traditional Country artist with the warmly expressive Appalachian alto. The Queen of Mountain Soul seemed right at home in the northernmost reaches of her domain, and seemed to absolutely love the venue.
Patty Loveless is a warmhearted and humble lady, she is a true artist with a good sense of humor and down-to-earth personality, the "anti-diva" as her drummer, Martin Parker, calls her. She takes the stage with very little fanfare, no high tech video introduction or ostentatious stagecraft, no bells, no whistles. She just quietly joins her band and begins to sing. It is all about the music with Loveless, and she lets the music speak for itself.
Still, there was plenty of excitement in the air at Maine's Stone Mountain Arts Center, but the magic emanated entirely from Patty's empathetic heart and her crystalline Mountain-bred voice. She sings from a place even deeper than the heart, Patty Loveless sings from the very depths of her Appalachian soul. No smoke or mirrors needed, indeed, they would have been out of their league competing with such natural, God given talent. Patty Loveless sings without a net, and her performance on July 3rd, 2009 was inspired and virtually flawless.
Loveless is the prototypical Country artist. She has refined and perfected her inherent gifts through years of hard work and perseverance, and has become a living link to Country's Golden age. The artistic (but not the chronological) scope of her work reaches all the way back to the works of the Carter family and Bill Monroe, and forward to the finest modern Country and Bluegrass artists. Folks like Jim Lauderdale who penned two of the 18 songs in Patty's concert lineup. She is a master interpreter of their work, and a keeper of America's rich Country and Bluegrass cultural heritage. Patty Loveless is herself, a national treasure.
All that's good and great about Country music is embodied in the voice of Patty Loveless, and she brings it all to bear on her first rate, soul-nourishing material. Her mentors and musical heroes, her east Kentucky upbringing and authentic Coal-miner's daughter heritage can be heard in the soulful Mountain timbre of each and every note that she sings.
Her amazing repertoire consists of songs that have been carefully selected over many years by Patty herself and her husband/producer (and genuine musical genius) Emory Gordy Jr. And this they have done with little regard to what is trendy, and with every regard to what is timeless, or potentially so. Patty and Emory choose and write their material with a profound understanding and appreciation of the heritage and traditions of authentic Country and Bluegrass, a heritage she often speaks of with great reverence between her songs. And by following her heart in all of her musical choices, Patty Loveless connects deeply with the hearts of her listeners.
Loveless' song lineup at SMAC was a mix of real, hard-core Country, and the finest contemporary Country. But the lack of any Mountain/Bluegrass songs that she could have included from her catalog kept this generous sampling from being truly representative of who she is as an artist. Still, a generous lineup of her always high-quality hit songs, and her featured Sleepless Nights mini-set of classic Country covers was fine compensation, and is the stuff of legend in the making.
Patty blazed into her set list with passion and precision, leaving her audience awestruck and breathless. In a very real and literal sense, this was a breathtaking performance from start to finish. At 52, Loveless is still very much an artist on an upward trajectory, and her voice just keeps getting even better with the years.
Some notable highlights: Her heart wrenching rendition of the Jim Lauderdale penned "You Don't Seem to Miss Me", for which she won a Vocal Event of the Year award with the legendary George Jones. Loveless has collaborated with some of Country music's absolute finest male singers, including Jones and Vince Gill, and for live performances she needs a strong male voice to fill the void on a few of those songs. Thankfully, she has found the perfect vocal partner in her band member, Garry Murray, who sang the tricky Jones harmony with feeling and finesse.
"Nothing But the Wheel" is the perfect Country song, by the perfect Country singer. It moves with a forlorn tempo, like the car the protagonist drives away from her heartbreak: " And 41 goes on and on, and the lights go winding in the dawn, and the sky's the color now of polished steel…and the only thing I know for sure, is if you don't want me any-more then I'm holding on to nothing but the wheel." With Patty Loveless at the wheel, it just doesn't get any better or more Country.
Patty's interpretation of the George Jones gem, "If My Heart Had Windows", is a song of deep gratitude for love gone right, and she sings this slow lover's waltz with a torch style intensity that warms the heart and burns to the soul.
Patty's knockout rockabilly rendition of "Why Baby Why" kicks off her Sleepless Nights classics set with high octane energy…Patty describes it as "George Jones meets Tina Turner" But it's all Patty Loveless…Patty is far too humble to admit this, but she very often surpasses her musical heroes with her own interpretations, and her version and performance here was no exception.
Ray Price's original version of "Crazy Arms" was charming, but the Loveless version is nothing less than enchanting. It is pure music magic. Pete Finney begins and ends the song with a palpable sting from his expressive steel guitar, but it's Loveless' soulful and soaring vocal that really penetrates the heart. When Patty and Emory recorded their version "Crazy Arms" they slowed down the tempo from a moderate shuffle to a torchy ballad. This serves Patty very well in concert by giving her the opportunity to find and wring out every last drop of emotion hiding in the potential of the original.
Some inspired phrasing enables Patty to put great emotional emphasis on the lyric "crazy dream" as in "this ain't no cra-zy dream I know that it's real" whereas Price's original stressed the first word "This" instead. This subtle yet dramatic difference is but one example of the interpretive genius of Patty Loveless.
The title song of Patty's Grammy nominated classic country covers album, Sleepless Nights, features Vince Gill, and once again Garry Murray came through with flying colors. Vocally flying with Patty Loveless cannot be easy, "why did you go, why did you go? Don't you know, dont you know? I need you", But Murray keeps right up and they both soar to the heights. There was lightning in the area during this concert, and there was a single crackle that seemed to come from the amplifiers during this song. But Patty never missed a beat, and the whole song came off perfectly. Patty Loveless is a force of nature, and she positively electrifies her audience.
Lead guitarist Tom Britt took his opportunity to shine during an extended and exciting slide guitar introduction to another Lauderdale song, "Halfway Down" He wailed away like a true rock star, building anticipation before the familiar opening chords of this Loveless hit. Likewise, Patty kept the excitement going full boil throughout this rip-roaring Mountain Rock song.
The set closer was "Blame It on Your Heart", perhaps Patty's most performed song of all. She sings it with an energetic enthusiasm that makes the song fresh for singer and listener, every single time. Indeed, this is the way that she approaches every performance, embracing each and every note like it was her first and only chance to shine and share her gift. This Harlan Howard song is just plain fun and children seem to love it as well, as they try to sing the tongue-twister chorus. Loveless is artist and entertainer in equal measure. No other singer on the scene today balances the two quite as well as Patty Loveless does, with the exception perhaps of Dolly Parton.
Patty's stage presence is confident as one would expect from a seasoned veteran, but also warm, easy going, and playful. She has a natural Country charisma and even her speaking voice, her relaxed east Kentucky drawl is music to the ears of her audience. The stories of her musical heroes, and her accounts of her formative years as a young artist under the tutelage of the late great Porter Wagoner, and her 21 year membership in the Grand Ole Opry, are informative and entertaining.
Her audience interaction is often full of surprises. Observing the intimacy of the venue, Patty commented how folks in the front rows were so close, and jokingly suggested they grab an instrument and come on up onstage. "But don't grab me", she quipped. "Although on second thought, that may be fun" Then she quickly added, "don't mind me, I'm just a real cut up and a harmless flirt".
When she mentioned her husband Emory Gordy Jr., she received some noticeable applause from the audience. Patty responded saying that it was good that Emory had some fans here as well, and "I see a young lady here with an Emory (University) shirt, How many concerts is this now, Nicole?" to which Patty's (and Emory's) most devoted fan replied "199", and Patty said with a smile, "Wow, I owe you one, don't I?" Patty also said something about how she was glad Nicole was such a huge Emory fan, then added: "but don't forget now, he's MY man", which also brought laughter from the audience.
After "Blame" Patty introduced her incredible band. It is clear that all these folks are friends and fans of each other, and Loveless herself can often be seen warmly grinning, holding her heart and slowly shaking her head from side to side with enraptured appreciation during her band's various instrumental interludes. And proficiency on multiple instruments almost seems to be a requirement in the Loveless band. Marcia, Deannie and Garry all play at least three instruments, and it seems most everyone is schooled on mandolin in a way reminiscent of Bill Monroe's old Bluegrass string band. The stage, as wide as it was, could barely contain the scope of this incredible array of talent.
There are only a few criticisms for this otherwise flawless concert. The sound of the drums for the first few songs was much too loud, and competed for volume with Loveless' strong vocals instead of supporting them. But that sonic imbalance was pretty well corrected by the sound techs before too long.
Also, Loveless seemed pitch perfect all throughout, with only one or two apparent missteps. Just enough to remind us that this is a gifted flesh and blood human being, and not some kind of angelic troubadour.
After the band introductions and some more friendly banter with her audience, Patty eased into her encore performance of the Hank Williams standard "Cold, Cold Heart". With sparse acoustic instrumentation and a little steel, it was almost a capella, and one could hear a pin drop between the notes. Patty's version is chill-inducing perfection, tear producing and is especially potent live. And that evening her performance was especially transcendent, almost supernatural. I almost expected to see the ghost of Hank Williams take a seat and tip his hat to the finest female interpreter of his work, bar none. I would love to see what Loveless could do with ole Hank's "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". The audience, and even her own band, was transfixed and mesmerized. Band members Marcia and Deannie especially, looked on with smiles of amazement.
With the completion of each song in the lineup, Loveless and her band received enthusiastic applause, which she greeted each time with sweet smiles and a grateful "God Bless You." And at the end, she received thunderous standing ovations, and seemed genuinely humbled and overwhelmed. She gathered her band with her outstretched arms, and then they all graciously bowed a collective bow.
Patty Loveless is the most authentic voice in Country music today. Her fidelity to tradition, her creative blending of her own brand of mountain and country music, and her artistic integrity have rightly earned her the title of "Queen of Mountain Soul" from the great Ralph Stanley himself. And performances like her Brownfield concert on Friday, and albums like the exquisite Sleepless Nights demonstrate that she has earned the title "Queen of Country Soul" as well.
Patty's long awaited follow up to her acclaimed 2001 classic Mountain Soul is scheduled for release on September 29th. Mountain Soul II has every essential ingredient to be yet another Loveless-Gordy masterpiece, and should enrich her already exceptional set list considerably. Just in time for the next leg of her tour starting this Fall.
As for a possible return to the Stone Mountain Arts Center? Word has it that Patty loved it so much, and felt so welcome by her gracious hosts Carol Noonan (folk singer and songwriter), and her husband, their staff and her appreciative fans, that she hopes to return twice a year.
Both on record and in concert, the music of Patty Loveless befriends the listener. She may sing "Soul of Constant Sorrow" on her Mountain Soul album, but the music of Patty Loveless is a source of great and constant joy, as well as inspiration, catharsis and consolation for all with attentive, listening hearts.
-Steve from Boston
For more information on Patty Loveless, visit
Patty-loveless.net,
Which is the most comprehensive and up-to-date Patty Loveless fan site.
Jim Lauderdale
Marty Stuart
Porter Wagoner
Ralph Stanley
Ray Price
Big Kenny, "Long After I'm Gone"
Sarah Buxton, "Outside My Window"
Thank you so much for this review. The enthusiasm in which you write about her makes me appreciate her even more. I just listened to Mountain Soul before I read this. Usually I don't listen to a singer for more than one cd consecutively, but I think I'm going to listen to another one now because I know I'll be able to appreciate it even more now after reading this.
It sounds like a fantastic show. Thank you for sharing about it with us.
Wow, that concert was on my birthday, I wish I could have gone. xD
Great concert review: NOT FAIR!
Steve from Boston
Thanks for taking the time to read it guys, I know it's long.
Happy Birthday Chris! Wish you were there..
and Bobby, if I have helped you to appreciate Patty even more, than I have suceeded. Thank you so much. :)
This really was a wonderful concert. Not only was it fun to meet Steve (and it truly was), the concert was superb. I'm glad Steve reviewed it, because I wouldn't be able to do it the justice that he has. I'd love to go back and see a bluegrass set next time. SMAC was a wonderful host too, very accommodating…and fantastic cake.:)
Speaking of SMAC, we're considering a show with Chris Thile's Punch Brothers later this month. Also, Mary Chapin Carpenter will be there in a couple months. I was interested in seeing Sheryl Wheeler the next night (July 4), but we had other plans. They really have great taste in music there (as Steve outlined above with mentions of past guests).
Thanks for everything Leeann, for helping me to focus and giving me all the time I needed. And it was wonderful meeting up with you and Bill as well…and I gotta say, I envy you for living in Maine, much closer to this awesome venue than I do! Have a great time at all your SMAC concerts…and If Patty comes back like she seems to want to, we should meet up again. :)
Matt. B
Every word here is lovingly written.
As an aside…Steve, you really do show 'loyal' and 'rabid' fans how they can write about and 'promote' their favorite artists without being rude or militant about it. Thank you for being someone other fans should hope to emulate.
Wow, thank you Matt, that is very kind of you. I do still have stong opinions, but I have learned a little diplomacy lately. It's been a process and an evolution.
Beautiful write-up Steve! I saw Patty twice a few yrs. ago & she is one of the sweetest people to her fans as I luckily found out when I got backstage.
She is one of the few female artists I truly adore & enjoy listening to.
I enjoyed reading your review! Dale
Kevin J. Coyne
I have to say that I was disappointed in missing the concert before reading this, but now I really feel that I missed out on a great evening! Kudos to Steve on writing a great piece and Patty for putting on a set that balances the old with the new (or the old with new spins on the much older!)
Thank you Dale, and thanks Kevin, wish you could have been there too.
Here is the complete set list:
-You Can Feel Bad (If It Makes You Feel Better)
-On Down The Line
-You Don't Seem to Miss Me
-Nothing But the Wheel
-Lovin' All Night
-If My Heart Had Windows
-Why Baby Why
-Crazy Arms
-Sleepless Nights
-The Color of the Blues
-That's All it Took
-My Old Friend the Blues
-Here I Am
-Halfway Down
-You Don't Even Know Who I Am
-Lonely Too Long
-Blame It On Your Heart
-Cold Cold Heart
Razor X
Great write-up, Steve. I saw Patty in concert years ago when she opened for Vince Gill. Would love the chance to see her again.
Thanks a lot Razor, I'm so glad Patty's touring again, (as well as still making amazing records) so you may well have your chance in the not too distant future.;)
That must have been something to see Patty and Vince on the same ticket. Did they do any of their duets togther on stage?
I'm a litle late to the party here, but I had to comment to say what a great review this is. And like Matt B. said, I hope other fans take note and see how someone can profess their adoration for artists without being rude and/or insulting other artists and their fans in the process.
I saw Patty Loveless at the Paramounts Arts Center in Ashland, KY in 2005. It is an evening I'll never forget.
Nelson Li
Thanks for the review Steve; I enjoyed your analyses of the phrasing and interpretation of various songs by Patty. I was fortunate enough to be at the show and feel that you have captured the details of that evening in a heartfelt and honest write-up.
Thanks so much J.R., appreciate it.
Also, I have a good friend from Ashland, KY, and you saw Patty there back in '05? You must have had the good fortune to have seen her perform "Keep Your Distance", and "Harlan" and her Mountain Soul set live. She did some legendary concerts back then (and now as well, legendary concerts in the making) and I'm sorry I missed them. Unforgettable, I'm sure.
Glad you enjoyed the review and the concert, Nelson..glad you were there, and it's nice to have another witness to attest to this amazing event! :)
Great review. Patty is my favorite artist. I've seen her about 15 times over the past twelve years, including three times last fall. I've always felt a sense of awe in getting to hear her sing. How often do you get to see someone who does what they do better than anyone else?
Last fall, Patty seemed to be more at ease and enjoying herself more in concert. I hope she keeps touring for a long time.
Just an informal recap addendum.. extended, but not as long as the review. ;)
This was the first of two back to back Patty Loveless concerts in Maine..The wonderful thing about such concert experiences is that moment waking up after the first one and remembering how great it was the night before, and the joyful anticipation one has about seeing one's favorite artist again, the very next night.
Patty's show the following day was part of a 4th of July celebration, the LL Bean free Summer concert series in Freeport on the coast of Maine. This outdoor concert almost didn't happen due to thunderstorms in the area for pretty much the whole day. But all this was a perfect and appropriate setting for a genuine national treasure and force of nature like Patty Loveless…Mother Nature provided the fireworks leading up to Patty's show, and the venue provided man-made fireworks afterwards, but nothing could match the "mountain-bred wonder" that is the voice of Patty Loveless.
Patty's very talented keyboard player, singer and songwriter Marcia Ramirez opened the show with a shortened 3 song sampling of her wonderfully crafted songs. (she graciously cut her set short from seven to help Patty's odds of finishing her 19 song set) With 2 or 3 of Patty's bandmembers backing her up, Marcia was flawless and filled up the park with the sweet and soulful sound of her voice, and captivated the audience with her song-stories and poetic lyrics. Marcia Ramirez is a true talent and a wonderful lady, and we all wish her the best as she pursues her solo career. :)
Patty's song lineup was the same as her previous night at Brownfield's SMAC, differing only with the encore. She substituted the uptempo "I Try to Think About Elvis" and "She Drew a Broken Heart" for the heart wrenching "Cold Cold Heart" Wise considering the diverse audience mix of Loveless Lunatics, casual fans and curious bystanders. Loveless knows her audience, and tailors her set accordingly.
Patty's performance was inspired and breathtaking as the night before, but she ran into some technical difficulties during the first four or five songs. The speakers crackled and buzzed, again…but Patty demonstrated her professionalism by singing through with passion and precision, showing no sign of the displeasure she may well have felt.
But the audience was on her side the whole way through, she never lost them.. They absolutely loved her. With her perseverance and professionalism, Patty Loveless pulled a rabbit out of her hat and saved the day.
Patty kept her comments short, to increase the odds of being able to finish her set in the event of returning T-storms. She appreciated audience requests for songs like "Mr. Man in the Moon", and "Like Water into Wine", but was unable to accomodate, explaining there were so many songs she's recorded in her 20 plus years as a recording artist, and there were many songs she wished could have been singles. But she would try to do as many as possible as part of her set list that night.
The last song before the encore was "Blame it On Your Heart" and Patty pulled up a "pretty little miss" from front row center to sing with her on stage. The little girl seemed a little shy, but sang her best and danced a few turns as Patty held up her arm for some spins and twirls. The girl finished with a proper bow, which surpised and delighted Patty and her audience. Patty dismissed the little girl with a big kiss on her cheek, and whole thing was a wonderful way to end a wonderful day.
And it turns out this was Nicole's (from patty-loveless.net) 200th show, and she met Patty afterwards and posed for her milestone picture. I had the pleasure of spending time with Nicole and some other wonderful fans and staff members from Patty's best fansite after the show, and all and all, it was a weekend that I'll never forget.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Anyone with a beautiful garden and landscaping appreciates sod cutters. It helps remove grass, complete with its roots. There are a few levels at which it can be operated, giving you flexibility while using it. Sod cutters give you a consistent work flow and allow for an even finish.
Before you get down to using the device, it is important that you get rid of all small branches and rocks that are in the way.
Turning on and moving to neutral: Operating a sod cutter is simple and once it is on, its lever has to be moved to the neutral position.
Engage blades and move into low gear: Next, engage the blade lever and lift the sod cutter's handlebar with your other hand. Now move the gear shift into low and pull gently on your throttle exerting only a little pressure on the handlebar.
Check depth of trial cut: Cut a small patch and place the cutter in neutral. Check for the level of cut and adjust it at this point if you are not happy with it. Turn it to the right for lesser depth and counter-clockwise for more.
Set and lock depth: Once set, lock the depth with the knob. Work on the grass till it is done to your satisfaction.
Cut sod strip: Once the grass is cut, push forward on the blade engagement control while holding the throttle. This will cut off the end of the sod strip and you can take the blade off.
The next thing you need to know is that there are different kinds of sod cutters and they are used in varying circumstances.
Square Edge Cutter: This is the most basic of models and looks like a shovel with a shorter handle and rounded edge. You can use it to remove small patches of sod or to edge your garden.
Using a square edge cutter: When using it as an edger, place it in the soil and use your foot to drive it in. This should be as close as possible, to the point, where your grass ends at the pavement. Use the shovel like a cutter and get rid of all the sod and dispose.
Kick Sod Cutter: This has two handles that are anchored together with a cross bar. You have a blade and roller at the end and the blade can be adjusted for project you are working on.
Using a kick sod cutter: You move the sod cutter by kicking the crossbar along. This is best for long strips of sod that can be cut and rolled up.
Motorized Cutter: For large patches of area, a motorized cutter will work best. It is powerful,therefore you will need to check first whether you will be able to handle the machine or not.
Most of the models come with their set of instructions, which is pretty easy to follow. Get yourself a sod cutter, which is in good condition, and well-maintained, so you can carry your project through to a smooth finish.
Many homeowners spend a lot of time, and money, on landscaping and home improvements to give their home that "curb appeal." But often, the first thing people notice when they come to your home is the condition of the driveway.
How Do Driveways Wither Over Time?
Sun Rays – The harsh effect of the sun weakens the concrete and causes expansion joints on concrete driveways.
Water – Annual freezing and thawing cycles as water permeates through the cracks in the concrete to settle at the base, weakening the foundation.
Gas, Spills and Grass – Gas and oil spills, and the growth of grass through the cracks break down the driveway even more.
One however need not spend a fortune relaying damaged driveways. It is possible to restore driveways using driveway sealants and driveway expansion joint fillers.
Fill the cracks – If the cracks are small, which is less than half an inch deep, rubberized crack fillers available in small tubes may suffice. For medium sized cracks, joint fillers are required. Squeeze the patch filler into the cracks, until it reaches the level of the driveway. Use a trowel to spread the joint filler and ensure a level surface.
Repair crevices – When large cracks, gaps between the concrete blocks that constitute the driveway or crevices in the driveway are present, it is better to use grout instead. Use cement-based grout, which is a mixture of cement, fine gravel and water. Use a grout hand pump to mix the grout and make the task easy.
Wait for grout to dry – Allow the grout to dry for a day or so before you proceed.
Clean the driveway – Next, use a push broom to remove any dirt or debris, and wet the driveway with a garden hose lightly.
Water and solvent-based sealants – Water-based sealants are environment friendly, but solvent-based sealers are more durable and better suited for heavily used driveways.
Apply the sealant – Mix the water based or solvent based grout sealer, as per the manufacturer's instructions, and apply the sealant over the driveway in thin coats. This helps the driveway resist water, oil and other contaminants. Use the push broom to spread the sealant evenly.
Wait for sealant to set – Do not use the driveway until the sealant has completely set in, which may take as much as 48 hours.
If you want your driveway to have the bright look all the time, you can seal it annually. Most good seals will last two or three years, depending on the type of winter you have and how much stress is put on the asphalt from plowing or snow blowing during the winter.
One usually associates work, such as tree felling, limbing, pruning branches and removing foliage as long, drawn out hard manual work. However, the use of a chainsaw speeds up the work considerably and makes it easier as well.
The first action is to get yourself a chainsaw. Chainsaws come in many shapes and sizes, and the best one depends on the task to be done.
Bar Blade Chainsaws: Chainsaws with a bar type blade is best suited for basic tasks. For best output, the bar has to be at least a one third size longer than the tree or log.
Electric Chainsaws: These are best suited for small trimming tasks.
Gasoline Chainsaws: These are most suited for large-scale work, which require heavy felling and clearing.
When getting a chainsaw, select the one most appropriate for the task to be carried out.
Sharpen the Blade: Regardless of the chainsaw selected, make sure to fine-tune the bar and ensure a sharp blade. For large scale work, it is a good idea to have a filing kit handy, to sharpen the blade as required in the midst of the work.
Check for Obstructions: Before starting the actual work, estimate the felling zone for medium to large trees. If there is a shed or other immovable objects in the felling zone, the felling may have to be done in stages, starting from higher elevations.
The Safest Way to Cut: It is safer to cut from either the top or bottom of the bar and chain, but avoid the kickback zone, which is the top half of the bar's tip. If this zone comes in contact with something when the chainsaw is in motion, the saw kicks back, which can cause serious injury. As an added safety measure, grip the handle by encircling it with the thumb around the front part of the handle.
Clear Outgrowth and Foliage First: Cut the branches, outgrowth and foliage first before aiming for the trunk. For big trees, cut the branches from bottom to top.
Begin Cutting from the Left Side of the Trunk: It is a safe practice to work from the left side of the trunk, as it allows resting the side or bottom of the saw on the trunk and slicing off the branches with a pivoting motion.
Cutting the Trunk: Cut the trunk by making a downward cut, one-third the diameter of the trunk. Cutting straight down through a trunk may cause the weight of the trunk to pinch the bar and stop the chainsaw.
Regardless of the type of chainsaw used, leave sufficient room for cutting. A chainsaw getting in the way of power lines, nearby cars and buildings, or any other obstructions can create a big mess, and turn out to be dangerous for the operator.
Wood chippers can be differentiated on the basis of the way they cut chips. Choose yours depending on how you are going to use the chips.
You have the drum chipper which can handle large loads at one time and churn out a range of wood chips, though not in even sizes.
There is the disc chipper that slices into wood at a 45 degree angle. This is by far the most efficient of wood chipper models and can turn out evenly sized chips.
The third kind is the screw chipper which has a blade that is shaped like a screw. The sizes of the screws are changeable, thus giving you even shapes of chips as you require them.
With the right wood chipper in hand, it is merely a question of feeding in the wood to get the job done.
Besides making mulch, wood chips can be used for several other purposes. A brilliant use of wood chips would be as fuel. It is a good source of biomass fuel, making it environment friendly, as well as energy efficient. If you are using it in your homes, you could use the chips in place of firewood. They can be lit up in much the same way and you can add bigger quantities of the chips to ensure your fire burns for a longer time.
They can also be used to heat up large buildings as a replacement to traditional forms of heating that are power based. There are systems that have been put in place to use chips in large boilers for even distribution of heat.
An interesting use of wood chips is for decoration. A large number of interior designers are now incorporating them into their designs to create wood chip paintings, murals and even furniture, which can be done by mixing other organic substances with it.
Rather than invest in one, a wood chipper rental can be a more feasible option. You can choose the model that best suits your purposes and be sure that it is well maintained and in good condition. All the accessories are provided along with it, and at the end of its usage you can always give it back. It gives you a chance to experiment with the different models around and see what best suits you.
Carpets add texture, pattern and color to the floor. However, they require regular cleaning, over and above routine vacuuming, to protect from damage caused by dirt and grit, and to clean stains that accumulate over time. There are two methods of cleaning carpets: hot water extraction and dry extraction. The former is the most common and the most thoroughly used technique in homes and small establishments, and is the less expensive option as well.
It is easy to hot water extract your carpets clean as a DIY project, provided you have the right tools at your disposal. The two major items required are a commercial hot water extraction carpet cleaner and a professional carpet cleaning solution.
Before starting the actual cleaning, remove all furniture and other objects from the floor, and vacuum the carpet thoroughly.
Use a commercial hot water extraction carpet cleaner to apply the cleaning solution to the carpet and then pull the dirty solution back into the machine. As the cleaner is moved across the carpet surface with the button pressed, the spray extractor applies the cleaning concentrate on the carpet, agitates the carpet fibers with a floating cylinder brush, then extracts or vacuums the solution back up. This removes the grime and grit from the carpet into a recovery tank for the dirty solution.
For heavy traffic lanes such as hallways and in front of sofas and chairs, feel free to repeat the cleaning more than once or twice.
After the entire surface is cleaned, to make sure that the carpet dries within a few hours, rent a carpet fan blower. This will dry the carpet faster just like a blow dryer for your hair. This may be especially important if an activity is planned a few hours after cleaning.
The frequency of cleaning depends on the texture of the carpet and the traffic it sees. Normally, once or twice a year will suffice, though with light-colored carpet, kids and pets that stain the carpet, and high traffic areas, it may require cleaning more often. Removing the grit at the base of the fibers with a commercial machine preserves the life of the carpet. The extractor removes abrasive grit that prevents the fibers from by being chewed up.
A commercial machine is much stronger and more thorough than grocery store carpet cleaners. Commercial machines have more than twice the pressure from spray jets and more vacuum recovery power, removing more dirt and recovering nearly all the solution sprayed down for quicker drying times. Commercial machines also utilize a floating cylinder brush that rotates at 800 rpms, safely brushing carpet fibers clean. Commercial cleaning solutions also offer a variety of professional cleaning for removing tough stains like wine, kool-aid, makeup, black grease, tar and urine.
Cleaning your carpet like a professional simply requires using the equipment and cleaning solutions that professionals use. Renting a commercial machine assures you are using the latest and most professional equipment available. To learn more, instructions on how to easily use these cleaners are always available at Runyon Equipment Rental.
Cleaning the backyard makes for a good workout, and saves you the considerable expense of getting it done by professional cleaners. With a good hedge shear trimmer at hand, you can easily carry out this task as a DIY project.
What Does Cleaning the Backyard Involve?
The major tool required is the hedge trimmer. Hedge trimmers come in different variants, and different variants offer different levels of performance and dependability. While the basic models simply do the task, high-end models incorporate features such as ergonomic handles, anti-vibration technology and precision-ground blades to deliver better output and make work easy and comfortable. You can either buy the equipment or rent it out depending on your requirement.
Other tools such as a chainsaw, tree shears and leaf blowers may be required, depending on the landscape and the extent of cleaning required.
Remove large pieces of waste and debris, such as rocks, big boulders, and fallen down branches.
Cut off any small overhanging branches using tree shears. Cut off any big branches or the trees itself, if required, using a chainsaw.
Trim overgrown shrubs, back bushes, and perennials using the hedge trimmer.
Use the hedge trimmer to trim and keep the hedge in shape. Gas hedge trimmers score over electric and battery powered ones for detailed and intricate landscaping works. These trimmers are also cordless, facilitating easy movement.
Use a leaf blower to gather dead leaves into a pile, and either burn them or put them in a compost pit.
The right hedge trimmer, and an understanding of the process of clearing your backyard, will have you snipping away at your backyard easily and confidently.


East End fan Andy Cohen has just debuted the new clubhouse set for Watch What Happens Live. The late-night series—now called Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen—features Cohen sitting down for fun chats with various stars, including Cohen's good friends (and East Enders!) Kelly Ripa and Anderson Cooper, various Real Housewives stars and many others.
The new set is double the size of the old studio, which sat 22 audience members, and now includes a secret door for guests and access to a rooftop deck. There is also more space for musical performances. The Clubhouse is still adorned with various "tchotchkes," such as Cooper's beloved Justin Bieber doll wearing a Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress.
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen airs on Bravo from Sunday–Thursday at 11 p.m. Watch a video of Cohen's guests "helping" with the move below.


Twenty-six years and many incarnations ago, they came straight outta Compton – and now Dr. Dre and Ice Cube are together again on the cover of Rolling Stone. In the cover story, on stands Friday, senior writer Brian Hiatt hangs out with Cube and Dre, as well as the other surviving members of N.W.A, M.C. Ren and DJ Yella, to go deep on the real, wild story of the world's most dangerous hip-hop group. The movie version of their career, Straight Outta Compton, (from Friday director F. Gary Gray) hits theaters August 14th; Compton, Dre's guest-star-filled companion album to the movie, is already out.
Dr. Dre never got close to a finished version of Detox, the long-in-the-works album he scrapped in favor of Compton.
Dre addresses the 1991 incident when he assaulted TV host Dee Barnes, as well as recent charges of physical abuse by his Nineties girlfriend Michel'le.


Welcome to Grey Thoughts, a little hole in the wall art is willing to call home. From the domes of creators, most unknown to spectators, a multitude of projects roam.
Inside resides a politically incorrect site with no regret for what you'll find, but don't hide your eyes. Try to stay and enjoy the weird ride.
GREY THOUGHTS is a gallery of creative projects from the minds of several creators.
The Writers Club, The Just Conversation Podcast, The Marina Vos Blog, The Jaded "Blog" and much more!


For anybody who's spent any amount of time looking at jobsearch websites, we're often faced with a barrage of outlandish qualifications, education requirements, etc., that may result in us feeling a little inadequate and unqualified for our chosen occupation.
However, with a little imagination we can examine our current skillsets and see what skills may be underlying so as to significantly boost our resumés and further our careers.
Whether you're a dedicated musician, a film buff or even an online poker hotshot, there's plenty of ways that you can highlight and develop your learned skills in today's modern workplace.
For example, many of us can easily spend a few hours idly watching an endless array of movies and TV shows on Netflix. But rather than seeing this as a strictly passive activity, through a bit of creativity, you can foreground any critical thinking developed in the viewing of any particular series, and even show how the broad range of cultural influences learned can reveal you to be a well-rounded person capable of communicating to different audiences.
Similarly the popular activity of video gaming has just about managed to shrug off its reputation as being a complete waste of time, as even The Daily Telegraph have shown how certain gaming apps can help train our brains to be more calculating and effective.
And when modern computer gaming interfaces are combined with complex strategy games such as poker, that's when we start to see a wide-ranging mental skillset developing.
A quick inspection of Mr Smith Casino for their online games of poker and blackjack will show that apart from the possible financial benefits, these games can also help develop long-term strategic planning, and help provide a tactical understanding of the opposition that is essential for being any part of the competitive entrepreneurial market.
Whilst there may be clear competitive benefits in the online gaming realm, when it comes to music, it seems that the ancillary effects can be potentially therapeutic. For those hobbyist musicians, it could be worth noting that your musical skills could be used to help treat a wide variety of health complaints ranging from stroke patients to premature babies.
But the most important thing about learning a skill such as being a poker player at Mr Smith Casino or even just drumming, is surely the fact that once learned, it can easily be taught to someone else. And few jobs are more central to the running of our society than being a teacher.


It's time to clean your dryer duct in Alabama. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, each year there are tens of thousands of dryer fires leading to injury and death. This happens generally when it's cold outside, because when you turn on the heat and your home gets dry, static electricity can ignite lint that build up in the duct and around your dryer.
Fill out the short form below, tell us about your dryer vent cleaning needs, and we will get right back to you with estimates and the best options.
Dryer Duct Cleaning - Select City.
Dryer Duct Cleaning - Select County.


The goal of this paper is to advertise the application of fixed points and -complete partial orders ( -cpos) in the formalization and analysis of probabilistic programming languages. The presented work is formalized in the Isabelle theorem prover.
By applying -cpos to the analysis of MDPs we get a nice theory of fixed points. This allows us to transfer least and greatest fixed points through expectation on Markov chains and maximal and minimal expectation on MDPs. One application is to define the operational semantics of pGCL by MDPs, e.g. relating the denotational and operational semantics of pGCL is now a matter of fixed point equations and induction.
Note: After acceptance I discovered that large parts of the presented work were already developed by Monniaux . Still, the main contribution of the presented work is the formalization in the interactive theorem prover Isablle/HOL.


Real-time forecast of Henry Hub natural gas prices.
Predictive regressions in commodity markets.
A Meta-analysis of Systemic Risk Measures for gauging Financial Stability.
Fire Sales and Debt Maturity.
Right after the last session, we will use the tram to visit the Machines de l'Ile. We will offer you a guided tour and experience first-hand the functioning of weird creatures that only fantasy can limit. We will then enjoy the Sea World Carousel. See the last page of the program for more information.
Session 3 [Volatility analysis and jumps] - "Salle des Actes".
News and Intraday Jumps: A Big Data Approach.
Backtesting Expected Shortfall via Multi-Quantile Regression.
Session 4 [Microstructure] - "Salle des Actes".
Estimating the leverage effect using pre-averaging based estimation of integrated volatility in the presence of microstructure noise.
Auction and continuous markets: complements rather than substitutes? The case of the German power spot market for quarter hourly contracts.
Volatility Estimation of Thinly Traded Assets.
Mis à jour le 05 mars 2019 par Gaelle RODRIGUEZ.


Shootings over Mother's Day weekend killed six people and wounded 17, police said.
CHICAGO — Shootings over Mother's Day weekend killed six people and wounded 17, police said.
Three people have been killed and two wounded in shootings since Sunday.
• At 2:43 p.m. Sunday, an 18-year-old man was killed in a shooting in Englewood.
• At 2:01 p.m., a 19-year-old man was shot dead in Roseland.
• At 12:13 p.m., a 44-year-old man was gunned down in Woodlawn.
• At 1:35 p.m. Sunday, officers responded to a call of a shooting in Washington Park. The officers went to the 6200 block of South King Drive, where a woman said her boyfriend, who was 19-22 years old, had his left side grazed by a bullet.
The man was uncooperative and he and his girlfriend would not provide officers with any information, police said. The man refused medical treatment and he and his girlfriend fled.
• At 11:54 a.m., a 28-year-old man was shot in Riverdale, police said. The man was walking in the 13100 block of South Ingleside Avenue when he heard shots and felt pain.
The man was hit in his left leg and was taken to Advocate Christ MEdical Center, where his condition was not available but he was listed as "stable," police said.
Shootings killed three people and wounded seven Saturday to Sunday, and eight people were wounded in shootings Friday to Saturday.


ELATT acts as a lead provider in a consortium providing learning and skills through the Skills Funding Agency and Education Funding Agency. Our current partnership includes leading third sector and non-profit organisations such as The Bromley by Bow Centre, Big Creative Education and Paddington Development Trust. If you are interested in joining our consortium please review the documentation below and get in touch.
techUK represents the companies and technologies that are defining today the world that we will live in tomorrow. The tech industry is creating jobs and growth across the UK. In 2015 the internet economy contributed 10% of the UK's GDP. 900 companies are members of techUK.
AELP is the leading membership association for vocational employment and learning providers in Britain..
We are proud to be an Investor Member of the Third Sector National Learning Alliance. The Third Sector National Learning Alliance (TSNLA) is a growing, national alliance of voluntary and community organisations and social enterprises involved in learning and skills. It aims to provide a coherent national voice from and for Third Sector providers across government departments and other important bodies, and a forum for developing Third Sector ideas and proposals - with the key aim of enabling those most disadvantaged to re-engage with learning and skills.


Although not common in commercial jewellery stores, we find silver cuffs are incredibly comfortable and can be worn 24/7 without problem. Cuffs can be easily slipped on and off as desired when they are the correct size. It is always best to avoid bending cuffs. Visit either our Yallingup or Margaret gallery to find one that fits just right, and get a demonstration on the best way to take it on and off with ease.
As each piece is unique, the images on our website are an indication of the beautiful pieces we have made and can create. We carry a range of sizes and styles in various designs. If you would like to know what we have available for sale in our gallery please contact us.
Would you like a quote or custom order?


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Honey Bee Obscura Podcast
How To 25 Equipment 16 Education 7 Queens 5 Hives Types 3 Fairs 2 Management 27 Marketing 2 Wax 1 Swarms & Swarming 5 Pests & Preditors 2 Honey 5 Winter 1 Spring 1
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Mind Your Bees Wax (064)
So, what do you do with your old wax? For some of us, as little as possible, but for others, there's money to be made. There are different kinds of wax based on a couple of factors, including how long it was in the hive and how it was used by the...
Equipment Wax
So, what do you do with your old wax? For some of us, as little as possible, but for others, there's money to be made.
There are different kinds of wax based on a couple of factors, including how long it was in the hive and how it was used by the bees. Bees wax from the brood area tends to get dark fast, in a couple of years, it's nearly black from old cocoons, pollen, uneaten honey and the like.
In fact, after a couple of years those old combs will have enough dirt, grime, propolis and especially ag pesticides soaked up that they should be removed from the hive. But then what? Solar wax melters work, a hot plate and a double-boiler work too. Melt it down, get rid of it.
Cappings wax, that beautiful wax removed from honey frames however, is usually beautiful, light, bright and glowing yellow. That should be saved. There's high demand, high value and good money to be made from this wax.
What's beeswax worth these days? You can check the journals, and other beekeepers. There is money in turning the wax into candles as well as selling it in bulk to other beekeepers, cosmetic manufactures and even beauticians.
In this episode, Kim and Jim talk about how you can mind your bees wax and maybe even make a good dollar or two at the same time!
Listen today!
If you like the episode, share it with a fellow beekeepers and/or let us know by leaving a comment in the show notes. We'd love to hear from you and how you deal with bees wax!
Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, BetterBee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com
Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.
Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus, original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott
Copyright © 2022 by Growing Planet Media, LLC
Episode 64 – Mind Your Bees Wax
Jim Tew: Kim, plain and simple, what do you do with your old wax, particularly, the cappings?
Kim Flottum: Plain and simple, as little as possible.
Jim: Okay. That makes sense. I try to melt mine down but sometimes, it makes a bigger mess than it's actually worth it.
Kim: Yes, you got that exactly right which is why I answered that as little as possible.
Jim: That was a legitimate answer, believe it or not, for those people listening. Hi, I'm Jim Tew.
Kim: I'm Kim Flottum.
Jim: Today, we're at Honey Bee Obscura where we're trying to decide what to do with old wax during the cold months when we should be staying busy.
Introduction: You are listening to Honey Bee Obscura, brought to you by Growing Planet Media, the folks behind Beekeeping Today Podcast. Each week on Honey Bee Obscura, hosts Kim Flottum and Jim Tew explore the complexities, the beauty, the fun, and the challenges of managing honey bees in today's world and engaging in an informative discussion meant for all beekeepers, long-timers, and those just starting their journey with bees. Sit back and enjoy the next several minutes as Kim and Jim explore all things honey bees.
Jim: Kim, the trouble wax is that there's different kinds of it. The wax cappings are nice, new, sometimes called virgin wax. If you treat it correctly, it's canary yellow when you melt it down. Then, there's all those old wax burr comb pieces that you scrape off the hive while you're working bees that seems to primarily get stuck in the bottom of your boot. It should never have been on the ground because the inspectors and people like Kim Flottum will tell you that spreads disease. What are we going to do with all this? What do you do with this wax? If you're just a small operator, tell me what you're going to do with it.
Kim: I take my wax in two directions. One of them is what you mentioned was that burr comb scrapings and old frames, old foundation. I think I've mentioned before when we were talking about, if you hold a frame up to the sun and you can't see through the foundation, it's too old and you should be getting rid of it. That's even now changed a little bit because of the amount of chemicals that bees are running into in the environment, internal and external. When I'm dealing with old foundation, I roast marshmallows with it because I'm not going to melt it down because-- Here's the question I'll ask every beekeeper. Would you eat that wax? Would you take that wax, and put it in your beehive, and let your bees live in that wax? A good answer is - probably not.
Jim: Probably not.
Kim: The cappings wax, that's a whole different animal. The cappings wax, I save. I don't do anything with it. I don't make candles, I don't make wrap, I don't make any of those things. I don't have a place to do it, I don't have the energy. Up until just recently, I didn't have the time. What I'm going to do with the cappings is melt them. I got a two-burner hot plate and a big pan that goes on that two-burner hot plate.
The first thing I do is I take the cappings after I'm done extracting, and I put them outside and let the bees clean up the honey that's sticking to them. Most of the time, they'll do that. I know sometimes yours haven't. I want to talk to you about that because I can't figure out why. They'll clean up 90% of the honey. I wash it off. I put them in that pan on the two-burner hot plate, pour in some water, come back in an hour. It's sitting outside, by the way, that two-burner hot plate.
Jim: I was waiting for the right time to ask are you going to burn that garage down you cleaned out in other episodes?
Kim: Then, I got a block of wax that's nice yellow. I got a dozen friends that will make candles out of it, make some money. They're happy, I'm happy. For me, wax is not much of an issue, but I can see where it would be.
Jim: It's not much of an issue for me now. As you were talking, I was thinking, reminiscing as I so often do. In my life, when I worked at Ohio State, we had a lot more bees, a lot more wax, a lot more equipment. Everything was bigger then and the whole wax load was more serious. That made meaningful amounts of wax, but now, in my later life with me with 10 or 15 colonies here, maybe any given time, half of those making bees, it seems like I get just enough beeswax to make a mess.
Kim: [laughs]
Jim: By the time you get the two-burner unit out, get everything going, get the water heated and whatever. Maybe that's what most beekeepers do. Maybe it's just small amounts because you get the small amount of wax, but at least, it's your wax. Your bees made them. There's some pride, some usefulness in that.
Kim: Yes. One of the things that's happened that I think is for the better in the whole world is getting rid of that old, black wax. Just taking it out of circulation. Now, I take a half a step back and I start thinking about, "What am I putting into the air when I burn that stuff?" The climate change world has awakened me to what is my footprint doing here.
Jim: I agree. I agree with that. I have trouble getting off the subject in these conversations, but when we're burning equipment to get rid of it or when you're burning equipment because of American foulbrood and you realize that half of that equipment was plastic, should we have been burning it at all? You got to do what you got to do.
Kim: Yes, and then people will start saying about burying things and I'm going, "Wait a minute. That's a shovel. That's a lot of work. Let me think about it."
Jim: It doesn't go away just because you bury it though. It's still there.
Kim: That's true.
Jim: Whatever you do, it's the wrong thing, isn't it? Wait, we're way off the subject now. When I was a younger man, a solar wax melter was a common piece of equipment. You would make them out of old windows. You could buy them then; you can buy them now. You can buy them from our sponsor that's listed right in the catalog. You have one of these units that sits outside, and you just put all those chunks right there, and you clean up as you leave. On the next bright day, the sun melts it down. You're good to go.
Kim: I used one of those for quite a few years rather than that hot burner plate. You just throw it in and get out of the way, come back in a week, and what's in the pan at the bottom is what you're keeping. What's left on the slider up above it, you scrape off. That's what I would burn then. There was a lot of stuff on this from some of those old frames.
Jim: Don't you just love that old word slumgum?
Kim: Yes.
Jim: S-L-U-M-G-U-M, slumgum. I should look that up. I like old words like that. That remains in that solar wax melter. It's got a lot of wax on it and a lot of propolis. Other beekeepers, long ago, would use that as a fire starter. Take pieces of that and instead of just throwing it away, stick a match to it. It almost burns freely so you had used that to start a fire. Then you had the wax that the sun melted down, but it bleached it. If it had any yellowness in it, the sun bleached out that nice canary wax and made it all whitish. Don't put high-quality wax in a solar melter. You're better off to use your two-burner method.
Kim: You reminded me, fire starters. I used to know people-- Well, I still know people that make those, and they sell them in packs of 6 or 12. They're about the size of a pencil. You stick them into your pile of whatever it is you want to get a fire started in, you light one in, and they burn well because it's beeswax, a little propolis, and they smell good. I think that's what people like about them is they smell good. They get you off to a good start. There is a use for the stuff that's left in some cases. I don't have so much money that I can afford to throw it away all the time.
Jim: Where do we seem to be up to this point? See if you agree with me. If it's old, dark wax, you don't really have a lot going there. That's going to be mostly propolis and not much wax. Going to be hard to melt down. We didn't say this. You probably have to have a wax press. Who has those things anymore? No one. You probably just looking at some kind of - we decided fire - didn't we? Did we decide that burying wasn't the right way to go?
Kim: Yes, I think so.
Jim: Let the wax moths eat it. They'll take it. Feed the wax moths. That way, you got plenty of wax moths for your yard. All that nice, lighter wax you get from the cappings, that's worth saving, even the smaller amounts. Let's take a break, hear from our sponsor, and then when we come back, I'm going to quiz you on how to take those nice, yellow cappings you got and turn them into candles.
Kim: Okay.
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Jim: Do you make candles? I have in the past, but not now. Do you make candles?
Kim: I've never really made any myself. I have friends who make them by the bazillion. I like going over and helping them. I'm the guy who puts the bobby pin across the top of the mold to keep the wick straight. I'm good at that. Anything else? No. I'll come back-- Maybe refilling. You fill a mold, and it cools, and it shrinks a little bit, and you need somebody to come back and fill up the rest of that cavity. That's what I do. I'm the gofer.
Jim: It's nice to feel useful, isn't it? Even at our age, just nice to have a job. Any job. I want to talk more at some other time about candles, but today the candle issue comes up because we've saved that wax cappings and we want to make some candles out of these things. You enter another world. There are all kinds of people out there who make candles like crazy and wouldn't know a bee from a housefly. They just want the wax that results from it.
Kim: One of the things about the bee supply companies, I'll just mention our sponsor Betterbee, you take a look at the catalogs they put out. What? 200 molds? Something like that every-- You got Christmas tree molds and candle molds. They do a good job. There's a candle in there for every customer that walks by your booth at the farm market.
Jim: It's a different world. I could enjoy it. Doesn't that wax have a heavy, heavy odor? When you walk in, it's like the air is thick. That wax permeates the air so strongly, but it's a nice odor. That wax is so persistent. It will stick to your floor for 50 years. You can scrub it, scrape it, do whatever you want, it won't wash away. There are stories about wax cakes being found in shipwrecks that were still usable as beeswax. This stuff really is persistent. It really is in high demand. It really is a unique product and honey bees really do make it.
Kim: It has value. If you got a handful of wax, somebody would give you money for it. A place to start is to take a look at the bee journals because they all have a price for bulk beeswax right now. You start at that. Then, you're like, "$2 a pound, $3 a pound. I bet you I could get a little bit more." It goes up because you're going to turn that $3 a pound beeswax into $50 a pound candles.
Jim: That would work well. The trouble is you got to get the equipment, you got to be persistent about it. I'll probably just buy the candles, maybe from you, because otherwise-- I have every intention of doing it sometime, but I probably won't do it. We started it all from this, Kim. We've got a little bit of cappings wax. What are you going to do with it? We've got a little bit of wax from old comb.
What are you going to do with that? We basically worked our way through getting rid of it, for the most part, and then making candles out of it, for the most part. Having said that, we've really gotten off the subject from what to do with wax cappings because the uses of beeswax are just staggering. What can I say? It's on everything. It's on candy. It's in dental work. Beeswax is just used everywhere.
Kim: If you're like me and you don't make much every year, you save it for three, four years, you got a chunk of it sitting out in the garage protected from wax moth and anything else that might want to get in there. After five years, you take it to a bee supply place and you say, "Here's 50 pounds of wax. How much foundation can I get for this? Or how much credit?" You turn it in. You're not going to do it every year but after five years, you get, here's five years' worth of wax.
Jim: Do bee supply people still do that? They used to swap wax. I guess they would do it. You'd take in your old, unrendered wax, and they'd give you a nice cut on the foundation cost.
Kim: Long time ago, far away, A.I. Root Company was making church candles, 51% beeswax. Beekeepers back up to the loading deck, "Here's 50 pounds of beeswax." Depending on the color, get paid, go home.
Jim: Yes. I've done that. I have done that. You feel so efficient. You feel like a successful bee farmer because I just got all this foundation at a real cut-rate price, because I took all that old wax over that I didn't even want anyway. I like wax. It's a useful product. Now, if we had time, we could talk about propolis because I save all those propolis pieces too. They accumulate like those wax pieces, except I can't find the ready market for all these propolis balls that are under the seat of my truck.
Kim: We need to talk about that.
Jim: I want to talk more about propolis because that's the unloved product. That can be next time or sometime.
Kim: Okay. Good
Jim: All right. I guess I'll consider making candles since you shamed me.
Kim: I'll tell you what, if you're going to make candles, I'll give you my beeswax. You can make candles.
Jim: I'll make a candle from yours and a candle from mine and that'll be two candles more than we have right now.
Kim: Here we go. Okay. Good.
Jim: Thank you. Bye-bye.
Kim: Talk to you later.
[00:16:23] [END OF AUDIO]
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Euthanizing Honey Bees (027)
Smokers and Smoker Fuel (010)
The Good Things About Beekeeping (006)
Equipment Episodes
Dealing With American Foulbrood (108)
Building Your Own Bee Equipment (103)
Wax Episodes
Hives Types 3
Fairs 2
Swarms & Swarming 5
Pests & Preditors 2
Honey 5
New to Honey Bee Obscura Podcast?
Euthanizing Honey Bees (027) Episode 27
Smokers and Smoker Fuel (010) Episode 10
The Good Things About Beekeeping (006) Episode 6
Short, in-depth review of all things honey bees with hosts, Kim Flottum and Jim Tew
© 2023 Honey Bee Obscura Podcast


Country pop is a subgenre of country music and pop music that developed as a result of the country genre's desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. By producing country songs that employed many styles and sounds found in pop music, the country music industry was effective in gaining new listeners without alienating its traditional country audience. It is a continuation of similar efforts that began in the late-1950s originally known as Nashville sound and later on Countrypolitan. By the mid-1970s, many country artists were transitioning to the pop-country sound which led to some records charting high on mainstream top 40 as well as country Billboard charts.


Sticky Situation: Are Sticker Charts Doing More Harm Than Good?
Sticker charts are a big thing in many schools, but they are also a powerful tool used in many homes. They seem innocent enough, heck, children might even be begging for another ladybug sticker to be slapped upon the adorned sheet of paper gracing the fridge, but could they really be doing more harm than good?
Sticker charts are used primarily to change a child's behaviour- to encourage good attitudes and actions and passively discourage negative behaviours and attitudes that you hope to see less of. Some think they're harmless, and maybe even a miracle worker to stop tantrums and incite a few more household chores, but others disagree.
Evolutionary Parenting tackled the issue, and came up with a pretty strong anti sticker-chart stance. Why? According to them, giving children a tangible reward (like a toy, trip to the park) when they reach a sticker goal is teaching children that they will always be rewarded for what they do, when what a parent really wants to do is a child to "internalize" that what they're doing is inherently rewarding and brings inner-enjoyment, rather than a tangible reward. This idea of "intrinsic motivation" is said to be the driver for why we do difficult things simply for pleasure (e.g a puzzle) or do chores (for a sense of accomplishment, a clean living space). Basically, Evolutionary Parenting states that "rewarding children's behaviour with tangible rewards will at best not increase their intrinsic motivation and at worst will decrease it." Some food for sticky thought.
Make Expectations of Behaviour Clear: Identify specific behaviours you want your child to work on – too many can be overwhelming, although it might be tempting to go in all guns blazing.
Make The Prize/Reward Clear Beforehand: If you give your child a few options, you can put the limit on the extravagance/cost of the reward. Your child might get excited to work towards a specific toy and be more likely to co-operate with the sticker chart.
Make Rewards Achievable: 100 stickers for an iPad will seem like an impossible feat for a child, so keep the prizes within reach, and your child will stay motivated.
Keep Their Eye on the Prize: If you keep the reward on top of a high shelf within eyesight of your child but beyond their reach, this is another motivator for good behaviour, and makes the feeling of the reward tangible.
Consistency: You have to do your part with the sticker chart! Make sure you always have a sheet of stickers around- if you start to forget or don't always reward them at the time of the good behaviour, children will lose interest.
Don't Punish Them: The sticker chart is to reward good behaviour, not punishing them for bad behaviour. Don't take stickers away- keep the sticker chart a positive experience.
You can download free sticker charts here.
Do you have a sticker chart? Are you avoiding them for a reason? We want to know! Comment below.