Welcome.

I'm Ron--a librarian, naturalist, writer, craftsman, and a few other things (depending upon the day of the week and whether or not I've lost interest yet).   Socially, I'm liberal, Democrat, a proud member of the ACLU, and supporter of basic human rights and those organizations that work to protect them, such as the Human Rights Commission, the Southern Poverty Law Project, Amnesty International, etc.

I am an aficionado of folk music (traditional and modern) and have been in attendance at the Great American Dulcimer Convention for the past 30 years.  I play the dulcimer (after a fashion; at least better than anyone else on my street!), enjoy all things Celtic, and the best of the Appalachian writers--including but not limited to:

Silas House   Julia  Watts    Ron Rash   James Still   Sharyn McCrumb    Lee Smith
Robert Morgan        George Ella Lyon        Wendell Berry       Gurney Norman
Fenton Johnson      Chris Offutt     Barbara Kingsolver

Art and music tastes are too varied to describe,  but I collect outsider and other folk (brut) art, but still love the
pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood,  Joan Miro,  and Jean-Michel Basquiat.  

Music?  I'll mention Shawn Colvin, Etta James, Jallen Rix,  Loudon Wainwright,  Rufus Wainwright,  Evan Dando, Fairport Convention, Allison Krauss, Lonnie Mack, Steeleye Span, Dylan, Joan Baez, Patsy Cline,
Roberta Flack, The Foremen,  and lots of wonderful performers who've perhaps not quite "gone national" yet,
but are delightful in every way:
Anne MacFie, Dick "Richard" Albin, Nancy Johnson, Holly Tannen, Margaret MacArthur, 
Si Kahn, Susan Trump, and the inimitable Jean Ritchie