January
February

Kim Stacey

I am a Colorado native that grew up cherishing the kitchen table stories of my family and valley old timers. As a mother I learned the value of story to construct my children's worlds. As a teacher of young children I appreciate the importance of oral stories in a busy multi-media world. When a Spellbinder workshop was offered, I jumped at the chance to develop skills. My ability has grown with enjoyment ever since. My experience with American Sign Language makes it natural for me to add sign and mime to my stories. Kids of all ages love it. I tell stories to six area preschools cherishing the time involved.

December

Tommy Paxton

Since moving to Aspen in 1977, Tom has been active on the local and regional music scene as a freelance acoustic and electric bassist, playing a wide variety of musical styles. He loves to entertain kids with songs and stories at the Pokalodi campfire on Mondays during the winter. During the summer, he runs back and forth between here and Vail, playing bass at weekend weddings, and singing and playing guitar for family groups, children’s birthday parties, kid’s events, barn dances and other special occasions. He also works as a private academic tutor. To learn more about Tom, visit his web site at paxtonmusic.com

November

Sue Parker

Howdy, my name is Sue Parker. I live on a family ranch in Emma with my wonderful husband and two kids, Aaron and Katy. I joined up with the spellbinders gang in 2003 and have had a blast ever since telling yarns and stories in the schools and by the campfire. Stories have a way of catching your heart and helping you look at the really important stuff in life. This here is a special story in our family - it is told in memory of my sister in law Nancy parker- West. You see, she had a knack for making the most of life whatever it brought her. She was alive with joy, surprise and delight in the ordinary moments of life. That kind of wonder is rare and we sure miss her. We have choices in life and what we focus on is what we see. Nancy saw the beauty in life even in the midst of a battle with cancer. It was the very ordinary moments of life that she celebrated and in turn passed on to us. So now, when we see a sunrise that is so brilliant it takes my breath away, or watch a child with a puppy frolicking in unrestrained delight or take a sip of coffee lovingly prepared by my husband each morning, I give thanks and have a little celebration. My days are filled with looking for the next one. Keep an eye out, you just never know when one will sneak up on you. Opportunity arose to become a storyteller, I joined the inaugural class of Spellbinders of Mesa County in August 2002. Since then I have spun yarns as a resident storyteller in the third grade classes at Orchard Avenue Elementary, and the second grade classes at Lincoln Park, Columbine, and Appleton Elementary. I have also told tales during summer school sessions and at special events in most of the other elementary schools in the valley. I have recorded two of my stories on the two CD's made by Mesa County Spellbinders that you can order on this site.

The stories I select are not usually just entertaining. I enjoy telling tales that stimulate imagination, teach a life skill, model virtue, and rouse discussion. Now come along with me to dangle your feet off the edge of the world, and let my stories carry you into another time and place where, with a bit of imagination, they will bring a smile to your face and love into your heart.

August
October

Mary Ann Janson

Once upon a time long, long ago, I was born and raised far away in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. I quickly learned to find refuge and adventure in books and in the stories told by my grandmother. So it now seems, as a youngster, I was already a storyteller in the making.

But somewhere between "Once upon a time..." and "They lived happily ever after", the occasion seldom comes about to incorporate storytelling magic in everyday conversation. So when the opportunity arose to become a storyteller, I joined the inaugural class of Spellbinders of Mesa County in August 2002. Since then I have spun yarns as a resident storyteller in the third grade classes at Orchard Avenue Elementary, and the second grade classes at Lincoln Park, Columbine, and Appleton Elementary. I have also told tales during summer school sessions and at special events in most of the other elementary schools in the valley. I have recorded two of my stories on the two CD's made by Mesa County Spellbinders that you can order on this site.

The stories I select are not usually just entertaining. I enjoy telling tales that stimulate imagination, teach a life skill, model virtue, and rouse discussion. Now come along with me to dangle your feet off the edge of the world, and let my stories carry you into another time and place where, with a bit of imagination, they will bring a smile to your face and love into your heart.

Living Happily Ever After,
Mary Ann Janson

July

Lev Ropes

Lev Ropes makes no bones about it. "Spellbinders changed my life," he declares.

From his high school days on, Lev dreamed of being a troubadour, a Danny Kaye or Berl Ives. It's taken a while - try 60 years - but today Lev's dream "has come as true as anyone could hope for."

Lev is a much-loved Jeffco Spellbinder who tells stories to over 200 third and fourth graders each month in Golden, Colorado. His adoring fans know him simply as "Granbear."

Lev’s journey to storytelling began the day a friend in church turned to him and said, " You know, Lev, you are a storyteller." She persuaded him to enroll in a Spellbinders training workshop, ensuring him there was no obligation to continue as a volunteer.

Lev says the experience changed his life. "I was a horrible reader. I thought storytelling would require too much work, too much memorization." Lev also suffered from depression, and while medication had stabilized his condition, he felt he’d lost all his creativity.

"Storytelling triggered something magical in my brain. I saw the story unfold in my mind like a movie, and even better, all these ideas began flowing into my head from nowhere!"

During the Spellbinders training Lev transformed the Aesop fable, "The Ant and The Grasshopper," to take place on his cousin’s ranch in Montana. After Lev became a Spellbinder, and started telling in schools, he adapted more and more stories to take place at Blue Heron Ranch in Montana.

Children loved stories from the ranch. Teachers told him he’d created a "Lake Woebegon" for kids. In 2003, Lev produced the most satisfying project of his life, a book and CD titled "Tales of Tails from the Blue Heron Ranch."