...another day on the mountain side...

I have been busy, busy today - bit of lip flappin' and baking.  As I have mentioned, I bake for the community bingo - today I made lemon cupcakes.  I had purchased some of that tub icing - oh lordy, never buy that low fat type - it is not worth it.  It is more of a glaze than icing.  Icing needs some giddy up and go.  The low fat icing you cannot even place sugars or decoratives on it - they will not stick.  My cupcakes will pass but they are certainly not the best I have made.  I do love the nice little, decorative liners - the little things just make it all seem bigger. 

My little garden is coming along, but it is running out of summer.  We did not see much of hot weather this year and the garden did suffer.  I will probably end up bringing my tomatoe plants into the house, they have lots of tomatoes on them, but they have to get bigger.  My green onions did very well this year.  I took some to my neighbors - they were pleased to receive.  My friend, Audrey, she asked me - did you grow these?  I replied, yes but in pots because I do not do worms - she laughed.  Good lip flappin' time! 

I also took some potatoes for my neighbors, Bernie and Olga who live down the road from us.  Yesterday, we were in the village, grocery shopping.  I needed potatoes, I generally buy the 5 lb. bag.  Well, go figure this; the 5 lb. bag is $7.99 and the 20 lb. bag is $5.99.  Makes no sense to me.  I purchased the 20 lb. bag and took half of the bag for Bernie and Olga.  More good lip flappin' time!

Now, I'm fairly well done for today, I have corn on the cob for dinner tonight - oh, it is so sweet - yummy; I like it with real butter and salt. 

I am off to the porch (for those who do not know, I do not smoke cigarettes in the house - hence porch time).  Sometimes I dance and sing on the porch - it can become quite the activity center, my activity center.  I sing Prine, do the hula and some fancy foot work.  If the deer come to visit, I talk with them.  hmmm...seems like my lips are not on the side of zipped up while I am out of the porch. 

60 Years

Today, my Mom and Dad would have been wedded up for 60 years.  Can you believe it!  Good grief, sometimes I think if I live to 60 - I'd be doing great!

As with any marriage, they had there ups and downs - but they stuck together.  My Mom always said for their 50th wedding anniversary she wanted to have a new wedding ring set.  Unfortunately, my Mom never lived to see her 50th  wedding anniversary.  We had a family celebration on their 40th wedding anniversary; both my Mom and Dad, I think, felt this was their marriage - friends and family gathered around them to celebrate their years of wedded bliss.  We went out for supper to Mom's favorite restaurant and returned to their home and continued to celebrate.  I purchased a special cake, a wedding cake they never had, Mom loved it. 

My Mom and Dad were married at the Justice of the Peace in northern B.C - Prince George.  My Uncle sported them a room at the local hotel for their wedding night.  My parents did not have a lot of moola back then.  However, my Dad worked hard, he was a plumber/pipefitter by trade - he travelled much.  My Mom toiled to keep our happy home - happy, safe, and secure.

I miss them both, I will always love them and I am so proud to be their daughter. 

Egads

Yesterday, our seasonal neighbors' friend brought a crate of a salmon in appreciation of Noisemaker and I looking after their abode while they are back in the city.  I do enjoy fish, however - I am not good at touching it.  The salmon that Dave brought was near 10 lbs. - it was cut in half so I have to assume it was a 20 lb. salmon.  Dave is a commercial fisherman, nets along the mouth of the Fraser River in British Columbia.

As mentioned, I am not good with fish - lord, I looked at the beautiful piece of fish and thought I cannot let this go.  I must think of beef, the cows that run wild...right.  It is only beef.  I put on a pair of fresh rubber gloves and okay, salmon, I am going to do this.  I placed my gloved hand (MJ in fish apparel), yikers, but I can do it.  I proceed.  No singing, just a knife and a fish. 

Oh god, it is beef - I am making stew.  I do beef, I can do this salmon.  Noisemaker refuses to help me.  Well, fine - watch me - I will do this.  I did.  I cross that line, I did a salmon.    What I have not mentioned here is the salmon came to me de-headed and guts out.  Had it came whole, I would have ran.  I do not do worms, nor do I gut.  I have no use for slugs, reptiles, or snakes.

I Prine. 

Amy - Bayfielding Prine!

Photos, thank you - Amy.

Photo Top - John Prine - Solo

Photo Bottom - of course, It is Paradise!

Prine - Bayfield

So they all Prined on... I have yet to learn how to make a picture bigger when it does not belong to me, but whatever.  Here they Prine.  Left to Right - Dan, Minnesota Mark, Pamela (she is with Dan and I do not think she has hit her head on the mirror), Nicolas Faddy (The Captain), directly below him Amy Mullins (The Assistant Captain), then Kathy Carroll, above her Janis Ferguson (skunkeyejan), Charlene, and Andy.  Geez, hope I got that right!

Photo - Thank You - Janis Ferguson - Skunkeyejan

Toe Tappin', Head Noddin', John Prinein'...

ah, finally we have finished the wood.  My word, that is such a big job and the work is so hard, exhausting to me.  However, now we are set up for when the white stuff starts a-flying and by the temperature outside this morning, it will not be long in coming.  I must get the Prine music in order for Joe Paradise, then call him, and Harley ride - yippee!  How exciting that will be for me. 
I have to assume my Prine friends are near to Bayfield.  They will all be meeting up tonight; such a good time they will have.  All lip flappin', toe tappin', John Prinein'!  I wish I could be there.  Tomorrow, I shall doll myself in preparation for the Prine concert tomorrow night.  I'll be doing the paradise wave, toe tappin', head noddin', and of course, John Prinein'.

3 Women ~ Cheers, Beers, and Prine.

Photo:  MaryBelle, yours truly, MaryBelle's daughter, Sarah.

What a great time we had!  Good lord, I have not laughed, sanged, and danced so much in a long, long time.  We walked on the wild side and enjoyment filled the air.  We sang every song from Abba to the Zombies.  I know there were moments when Noisemaker just looked at us in pure amazement and asked himself...why me, lord, why me.  Had he been able to get a word in edge wise - now that would have been an amazement.  Three women, beer, and cds!  Oh yes, and West 54th!

Excitement and enjoyment will be filling the air very soon in Bayfield, Wisconsin.  My Prine friends will be flocking in; should all be meeting up tomorrow.  I'll be thinking of them and wishing I could be there too ~ and, I will be in full Prine spirit.  Cheers, Beers, and Prine! 

I Met Joe Paradise

My new friend, Joe Paradise - the woodman.

Such a delightful day it has been, I finally got to meet Joe Paradise.  He brought us enough wood to last us through the long, long winter.  I spent four hours this morning stacking, endless stacking.  I do take regular rest periods, smucksville stacking is hard work.  On one of my breaks today, this lil bit of a John Prine song came wavin' into my brain.  I laughed and changed the words around to:

...so gather 'round me all my wood stacking peers,

I'm gonna tell ya a story about Beverlee - the wood stacking years.

Then, I giggled as I am now!

Mr. Paradise showed up about six hours later.  I raced right down and said Hello, Joe Paradise - thank you for bringing me such good wood.  We chatted about wood - I was more interested in talking Prine, but I had to be polite.  Ah, here comes my chance, Joe, I said - do you know a folk singer by the name of John Prine?  He says, the name sounds familiar, but no - can't say I have.  I said, Joe he wrote two songs about you - one called Paradise and the other called Safety Joe but, Joe do not worry, I will get these for you.  I will call you and you can come back and pick them up.  Idle chatter happens and then Joe tells me the greatest - he has a Harley!  I tell you, I near went into flutter overtime.  Oh Joe, I said, you are on my bucket list - I have always wanted to ride on a Harley - what kind of Harley do you have?  Do you think you could give me a ride, I'll make you Prine, I can bake.  Smucksville, I was so excited.  Joe tells me he has a 2009 Softtail.  If my memory serves me (not sure it will), but I think Crusher had a softtail - can anyone confirm?

After Noisemaker and I complete the wood stacking and I get the cds arranged for Joe Paradise, I'm going to call him up.  He will come over with his harley and a helmet and take me for a ride.  Geez and smucksville, I feel the Crusher looking in on me, big time.  I explained to Joe, we do not have to go fast or far, Joe laughed.  He laughed quite a bit at me, a good hearty laugh we shared.  Joe never expected to be delivering wood to a home, find out he is on a bucket list, and be introduced to John Prine! 

Can you believe it, soon I will be going to ride on a Harley, now the question - what is the correct Prine song to have in my mind.  I think Lake Marie.  I have the Bruce song - Gypsy Biker - I will throw Heart of Gold in there by Neil - you know between John and Bruce.

Crusher, we will be riding safe.  Thank you for looking in on me - much appreciated.

Rodeo Candles

Here is a photo of the Rodeo Candles.  I make them using unwanted and abused fence posts.  I cut up the fence posts to 8 or so inches.  Drill a hole to the size of a tea light for the top.  A farrier brings me horseshoes which he receives from a ranch down the road.  I clean the horseshoes with a solution of vinegar and water, then spray varnish.  Attach with twine the shoe to the fence post base.  These are not finished, as yet.  The bottom of the candle base I place rope around.  I have to have Noisemaker do up the lacing on the rope (so it does not fray).  Viola!  A Rodeo Candle.

Joe Paradise, he could not make it over on Tuesday - we was busy and behind.  He arrives here tomorrow morning.  I laughed when I spoke with him; I wanted to talk John Prine; I'm thinking Safety Joe and Paradise.  I will wait with my Prine lip flappin' until tomorrow. 

Noisemaker and I have had a very difficult, trying week on the mountain side.  However, it will pass - trying times always do.  It is the good we must remember and treasure.

Oh yes, and some of Prine friends will be Bayfielding soon.  Prine in Bayfield, Wisconsin.  Unfortunately, I was not able to send them their supply of depends.  Things just got away or behind on me.  Such a fine, Prine delight they will have.  I get to much excitement and find myself all in a Prine flutter thinking about them.  I hope they will be able to meet John Prine.  Some have had the pleasure of meeting John Prine, Jason Wilber, and David Jacques previously - some have not.  I am hoping the ones that have not; have the pleasure this time in Bayfield!  ah heck, I should advise/educate them up, you know I have experience in the field - geez, did I tell ya?

Another Day ...on the mountain side

Devils Food Chocolate Cupcakes!

So cute - they have cupcake picks.  I baked these this morning for our weekly bingo game at the community hall.  I am forever baking, I enjoy to bake and it is for the community to which I reside.

The last few days have been a wild, wild time on the mountain side.  I will not go into details, I will state my Noisemaker lacked in the brain and now has to face up for his actions.  A sad, fallen situation indeed.

I have, but only once, been acquainted with law enforcement.  I was returning home from a dentist appointment and was heavy on the gas peddle going through a school zone.  I was stopped for speeding but I could not speak, my mouth was frozen.  I handed the officer my insurance/license - he in turn, handed me a ticket.  When I got home I read the ticket, stated I was a 'male'.  I took exception to that and fought it through the court system.  I won - the judge ruled in my favor.  The judge told the RCMP officer to make certain to which sex he is issuing a ticket to - cannot you tell this is a female?  After court, the police officer came to me and apologize for his error.  I told him, no harm done and I know you have learned something from this.  I hope everyone learns from the mistakes.

...some humans ain't human, some people ain't kind...

John Prine

Cupcake picks and liners - thank you skunkeyejan

Paradise

Too funny, on this coming Tuesday, Paradise is coming to pay me a visit - Mr. Paradise that is.  Joe Paradise, our new woodman.  I cannot wait to start up a conversation with him, I will be lip flappin' Prine in my finest form - and then I will giggle.  Noisemaker will shake his head and think to himself, why lord, why.  I will giggle even more.  Oh, the Prine thrill of it all.

It has been a busy week here on the mountain side.  We had a long weekend and our local fishing derby; many seasonal folks enjoyed the beauty of the mountain side.  I have been heavy duty in lip flappin' department and I think I have about another two weeks to go!  Happy Days!

My seasonal neighborette arrived yesterday - oh my - we sat and have a few beers last night - and giggled, it was much fun for me.  She has a slight Prine - thanks to yours truly.  She was the neighborette that offer me to ride with her to Vancouver when I was going to see John Prine in October 2009.  Hope you folks all know about that, I am quite certain I have told you; but if not - let me know; I can repeat the story very well!

...and Daddy won't you take me back to Mulhenberg County down by the green river where Paradise lays...John Prine
~paradise wavin', toe tappin', head noddin', John Prinein'~