Prine Wisconsin

Link from www.jpshrine.org - Reeda Buresh

Oh my how exciting for all the Prine followers in Wisconsin.  What a great birthday present it was for my Mom - to tell her John Prine - Wisconsin - in March.  Today is my Mom's birthday - she would have been 89 - she Prined.

I am so happy for the Prine folks that will attend the concert - Amy, Mark, Bev (not me, another Prine friend), I find it all very exciting. 

Milwaukee, will always be the TRPT - Tom Reynolds Prine Territory. 

It Is A Dotty Small World

I thought this was just so cute.  Photo from Wilton.

Sometimes in life, folks have to start to connect their dots; start to maybe color pages again.  Sit a spell and re-group.  Do crossword puzzles and Prine.

I know from my treasured years of experience (lol) life should not be taken for granted.  We all should be thankful for a roof over our heads and food on the table.

Recently, I had three people in my realm become acquainted with cancer.  Happy to report, they are all alive and well.  Their dots got connected.

Sometimes 'It's A Big Old Goofy World' - other times, like my world - it is just dotty! :)

Suncatchers

My suncatchers - ah, they are so cheery!

Not a great picture as I am up against a yellow wall, but you should be able to receive the general jist of it all.  I make these, several of them; they are made out of old cds/dvds.  I also make Prine ones.  They are the letter 'P' and in small stick on letters the word Prine is.  I give those to my Prine friends.

Oh my, I just came in from the porch.  It is windy and dark out there this morning.  I take a lil bit of a flashlight with me in case I hear some noise to which I cannot identify.  Usually that noise is a four legged creature stirring.  This morning I heard great noises out there.  Good lord, the Plow Boys are coming down the road.  Smucksville, I do not like shovelling snow.  I try to make the most of it by singing.  I like to sing Paradise and another one of my favorites is Nine Pound Hammer (John Prine - Sweet Revenge).  I change the words to suit my condition - hence, this Nine Pound Shovel is a little too heavy, buddy for my size, buddy for my size...

Now 10 to 1 you folks will have that song stuck in your brain today.  I'll be singing with you as come first light, I'll be out the shovelling and singing - singing and shovelling.

John Cafferty

John Cafferty

Eddie and the Cruisers

Yesterday, I watched the movie Eddie and the Cruisers.  I placed it, long ago in my memory and left it there.  I love the soundtrack to this movie; I once had the album.

John Cafferty is the voice behind Eddie (played by Michael Pare).  Both are very easy on the eyes!

Best song - Tender Years.  I have had that song stuck in my brain since yesterday afternoon. 

John Cafferty sounds much like Bruce Springsteen.  Now, Noisemaker - he does not take a liking to much of the music I enjoy.  Oh, just to name a few - John Prine, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young - I could go on.  After watching the movie yesterday, Noisemaker says to me - I like this music.  I was stunned, I had no words and simply let the subject breeze on by me.  I know, one day soon - when I least expect it; Noisemaker is going to tell me - I have always like John Prine - I just did not want to admit it.  ;)

Christmas Baking - Fruit and Nut Bars

Great Recipe!

Good lord, I bake so much stuff at christmas time, I enjoy it.  I give christmas goody boxes to my good neighbors - I love seeing the big smiles on their faces when they receive.  This year my baking for christmas is:  Fruit and Nuts Bars, Butter Tarts, Melting Moments, Sugar Cookie Presents, and Peanut Butter Creams.  They'll probably be some extras tossed in; I will be baking for the annual ladies Christmas party and also for the Christmas Bingo.

This is the first time I made this recipe and I would make it again.  I thought it would be too sweet as one ingredient is a can of condensed milk.  It is not too sweet, just right.  Here is the recipe:

Fruit and Nuts Bars

(makes 48 squares)

2 cups Flour

3/4 cup packed Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Butter or Margarine, softened

1 1/2 cups salted mixed Nuts, coarsely chopped

1 cup mixed dried Fruit, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup Raisins

1/2 flaked Coconut

2 tablespoons Flour

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened Condensed Milk

Heat oven to 350.  Grease 13 x 9 x 2 with shortening.  Mix 2 cups flour, brown sugar, and butter in large bowl with fork until crumbly.  Press firmly in bottom of pan.

Mix remaining ingredients in same bowl, spoon onto crust and spread evenly.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool completely, about 45 minutes.

Smucksville

My funny bones got a big, huge tickle this morning.  I'm out there on the porch at around 5 a.m. this morning and I said to myself Holy Smucksville, darn cold out here today; then I giggled and thought about the word smucksville. 

I once had the spellcheck turned on the computer but everytime I went to type the word smucksville it would try to correct me because obviously smucksville to them is not a word.  Well, little do they know.  In the language of this writer, smucksville is a word.

When I came back inside, I decided I should check out the word smucksville on the computer.  Way more giggles came.  I selected 'images' and as if by magic or remote control up pop images of John Prine.  Notations of this blog (oh my stomach hurts from thinking this thing over). 

Smucksville came to be because I did not want to use curse words in front of the grandkids.  Hence, smucksville was invented. 

There are several places/towns/cities that end in ville.  Fogelsville where Sue Umbrella resides.  Martinsville where Peaceful Waters resides.  Barkerville, a place just north of me - once was a gold rush town.  Lots of villes.

Perhaps, today when you all are rushing around doing your business and something goes a miss for you - think of smucksville - then giggle :)

Have a wonderful, smucksville day!

Credit for some words (but not smucksville) ~ John Prine

Winter Wonderland

Well, some folks will call it a winter wonderland and it is if you are only looking at pictures!  My word, we have had so much snow in such a short period of time.  The shovelling is back breaking work on this tiny frame of mine.  However, I'll get acquainted once again with old man winter and will be so happy when spring rolls around.

I feel for the animals when it snows heavy.  There is not much food for them.  We feed the birds - seed.  Other animals such as deer, moose, and foxes - well, they have to get food on their own. 

ah, shadows!

My friend, Jack - he never falls off his perch!

Sunrise

A beautiful sunrise yesterday morning.  About an hour after this picture was taken the white stuff started to fly.  Holy snow smucksville did we get a lot of snow!  That snow shovelling is hard work; I am out of shape - so it is good exercise for me.

During the hours spent snow shovelling I sang John Prine . . . humidity built the snowman, sunshine brought it down; Paradise and a few other tunes.  I remembered it was Neil Young's birthday yesterday, so I sang Happy Birthday to him.  Then, I giggled - just like I am doing now :)

And, speaking of John Prine - The Singing Mailman Delivers was delivered to the retired mailman, my brother.  He was so happy - he had to telephone me and thank me for giving him the OhBoy telephone number.  I know The Singing Mailman Delivers has a very special meaning to Wesley.

This morning there was more snow to shovel, god help me.  There was no beautiful sunrise, no Happy Birthday song and no Prine - Noisemaker was out there shovelling with me.  He makes enough noise for both of us ;)

Yet, Another Day In Paradise

ah, a young John Prine.  I was reading on line Billboard Magazine only because I wanted to find out from the charts where The Singing Mailman Delivers charted at.  Billboard is a music trade magazine, it lists all the charts.  I was pleased that The Singing Mailman Delivers debut at #4 on folk albums...way to go - Johnny!

This photo of a very young John Prine - I give thanks to Anne Prine.  John's first wife.  Geez, he has been married more times than my friend Al.  I sent a postcard to Al to notify him The Singing Mailman Delivers was being released - gave the 1-800-521-2112 for OhBoy/Music Fans Direct and then added - how many times you wedded up - how old are you going to be?  Put the lipstick on and smacked it with a kiss!

Al and I have been friends for years.  I met Al when I was employed at the Pulp Mill - in my younger years...of course, not that age has cursed me - lol.

Thank you to the new followers, welcome to my blog.  I hope you enjoy!