One Month From Today

Yes, one month from today, if all goes according to plan, I should be flocking off the mountain side and making my way to Vancouver to meet up with Charlene. We have some lil incidental concert we are attending on Friday, October 16th, 2009. That would be JOHN PRINE!

I pick up my bus ticket this Wednesday - smucksville, I will be so excited!

Today, I leaped on into the van to travel down to the general store. I turned on the radio only to hear the voice of Neil Young (Downtown). Next song was Bruce Springsteen (The Rising). I thought to myself could possibly this radio station get it right and play me a John Prine for the third song. I find it monumental to have the three of them together. Ah, but my wish was not granted. Not that the next song was bad, but it was not John Prine. I would have thought I hit the mother lode if I heard all three together one after another...songs, I mean. Do you know, I have never heard John Prine on any radio station. I must be the only Prine fan out there who has yet to hear him on the radio.

As always, John Prine was a big hit in Kansas City. My friends enjoyed the new friendships they made and the concert, of course, was icing on the cake. BBB had a front row seat and believes John Prine winked at her. I should check out the Pampers aisle because if I get a front row seat in Vancouver and believe to see John Prine a-winkin' at me - smucksville - I'd pee myself!

John Prine/Toronto with Charlene and Crusher

This was just too good not to publish - Charlene and Crusher in front of Massey Hall ~ Toronto, Ontario August 14th, 2009.

Photo credits to Norm.

Geez, I hope they have something like this in Vancouver at the Centre For Performing Arts and it will be placed at street level; so we can take a picture. Charlene, bring the t-shirt ~ Crusher is travelling around the world in t-shirt form, we should sign it. I'll bring the waterproof pens.

Sara Watkins

Sara Watkins will be appearing with John Prine in Vancouver, October 16, 2009. Also in Victoria (which is now sold out), Calgary, Edmonton, and Winnipeg.

See more at www.sarawatkins.com

Photos courtesy of her website.

They're Going To Kansas City

My Prine friends are on their way to Kansas City to see John Prine. Rumbleshorts and Reeda. I truly should have had my wits about me and sent them both coupons for 'depends' because with all the excitement of meeting everyone and then the John Prine concert - I am quite certain some leakage may occur.

I am so excited for them, to meet each other - to have the rib dinner at Winslows and then to Prine.

33 more days until Charlene and I meet in Vancouver.
35 more days until we Prine and Prine we will!

What Do You Hold Dear - Your Collections

I collect several items. I love to walk roadside and look for rock hearts. Rocks hearts are very special, special for everyone who recieves and everyone who gives. I also collect feathers, I have flickers, jays, a a good rooster feather. All are very special to me, I love them.

I have heard it said when a person collects, it is meaningful to them.

It is meaningful to me, I hope same for you.

oh yes, I do Prine, so I have this small white box that Charlene Stevenson sent for me, I keep my Prine treasures there. I have stuff from Crusher, postcards, it is all Prine.

35 more days to Prine - Vancouver!
2 days until Prine - Kansas - oh lucky, RS, Reeda, and for all who goes, the bbq, yep - I can taste it!

Paul Lavon Davis

Paul Davis - a great artist, singer of beautiful love songs. "I Go Crazy", an all time favorite of mine. It satisfies my mind, my soul, my heart.

Born, in Mississippi - Meridan - also died there. I know where that is and one day when I win the lotto I will visit there.

Paul Davis had great back up singers.
I could have been one of them.

In the time that permits, perhaps, I could join up with Reeda, CC, SE, NTD, Rumbleshorts, and all those other Prine flockers - yep, we'd Prinestorm, the venue may never be the same.

In the meantime, I will go crazy with the hunk - Paul Lavon Davis.

Ouch, you SOB!

Yesterday, our seasonal neighbors and I were trotting through the woods. Naturally, I was yapping at the lips and did not notice to where I was walking. There on the forest ground was a fine looking tree branch (a big one) and because I was yapping, not looking, I stepped at the right angle to have the branch break and it strike me just above my eyeball, just below the brow. I cursed out, you S.O.B. Yikers, the blood was spewing everywhere and of course, no one had any kleenex. I grabbed some leaves from a poplar tree, slapped them on the wound and raced on back to the abode.

Noisemaker, he sees me near launch mode and realizes - Houston - we have a problem. It is the blood factor - there is a lot of blood rolling down my face with bug infested poplar leaves on my cheek. A nature beauty queen to say the least.

After cleaning the wound, it is only a small quarter inch dot. I cannot place a band-aid on it because I appear to have allergy to the glue on band-aids. It bled during the hours of darkness, but this morning after a clean up, it is still a dot with only some limited bruising. Kind of looks like a beauty mark, a nature beauty mark.

Another day in Paradise - cooking, cleaning, baking and getting whacked by a tree branch!

Singing

Do any of you folks get two songs stuck in your brain and sing them together? This happens to me all the time. For two days now I have had a Bruce Springsteen song and a Diana Ross and the Supremes song rumbling around - it turns out this way . . .

I can't believe what you say
No I can't believe what you say
Oh babe
Oh the pain, the pain

The Bruce Springsteen song is Fade Away or I Don't Want To Fade Away (something like that - if I was not so lazy, I would check) - but I think you are receiving the wave length. The Diana Ross and the Supremes song is Reflections. I can have five songs rolling at one time in my brain from Hank Williams to Hendrix. Sometimes it is only one song but I sing it three different ways. Take City of New Orleans written by Steve Goodman. I like to sing that song - doing Sammi Smith, Steve Goodman, and Arlo Guthrie.

Then, comes the American National Anthem. I like the melody to the song, it is a hard song to sing. I think at one time it was a believable song, but not so much today. Our Canadian Anthem is much easier to sing - well, not in french though. I only and will always sing the English version.

I enjoy to sing. I even put words to songs that have no words. For instance, the theme song from The Waltons (I love that show). Some songs to which I have no clue what the words are, well I make them up.

When I turned six years old (I started school when I was five), my Mom received a telephone call from my teacher, Miss Ongman. She greeted my Mom, said she had a question about your daughter. Mom became quite alarmed (of course, I did not know this until several years later) and inquired what is the problem? Miss Ongman replied - no problem - I would like your daughter to sing a christmas carol at the christmas concert, solo - would that be ok for you? My Mom laughed and said, of course it would be fine.

We had a trial run. Miss Ongman played the piano. All went well. The day of the christmas concert, I was introduced as was the song I was to sing - Away In A Manger. I walked up to my masking tape 'X' , with my hands together, bowed to the audience and started to sing. I wanted to see my Mom and Dad and spotted them, I did not break in the song, I simply raised my left hand up and waved to them. My Dad waved back. I bowed after my song and left the stage. My introduction to stardom came and left within five minutes.

I continued to sing in several christmas concerts, I loved doing that. Here, on the mountain side well, I sing to the animals. We have regulars that come, they know my voice. I think they are beginning to understand some of my favorite songs. Who would have thought!

Photo - Courtesy of Mr. Skunkeye. He took that for the benefit of I, John Prine was singing Paradise. Photo is taken at Redrocks. The Skunk was busy doing the Paradise Wave.

Can you believe it in less than 40 days, I will be seeing John Prine! I am so excited. I read posts on the http://www.jpshrine.org/. Two of the followers here will be attending the John Prine concert in Kansas City, Rumbleshorts and Reeda. Reeda from Iowa and Rumbleshort from Minnesota.

I have to start packing up my gifts for folks. I have horseshoes, rodeo candles - Greyhound with the downsizing will probably charge me extra because I will have more baggage weight than my own weight. Do I care - no! I do not. I am going off the mountain, I am going to meet Charlene, we will Prine - eat at the golden arch place, find a good bakery (that should not be hard), be tourists.

I planned to take CC to Granville Island, it is art filled and free! Also lunch or supper maybe even breakfast at Sears Tower but will dedicate Friday for John Prine. We'll go to the venue and perhaps I will bring some baking to give to the set up folks. Those Unturtled Bars, I know they would love. I could packed them up here because they will not melt, the weather will be cool, everything will be. I am so excited about that 'get your ticket at the window thing' - it is my first presale! I can imagine all these folks Prine-ing big time, yappin' away. *she does the Paradise Wave*.

Tomorrow, I am going on a vitamin speil because I know in the city of Vancouver, the bus ride, germs will be floating I will be floating on the mindset I get to Prine with Prine and CC. I do not want to be broken, out of gas, spent. I only want to meet CC and see - maybe get my picture taken with John Prine, Jason Wilber, and David Jacques.

Happy Working Class Heros Day Weekend, Folks

I hope it is a good weekend for all folks because I know all folks work.

From the person laying in some hospital bed trying to stay alive to the lil bit of a wife at home whose husband is in some union job whose benefits are slipping away along with his pension. Happy Labor Day.

For the homeless person trying to collect bottles just to get a cigarette - Happy Labor Day.

I always think of my Dad on Labor Day (and no, do not tell me I have to add the 'u' because I am Canadian - that is strictly the UK - those folks across the pond and I have never been in favor of a queen that lives so far away from the mountain side).

My Dad was a very strong individual. He worked, strived for - the working class. I will always be proud of him.

I tried, several times, to link you to a page of a newspaper to where he struck his own union because he claimed 'unfair'. The linky link did not work for me. Then, I tried to find the UA Local 170 sticker I received just after he died. To no avail. I am not battin' good, here and I doubt I will even get to first base. But, I plod on. That is what workers have to do. Unfortnately, that does not seem to come to bare any sort of fruit. Geez, do you ever wonder why.

Oh, sit a spell - and say to yourself - Power, Control, and Greed.

Gee - what comes to your mind?

'A Working Class Hero Is Something To Be' ~ John Lennon

A Wild Couple Of Days, The Moon is Coming To Full

Smucksville, it has been wild here with major thunderstorms, major lightening, and circumstances well beyond my control. Oh no, not that I can control the weather system - lord, I am not of the governmental nature. I had other issues/circumstances to deal with.

We have had over 200 lightening strikes here just over night. There is not chance in hell the Forest Service is ever going to have these fires under control. As I have mentioned, before, I think - they will not permit a open fire ban until 2010 Opening Ceremonies. They need the damn flame and it will be an open flame.

My best news is my oldest brother and his wife paid us a visit. It was a very nice time; I served a luncheon of ham, salads, buns and of course - those Unturtled Bars (god, I love them).

44 days until John Prine - geez, I must get packing!