Coming out of the gate, Yesterday at the Preakness Stakes, Bodexpress dumped its jockey and ran the race without its rider. With a definite weight advantage, Bodexpress ran near the middle of the pack, but faded towards the end.
The Riderless Horse
In case you missed it, the Preakness Stakes, held recently in Baltimore, featured a riderless horse. Bodexpress dumped his coming out of the gate, but managed to finish the race, despite lacking a rider. For most of the course, the riderless horse was enthusiastically cheered on by the crowd.
As luck would have it, it just happened to be the horse I bet on to win. Fortunately, all was not loss for I picked the eventual winner, War of Will, to show, so at least I picked up a few dollars.
Somedays you’re up, and some days you’re down. John Velazquez falls from Bodexpress at 2019 Preakness
What the Jockey Said
“I had my feet out of the irons and I lost my balance and I went off……Things like this happen with horses, but it’s disappointing.” Hall of Game jockey, John Velazquez after the race.
Maryland steeplechases features timbered jump and often a riderless horse or two
Common Occurrence
Though rare in track racing, this type of event occurs all the time in a steeplechase race. By coincidence, the rural countryside just outside Baltimore is home to several steeplechase events. They occur in the spring on the pristine rural stretches that surround Worthington Valley in Baltimore County. The races are very popular, even though the fans only get a brief glimpse as horses and riders crisscross the fields and pasture, leaping numerous fences during the course of the race.
The track is long and hard and invariably a few riders fail to finish the course. The same is not always true for the horses, who, even without a rider, often keep right up with the pack, even successfully jumping over the wooden obstacles that are part of the racing event.
In 2017, John Velazquez won the Kentucky Derby riding Always Dreaming
High Stakes
If one considers how much money, time, training and effort go into getting a thoroughbred prepared for a major race that just lasts a few minutes, the only logical conclusion is that horse racing is a very expensive sport. Still, nothing seems to gather the spirits, quite like an iconic racing event, where a dozen or so highly-trained animals compete for a bouquet of flowers, as tens of thousands of spectators watch from the stands.
Today, Herman Wouk, the Pulitzer-prize winning novelist died at an amazing age of 103. The New York City writer, had been rather quiet for the last decade after releasing, The Lawgiver, just a few years after turning 90. Still, over his lifetime, the American writer had published numerous novels, including the Caine Mutiny, which earned him a Pulitzer prize in 1952.
After Pearl Harbor, Wouk volunteered for the Navy and so spent the formidable part of the war, island hopping through the Pacific theater, on board several American warships. After the war, Wouk would emerge as one of the more gifted novelists to write about their war experience.
Jimmy Buffett and Herman Wouk
An Unusual Alliance
I probably never wouldn’t of paid much attention to Mr. Wouk, if hadn’t been for the activities of Jimmy Buffett. In his successful biographical, sailor’s tale, A Pirate Looks at Forty, Jimmy provides a list of ten books, which one should take along, if they were ever stranded on a deserted island. One of these recommendations was Don’t Stop the Carnival, a rip-roaring Caribbean story that Wouk penned back in the sixties.
Fortunately, the story doesn’t stop with good reading advice, for Buffett came up with the brilliant idea of making a Broadway musical about the fictitious subtropical isle. To make a long story short, the two bards put their heads together and came up a successful musical, based on the novel. Since then, Buffett has gone own to put his own story onto the Broadway stage (Escape to Margaritaville), while Herman most likely slipped back into the content retirement of a successful novelist.
Life in the Pacific Theater could be highly risky
Wouk’s Legacy
With Wouk’s passing, the American people have lost their last quite literary voice from the “Big One” (World War II). Wouk was not alone in this account, for not only did the Second War World, produce a sustained era of prosperity, but it also left in its wake, a slew of creative literary artists. Where would we be today without the original voices of James Michener, Norman Mailer, James Jones, Steven Linakis, Kurt Vonnegut, J. G.Ballard and Pierre Boulie. So in your spare time, you might want to turn off the TV and pick up a good book a two about our most recent world war. War may be hell, but it sure is a catalyst for a lot of good stories.
Monument Valley is a favorite filming location for Hollywood, even though the story line hasn’t always matched the setting.
Non Stop Western Movies
A few months ago, back in the dead of winter, I found myself holed up in Southern Utah taking public assistance for a couple of weeks. As a result I had no control over what I watched on TV. This wasn’t a bad thing really, for I got a chance to watch a whole bunch of western movies, mostly from the 50s. Not only did I enjoy viewing the films, but also, I learned something about moviemaking and storytelling.
The Movies
The movies I watched were Gun Glory (1957), The Last Wagon(1956), The Cattle King(1963), Fort Dobbs(1958), The Jayhawkers(1959), The Marauders(1955), The Sheepman(1958) and McLintock(1963). All except McLintock and the Cattle King were made in the 50s and McLintock differed significantly from the rest because it was a comedy, even though John Wayne starred as George Washington McLintock, the eccentric cattle baron. More about that particular film later.
A Common Theme?
What struck me most about the 50s Westerns was how quickly and easily the main characters changed partners. Even death of a spouse was often the catalyst for these changes. For example in the Jayhawkers, Fess Parker plays a man, just escaped from prison, who is headed home. Only problem is the woman in the house is not his wife, as she is buried nearby. No problem, for the moviemakers, because the homesteader, Nicole Maurey, ends of spending the entire film with Fess, as they try to find justice against the gangs of marauding men that are terrorizing the Kansas territory.
In a rare comedy appearance, John Wayne plays a cattle baron married to a headstrong western woman, Maureen O’Hara
John Wayne In a Comedy
For the 50s movies, this seems to be a common theme among these Westerns, at least the ones reviewed in this article. Only with the sixties films of McLintock and The Cattle King, did I detect a more normal relationship between man and woman. The story of McLintock revolves around a powerful western couple, played by John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara and their humorous escapades, as they try to reconcile their differences.
What’s Going On Here
The rugged reality of life in the Old West is definitely at work in a lot of these Westerns. The dangers were real, life was hard, and men and women could die suddenly for no logical reason. When tragic events like this did occur, survival may have quickly necessitated the relocation with a new partner of the opposite sex.
The Wars of the 40s and 50s
From 1942 till 1953, the U.S. went through two costly military conflicts. World War II was by the far the most deadly, but we should not forget the 50,000 soldiers, who perished in the Korean Conflict. Perhaps, some of the resulting turmoil on the home front is reflected in the Western movies that were being made in Hollywood.
Tom Mix was one of the first Hollywood Cowboys
The White Cowboy
For just about all of our cinematic history, the Cowboy has been white. Mel Brooks put a crack in this myth with his landmark satire, Blazing Saddles, but even today, the hero of the Western tends to a white male mounted on horseback. Basically, the conquest of the West was told by the victor. Many good movies have been made using these parameters, but there still remains other stories out there that could be successfully brought to the silver screen, both real and fictional, or somewhere in between.
After the emancipation Proclamation, black cowboys were readily employed in the Old West.
Black Cowboys in the Old West
According to Smithsonian researchers, during the heyday of the Wild West, about one out of four Cowboys were black. To understand the rise of the black cowboy, one has to take a look at Texas in the decade of the 1860s, when war broke out between the states and during that war, The Emancipation Proclamation was passed.
For Texas ranchers, who went to war, this was a particularly difficult time, for if they survived the war (and many did), they only returned home to find affairs in disarray. For while away, the slaves had often been left in charge of managing the cattle herds, a task with which they took on with varying degrees of success.
It only took the ranchers a short time to turn things around. By taking on the now free black men as cow hands, they straightened out life on the ranch. And then as lucrative markets for beef opened up in the industrial north, the ranchers now had an opportunity to prosper. There was one catch; they had to drive their herds north to places like Kansas, where the product could be quickly shipped to market.
Nat Love a.k.a. Deadwood Dick, penned his own autobiography in 1907
A Cowboy Autobiography
In 1907, Nat Love wrote his autobiography of his life as a cowboy. Born in 1854 as a slave in Tennessee, Nat eventually traveled West, where he found work on an Arizona ranch in the 1870s. In Nat’s own words, his first-hand accounts differ only slightly from many of the stories that we see in the movies.
In his book, Nat talks about huge cattle drives from Arizona to Kansas, fights with Indians and visits to the Wild West cow towns like Dodge City, where saloons, gambling joints and ladies of the night flourished. During his travels, Nat met the likes of Billy the Kid, Pat Garret, Bat Masterson and even earned his own colorful nickname of Deadwood Dick after winning a cowboying contest in Deadwood, South Dakota.
Everybody Wants To Be the Cowboy
Back in 1996 the Fugees, released a song called The Cowboys. The tune appeared on an album called The Score, which in many ways embraced the gangster lifestyle. A year later, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, borrowed a line from the popular Fugees number and released this video, titled “Everybody Wants To Be the Cowboy”. Filmed on the shores of Jamaica, the following music video takes a slightly different tack on the rapster/gangsta attitude, which today seems quite popular and successful, even finding its way into our highest political institutions.
1909 photo of Montana woman on horseback, from wikipedia
Cowgirl Poets
Women definitely held a major role, not only in the Old West, but also today, as ranching country faces the challenges of a new and changing world. Traditionally, women have been the more active participant in literary activities. Yet, in the world of Cowboy poets and self expression, women are definitely in the minority. Nonetheless, the woman of the open range can still spin a good yarn that will keep the audience tuned in and wanting for more.
Honoring a Canadian Songwriter
Ian Tyson is a well-respected Canadian songwriter, who has received special honors and tributes at the National Cowboy Poetry gatherings. One of his most famous songs, which is written from a female point of view, is featured here by Suzy Bogguss.
Three participants at the National Poetry Gathering
Gatherings
Cowboy poetry readings are usually called gatherings and may occur at any time of the year. For example, The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering is held every winter (late January or early February) in Elko, Nevada at the Western Folklife Center. The get-together lasts for a long weekend and includes film and music performances, along with the traditional poetry reading and storytelling sequences. It is also a big social event, where members of the sponsoring organization have a chance to get together and share experiences.
The Network
Besides the big event at Elko, there are many other Cowboy poetry events that are held around the country. Not surprisingly, many are held in Western States, where ranching is still a way of life. For example, Texas, Montana and Wyoming all have such events on an annual basis. And then, on a smaller scale, fans of this venue can find numerous smaller poetry events, usually supported by interested municipalities, folklore museums and heritage sites. Add all this together and you have an extensive network that supports the colorful poets, storytellers and musicians.
The Bet at the Bar
Watch below, as Waddie Mitchell recounts his humorous tale, The Bet at the Bar. This performance is from the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada.
Music and Poetry
Music is also an important part of Cowboy poetry gatherings. Here Michael Martin Murphy, a successful recording artist in his own right, performs a song at the Elko national gathering.
Stampede, WPA public mural at the Odessa, Texas post office by Tom Lea
Stampede Mesa
Somewhere in West Texas, there is a real place called Stampede Mesa. It is situated east of Lubbock, along the Blanco River on a private ranch. There is a ghost story attached to this high spot of grass that many researchers belief is the origin for the song, Ghost Riders in the Sky. Furthermore, it is completely, plausible that the lively story might have traveled by word-of-mouth from West Texas to Arizona, where the author was born and raised.
Portrait of the singing park ranger, Stan Jones
Ghost Riders in the Sky
The song was originally written in 1948 by a relatively unknown songwriter of the name, Stan Jones. At the time, Stan was a Death Valley National Park ranger, who wrote songs on the side. During his lifetime, he recorded over 100 songs with the Ghost Rider tune, being by far the most popular. Jones, who grew up on an Arizona ranch, claims to have heard the story while he was kid.
Burl Ives was the first major recording artist to pick up on the number. He did so in 1949, after being sent the song by Eden Ahbez, an iconic California folksinging character, who was best known for living under the grandiose Hollywood sign, before being discovered by Nat King Cole in 1947. Since its initial release, Ghost Riders has been performed by over 50 musicians. Styles vary from full out, loud rockin’ country as done by the Outlaws to a simple folksinger’s tale as Don Edwards does in the following video.
Since there was good grazing on top, they drove their heard up on the small plateau, being careful not to get too close to the large cliff that overlooked the river. Much to their surprise they encountered an old man, who was camped out with his own small herd of about 50 steers. Without much discussion, the drovers from the South decided to share the mesa with the old man.
Unfortunately, this decision did not sit well with the old man, for sometime in the middle of the night, he arose and deliberately started a stampede that killed 1200 head of cattle and two cowboys. Then, he hightailed it away from the mesa, but the cowboys tracked him down and brought him back to camp.
For his callous crimes, the old man was blindfolded, placed on a horse and driven off the cliff. From that day on, the hallowed place has been known as Stampede Mesa. Not surprisingly, the land is believed to be haunted with strange sounds and apparitions of cattle stampeding being reported by those who travel along the Blanco River.
An American Paint Horse at a horse show in the Czech Republic, photo by Karakal from Wikipedia
The Death of the Old West
Depending on who you talk to, rumors of the death of the Old West, may be somewhat exaggerated. Some say it died when the railroads started carrying beef on the hoof to places like Kansas City and Chicago. Others say it died when barbed wire was invented. Even today, there are those that infer that the Old West lasted until the automobile and paved roads became the norm for transportation. And finally, there are those that believe that the Old West may still exist in small pockets, where a few determined herders somehow manage to work what’s left of the open range.
The Search
Back during the Roaring Twenties, when speakeasies and Jazz music were the rage, Carl Sandburg went on a search. He was looking for genuine cowboy songs from the Old West. To do this properly, the young Midwesterner dropped out of college, crisscrossed the western mountains and prairies, looking for old remnants of years gone by. Somewhere in the high desert of New Mexico, he came across this beauty of a song.
What’s an Old Paint
First of all, an Old Paint is a type of horse common to the American West. Basically, it is a stock horse with a “pinto” pattern of color. The splotched color separates this breed from the solid, American quarter horse. Except for the color pattern, the two types of horses are similar in size, build and stock. Nonetheless, they are considered two separate breeds, which are both quite popular among American horsemen.
About the Song
Too many, “I Ride an Old Paint”, embodies the spirit of the Old West, as well as any folk song. There are many wonderful elements to the horseman’s tale, but perhaps the unusual method of burial is most telling about the special appeal for this Western lament. I seriously doubt that many (if any) cowhands were treated this way after leaving the world of the living. Yet still, there is a communion with the outdoor range, rarely expressed in Western music,when the corpse of the main character is tied to the back of his horse and then set loose into the bush.
Carl Sandburg at age 77
Who Was Carl Sandburg?
Carl Sandburg was born in Galesburg, Illinois in 1878. After serving in the military in Puerto Rico during the Spanish-American War, Carl returned to the Midwest, where he worked a variety jobs before he began publishing his own poetry in 1916. As an offshoot of his poetry, he put out a recording of folk songs (1927), gathered from traditional sources. This landmark album included such noted American classics, as the “Sloop John B” and “I Ride an Old Paint”. Over the years, the Old Paint song has one of the most recorded songs in American music.
Earth Day began in 1970, when Richard Nixon was president.
A Brief History of Earth Day
Earth Day was the idea of Wisconsin Senator, Gaylord Nelson, who came up with the idea in 1969, as a way to promote environmental awareness on a planetary level. In April 1970, the first celebration of Earth Day occurred with the majority of activities, occurring on college campuses and in large urban areas in the U.S. A year later, not only did President Nixon give Earth Day official recognition, but he made April 22 part of Earth Week.
Earth Day is still celebrated today, as over the years, the global challenges have changed and environmental legislation is nowhere as universally popular as it was back in the 70s.
The President and “the King” at the White House in 1970
Richard Nixon: Our Greenest President?
Richard Nixon was not much of a cowboy, but as an environmentalist, he did pretty good, signing 14 pieces of Environmental legislation during his tenure.This little known fact about our 37th president may come as a surprise to many political observers of that era, especially since he showed little or no interest in environmental issues before becoming president.
Nixon began his environmental legacy in 1969 by signing into law The National Environmental Policy Act, which created environmental impact statements.
Then in 1970, Nixon proposed and pushed through Congress the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, which was quickly followed by the Clean Air Act and the creation of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration}.
By the time Nixon resigned in 1974, he had also passed the Clean Water Act (1972), the Endangered Species Act (1973), the Marine Mammal Protection Act (1972) and the Safe Drinking Water Act (actually signed by Ford in 1974).
Yes, folks that’s quite a legacy.
Cowboys and Environmentalists
Today, the rancher (and the Cowboy) have their backs against the wall financially, as they face increasing pressure from a changing world to their way of life. Loss of grazing land is just one challenge, as other threats can come from growing populations in the New West and the a new kind of activism arising from radical environmentalists.
Nonetheless, the Cowboy poets are thriving, as larger audiences thirst for the old storytelling skills of bygone eras. Even though these modern-day bards may be out of sync with the urban reality of rap and slam poetry, they have caught the attention of many, who have never saddled a horse or roped a calf.
Cowboy Poetry Week occurs in April, which just happens to be National Poetry Month
Easter Kickoff
Today is not only Easter, but also the kickoff for Cowboy Poetry Week. Since the former event is well covered by the churches and press, I will devote the next seven days to the ridin’, ropin’ poets of the Old (and New) West.
If Jesus Was A Cowboy
The present calendar year presents a small dilemma and unique challenge for fans of the Cowboy poetry genre. Since the first day of the poetry week coincides with the Easter holiday, the question can be asked, “What if Jesus was a cowboy?” On a preliminary note, this sounds kind of fanciful, but in reality a variety of Country and Western singers have pondered the idea and over the years recorded tunes with similar titles. The short list includes Jesus was a Cowboy (Brady Wilson Band), Jesus Was A Country Boy (Clay Walker) and God Must Be a Cowboy (Chris Ladoux). All of these songs are find and dandy for a listen on Easter Sunday, but instead, I have chosen a sincere and thoughtful tune from an obscure singer/songwriter named Kevin Reid. Furthermore, the song is performed by David Glen Eisley, a California rocker of some note.
What Tomorrow Brings
Tomorrow is Earth Day and the second day of Cowboy Poetry Week, so I will be taking a look at how those two events line up, if they even do at all. And then for the rest of the week, I will delve into the nuts and bolt of Cowboy poetry and all its related art forms, including Cowgirl poetry.
Bernie Sanders has again in 2019 declared himself as a candidate for President of the United States
Book Sales and Presidential Politics
In recent years, there has been some speculation among cultural observers that book sales can help predict, who the next president will be. If this postulation is true, Bernie Sanders may well have a very good chance on becoming the 46th POTUS.
The reasoning here is based on the current political observation that it is damn near impossible to take up residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. without good book sales to pave the way. Just take a look at our last three presidents, Trump, Obama and G.W. Bush and you will find a highly successful author lurking in the background. While our current president, Donald J. Trump may be riding his earlier success of the Art of the Deal, his two predecessors both released hugely popular titles just a year or two before the won a national election.
Bernie’s Bibliography
Presently, Vermont Senator, Bernie Sanders, has four non-fiction books under his belt. The first title, An Outsider in the White House, which he co-wrote with Huck Gutman in 1997, was recently released in 2015, just as Sanders began to emerge as a national political figure. In 2016, Senator Sanders followed with Our Revolution: A Future To Believe In. And then after losing his White House bid, Bernie has published two more books, Bernie Sanders’ Guide to Political Revolution and Where We Go from Here , both coming with sizable advances. The last two literary efforts have both become national bestsellers, out earning the advances by a substantial margin.
A Nouveau Millionaire
Book sales have made Bernie Sanders a reluctant millionaire. Before becoming a millionaire in 2016, Bernie ranked in the bottom third of senate incomes. (by the way this distinction has been equally shared by Republicans and Democrats) But since his unsuccessful run for the democratic nomination, Bernie has put out a new manuscript that came complete with a high, six figure advance. Since its debut, the book has sold well, more than exceeding the advance in the process.
during the Watergate era Nixon masks were quite popular
And Don’t Forget About Those Presidential Masks
According to Halloween costume retailers, the popularity of presidential costume masks are another possible way of predicting U.S. presidents. This is particularly convenient method because Halloween happens to fall just a few days before election day. So all one has to do is go out on All Hallows Eve and do a manual survey to determine who the next POTUS will be.
One notable proponent of such a method of predicting presidents is Bill Mitchell, San Diego radio host and Trump supporter. According to Mitchell, costume mask sales have successfully going all the way back to 1992 when Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush. Furthermore, Mitchell, has gone on record for predicting a Trump victory in 2016, based solely on the popularity of mask sales.
P.S. Already Bernie has a popular iconic image that by 2020 may well surpass Donald J’s famous hairdo. Just check out the cover of Bernie Sanders’ Guide To Political Revolution and you will see what I am talking about.
Chances are if that you are like most Americans (including yours truly), you don’t drink enough water. Instead, you get your daily liquid requirement from other sources such as milk, soda, beer, tea, coffee or fruit juice just to name a few. Even if you live in a place like Flint, water is still important, though you may have to rely on bottled water for your daily intake.
A tree is pictured along with underground abstraction
Black and White
Black and white art mediums may some of the least understood method of making visual images. Hence, they are not used as often as color images, but still, in their own way, they can transmit a stark and powerful image.
Here’s a Star Wars Jedi Master pictured with Aayla Secura from the Clone Wars. The Jedi Master is very stylishly dressed, but he has to be careful. His female antagonist might take his head off.
This penguin is enjoying the Antarctic summertime very much.
Antarctica In the News
Recently, (yesterday to be exact), the mainstream media was having a field day saying that temperatures in the frozen Midwest were so cold, that even the southernmost continent was warmer than places like Fargo, ND and International Falls, MN. This little known fact is actually no big deal, especially if you take into account that the Antarctic is know experiencing summer. And true to its extreme southern location, summer only lasts for two months, (January and February), and daytime temperatures on the coast (that’s where all the scientists and penguins live) do break the freezing mark (32 degrees Fahrenheit) on a regular basis.
On the other hand, the interior Antarctic is a very cold place, where even in the bright, summer sunshine, temperatures may not rise above 50 below (Fahrenheit). By the way, January and February are the months of the year, when those gigantic icebergs are known to break free and begin their journey north. These hunks of ice are so big that it may take several years for one to completely melt, though so far the biggest threat is a rise in sea levels that can be measured in millimeters.
Are You a Flat Earther?
If you think that when it is winter in Duluth, MN it is also winter in Antarctica, then you may be a Flat Earther. For indeed, if the earth was a flat disk flying around the sun, all parts of the planet would experience the same seasonal changes at the same. But because the earth is a globe and a sphere, citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Chile and South Africa celebrate Christmas just as the summer season is beginning. If you don’t believe me, go to Argentina at the end of December and check out the weather for yourself.
The recent discovery of the Whirled Peas Galaxy has set the scientific community abuzz
Galaxy
By recent estimates, there are approximately 2 trillion galaxies in the visible universe. Still, it comes as no small wonder that one of these galaxies is actually made of whirled peas.
A hero is defined by kitchn.com in this manner: “this sandwich variation hails from New York City, and is seemingly the most versatile. It uses a range of different fillings that span beyond meat and cheese, and can be served warm or cold. “
Obviously, this NYC superhero enjoys his hero very much.
The Milky Way is often viewed as a symbol of soul travel
Heaven and Hell
Are we going to heaven and hell? Everybody what’s to know, but not necessarily in the first person. Maybe, that’s why there are so many different ideas and philosophies, as to what happens to someone when they die. Following is a wildly humorous and satirical account given by John Prine, who is now in his seventh decade on the planet.
Art from a Russian postage stamp depicts a couple and child traveling in space.
The Golden Age of Space Stories
Outer space has always inspired storytellers. One of the great side effects of the Space Race between the U.S.A and the Soviet Union was a great, creative output from science fiction writers. This literary bonanza even spilled over to television and cinema, when epic adventures like Star Trek and Star Wars captured the imaginations of many Americans.
A Novelty Song Becomes a Big Hit
Along with the movies and TV programs of the 60s (and later years) came the music that was related to outer space and space exploration. At first the songs acted as spoofs or satires. This is most evident in the song, entitled The One-horned, One-Eyed, Flying Purple People Eater, which was released and then performed by Sheb Wooley on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1958. Surprisingly, the off-the-wall song hit the top of the Billboard charts for many weeks. Besides its unparalleled popularity, it may also the been the protege for many like-minded tunes to come in the years that followed. Here is the original version.
A Collection Of Sci-Fi Stories
If you want to check out some other musical Sci-Fi stories from the following decades, check out this article on Spinditty.
Ernest Hemingway with marlin. Havana Harbor, Cuba. Photograph in the Ernest Hemingway Photograph Collection, John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library, Boston.
Hemingway and Cuba
Ernest Hemingway was still married to Pauline Pfeifer, when he discovered the exquisite charm of pre-revolutionary Cuba in 1930. After achieving remarkable success as a writer, Ernest Hemingway, along with his third wife, Martha Gelhorn purchased a chic little hideaway outside of Havana in a small town called San Francisco de Paula.. Here at Finca Vigia (Lookout Farm), Ernest could retreat from the world, but it was also a place where he could sit back and write. During the fifties, Papa Doc as he was often called did just that, when he penned one of this most memorable novels, Old Man and the Sea. All total, Hemingway resided on the island nation for nearly 30 years, writing Islands in the Stream, portions of For Whom the Bells Toll and the Moveable Feast (a Paris memoir), besides the above mentioned Old Man and the Sea.
Hemingway in Music
The colorful life of Ernest Hemingway has inspired many writers and at least a few talented musicians. Beginning with the Hemingway inspired musicians, my recent article on Spinditty takes a brief look at ten musicians who have been inspired the culturally rich Caribbean isle. This brief musical sojourn ends with several musicians, who have always lived in Cuba.
Despite the cheery seasonal facade at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. all is not well in the White House
Breakdown On the Potomac
To many citizens of this fair land, the current breakdown of a functional government in Washington may seem like a disaster unfolding. Unfortunately, this viewpoint may not be far off from what is going down in our nation’s capital. Things are not good right now and could possibly even get worse before they get better. Nonetheless, observers of the political scene should keep in mind that our nation and most specifically our government has been there before.
Winter in America
Back during the Watergate era, when the Vietnam War was still going strong, Gil Scott-Heron wrote this biting and inciting song about what was going down at the time (1974). The winter analogy worked well here because eventually, the war ended, Nixon did resign and things in Washington eventually returned to something resembling normal. Current observers of the political scene might do well to invoke the seasonal reference with a realization that a political Spring will arrive (sooner or later) and warmer weather will prevail (at least for a while).
Slipping Into Darkness
In many ways, our current resident of the White House seems to be slipping into darkness, much like his 1974 predecessor. However, there seems to be some things that much more disconcerting about our present situation than with happened back in 1974. Keep in mind these comments come from someone who was 22 years old when Nixon resigned, so I not completely reliant on news accounts for my perspective.
In essence what bothers me the most about our present predicament is the president’s callous disregard for any dissenting voice or argument.
Along with White Christmas’s come snowplows and travel headaches
So Many White Christmas’s
I presently reside in Salt Lake City, where according to the local media, this place at the edge of the Wasatch Mountains, has experienced 7 out of the last 8 Christmas’s with snow. Of all American cities, this Utah city, along with Spokane, Washington, ranks as one of the two top prospects for experiencing a White Christmas. Hooray…Hooray…Hooray everybody loves a White Christmas.
This Year’s Dilemma
On Christmas Eve 2018 (just a few days ago) the weather forecasters predicted snow for Christmas Day. Hooray!!! Another White Christmas. However, when I awoke on Christmas Day, it was drizzling not snowing. (Those weather people were wrong again). The light rain continued all day long and then after night arrived, a funny thing happened. The rain turned to snow and the snow continued all night long leaving us with a five inch snow cover for Boxing Day (December 26). Alas another White Christmas.
Is It Really a White Christmas?
My question is, can this really be considered a White Christmas, especially since the majority of the white stuff did not come down till after the midnight hour. As you can well see, this is a very important question, since Salt Lake City is running neck and neck with Spokane as the White Christmas capital of America. My guess is that since a measurable amount of snow (about one inch) did fall within the 24 hour period, it will officially be declared a White Christmas. Yet, there is still the valid argument that since only rain fell during Christmas daytime hours, this cannot considered a White Christmas.
White Christmas by the Drifters
Irving Berlin’s Left Out Verse
And while we’re on the topic of White Christmas, it might be fun to look out the opening verse that got left out of the most popular song ever, when Bing Crosby first recorded the sweet tune back in the 40s. Nothing earth shaking here just a nifty insight to what Mr. Berlin was thinking when he wrote the song.
The sun is shining, the grass is green,
The orange and palm trees sway.
There’s never been such a day
in Beverly Hills, L.A.
But it’s December the twenty-fourth,— And I am longing to be up North
Since King Wenceslas lived back in the tenth century, portraits of the popular saint vary widely.
A Duke Not A King
In real life King Wenceslas was actually a Duke, the Duke of Bohemia to be exact. Furthermore, he went by the name of Vaclav the Good. Only after his death at the hands of his brother, was the duke honored with the title of king. This privileged name was bestowed on the Duke by the Roman Emperor to honor the success that Wenceslas had had in spreading Christianity in pagan Central Europe.
Boxing Day and the Feast of Saint Stephen
In the song, the story of King Wenceslas helping a peasant takes place on the Feast of Saint Stephen, which occurs on the day after Christmas, December 26, also known as Boxing Day. Despite the antics of the four Irish Rovers, Boxing Day is a day of giving gifts (usually in boxes).
In some parts of Europe, decorative spiders and spider webs can be found on the Christmas tree, as a symbol of good luck. In essence, spiders have a lot of good things going for them. Unlike fleas, mosquitoes, ticks and mites, they don’t carry diseases and the death rate from their bites is vastly overrated, as a spider bite rarely causes death. On the other, the biggest killer in the animal kingdom may be the meager, six-legged bee.
So maybe it is time to appreciate the spider, especially since their webs trap large number of insects.
In Central and Eastern Europe, ornaments like this spider and web may be found hanging from a Christmas evergreen
Christmas is a great time for telling ghost stories and listening to whacked out Christmas music
Christmas Is a Great Time for Self-expression
Christmas only rolls around once a year and whether you just celebrate December 25th or all 12 days of Christmastide, this Christian holiday has a way of encompassing many types of free expression. Nowhere is this more evident than with the ridiculously large number Christmas tunes that are released at the end of each calendar year. Following are a few worth noting.
Remember the Twist
I think it was Chubby Checker that broke out with the twist, but hats off to Si Cranstoun for coming up with this spicy version. Chubby rarely had it so good.
Father Christmas
Charles Dickens really let loose on British Society, when he wrote the Christmas Carol. Though not as widely disseminated as Dickens classic, this Kinks story put to song is sure to raise a few eyebrows.
The Season’s Upon Us
Think you have a dysfunctional family. Then maybe you should check out this video by the Dropkick Murphys and all of a sudden your loved ones will seem quite normal and well-adjusted.
Christmas Lights by Coldplay
Do you live in a place, where it seldom snows at Christmas time? Then you might enjoy this contemporary song by Coldplay.
Christmas from Outer Space
What if the angel, Gabriel, was a space traveler from afar. Sounds farfetched but Chris de Burgh makes it sound possible in this very unusual, but beautifully rendered Christmas tale. Well worth the listen.
Must Be Santa
Bob Dylan has never been one to shy away from his appreciation of Christian beliefs. Despite his enormous monetary success, Dylan has frequently released Christmas-inspired songs, as the winter season approaches. This video, titled Must Be Santa, puts one of those tunes into the visual realm.
As of late I have decided to venture out into the wild world of e-publishing with a series of short stories and novellas. Listed below are a selection of published titles.
Acadian Rendezvous
Poor William” wants to know what happened to his good friend, Hans Umber. Hans used to work for William in New Orleans, but all of a sudden he left town in search of fame and riches. According to Poor William, Hans threw away a perfectly good career as a carpenter because he wanted to paint landscapes. Furthermore, a third person has come to New Orleans looking for Hans.
The e-book version is available here.
E-book Cover For Acadian Rendezvous
The Sinister Snowman
The Sinister Snowman is an eerie winter's tale that takes place in a small Ohio town during a snowy winter. The story begins in front of an old Victorian house, where a group of small children put together an unusual looking snowman. Soon thereafter, strange things start to happen in the neighborhood.
E-book cover for the Sinister Snowman
A Night of Yowling Dogs
In this outdoor adventure tale, two hikers venture into the Colorado backcountry, for a short walk to a place called Slatetop Mountain. For Lewis and Marisa, events do not pan out like they planned, as the daylight excursion turns into an unforgettable night.
E-book cover for Night of the Yowling Dogs
Free Parking
On a cold winter night a flock of dark avian creatures appears near the home of the main character. Are these birds simply trying to survive an unusually cold winter - or is there something more sinister at work?
Twas A Balmy October Eve In Old Londontown
In this short Halloween spoof Harold Infiniti and his officiating crew have the unenviable job of refereeing a basketball game on the night preceding Halloween. The rules say no witchcraft is allowed, thus making the task of the three refs a little bit more difficult. The situation is complicated by the fact the some of the players are Werewolves and Harold and his associates are Zombies.
I Am A Jelly Doughnut
This book consists of a series of travel essays from Europe. The title revolves around a speech made by JFK in 1963, but the the travelogues are a result of two journeys that the author made to the Continent during the first decade of this century.
