musical notes

Further to Lorne's notes -- and because my excerpts were too long to fit on a notes section of the blog:

Probably both those songs caught Dad's attention as popular recordings of pieces that were easy to learn when he first learned to play guitar. Pete Seeger recorded a version of Jimmy Crack Corn that was probably in the mainstream radio playlist in the late 50's, and the same is true of a recording of Big Rock Candy Mountain by Burl Ives, whom I know Dad liked.

From Wikipedia, see further quite interesting info re:

"Big Rock Candy Mountain"

"Blue Tail Fly", "De Blue Tail Fly", or "Jimmy Crack Corn"

Flu Update part II

David is back at work, but it's Natalie's turn now.

time for a song!

Looks like dave should be singing the song Lorne and Simon did in the summer!
Hope you're getting better every hour!
hugs from the farm
where we're as healthy as we can be
k

cigarette trees

Don't know how it came up today but I had the tune Jimmy Crack Corn in my head. the wonder of frostwire and youtube brought back the whole song along with 'big rock candy mountain'.

I probably haven't heard those in like 40 + years (ok, the jimmy crack corn one was a candy corn commercial in the 70's or 80's but that doesn't count). I remember Dad singing those and playing guitar for us.

did you guys know what they are about? One is a slave tune about his master being killed and the court not charging him with murder and the other is about depression era hobo/bums dreaming of cigarettes, cooked food and all the booze they could drink at their disposal. I wondered where dad picked it up from. Ann said that grandpa played guitar. I wonder if he played it for them when they were kids.

Odd little bits still rattling around from those days.

Flu update

The vaccines are working! Dave feels much better this morning, although weak.

And, for the record, he says that this flu feels just like the one four years ago -- the one that had him quarantined in the basement for ten days.

H1N1 in Calgary

Despite standing in line for four hours last Friday for the flu vaccine, Dave has come down with the flu. We've been told that all the flu in Calgary right now is swine flu, so he's got it. He's quarantined in the guest room and the kids wave at him from the door. The only thing we can hope at this point is that his immune system has a one-week head start fighting this thing. So far it is not as bad as the flu that he got five years ago, but it's only been less than 24 hours.

A NEW WORLD RECORD!...attempt

ok, better late than never.

Here's the pictures from the June 6th world record attempt for the most people playing the same song at the same time. At Dundas Square, song was Helpless (Neil Young).

It was a fun afternoon even though we were only 1700 and change, about 100 short of a new record.

many faces of fiona

Here are some recent pix and the great news that came home from school today!

before the squirrels

Here's the pumpkins before the squirrels got to eating them completely!

Ready to cut

Look what I found!

Scarey OOOoooo!

And a kiss for Mike

Halloween in the Hood

And here they are...

Pirate Chloe and Simon in his Home made (mostly mom and Grandma) Buzz Lightyear costume. It was a big hit

Arrrrr!

Ready to go

Trick or treat, thank you, happy halloween, good bye...'I said all the things and look! CANDY CANDY CANDY!"

The ill booten gotty.