I worked in the garden most of today. Our house-guest Toni helped out and made a new little garden for us in the front. I planted and weeded and worked on extending a mulch path. I’ll snap some photos tomorrow. I’d say it’s coming along well.
Meanwhile, not that I’ve stopped for the day, I realize I’m sore and tired.
I’ve known this Guy Clark tune for years, but just stumbled across this particular performance of it on the YouTube. Great lyrics!
Here’s Mr. Clark again with Verlon Thompson
The Guitar – some excellent picking on this tune!
And one more – Dublin Blues
Our friend Toni is visiting from England! She and Tuffy P took off this morning towards Rice Lake, where they attended the 18th Annual Traditional Powwow hosted by the Hiawatha First Nation. The Powwow is happening today and Sunday at the Lakeview Ceremonial Grounds, Hiawatha First Nation.
Host Drum: Big Train
Invited Drum: Smoke Trail
EMCEE: Bob Goulais
Lead Dancers: Paul Coppaway and Bonnie Mason
Tuffy P and Toni had a great time.
I was teaching this morning, so I missed the Roselands Horticultural Society’s annual plant sale, but Tuffy P and our friend Toni went and brought home all kinds of excellent plants. The photo shows Toni along with another friend, Keith, who was helping out with the sale.
Reg Hill was best known as the fiddler for Mac Beattie’s group, the Ottawa Valley Melodiers. He enjoyed many television and radio appearances including a number of appearances on Don Messer’s Jubilee.
Here’s the Buck Fever Rag
Traffic jams on highways going north from Toronto started before noon yesterday. When I took the dogs to the dog park at the usual time, 6:00 yesterday afternoon, instead of finding the usual 8 or 10 dogs, there were none. Yesterday, only half the normal number of visitors showed up at this blog.
This is, after all, the May “two-four” long weekend (even if the 24th isn’t involved) and the weather forecast can be summed up as splendid.
There are a small number of people who didn’t leave Toronto for the weekend. We have the city all to ourselves.
Canada has had some really fantastic fiddle players over the years, and more and more I’ve come to appreciate how special that music is. For tonight’s Daily Dose, I’d like to feature a really great fiddler, Graham Townsend. Here he is demonstrating Canadian fiddle styles.
This next clip features Mr. Townsend on Don Messer’s Jubilee at just 17 along with some fantastic interview footage. This is really great material. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Finally, here’s a medley of hornpipes.
I could listen to this music all day.
I’ve been enjoying salads all week made with greens picked from my little veggie garden out back. Right now it’s mesclun mix and baby spinach, and today some scallions too. There is something unspeakably delightful about fresh greens from the garden. As we enjoy the mesclun, the spinach will come into its own, and then there will be lettuce. Herbs are in. Tomatoes are in. Swiss chard is coming along fine. There is one zucchini plant. Later, there will be shallots. Perfect.
I thought a gardening song would be appropriate here, so here is Guy Clark performing Homegrown Tomatoes…
Or how about The Garden Song by Arlo Guthrie?
27th Street 