April 11, 2012
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Who?

A long-eared owl was photographed in Sam Smith Park the other day. Check it out at Friends of Sam Smith Park. For those not from these parts, we have two major parks near Long Branch where I live. As you go east, Colonel Sam Smith Park (also the home of Humber College) marks the end of Long Branch and the beginning of New Toronto, at least for those of us who insist on maintaining that old school identity. To the west, Marie Curtis Park marks the end of Long Branch and the beginning of Mississauga (or Lake View if we’re going to stick to the old school names)

Sam Smith Park is a great place. Sometimes when we go walking through the park, or along the lake, we can hardly believe we’re fortunate enough to live a short walk from there.

April 10, 2012
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Duncan and Brady

While not as big a sub-genre in Americana as train songs, murder ballads are big just the same. Since I took an interest in folk music in my teens, I’ve been listening to songs about Stack-O-Lee and Franky and Johnny, Pretty Polly and Tom Dooley.  There are loads of them. On tonight’s Daily Dose, I’d like to explore a few takes on one of my favourites, Duncan and Brady.

Listen to the Johnson Mountain Boys…

Now here’s the wonderful Dave van Ronk

Leadbelly

Finally check out this “killer” version by the Salford Sheiks

April 10, 2012
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The Secret Life of Morels

Morilles

Morilles (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Spring is here, and intrepid morel hunters everywhere are watchful for those subtle special signs that those strange brain-like mushrooms known as morels are ready to put in their annual appearance.

Most people think that morels simply grow from the ground, and unless picked for the pan, spread their spores and decay back to the land. That’s what they want you to think. You see, morels have a special ability. When they see you coming for them, they pop back in the ground and hide their until you’re gone. Then, when the coast is clear, they pop back up again. I know this to be true. I’ve been at the right place at the right time many times without seeing so much as a single morel.

This is why to be a successful morel hunter, you need to develop a special technique to fool the little rascals. The trick is to never look directly at at morel. Instead, look the other way, and only take furtive glances with the edges of your peripheral vision to spot these tasty treats. Then quickly pounce, picking as many as possible before they get their bearings and disappear under the duff. Soon you too will be bringing home baskets of black and yellow morels.

 

 

April 9, 2012
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Bugs

The swarms of midges down by the lake here in Long Branch are spectacular this evening.  Those little black bugs are everywhere, and in certain spots, they get into your hair and your ears and your nose and your mouth, and they blow around dramatically in the wind.

April 8, 2012
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Rolling Thunder

For tonight’s Daily Dose, let’s go way back to the mid-70s and listen to Bob Dylan from the Rolling Thunder Review.

Here are Bob Dylan and Joan Baez singing Never Let me Go

If you remember Johnny Ace, that tune might be familiar to you..

Back to Rolling Thunder, here’s Romance in Durango, featuring Scarlett Rivera on violin.

and one more…here’s Bob Dylan and Joan Baez singing the Woody Guthrie tune, Deportee

 

April 8, 2012
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One Kiss

The Daily Dose today features the late Beau Jocque performing One Kiss in Austrailia. In the late 1980s Andrus Espre became Beau Jocque and put together his fantastic Zydeco band, The Hi Rollers. Sadly he died young in 1999, but he left us some really great music.