February 29, 2012
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Short Squat Mushrooms

I’m always interested in the variety of search terms people use that land them here on this blog. Today somebody got here after searching Russula brevipes. Now this is an interesting mushroom to me, and it’s interesting because it has a special relationship with another fungus.

Russula brevipes is a short squat white member of the Russula group. It is reputed to be edible but not very palatable. However, the R. brevipes, along with a similar looking mushroom called Lactarius piperatus, is one of two possible hosts to a parasitic ascomysete or cup fungus known as Hypomyces lactifluorum. This cup fungus attacks the R. brevipes and does a few interesting things. It turns them scarlet red, it distorts their shape, it makes them very firm in texture – but most importantly it makes them into a very tasty edible mushroom that we simply call the lobster. In fact, in summer in the forests in which I forage, I likely find and collect more lobsters than any other mushroom. They’re great fresh and they dehydrate well too. When cooked, lobsters retain their firmness, which I would describe as a delicate crunch.

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February 29, 2012
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A Lot of Cookies

Photo of Oreo cookies.

Image via Wikipedia

I heard on the radio today that today marks the 100th anniversary of the Oreo cookie.

I just want to say that I’m not against Oreo cookies, and if I happened to have a bag in the cupboard, I might just have a couple before dinner to celebrate.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any. I think I might have a scotch instead.

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February 28, 2012
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What is the most low-down saddest song you know?

My vote is for that tune Ramblin’ Jack Elliott just refers to as The Dog. Other people call it Old Shep.

This song was written in 1933 by Red Foley and Arthur Willis. It was recorded many times, including at least three times by Foley himself. Here’s Red Foley.

So what’s the saddest song you know?

February 26, 2012
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La Bamba

I was messing around with the La Bamba riff on my button accordion the other day, trying to get it right, and I thought this song would be excellent to feature on my Daily Dose series. La Bamba is a Mexican folk song, although most people associate it with the 1958 rock ‘n’ roll version by Richie Valens. It’s often the case when folk material has been adapted by pop stars, that people think the pop version is the original. Other examples are Sloop John B, adapted by the Beach Boys and House of the Rising Sun, adapted by The Animals. Bob Dylan must have been thinking of La Bamba when he came up with Like a Rolling Stone, don’t you think?. I guess this is a folk music process at work in a world where business consider songs to be commodities.

Let’s get the Ritchie Valens version out there first… It’s still such a catchy riff, isn’t it?

Here’s Like a Rolling Stone (humour me)

Los Machucambos…

Trini Lopez

And now for a spectacularly bad version to close out the post, here’s Ray Conniff and his Orchestra

February 24, 2012
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No snow, and I’m OK with that

Last night I heard serious storm warnings on the radio. I was going to awake to the biggest snow storm of the season, to many centimetres of snow on the ground. Instead, there was some light rain.

This morning I listened to a radio station that offered some serious storm watch coverage. In fact, that’s all they talked about, one special report after another. They must have sold sponsorship on the storm that never materialized. I’d like to report that here in Toronto by the lake there is exactly no snow on the  ground.

It won’t be many more sleeps until we’re out of February and it’s all uphill from there.

February 22, 2012
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How Big?

Somebody landed here at 27th Street after searching “how big is the largest Newfoundland dog?”.

The short answer is, “very big.”

Regular readers know that I have two Newfs, Memphis and Ellie Mae. That’s them up on my banner today. I get questions about their size just about every day, and I guess I should expect that since they are giants. Both my Newfoundlands are girls, and in their world, girls are smaller than boys.

Memphis turns three on the 27th of this month. She’s been holding steady at 128 pounds for close to a year, so I’d say she’s at her mature weight. Right now she’s in excellent shape. I’ve read that 120 is an average weight for a female. Memphis is quite a tall dog though, and I think that accounts for her being a bit heavier.

Ellie Mae was last weighed at 164. She’s a little heavy for her stature, and we’re trying to take off a few pounds. I would like to see her at around 150. It will help her mobility as she ages. Male Newfoundlands can get much bigger than females. We know a young male Newf who is not yet a year but is about the same size and weight as Memphis. At a year, Memphis was 108 pounds, so that gives you an idea of the difference.

 

 

February 21, 2012
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Fat Tuesday

Tuffy P picked me up at work tonight. In the car she said, are you making us pancakes tonight, it being pancake/shrove/fat Tuesday and all?

And I said….

My spy boy told your spy boy
Sittin’ on the bayou
My spy boy told your spy boy
I’m gonna set your tail on fire

Iko Iko, Iko Iko unday
Jockomo feeno a na nay
Jockomo feena nay

February 20, 2012
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Melodica Time

Joel of Inconsiderate Parking (with Melodica)

Image via Wikipedia

For today’s Daily Dose, let’s listen to some melodica. You may or may know be hip to this most interesting wind/keyboard instrument. Enjoy.

This first cut also features uke. Uke and melodica in one video. Now that’s excitement.

The Rinky Dink Panther

Here is Hermeto on melodica and Sivuca on accordion. Regulars to this blog will recall that I like these guys. They’re like the super-creative garden gnomes of Brazilian music.

I was going to finish off this post with perhaps some kind of jazz improv piece, but instead, here’s Love Me Do, just for fun.

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