Mama Mia ... That's Italian!!

Cookin' Italian today ~ penne pasta & Italian sausage, green salad, garlic toast ... and tiramisu. Good groceries.

The Be Good Tanyas - It's Not Happening

John Hartford ~ Steam Powered Aeroplane

Sunday Morning Gospel Hour

Mississippi John Hurt ~ Do Lord, Remember Me

Bubba The Baptist

Bubba the Baptist, who was livin' in a Roman Catholic neighborhood in N’Orleans, was driving his neighbors crazy during Lent. As y’all know, Catholics are not supposed to eat meat on Fridays during Lent. Every Friday Bubba would fire up his grill and grill him up a big hunka steak. The smell of dat steak grillin' would drive his neighbors up the wall. Well, they all got together and discussed the problem with their parish priest and it was decided to try to get Bubba to convert to Catholicism.

Well now, the priest and his neighbors all talked to Bubba and he was agreeable to become a convert to Catholicism. The priest got out his bottle of holy water and sprinkled some on Bubba and recited the words “Baptist you were born, Baptist you were raised but now Catholic you have now become.” He then put away the holy water and they all has 3 or 2 beers to celebrate.

The next Friday, there was the sweet scent of grillin' beef steak wafting over the neighborhood, coming from Bubba’s yard. The neighbors collected their priest and went over to talk to Bubba. They walked in on Bubba just as he was sprinklin' holy water on the steak and reciting “Cow you were born, cow you were raised but now catfish you have become.”

Taco Pizza & Mexican Calzone

Hot out the oven ~ made a fresh cornmeal dough ... will top the taco pizza with shredded lettuce, etc. Not bad vittles, considerin' it's just a bunch of recycled last night's leftovers. Slide show <---click

Beef Burrito Combo Platter

Mais ... I had my mouth all set to make a big pot of dat catfish courtbouillon yestiddy, and then I found out one my diners dat was comin' over fer supper din't like fish. So, ah switched oars in midstream & hauled off and made some Mexican food ~ shredded beef adobo burritos topped with shredded lettuce, sour cream and black olives ... sided up with some scratch pintos topped with dat good Tillamook cheddar, and some red Mexican rice. Was mighty-fine good grindin' on a cold, snowy night.

Mama Tried

"Johnny ... come in for lunch ... your boloney sandwich is ready." This is mom hangin' out the back porch door of the ol' farmhouse. Note the doghouse in the background ... my dog's name was Maggie.

This is a pic of mom and dad standing over the headwaters of the Mississippi River, at Itasca State Park in Minnesota, when we were on one of our family vacations. This is probably about 1966-67 ... I took this picture with our lil' Brownie box camera.

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The Mills Brothers ~ Cab Driver

Doc Watson ~ Black Mountain Rag

Hitler's Mad About TO

Doug Worgul On Kansas City BBQ

Snow In The Forecast...

Gunshot Wound

Aging Edna was a 83 year old woman who was particularly despondent over the recent death of her husband Buddy. She decided that she would just kill herself and join him in death.

Thinking that it would be best to get it over with quickly, she took out Buddy's old army pistol and made the decision to shoot herself in the heart since it was so badly broken in the first place.

Not wanting to miss the vital organ and become a vegetable and be a burden to someone, she called her doctor's office to inquire as to just exactly where the heart would be. "On a woman," the doctor said, "the heart would be just below the left breast."

Later that night, Edna was admitted to the hospital with a gunshot wound to her knee.

Kitchen Window Sunset

Colorful sunset as it came through my kitchen window.

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King Wilkie ~ Hey Old Man --->

Guy And Mae's Ribs

Here's a pic of a slab of spareribs from Guy & Mae's Tavern in Williamsburg, KS ~ they serve between 1,200 - 1,500 slabs of them a week, wrapped in foil with a couple slices of white bread ... on a newspaper. Very tender and great hickory flavor ~ sauce is always served on the side ~ homemade, thin & very piquant. Good stuff.

Guy And Mae's Tavern

This is a pic of Judy (one of Guy's daughters) & me ... standing behind the bar, with a picture of Guy behind us.

I went back into the kitchen, and here's a batch of their famous sauce that they had just made. One day's worth.

This is Steve (Guy's son-in-law, who is the pitmaster & runs the operation now) and me ... standing in front of the pit.

Took a trip to a bbq landmark recently ~ Guy & Mae's Tavern in Williamsburg, Kansas. I knew Guy pretty well, as he and Mae would come to my restautrant often for liver and onions and I was at his bbq joint equally as often for his famous ribs. Guy (as the story goes) got his start smoking ribs at his house, and selling them at the local truck stop to the truckers ... as his reputation grew, he opened this lil' tavern and began selling ribs & beer ... and the rest is history. Guy is gone now, but the business remains in the able hands of his extended family ... and the time-honored tradition of Guy & Mae's bbq continues.

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Commander Cody ~ Mama Hated Diesels

Anything I Catch

This Didn't Suck

Gameday snackins ~ smoked jalapeno sausage & pork tenderloin, sliced thin and tossed with a lil' bbq sauce ... over a block of soft cream cheese, garnished with homemade sweet watermelon rind pickles, cherries and jalapenos. Served with toasted pane turano bread fer schmearin' ~ odd, but oddly good eats.

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Jim Croce ~ I Have To Say I Love You In A Song

Sunday Morning Gospel Hour

The New Coon Creek Girls ~ How Great Thou Art

Fifty Bucks

Buddy and his wife Edna went to the state fair every year, and every year Buddy would say: "Edna, I'd like to ride in that helicopter"

Edna always replied: "I know Buddy, but that helicopter ride is fifty bucks, and fifty bucks is fifty bucks."

One year Buddy and Edna were at the fair, and Buddy said: "Edna, I'm 85 years old ... if I don't ride that helicopter this year, I might never get another chance"

To this, Edna replied: "Buddy that helicopter ride is fifty bucks, and fifty bucks is fifty bucks."

The pilot overheard the couple and said: "Folks I'll make you a deal. I'll take the both of you for a ride. If you can stay quiet for the entire ride and don't say a word I won't charge you a penny! But if you say one word it's fifty dollars."

Buddy and Edna agreed and up they went.

The pilot did all kinds of fancy maneuvers, but not a word was heard. He did his daredevil tricks over and over again, but still not a word. When they landed, the pilot turned to Buddy and said: "By golly, I did everything I could to get you to yell out, but you didn't. I'm impressed!"

Buddy replied: "Well, to tell you the truth, I almost said something when Edna fell out, but you know ... "fifty bucks is fifty bucks!"

Way Gone Fishing, Daddio

This is the first walleye I ever caught ~ family vacation in northern Minnesota, and this guy (Nick) was camped next to us & took me out fishing on his boat with him. I had never seen a walleye before. Dig my crazy Buddy Holly look, huh? I bleeve this was around 1966 ... so I would been about 15 years old. BTW, that walleye I'm holding weighed 32 pounds! Tru dat.

This is another pic of me, taken while on another family vacation ... think this is about 1965 on a trip to the Badlands. I would have been 14 years old in this pic. We took these family vacations about 4-5 years runnin' ~ every summer my Dad would rent one of these campers and put it on the back his pickup truck, load up the family, about 50# of boloney and pork & beans ... and away we would go. I can recall trips to the Ozarks, upper Minnesota/Great Lakes, the Badlands, Cheyenne, the Colorado Rockies, the Grand Canyon, etc. When I turned 16 I opted out of the family vacations, and began spending my summers with a custom combine crew, traveling from Texas to North Dakota harvesting wheat.

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Buddy Holly ~ Peggy Sue

Open-Faced Reuben Melt

Homemade tri-tip corned beef, Emmenthaler and Baby Swiss cheeses, Pumpernickle rye, Bavarian kraut and a lil' Russian dressing. Slide show <---click

Sign Spotted In North Dakota

Wave dat wheat, baybee!!!

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It's A Beautiful Day ~ White Bird

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Hot out the oven ... smells yummy. Thought I had an original idea making this spin on the traditional pineapple upside down cake ~ even thought my *original name* was clever ... but alas while it was in the oven baking, I googled it & discovered it had already been done. Drats! Oh well ... got vanilla ice cream??

The Figs ~ Muleskinner Blues

Best Corned Beef Ever

OK, once in a while I do something right ... and this was one of those times. This is a choice grade beef tri-tip that I brined-cured for 5 days, then braised with cabbage, potatoes, onions & carrots and topped with a lil' homemade horseradish cream sauce. Best corned beef I ever ate. Reubens today, Oh Boy!

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Carl Rutherford ~ Little Annie

Suite: Judy Blue Eyes

Homemade Smoked Venison/Pork Fattie with Homemade Mustard

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Crosby, Stills & Nash ~ Helplessly Hoping

The Irish Barroom Mouse

Some Guinness was spilled on the barroom floor
When the pub was shut for the night
Out of his hole crept a wee brown mouse
And stood in the pale moonlight
He lapped up the frothy brew from the floor
Then back on his haunches he sat
And all night long you could hear him roar:
'Bring on the goddam cat'

Picky Ricky & The Chieftains ~ Cindy

I Feel Like A New Daddy

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Blood Sweat & Tears ~ God Bless The Child

Texas Hill Country Hot Links

Homemade jalapeno sausage coil, and a few homemade chorizo links ~ part of yesterday's mixed grill smoke session. Smoked on my WSM, direct over the coals & wood chunks (apple and maple) using no heat sink. Good results. Here's a few more pics <---click

Fire In The Hole!

A couple quick breakfast burritos, before firing up a pre-dawn smoker this chilly Sunday morning ~ mixed grill today ... whole pork tenderloin, whole turkey tenderloin, a homemade venison/pork fattie, a coil of homemade Texas hot jalapeno sausage, some big links of homemade chorizo and some chicken thighs. Gonna use a mix of maple and applewood today.

Sunday Morning Gospel Hour

Ginny Hawker & Tim O'Brien ~ I'll Not Be A Stranger

I'll not be a stranger when I get to that city
I'm acquainted with folks over there
There'll be friends there to greet me
There'll be loved ones to meet me
At the gates of that city four square

CHORUS

Through the years, through the tears
They've gone one by one
But they'll wait at the gate
Until my race is run
I'll not be a stranger when I get to that city
I'm acquainted with folks over there

I'll not be a stranger when I get to that city
I've a home on the streets paved with gold
I'll feel right at home there
In that beautiful somewhere
With the loved ones whose memory I hold

CHORUS

I'll not be a stranger when I get to that city
There'll be no lonely days over there
There'll be no stormy weather
But a great time together
On the streets of that city four square

PoBoy's Pasta Salad

Well, I was bored with basketball & had to cook something ~ quick pantry & fridge scan didn't turn up much 'cept a bag of some kinda squiggly pasta, a few olives, a half of a carrot, couple scallions and a lil' pepperoni and a couple slices of provolone ... lil' wine vinegar and some olive oil, voila ~ supper.

Ground Control To Major Tom

So, I'm watchin' dat natgeo channel (or mebbe it was dat discovery channel) anyways, they was tawkin' about how, in about mebbe 5 BILLION years from now, the sun's gravitational pull was gonna pull the earth right smack dab into it. Finito. End of earth.

However, one them bright scientist fellows said we had the capability to send a rocketship clear out to the edge of the universe and put some kinda thrusters on a big@ssed asteroid ... and push dat big asteroid back here and set it to orbiting around the earth ... and gradually, over a period of mebbe some 300,000 years, dat big asteroid orbiting the earth would alter the earth's gravitational pull and set it into a different orbit around the sun ... thereby keeping us from smashing into the sun.

Well, dat's all well and good ... but I'm a simple man, and my question is: why don't we just put dem thrusters on the earth & alter our own damn orbit? huhhh????

Take your protein pills and put your helmet on <---click

Fishing With Dad

This is me (on the right) and my fishin' buddy, Lloyd Linderman, on a lil' fishing trip Dad took us on ~ over to Lake Wabaunsee in the Flint Hills near Eskridge, KS. ~ fishing for carp down below the spillway. Circa 1963-64

This is my Dad ~ holdin' up a lunker!!

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Alan Jackson ~ I Still Like Bologna

There's satellite communications
Long distance internet relations
The world's a little faster every day
I know it's all well and good
And I don't embrace it like I should
But I wouldn't wanna go backwards even if I could

[Chorus:]
But I still like bologna on white bread now and then
And the sound of a whippoorwill down a country road
The grass between my toes and that sunset sinking low
And a good woman's love to hold me close

I like my 50 inch HD plasma
Feels like they just reach out and grab you
500 channels at my command
I finally gave in and got a cell phone
That I hardly ever seem to turn on
I guess I never had that much to say

(Chorus)

I got a laptop that sits on a desk
I don't use it much except to check
On some ole car from yesterday
I kinda like that music thang
You just download 'em and you can save about
Every song that's ever been made

(Chorus)

Well I guess what I've been trying to say
This digital world is okay
It makes life better in a lot of ways
But it can't make the smell of spring
Or sunshine or lots of little things
We take for granted every day

(Chorus)

Yeah, bologna, a woman's love and a good cell phone...

New York Sloppy Joe

I learned to make this sandwich years ago, from a friend of mine who owned a delicatessen ~ honey ham, cool creamy homemade cole slaw, baby swiss cheese and kicked-up Russian dressing on seeded Jewish Rye. Killer.

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Dave Van Ronk ~ Statesboro Blues

Where's The Beef?

Mais, I'm a simple man ... gimme some smoked beef brisket on a nice soft spud bun, with sweet onions, some dat good Silver Springs horseradish & a few fried 'taters ... and I'm a happy camper.

Skaggs, Crowe & Rice ~ Sin City

Bacon Horseradish Dip

Just made a lil' sumpthin' for tater chip dippin' during tomorrow's Jayhawk/B12 Tourney game. Cream cheese, sour cream, lotsa dat good Silver Springs horseradish, chopped bacon, green onions, salt & white pepper. Should make a cold beer taste real good.

Hot Out The Oven

Had me a sweet tooth, and a quick pantry scan turned up some oatmeal and a half jar of chunky peanut butter ... badda boom ... peanut butter/oatmeal cookies. Got milk?

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Long John Baldry ~ Midnight Special

Tony & Norman ~ New River Train

Standing On The Rock....

....Waitin' for my seeds to grow. Friend of mine sent me some veggie & herb seeds from Pinetree Garden Seeds, so I hauled off today & planted some the lil' buggers ~ lemon drop peppers, red marconi peppers, sweet million cherry tomatoes, celebrity tomatoes, couple kinds of basil, etc. I even went down to the local nursery this morning & bought some dat high-fallutin' seed starting soil ~ you got any idea how wrong it seems to this ol' cosmic plowboy to be BUYING dirt? Huhhh???

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Ozark Mountain Daredevils ~ Standing On The Rock

Back Before Country Was "Cool"

Hazel Dickens ~ Working Girl Blues

Hey, hey, hey, I got the early Monday morning workin’ blues
I put on my ragged, worn-out workin’ shoes
Well, the weekend was too short and I can’t lose
When the Lord made the workin’ girl, He made the blues

CHORUS

Well, I’m tired of workin’ my life away
And givin’ somebody else all of my pay
While they get rich on the profits that I lose
And leavin’ me here with those workin’ girl blues

I-dee-o-lady, workin’ girl blues
And I can’t even afford a new pair of shoes
While they can live in any old penthouse they choose
And all that I’ve got is the workin’ girl blues

Well, the boss says a raise is due most any day
But I wonder will my hair be all turned gray
Before he turns that dollar loose and I get my due
And lose a little bit of these workin’ girl blues

~~Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard