red beans and ricely yours...

This was a phrase Louis Armstrong signed his letters with. (Red Beans and Ricely yours, Louis) Red beans and rice are a staple of Cajun cooking and something I've come to embrace. I make soup on Monday's for a group of friends and this week it was a red bean soup, or more accurately just a red bean gravy. Well of course I made rice and they had the choice of a bowl of rice with or the rice in the soup. It was a soup with two types of red beans, chicken, hot links and a load of vegetables. It was well received, but for me it was even better the next day. This day old soup really WAS a red bean gravy. So with the ups and downs of election day I was soothed with some red beans and rice. With a few bowls left, I feel drawn to the kitchen right now. Once I get the request I might put up some recipes, although I am an improviser.
 

The Grateful Dudes at Vincenzo's 9-18-10

It was another great evening of music at Vincenzo's (Newhall on Lyons) last night. The Grateful Dudes performing as they have for almost twenty years on a regular basis. Rodger Phillips, the leader on banjo and vocal, the legendary Herb Pedersen on guitar and vocal,  Dennis Fetchet on fiddle, mandolin and vocal, and Dean Knight on bass and vocal( filling in for Bill Bryson). It was an interesting night, I got to hear Herb play banjo before they started, between sets Dennis, Herb and Dean singing and playing "God Only Knows". Dennis playing the main melody on mandolin was exceptional.. I could listen to Herb and Dennis play with that tune forever. Altogether three sets of great music, a wide variety of bluegrass, country and oldtime material. I hadn't heard "Moonshiner" in awhile. Herb featured on "Cora is gone", "The Old Home Place" "Back up and push" and his own "Old Train".  Always great to hear Dennis on "Jerusalem Ridge" and Rodger on "Flint Hill Special" and "Polka on the banjo". ("Rollin' in my sweet baby's arms" and many more) Dennis, a great fiddler, was on fire on mandolin tonight. He showed me a new back guard on his mandolin, which gives it better volume, less muting.  And for a finale Dennis and Dean did a novelty tune "Beep beep"(I believe) with Dennis on guitar.  Didn't get to hear "Wait a minute" tonight, but Ben and I still remember the night Herb told us the story behind that tune, but that's another chapter... keep pickin'. and keep comin' back... on Saturday nights...

cacti fleur

here are some of the above mentioned San Pedro cactus flowers at Casa Roberto.

Hi Dad in the Morning

Well, the first blog... I suppose I need to dedicate this to my father, Oz. As John Hartford might have said "Hi Dad in the morning". Just the other day I was driving east on Hwy 58 near Tehachipi and saw a train goin' through the mountains. Immediately I thought of my dad, that's part of my story how the trains remind me of my dad. And in fact I had the Ipod on and the song "Hi Dad in the morning" by John Hartford had played a bit earlier that morning. In a few minutes I'm goin' outside to take a few pics of my cactus flowers, a plethora if there ever was one. I grow these San Pedro cacti, started with one, now there seems to be a hundred of 'em, well almost. And quite possibly there could be a hundred flowers out there right now. Pictures to follow if I can do that. I'm sure dad would be proud of these, as he was a Tucson resident in his later years. Love you dad.