.... and always will.
Monday, May 28, 2018
Sunday, May 27, 2018
Saturday, May 26, 2018
At the Hop!
Brian Hyland
Brian Hyland is an American pop recording artist who was particularly successful during the early 1960s. He continued recording into the 1970s. Allmusic journalist Jason Ankeny says "Hyland's puppy-love pop virtually defined the sound and sensibility of bubblegum during the pre-Beatles era." Although his status as a teen idol faded, he went on to release several country-influenced albums and had additional chart hits later in his career.
yland was born in Woodhaven, Queens, New York City. He studied guitar and clarinet as a child, and sang in his church choir. When aged 14 he co-founded the harmony group the Delfis, which recorded a demo but failed to secure a recording contract. Hyland was eventually signed by Kapp Records as a solo artist, issuing his debut single, "Rosemary", in late 1959. The label employed the Brill Building songwriting duo of Lee Pockriss and Paul Vance to work with Hyland on the follow-up, "Four Little Heels (The Clickety Clack Song)", which was a minor hit, and the songwriting duo continued to work with Hyland.
Thus in August 1960, Hyland scored his first and biggest hit single at the age of 16, "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini", written by Vance and Pockriss. It was a novelty song that reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, (#8 in the UK) and sold almost a million copies in the first two months of its release, and over two million copies in total.
Hyland moved on to ABC-Paramount Records, where he began working with the songwriting and production team of Gary Geld and Peter Udell, and further hits followed with "Let Me Belong to You" and "I'll Never Stop Wanting You".
Hyland's other major hit during this period was 1962's "Sealed with a Kiss", which reached #3 in 1962 on both the American and UK Singles Chart.
It stayed on the US pop chart for eleven weeks. In 1975, "Sealed With a Kiss" was reissued as a single in the UK and became a surprise #7 hit (the song, revived by Australian Jason Donovan, charted #1 in the UK in 1989). Another 1962 hit was "Ginny Come Lately", which reached #21 on the U.S. chart and #5 in the UK. Hyland's 1962 Top 30 hit "Warmed-Over Kisses (Leftover Love)" incorporated elements of country music into his work, which continued with singles including "I May Not Live to See Tomorrow" and "I'm Afraid to Go Home" and on the 1964 album Country Meets Folk.
This approach was out of step with the changes brought about by British Invasion bands. Hyland's commercial success became limited, but he continued in that vein and had further hits with "The Joker Went Wild" and "Run, Run, Look and See", working with producer Snuff Garrett and session musicians including J. J. Cale and Leon Russell.
Hyland appeared on national television programs such as American Bandstand and The Jackie Gleason Show, and toured both internationally and around America with Dick Clark in the Caravan of Stars. The caravan was in Dallas, Texas on the day of the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963. To commemorate the event, Hyland wrote the song "Mail Order Gun", which he recorded and eventually released on his 1970 eponymous album.
From 1963 through 1969, Hyland scored several minor hits, but none reached higher than #20 ("The Joker Went Wild") on the U.S. pop chart. An album released in 1964 featured numbers that hearkened back to the 1950s including such hits as "Pledging My Love" and "Moments to Remember"—at a time when The Beatles were sweeping the pop music world with a very different style. Hyland afterward shifted into a phase of recording country music and folk rock styles. Songs such as "I'm Afraid To Go Home" and "Two Brothers" had an American Civil War theme. Hyland played harmonica on a few numbers.
Hyland attempted several departures from the norm, including the psychedelic single "Get the Message" (#91 on the U.S. pop chart), and "Holiday for Clowns" (#94), but despite their more contemporary arrangements, they failed to get much airplay. He went on to chart just two more Top 40 hits, "Gypsy Woman" written by Curtis Mayfield, and a cover of "Lonely Teardrops" in 1971. Hyland recorded them in 1970, and Del Shannon produced the tracks.
"Gypsy Woman" reached #3 on the 1970 U.S. pop chart, making it the second-biggest hit of his career, selling over one million copies, and being certified gold by the RIAA in January 1971. Two of his previous hits, "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini" and "Sealed with a Kiss" were also awarded gold discs.
By 1977 Hyland and his family had settled in New Orleans, and in 1979 the In a State of Bayou album, on which he had worked with Allen Toussaint, was issued by the Private Stock label.
While recording three duets (modern versions of his hits) with Dutch singer Albert West in 1988, Hyland performed on TV shows in Germany, Belgium and a Dutch TV special in Aruba.
Today, Hyland continues to tour internationally with his son Bodi, who assists on drums from time to time.
Brian Hyland is an American pop recording artist who was particularly successful during the early 1960s. He continued recording into the 1970s. Allmusic journalist Jason Ankeny says "Hyland's puppy-love pop virtually defined the sound and sensibility of bubblegum during the pre-Beatles era." Although his status as a teen idol faded, he went on to release several country-influenced albums and had additional chart hits later in his career.
yland was born in Woodhaven, Queens, New York City. He studied guitar and clarinet as a child, and sang in his church choir. When aged 14 he co-founded the harmony group the Delfis, which recorded a demo but failed to secure a recording contract. Hyland was eventually signed by Kapp Records as a solo artist, issuing his debut single, "Rosemary", in late 1959. The label employed the Brill Building songwriting duo of Lee Pockriss and Paul Vance to work with Hyland on the follow-up, "Four Little Heels (The Clickety Clack Song)", which was a minor hit, and the songwriting duo continued to work with Hyland.
Thus in August 1960, Hyland scored his first and biggest hit single at the age of 16, "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini", written by Vance and Pockriss. It was a novelty song that reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, (#8 in the UK) and sold almost a million copies in the first two months of its release, and over two million copies in total.
Hyland moved on to ABC-Paramount Records, where he began working with the songwriting and production team of Gary Geld and Peter Udell, and further hits followed with "Let Me Belong to You" and "I'll Never Stop Wanting You".
Hyland's other major hit during this period was 1962's "Sealed with a Kiss", which reached #3 in 1962 on both the American and UK Singles Chart.
It stayed on the US pop chart for eleven weeks. In 1975, "Sealed With a Kiss" was reissued as a single in the UK and became a surprise #7 hit (the song, revived by Australian Jason Donovan, charted #1 in the UK in 1989). Another 1962 hit was "Ginny Come Lately", which reached #21 on the U.S. chart and #5 in the UK. Hyland's 1962 Top 30 hit "Warmed-Over Kisses (Leftover Love)" incorporated elements of country music into his work, which continued with singles including "I May Not Live to See Tomorrow" and "I'm Afraid to Go Home" and on the 1964 album Country Meets Folk.
This approach was out of step with the changes brought about by British Invasion bands. Hyland's commercial success became limited, but he continued in that vein and had further hits with "The Joker Went Wild" and "Run, Run, Look and See", working with producer Snuff Garrett and session musicians including J. J. Cale and Leon Russell.
Hyland appeared on national television programs such as American Bandstand and The Jackie Gleason Show, and toured both internationally and around America with Dick Clark in the Caravan of Stars. The caravan was in Dallas, Texas on the day of the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963. To commemorate the event, Hyland wrote the song "Mail Order Gun", which he recorded and eventually released on his 1970 eponymous album.
From 1963 through 1969, Hyland scored several minor hits, but none reached higher than #20 ("The Joker Went Wild") on the U.S. pop chart. An album released in 1964 featured numbers that hearkened back to the 1950s including such hits as "Pledging My Love" and "Moments to Remember"—at a time when The Beatles were sweeping the pop music world with a very different style. Hyland afterward shifted into a phase of recording country music and folk rock styles. Songs such as "I'm Afraid To Go Home" and "Two Brothers" had an American Civil War theme. Hyland played harmonica on a few numbers.
Hyland attempted several departures from the norm, including the psychedelic single "Get the Message" (#91 on the U.S. pop chart), and "Holiday for Clowns" (#94), but despite their more contemporary arrangements, they failed to get much airplay. He went on to chart just two more Top 40 hits, "Gypsy Woman" written by Curtis Mayfield, and a cover of "Lonely Teardrops" in 1971. Hyland recorded them in 1970, and Del Shannon produced the tracks.
"Gypsy Woman" reached #3 on the 1970 U.S. pop chart, making it the second-biggest hit of his career, selling over one million copies, and being certified gold by the RIAA in January 1971. Two of his previous hits, "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini" and "Sealed with a Kiss" were also awarded gold discs.
By 1977 Hyland and his family had settled in New Orleans, and in 1979 the In a State of Bayou album, on which he had worked with Allen Toussaint, was issued by the Private Stock label.
While recording three duets (modern versions of his hits) with Dutch singer Albert West in 1988, Hyland performed on TV shows in Germany, Belgium and a Dutch TV special in Aruba.
Today, Hyland continues to tour internationally with his son Bodi, who assists on drums from time to time.
:o)
Monday, May 21, 2018
No rain!
Supposed to be dry for the next few days. (Unbelievable, I know)! Hubby and I have a lot of work to do around Coopville. We want to power wash the house, the back deck and the coop. We bought paint over the weekend and we need to get that done ASAP!
So if there are no posts for a few days - that's the reason. 'Hope to get it ALL done by Thursday.
Because Hubby deserves it! He works so hard around here!
:o)
Sunday, May 20, 2018
Saturday, May 19, 2018
Friday, May 18, 2018
Friday Night Steam
What a wonderful way to avoid traffic jams!!
There is a train track in the middle of a freeway in California, the Freeway is called Interstate 10 and the train is the Santa Fe 3751 Steam Train, built in 1927. After researching this topic is seems fairly common in America for putting rail lines in Highway medians, down middle of freeways or even down the main streets on a small town. But I still found it interesting as it looks so close to the cars on the Freeway.
Built in 1927 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works, 3751 was Baldwin's and the Santa Fe railway's first 4-8-4. It had a Santa Fe 5-chime freight whistle mounted on it. Tests showed that 3751 was 20% more efficient and powerful than Santa Fe's 4-8-2 3700 class steamer, which at the point was Santa Fe's most advanced steam locomotive. In 1936, the engine was converted to burn oil. Two years later, the locomotive was given a larger tender able to hold 20,000 gallons of water and 7,107 gallons of fuel oil. 3751 was also present at the grand opening of Union Station in Los Angeles on May 7, 1939 pulling the Scout, one of Santa Fe's crack passenger trains as it arrived from Chicago. It was the first steam locomotive to bring a passenger train into LAUPT. In 1941, along with other 4-8-4s, 3751 received major upgrades including: 80-inch drive wheels, a new frame, roller bearings all around, and more. That same year, it achieved its highest recorded speed at 103 mph. It continued to be a very reliable working locomotive until 1953, when it pulled the last regularly scheduled steam powered passenger train on the Santa Fe to run between Los Angeles and San Diego on August 25, this was its last run in revenue service. After that, it was stored at the Redondo Junction, California roundhouse in Los Angeles for four years before it was officially retired from the roster by the railroad in 1957, and in 1958 it was placed on display in San Bernardino.
Restoration
In 1981, the San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society was formed with intentions of restoring and operating 3751. Four years later, they achieved their goal when 3751 was sold to them with the condition that the SBRHS must restore and operate the locomotive. In 1986, 3751 was moved from its display to California Steel Industries, where it was restored at a cost of $1.5 million. In 1991, it operated for the first time in 38 years, running with two Santa Fe FP45s and 16 passenger cars on a four-day trip from Los Angeles to Bakersfield. Since then, it has been utilized for a large number of excursions and special trips as well as being on display at many events.
:o)
After days and days of....
.... rain and strong thunderstorms.......
....the sun popped for a wee bit and the gang wanted OUT!!
They were so happy to be able to do some digging and scratching:
Charlie guarding the deck:
Having a good time out front:
Lots and lots of mushrooms because of all the rain:
So pretty and delicate!
Time to get some painting projects done:
(I like the color red)
Strawberry, pepper and tomato plants:
Even Hubby was glad to be outside!
More rainy days predicted - will have hold off
on getting the deck power washed and painted.
:o)
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
New word for today: Crwth
What the heck is a Crwth????
Crwth
The
crwth, also called a crowd or rote, is a bowed lyre, a type of stringed
instrument, associated particularly with Welsh music and with medieval
folk music of England, now archaic but once widely played in Europe.
Four historical examples have survived and are to be found in St Fagans
National Museum of History, National Library of Wales, Warrington Museum
& Art Gallery, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Have YOU ever heard on before?
:o)
Odds 'n Ends
Just some current pics taken around Coopville and when Hubby took me for a ride:
Dogwood blossoms:
A wrinkled egg:
Rainbow after a thunderstorm:
An old oak leaf:
A huge moth o the screen door:
Mama and her new foal:
Swans on a nearby pond :
The king of Coopville:
And a pretty sunset:
:o)
Monday, May 14, 2018
Save that wire!
When it comes to metallic wire artworks, you’ll have a tough time finding a more talented artist than @tdaiki1216, a young Japanese art graduate who seems able to twist copper and brass wire into pretty much anything he sets his mind to, from sculptures that look like drawn manga, to slithering snakes and giant insects.
@tdaiki1216, whose real name is Tsutamoto Dawiki, first made headlines in Japan two years ago, when his incredibly detailed wire sculptures imitating manga drawings went viral on Twitter. Fixed into square wooden blocks and placed against a white background, his artworks looked exactly like manga comics, even though they were actually twisted pieces of wire.
Those were impressive enough, but @tdaiki1216 has stepped up his game even more over these last few years, and is now specializing in more complex wire sculptures, some of which are simply mind-blowing.
Tsutamoto Dawiki’s Twitter page is full of other incredible copper and brass wire sculpture, from giant moths and cicadas with their wings fully spread, to various beetles, dragonflies and even anime characters. Some of them are so complex that it’s hard to believe they are made entirely of metallic wire.
Talking with online magazine Irorio about how he started working with metallic wire, @tdaiki1216 said that it happened completely by accident. He was a member of a tennis club during junior high school, and one day he found a piece of wire on the tennis court. He started playing with it, and he hasn’t stopped playing with wire since.
:o)
Thelma
Poor Thelma had not been well for a few days. She was off her feed and had the runs. It was so bad Thursday that I had to bring here into the house and wash her. Here fluffy butt was just caked with poo. Most of of the feathers had to be cut off. I wrapped her in an old shirt and kept her in my lap until she was dry. Friday she was the same. I gave her extra special attention and some medicine and she stayed in my lap again and slept. I carried her to the coop and placed her in one of the nest boxes to rest.
Saturday morning I found her like this:
Thelma was a really sweet hen and only a year old. Sometimes it just happens for no reason that we can see. Its all part of having them around. At least I know she had a darn good life!
Don't know yet if I'll replace her ....
Saturday morning I found her like this:
Hubby taking her to be buried:
All covered up:
What is left of the gang. Charlie kept calling for her. He knew one of his girls was missing:
Thelma was a really sweet hen and only a year old. Sometimes it just happens for no reason that we can see. Its all part of having them around. At least I know she had a darn good life!
Don't know yet if I'll replace her ....
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Good afternoon!
Have been a wee bit under the weather. Doc said to get some bed rest and chill out!
Going to follow his advice for a change!
Will be back on Monday.
:o)
Monday, May 7, 2018
Stuff you never think about
Mexican Jumping Beans!!
They even have a website with lots of info!
http://www.jbean.com/pages/beancare.html
:o)
Sunday, May 6, 2018
Saturday, May 5, 2018
Friday, May 4, 2018
Friday Night Steam
A real beauty!!
The Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation (KSHCO) is excited to announce the campaign to bring former C&O steam locomotive #2716 back to life. Once refurbished, the engine will be one of the most powerful steam locomotives in the world and will be the only operating survivor of its kind. Our objective is to restore the locomotive to operation by the year 2020. You can help 2716's New Lease on Steam by volunteering, donating to the cause, or by simply spreading the word!
Our Social Media Outlets:
Visit the Official Website: www.2716.org
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/co2716 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/co2716/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/co2716
A special thanks to The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, Jim Herron - Herron Rail Video, Richard Clark, and Richard Boylan for allowing us to use their footage of 2716 and 2765 in this rollout video. Music was provided by AudioMicro, through a partnership with Fullscreen. The intro-sequence audio was inspired by Kaw Valley Film's "Passenger Trains in America." Purchase the legendary railroad documentary here, via Marshall Publishing's website: http://bit.ly/1Xhb9Je
Visit the Official Website: www.2716.org
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/co2716 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/co2716/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/co2716
A special thanks to The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, Jim Herron - Herron Rail Video, Richard Clark, and Richard Boylan for allowing us to use their footage of 2716 and 2765 in this rollout video. Music was provided by AudioMicro, through a partnership with Fullscreen. The intro-sequence audio was inspired by Kaw Valley Film's "Passenger Trains in America." Purchase the legendary railroad documentary here, via Marshall Publishing's website: http://bit.ly/1Xhb9Je
:o)
Sunny and.....
...... HOT for the past two days!
Wednesday's and Thursday's temps were up to 90 degrees!!! (I am NOT going to complain (yet)!
Wednesday's and Thursday's temps were up to 90 degrees!!! (I am NOT going to complain (yet)!
The gang gets a macaroni treat:
Charlie gets first dibs:
Old Maude didn't want any:
The rest of the gang did!
My new sunflower spinner:
Hubby put up a new solar light above the shed door:
Hot and humid weather brings cooling showers:
But it didn't last long....
:o)