Eric Shackle Column

By Eric Shackle

W.S. Gilbert, a world-class rhymester, claimed in an open letter to The Graphic in 1887:

'It has long been supposed that there is no rhyme to 'month.' There is a rhyme to it--not any lisping version of such words as 'once' 'dunce,' etc., but a legitimate word in everyday use... 'millionth' as the best rhyme to 'month,' and I have the authority of the greatest poets in the English language for treating it as a tri-syllable,
if I feel disposed to do so.'

One of our favorite rhymes is:
Shake, shake the ketchup bottle,
First none'll come, and then a lot'll.


No, the famous U.S. humorist Ogden Nash (1902-1971) was NOT the author of that immortal couplet, although many people claim he was. (He DID write Candy / is dandy / But liquor / is quicker.)


One website, noting that August 19 was the anniversary of Nash's birthday, gave this circumstantial but misleading account:

"One summer afternoon in 1930, he jotted down a little nonsense poem and sent it to The New Yorker. The magazine bought it, and asked for more. Nash moved to Baltimore and for the next 40 years made his living entirely off of poems like:
You shake and shake the ketchup bottle,
nothing comes, and then a lot'll.

According to Nash's grand-daughter, Frances R. Smith of Baltimore, Maryland (and she should know) what he actually wrote was:
The Catsup Bottle
First a little
Then a lottle (Catsup is another American word for ketchup. Brits and Aussies call it tomato sauce.)
Then, in 1949, another US humorist, Richard Willard Armour (1906-1989), seems to have gleefully seized on Nash's rhyme, and produced the couplet that many people enjoy reciting to this day.

Armour was a master of the comical one-liner. Here are three of his wisecracks:

• Middle age is the time of life / that a man first notices in his wife.
• It's all right to hold a conversation, but you should let go of it now and then.
• A rumor is one thing that gets thicker instead of thinner as it is spread.

Apart from lot'll, it's not difficult to find a suitable rhyme for bottle. We can think of throttle, wattle, dottle (a plug of tobacco remaining in a pipe after a smoke), glottal and mottle.


Ogden Nash found a rhyme for parsley by slightly changing the spelling of ghastly. He wrote Parsley / is gharstly.

Posted by Eric Shackle at 14:22

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Cooking with Rod

By Rod Cohenour

Rod’s Green Chile Stew

Rod Cohenour - Halloween 2015
    Brrrr! This time of Fall heading into Winter, my thoughts turn automatically to warm soups and wonderful, thick stews which stick to the ribs and warm the bones. Nothing in the world – in my opinion anyway – is more wonderful than a great Green Chile Stew made with my beloved Hatch green chiles, of course. This is one that I am proud to share and hope that everyone who sees it tries it. It is remarkably hearty, tasty and economical as well. It can be made very hot (i.e., Hatch especiale chiles) to mild, but satisfying (using Hatch Regular or Mild chiles). Any way you make it, it is sure to be a hit. Each dinner guest can customize their bowl with condiments and toppings such as sour cream, pepper jack cheese shreds, sweet cold crisp radish slices, cilantro, tostado chips dropped in the bowl or served alongside. Sweet creamery butter on hot flour tortillas are my favorite along with a few fresh leaves of cilantro for that extra fresh bite.

    One other neat aspect of this Treat (pardon me, I could not resist this as it is Halloween) is that you can use it in different ways. Not only is it a superb stew, but using just the basic chile-pork-broth mixture with just a bit of flour or corn meal slurry stirred in becomes a marvelous topping for blue corn tortilla enchiladas and even to spoon over homemade pork tamales or rice. This is a really versatile meal for your cooking repertoire.
    Bon appetit!
 
Ingredients:

• 24 oz. frozen containers of chopped roasted Hatch green chiles.
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes, including juice
• 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 lbs lean pork stew meat, cubed
• 4-5 Yukon Gold potatoes, chunked, skin on.
• 1 32 oz container chicken broth
• Chili powder
• Cumin
• Vegetable oil, to spray pot and prevent sticking.

Directions:
Spray pan, (I use electric skillet). Season pork cubes with cumin and Chile powder to taste. Brown pork lightly.
Add liquids, tomatoes, chiles to pan. Bring to boil, lower heat to simmer for about 20 minutes.
Add potatoes, cover, reduce heat to simmer. Simmer about 1-2 hours.

Wonderful side dishes to enhance flavors:
• Warm flour tortillas with butter as an optional side
• Crisp cold radish slices
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Pepper Jack or Cheddar cheese, shredded or grated
• Sour cream
• Crisp tostados
• Crackers
• Sliced green onions, bulb and green portions

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Irish Eyes

By Mattie Lennon

The Hills Above The Valley

    Some years ago I was producing a DVD, "Sunrise on the Wicklow Hills” and it was a struggle to get fourteen or fifteen Wicklow songs. It would appear that there was a dearth of songwriters in the Garden County. All that has changed. Wicklow singer/songwriter Barry Kinane has brought out an album,
“The Hills above the Valley.”

    All are Wicklow songs which, in the true ballad tradition, tell tales of love, hardship, tragedy, hope and humour.

• The Hills Above the Valley.
• Where Brook Waters Flow.
• Biddy Mulvey and the Landgrabber.
• Mrs O’s Delight.
• Mary.
• Cockahoof.
• The Ballyknockan Band.
• Ballinahown.
• A Stonecutter’s Journey.
• Madonna and Lion.

    All songs are composed and sung by Barry, who grew up in Ballyknockan is married with two children and lives in Carrigacurra, overlooking the beautiful Blessington Lakes. He has been a songwriter and composer of music most of his life and started playing in bands as a teenager.

    In the past decade he has released eight albums, five with critical acclaimed band Glyder, a solo album, a project album with "Maggie Simpson" and an album with The Whole Hog Band. His music has been played on BBC, RTE and their equivalent stations in Sweden, Germany and Norway as well as rock shows all over the world. A track was played on the legendary “Nights with Alice Cooper" show which was syndicated all over the world. While in Glyder he toured all over Europe and opened for international acts like Metallica, Slash, Thin Lizzy and many more. Glyder were a well-respected band in the rock scene in UK and Europe and the albums were released internationally on SPV (Steamhammer) for Europe and USA and JVC Victor for Asia. In 2010 I released a solo album, “A Lifetime to Kill" described as "folk prog" by Hot Press magazine. It featured Johnny Cash's bass player Dave Rorick as well as top Irish musicians Rob Strong and Pat McManus. It got favourable press and some airplay in Ireland on RTE and regional shows.

    He recently released a country and Bluegrass album, which he recorded and produced in his own studio with The Whole Hog Band album called "Ordinary Days". It features some of Ireland's finest bluegrass musicians. It received the award of best debut album at the Leinster Entertainment Awards.

Details from Barry at: bat.kinane@gmail.com

    Barry has been finalist in many song writing competitions and in 2014 won the prestigious Sean McCarthy Ballad Writing Competition in Listowel, Co. Kerry. He says, “ I have written in many styles ranging from rock, folk, country, metal, pop and soul.”

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Consider This

By LC Van Savage

Mrs. Olyphant's Frogs

   Mrs. Olyphant was probably one of the earliest hippies on record although the name had not yet been invented back then. She was tall, her hair thick, streaked dark blond and pulled back into a very long braid. She lived largely off the land high atop a tall hill, growing everything edible, and she wore long, flowing home-made clothing. She strummed her dulcimer at night while her husband who also had a very long braid, only his was grey, dozed in his chair near the fire.

   A good woman was Mrs. Olyphant who kept her own counsel. She hummed, sang or whistled tuneless tunes while she farmed her land. She loved all people and would share or give away anything she owned if a person expressed a need, and she was joyful.

   However, there was one part of Mrs. Olyphant’s existence that was off limits, totally forbidden and never shared; her collection of beloved frogs. She collected frogs from lakes and streams throughout the Northeast and then quartered them in a pond she’d dug and half-barrels she’d filled with water as well as a creek which bordered her property. Mrs. Olyphant loved newts and snails, turtles, caterpillars, most fish, snakes and worms too, but her frogs had the edge. She loved them with an unusual passion. She fed them exotic frog cuisine she sent away for, let them hibernate and procreate and she worshiped these amphibians that came from her far-reaching travels and were of every frog color and size.

   The good Mrs. Olyphant did not know that the young girl who lived a mile away also loved things that crept and slid, swam and slithered. Her name was Annie and she’d had her eye on Mrs. Olyphant’s frogs ever since she’d sneaked up the tall hill three years before and saw them all in the late spring, hearing them calling for mates, watching them leap, swim, dive and gleam. She loved them. Coveted them. Planned to steal them. But only when she could determine that the kindly Mrs. Olyphant was harvesting or planting things which would keep her away from the pond, creek and half-barrels.

   Young Annie crept up the tall hill carrying a blue plastic bucket and small net with which to snag and bring home her booty. She would care dearly for them, as had Mrs. Olyphant. Annie would feed, love and hold them and give them good lives in their new digs quickly after she’d scooped them up and oh so gently stuffed them in her pail and sped home on her waiting bike. In her mind she’d practiced often how to make the heist, being sure to not hurt the creatures. She’d fill that bucket and be back down the tall hill, onto her two wheeler and into her own back yard where she’d prepared a proper little pond with a few thriving lily pads she’d pinched from a neighbor’s small lake in the other direction.

   Gripping her bucket and net, Annie crept slowly toward the first half-barrel having staked it out a week before, knowing it was filled with beautiful frogs of an unusual color. She lowered her small net into the half-barrel. Suddenly Mrs. Olyphant burst from her highbush blueberries, saw Annie, and like an enraged mother tiger charged at the frightened girl. She stopped at the half barrel and began to run her hands through the murky water, turned and shouted “Annie, what have you done?”

   Annie stuttered, “Oh! Hello there, Mrs. Olyphant. Oh! Wait!! I hear my mother calling!” and she turned and ran fast down the tall hill toward her bike and raced away.

   “Mother indeed!” shouted Mrs. Olyphant. “You live a mile away Annie. Don’t you ever dare come back, not ever!”

   Annie skidded into her driveway and ran behind her home toward her own small frogless pond. She looked into her bucket and there saw 5 tiny amphibians shaky, wet, but unharmed. Looking over her shoulder to make sure Mrs. O. wasn’t hot on her trail, Annie tipped the frogs into her own pond where they lived and thrived and soon created thousands of beautiful, slippery descendants of Mrs. Olyphant’s cherished vertebrates, and Annie never regretted her caper.

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The Adventures of Ollie-Dare - Chapter 7

By Rebecca D. Morris

OLLIE-DARE Has A Thanksgiving

The cool days of Fall that had prepared the great Forest for Winter were slowly leaving. In their wake, cold northern air was creeping into the forest. Most of the animals had stored and prepared for the winter snows, and all was quiet within the forest walls. The days still gave way to some warm sunlight, and Ollie-Dare not wanting to venture in just yet, was taking an evening stroll along the river's edge. Winters were a lonelier time in the forest, for most of the creatures stayed snug and warm, and didn't go out and about. But Ollie-Dare knew that he would see his best friends out this evening, for like him, they lingered in the cold evening air. As he joined his best friends Jimmy the rabbit, Ace the coon, and Banjo the Fox, they began walking and reflecting on the days ahead. Now Jimmy wasn't one to let a little cold and snow stop him, but the other three would stay closed in for the next few months.

Ollie-Dare began telling his friends of something he had read. "It seems," he said, "that people celebrate a thing called Thanksgiving. Now I have read much about this and find it to be a interesting thing."

Ace asked, "And just what is a Thanksgiving, and why would anyone celebrate it?"

Ollie-Dare began to tell his friends of what he had read. "It seems that many years ago people came here from far away, and they settled. Now they came here to find new lives and adventures, and upon getting here found other people here. Now these people had been here throughout time, and they were called Indians. The trouble was that they spoke different words, and lived differently than the new people. The new people were afraid of the people they found, and the people here were afraid of the people that had come. But somehow, they did communicate, and soon the people of this land started showing the new people new things. They showed them how to plant corn, and other things. And the new people showed them how to do things like carrying things in wagons, and eating at a wooden table. The new people were called settlers, and the Indians showed the settlers how to hunt.

"Well," Ollie-Dare added, "the Indians hunted with something called bow and arrow, and the settlers hunted with something called a musket, which I have also learned is called a gun. Well, the settlers and the Indians got along pretty good up to this point. So one day, the settlers had a big feast and invited their new friends. And the Indians came and they brought a bird called a turkey to be cooked. Well, they all sat down and had a meal together, and gave thanks to their God for the bouniful harvest, and the land that they now shared, and they called that day Thanksgiving. And it is still celebrated to this day."

Banjo then asked, "And when is this day celebrated? And do they still celebrate the day together?"

Ollie-Dare answered, "Well, it's celebrated in this time of year right before the snows come, and I am not sure they celebrate it in the same way. It is a day of family gatherings, and food, and giving thanks."

"Ollie-Dare, why don't we have a Thanksgiving, for we have many friends and family here, and we have lots to be thankful for," asked Jimmy.

Ollie-Dare thought on this for a moment then with a smile he answered, "Jimmy, that is a wonderful idea. We shall have a Thanksgiving here at the forest, and we'll do it soon before the snows keep everybody in! Yes, indeed, the forest will have a Thanksgiving, and everyone is invited."

All four friends began speaking at once, excitement filling the air. For the forest was having a Thanksgiving! Plans were made and each of his friends went to tell others of what they had planned. Ollie-Dare headed to his cave to read some more on this event while they spread the word.

The next day, Ollie-Dare started off early in the morning to Beaver Joe's, and along with him he carried a book. Inside this book was a picture of a huge wooden table. Upon showing the book to Beaver Joe, Ollie-Dare asked Beaver Joe if he could fashion one for the Thanksgiving feast that was being planned. Beaver Joe kept the book and told Ollie-Dare that he was sure he could.

Ollie-Dare was so pleased with this, and once again carrying a list of measurements that Beaver Joe had given him, went to see Nibble the Squirrell. Here he asked if she could fashion a large cloth that would cover the big table. Nibble asured him she could with Bloosom the Possum's help. After also talking of food to be prepared, Ollie-Dare left to have some morning tea and think upon the coming event.

It was unusual for the forest to feel so active at this time of year, and Ollie-Dare was excited that the forest was going to celebrate Thanksgiving. On his way home all the forest creatures were stopping him and talking of the day. Each had wonderful plans for food and shared their views on how they could make it a great day! Ollie-Dare soon made his way into the cave, and after brewing fresh tea, sat and began to make notes on what needed to be done.

Soon the Great Forest Thanksgiving day arrived, and the forest came alive again with laughter and music. Beaver Joe had made a beautiful, long, wood table with benches, and Nibble's cloth to cover it with was the talk of the forest for days after. For it was delicate and colorful. It covered the table and made a grand sweep on the ends. Bloosom had brought a huge vase of dried flowers to set in the middle. Food covered the large table from end to end. Soups and cut vegatables, pies made from berries, cakes of honey and nuts. Fresh baked breads and corn glistened in the warmth of the sun. Cool winds could be felt, but everyone kept warm from the fire that Ace and Banjo kept going, and Jimmy passed around hot fresh tea. They all gathered around the table and Ollie-Dare gave prayer. As he began, all was quiet in the forest - even the wind seemed to still, to hear the words that Ollie-Dare spoke.

"Lord," he began, "we thank you for all that is gathered here today, for the plentiful food and drink. We thank you for the fire that keeps us warm, and the wood you have given us to tend it. Thank you for the cool water springs that give us drink, and the tall pines that shelter so many in the winter. We thank you for the warm earth where many live, and the caves that shelter us, also. We thank you for all the friends that are seated before you, and those that pass here from time to time. Most of all we thank you for your love. Amen."

Many amens could be heard as everyone started filling their bowls and plates with food. Laughter and talking filled the air, and for a time the cold days of Winter were once again put aside. Ollie-Dare watched as so many of his friends sat together and enjoyed such a sunny, Winter day. He felt so much pride, and his heart swelled with all the kindness shown, and the love that was so freely passed around. For surely they had so much to be thankful for, and silently he thanked those people that so long ago gave thanks, and in doing so, gave him this day to remember forever.

Ollie-Dare wishes everyone a Thankful Thanksgiving!

Next month the original Ollie-Dare:
"Ollie-Dare the Christmas Bear." ©2002 Rebecca Morris

Next month: Ollie-Dare, the Christmas Bear

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