Blues Gals: Bessie Smith

Nicknamed "The Empress of the Blues," Bessie Smith was born in 1894 (some say 1892) and formed her own act by 1913. She was signed by Columbia Records in 1923. Though she died in 1937, she had several recordings inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame recently, including one of my favorites, "St. Louis Blues," which features Louis Armstrong as well.

Give a listen to St. Louis Blues here:

Gospel Gals: Mavis Staples

Mavis Staples began singing with the legendary Staple Singers, her family's band, in 1950. Her career has spanned six plus decades, and continues to go strong to this day. Go, Mavis, go! (More iPad art)

Gospel Gals: Mahalia Jackson

"The Queen of Gospel," Mahalia Jackson was possessed of a powerful contralto and influenced untold numbers of gospel and r&b singers. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "A voice like this one comes not once in a century, but once in a millennium." True. True. (More iPad art)

Gospel Gals: Sister Rosetta Tharpe

The "Original Soul Sister," Sister Rosetta Tharpe definitely tore it up on both vocals AND guitar. Check out her windmill moves before you think Pete Townshend invented it. More iPad art fun.

Blues Gals: Koko Taylor

More iPad fun. Known as "Queen of the Blues," Koko Taylor's powerful vocal style is unmistakable. Chicago blues at its finest. She was born Cora Walton, so, we share a name. I couldn't be happier!

Pop Pop: My Great Grandfather

A tribute to my Great Grandfather, Melvin E. Cole, on my Mother's side of the family. He had a really hard life and was a small, wiry, gruff man who smoked unfiltered Camels and Lucky Strikes. He grew beautiful flowers and took great pride in them. He also kept finches. We didn't understand his gruffness, as kids, but now I have an appreciation for his life and what he went through.

Blues Gals: Big Maybelle

Mabel Louise Smith, better known as Big Maybelle, was a singer and pianist. If you've never heard Big Maybelle, well, you've never had a good time! Give a listen to "Pretty Good Love" and you won't be disappointed. More iPad experimentation.

Blues Gals: Big Mama Thornton

More in a series of iPad experiments, here is my tribute to Big Mama Thornton, the ORIGINAL "Hound Dog" and pioneer of the blues.

Dream Big! Part II

Another in a series of iPad drawings. Impossible optimism!

Dream Big!

Another in a series of iPad art sketchbook pieces. My glass is half full. Always. Sorry if yours is not!

Pitchin' A Wang Dang Doodle!

How I'm spending some significant summer evenings lately, pitchin' a wang dang doodle (my version) on the iPad! Ahhh, summer! It is the good life. With apologies and props to my muse for this piece, Miss Koko Taylor.

Ticks. I Still Hate 'Em.

Ticks. One of God's most loathsome creatures. Well, lampreys are also loathsome, but they don't live in my back yard and attach themselves to me with any regularity. So, ticks win. Here is a handy field guide to help you identify them.

Woman's Best Friend

Our little dog, Roosevelt, is our heart's delight. What a good dog! Chihuahua's rule.

The Fate of Honeybees

Another image reflecting my ongoing concern with Colony Collapse Disorder and the fate of honeybees. They're so important. We should pay attention!

Summer Triumvirate

Summer is here! Celebrate. It's the simple things, folks.

Anatole Deibler! The Book!

Anatole Deibler by Cora Lynn Deibler | Make Your Own Book

If you've liked the story of Anatole Deibler in these blog pages, try the book! You can order this book in either hard or soft cover, and love it forever in the privacy of your own home.

Heading to Florida This Week...

As we're heading to Florida this week to close up Patti's mom's house, this sketch stood out to me. It is, indeed, the land of big, white cars and cataract sunglasses. We'll all be there soon enough.

From the Archives...

In going through some past sketchbooks I've decided to blog a few particularly good pages. Hope you enjoy them... This one reflects my love for cigars. Or, at least, doing something with the bands afterwards.

Passover Deliciousness

If you're looking for that perfect Passover dessert, look no further. Here it is! Matzoh CRACK! 'Cause you can't stop eating it. It's simple to make and will satisfy your sweet tooth, without a leavening agent. Make some and enjoy! Thank you to Patti Argoff for this recipe.

What You'll Need:

4 to 5 pieces of matzo

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 cup  unsalted butter (I used salted)

1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Chopped nuts as a toppings, if desired

How To Make It:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and/or parchment paper.

Place the matzo in one layer on a greased baking sheet, breaking it when necessary to fill the pan completely.  Set aside.

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once the mixture reaches a boil, continue to cook for an additional three minutes, still stirring, until thickened and just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and pour over the matzo, spreading an even layer with a heat-proof spatula.

Put the pan in the oven, then immediately turn the heat down to 350 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes, watching to make sure it doesn't burn. If it looks like it is starting to burn, turn heat down to 325. (While it is cooking, resist all urges to scrape the pan with extra pieces of matzo. You will burn yourself. Trust us.)

After 15 minutes, the toffee should have bubbled up and turned a rich golden brown. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate over the pan. Let sit for five minutes, then spread the now-melted chocolate evenly with a spatula. 

More Chickens- Raise Some!

In the spirit of Easter... chicks! If you're considering having chicks this spring, consider rare breeds. They need your support. Reliable purveyors of rare breed chicks are the Marti Poultry Farm in Windsor, Missouri, and the Murray McMurray Hatchery. Don't be afraid to have backyard chickens!

A Little Chicken Love

A special post for my brother, Eric Deibler, who is considering having a flock of chickens. He is thinking about Buff Orpingtons, a heritage breed. "What's a heritage breed" you ask! Sometimes called "rare breeds" or even "antique breeds," these are agricultural animals that are so low in numbers they are considered endangered. They're genetically important, so raise some! A great resource for learning is the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy out of Pittsboro, North Carolina. Visit their website!

This beautiful rooster posed pretty well! Painted on site at Kelmscott Farm in Lincolnville, Maine, a haven for rare agricultural breeds.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...

Sometimes it's the simple things, like a USB port multipllier, that make life worth living. Another image created on the iPad using Sketchbook Pro.