The Coffee Shop – Continuing the art and tradition of eagle hunting (video)

Posted on July 12, 2016 by Joy of Fishes

The Coffee Shop is an open thread-style discussion forum for human interest news of the day.

From Cale Glendening:

Konki and his family live near Deluun Village, in the Altai Mountains of Western Mongolia, where the last six generations of his bloodline have continued the art and tradition of eagle hunting.

At the age of 29, Konki has spent 21 of his years herding animals as a way to support his family. After the tragic loss of his father two years ago, Konki felt a call to his father’s passion of eagle hunting. This changed the course of his life, allowing him to connect not only with family he’s lost, but the one he still has.

His cousin Onei is teaching him as they travel across the vast, sprawling tundra and majestic mountains of their homeland. He also plans to pass down what he learns to his four-year-old son, Berdibek, who has already taken an interest in the eagles. Konki’s new path ensures the continuation of this tradition for both his family and the heritage of his culture.

There are few things more beautiful than discovering who you were meant to be by honoring where you’ve come from.

Coffee cup

This is an Open Thread. Grab your cup, pull up a chair, sit a spell and share what’s on your mind today.

Posted in Short Video | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Top of the Charts – July 11, 1964

Posted on July 11, 2016 by wordcloud9

“I Get Around”  by The Beach Boys, from their All Summer Long album

The Beach Boys 1964

Continue reading →

Posted in Rock and Roll | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

ON THIS DAY: July 11, 2016

Posted on July 11, 2016 by wordcloud9

July 11th is:

 World Population Day

World Population Day

Bowdler’s Day (see below)

Cheer up the Lonely Day

All American Pet Photo Day

NATIONAL HOLIDAYS ALL AROUND THE WORLD

international Flags hortizontal

Belgium – Celebration of the Golden Spurs

Canada – Orangemen’s Day

China – Maritime Day

Kiribati – Independence Day

Mongolia – Naadam/Revolution Day

On This Day in HISTORY

1274 – Scottish King Robert the Bruce is born

1302 –Battle of the Golden Spurs: A Flemish coalition beats France’s Royal Army

1405 – Chinese fleet commanded by Zheng He sets sail to explore the world

1533 – Pope Clement VII excommunicates England’s King Henry VIII

Who  was Thomas Bowdler?  Find out by clicking  Continue reading →

Posted in History, Holidays, On This Day | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on ON THIS DAY: July 11, 2016

Coffee Shop: A Song to Take You ‘Over the Hills’

Posted on July 11, 2016 by wordcloud9

“Over the Hills and Far Away” is a familiar song, dating back to at least the 17th century. The tune and the title have remained constant, but they’ve been given several sets of lyrics over time.

Wm Merritt Chase over-the-hills-and-far-away

The Coffee Shop is an open thread-style discussion forum.

Pictures and videos are welcome in the comments.  If photos are used, please be sure you own the copyright.

Coffee cup

scotland-northern-highlands

Thomas D’Urfey (1653 – 1723) was a playwright, songwriter and noted wit in England. His most famous lyrics are for “Over the Hills and Far Away.”

D'Urfrey Wit & Mirth

The D’Urfey lyrics:

Jocky met with Jenny fair
by the dawning of the day;
But Jockey now is fu’ of care
Since Jenny staw his heart away.

CHORUS
O’er hills and dales and far away
O’er hills and dales and far away
O’er hills and dales and far away
The wind has blawn my plaid away.

Altho’ she promis’d to be true
She proven has, alake! unkind
Which gars poor Jockey aften rue
That e’er he loo’d a fickle mind.

CHORUS

Since that she will nae pity take
I maun gae wander for her sake
And, in ilk wood and gloomy grove
I’ll, sighing, sing,” Adieu to love.

CHORUS

Since she is fause whom I adore
I’ll never trust a woman more;
Frae a’ their charms I’ll flee away
And on my pipes I’ll sweetly play,”

CHORUS

The nursery rhyme “Tom, Tom, the Piper’s Son” is about a piper who knows only one tune, O’er the Hills and Far Away.

Tommy was a Piper’s Son,
And fell in love when he was young;
But all the Tunes that he could play,
Was, o’er the Hills, and far away.

Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Music, The Coffee Shop, Theatre | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Coffee Shop: A Song to Take You ‘Over the Hills’

Number One on the Charts – July 10, 1950

Posted on July 10, 2016 by wordcloud9

“Mona Lisa” sung by the unforgettable Nat King Cole.

nat king cole

The song was written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston for the Paramount Pictures film Captain Carey, U.S.A. and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for 1950.

The arrangement was by Nelson Riddle and the orchestral backing was played by Les Baxter and his Orchestra. The soundtrack version by Nat King Cole spent eight weeks at number one on the Billboard singles chart in 1950.  Cole’s version of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1992.

Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

ON THIS DAY: July 10, 2016

Posted on July 10, 2016 by wordcloud9

July 10th is:

Clerihew Day! (see below)

Nicola Tesla Day

Teddy Bear Picnic Day

Teddy Bears Picnic

National Piña Colada Day

NATIONAL HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD

international Flags hortizontal

The Bahamas – Independence Day

Mongolia – Political Flag Day

On This Day in HISTORY

1746 – Bonnie Prince Charlie flees disguised as a wench to the Isle of Skye

1821 – The U.S. takes possession of Florida after buying it from Spain

1856 – Nikola Tesla, future electrifying inventor, is born

1882 – Texas Governor Jim Hogg names his new-born daughter Ima

(Keep going – The CLERIHEW story is a must-read!)

Continue reading →

Posted in History, Holidays, On This Day, Poetry, Rock and Roll | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on ON THIS DAY: July 10, 2016

The Coffee Shop – The Fretless (music videos)

Posted on July 10, 2016 by Joy of Fishes

The Coffee Shop is an open thread-style discussion forum for human interest news of the day.

From The Fretless:

Coffee cup

This is an Open Thread. Grab your cup, pull up a chair, sit a spell and share what’s on your mind today.

Posted in Short Video | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Water in Summer: THE FOUNTAINS OF ROME

Posted on July 9, 2016 by wordcloud9

On a hot summer day, the sound of water is so cooling.

Happy 137th Birthday to Ottorino Respighi, born this day, July 9th, 1879, in Bologna, Italy. Here is Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra playing Respighi’s The Fountains of Rome.

Villa d Este-Tivoli-426x320

Childrens_Fountain KC MO Tom Corbin

Horses_Fountain_Alexander_Gardens_Moscow

ROMAN FOUNTAIN

by Louise Bogan

Up from the bronze, I saw
Water without a flaw
Rush to its rest in air,
Reach to its rest, and fall.

Bronze of the blackest shade,
An element man-made,
Shaping upright the bare
Clear gouts of water in air.

O, as with arm and hammer,
Still it is good to strive
To beat out the image whole,
To echo the shout and stammer
When full-gushed waters, alive,
Strike on the fountain’s bowl
After the air of summer.

  • “Roman Fountain” from Collected Poems, © 1954 by Louise Bogan, Noonday Press
    http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/roman-fountain/
  • Fountain at Villa d’Este, Tivoli, Italy
  • The Children’s Fountain, Kansas City, MO
  • Horses Fountain, Alexander Gardens, Moscow, Russia
Posted in Classical Music, Italy, Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Water in Summer: THE FOUNTAINS OF ROME

ON THIS DAY: July 9, 2016

Posted on July 9, 2016 by wordcloud9

July 9th is:

Bald Is In Day

Body Painting Day

National Sugar Cookie Day

(George Washington) Carver Day

(Alexander) Hamilton Grange Day

Hamilton_Grange_before_1889

NATIONAL HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD

Canada – Nunavut Dayinternational Flags

Malaysia – Penang Governor’s Birthday

Palau – Constitution Day

South Sudan – Independence Day

On This Day in HISTORY

1540 – King Henry VIII annuls his 6-month marriage to Anne of Cleves

Anne of Cleves by Bartholomäus Bruyn the elder (1540s)

1609 – Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II grants Bohemia religious freedom

1793 – Upper Canada ‘Act Against Slavery’ – Lower Canada bans importing slaves

1811 – Explorer David Thompson claims Pacific NW Columbia River area for Britain

1816 – Argentina declares its independence from the Spanish Empire

1850 – The Bab, Herald of the faith, is executed in Tabriz, Persia

1868 – 14th Amendment to U.S. Constitution is ratified

1893 – Daniel Williams performs 1st successful open heart surgery
– without anesthesia!

1900 – Britain’s separate Australian colonies are unified into one country

1937 – 20th Century Fox vault fire destroys over 40,000 reels of silent films

1955 – Bill Hailey and His Comets Rock Around the Clock becomes first rock-n-roll song to top Billboard’s Pop Chart

1962 – Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans exhibit opens in Los Angelestumblr_nk72yftPJn1s4jsnro1_1280 Mario

1981 – Nintendo releases Donkey Kong – mascot Mario makes his debut 

1986 – New Zealand’s Homosexual Law Reform Act legalizes homosexuality

1993 – Canada’s Nunavut Act leads to dividing the Northwest Territories

2016 – Carver Day at George Washington Carver National Monument in Missouri

2016 – Grange Day at Hamilton Grange Memorial, Alexander Hamilton’s NYC home

Top Section: Print of The Grange, Alexander Hamilton’s home, circa 1888
Bottom Section: Anne of Cleves, painted by Bartholomäus Bruyn the elder (circa 1540s)
Posted in Baha’i, History, Holidays, On This Day | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on ON THIS DAY: July 9, 2016

Interlude – Field Sparrow Dawn Song

Posted on July 8, 2016 by Joy of Fishes
Head of Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla, Lexington, Kentucky, by PookieFugglestein, via Wikipedia

Head of Field Sparrow , Spizella pusilla, Lexington, Kentucky, by PookieFugglestein, via Wikipedia

Click through for Lang Elliott’s recordings of field sparrows, including the delightful dawn song.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Interlude – Field Sparrow Dawn Song