Thursday, July 9, 2009

Willow shows pioneering spirit in quest for cool water




My step-father used to play the Sons of the Pioneers album with this song, Cool Water. He and my mother shared an appreciation for cowboy -- not country-western -- music. Where my sister and I used to squirm on the couch in peels of laughter at some of the songs (so uncool they were) I now actually have a sense of nostalgia when I hear real cowboy music. I really dislike country-western, but the cowboy songs are pure, descriptive, and non-commercial.

Along that line of thought, I've always thought it would be fascinating to attend the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering held annually in Elko, Nevada. Here's a bit of what happened at the 2009 gathering:
Silver Anniversary Will Reunite Artists From a Quarter Century of Gatherings in Elko

Elko - The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering - America's quintessential event honoring the western cowboy - is turning 25 in 2009. From January 24 to 31, the small community of Elko, Nevada, will overflow with thousands of cowboys and cowgirls, poets and musicians, artisans and scholars, rural people and city folks -- all of whom share a love of the American West -- for a grand celebration of the region's ranching and rural culture. . .

. . . The 25th Gathering will feature dozens of performances on six simultaneous stages by 53 poets and 24 musicians and musical groups, including 15 individuals who participated in the very first Elko Cowboy Poetry Gathering in 1985. . .

There is lots of information, including videos, about the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, which is one of numerous cowboy-related sponsors of the extensive site, Cowboy Poetry at the Bar-D Ranch.......

I read a poem there at the Bar-D about barn cats. As you know by now, Willow is certainly no barn cat. Here at her favorite sink, this video was shot in May. There are a few parts during the clip when you can see glimpses of her little beard, so whimsical.


To see how Willow has grown, you can compare this clip to an earlier video shot at the same sink in January. She has since begun to grow a bit of a mane at nine-months of age. She continues to sleep on my pillow each night. I continue to fall more in love with her each day. Life is good.

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11 comments:

Darlene said...

My husband was a great fan of cowboy music and loved songs like "Tumbling Tumbleweeds and Cool Water. I had never liked country western music but grew to appreciate the songs of the Sons of the Pioneers and Roy Rogers.

Looking to the Stars said...

I heard the music of Roy Rogers and the Sons of Pioneers, Gene Autry and Dale Evans when I was very young. Its beautiful music, I met Dale Evans (Roy had already passed on)at the mall in San Bernadino, CA we were both shopping. She knew my dad and had nice things to say about him. she was a warm and wonderful person.

Lydia said...

@Darlene- Tumbling Tumbleweeds is honestly one of my favorite songs!

@Looking to the Stars- That's amazing that you actually ran into Dale Evans at a mall. And even more amazing that she knew your father.:)

Chuck Dilmore said...

hi, Lydia!
can you share the poem that you read?
is it one that you have penned?
i would love to see!

peace & happy penning~
Chuck

Wayfaring Wanderer said...

Sacrificing the precious resource of water for the entertainment of Willow.

I thought I knew you, Lydia. hehe

Just kidding...very cute video!

I feel the same way about my boys. I was never truly a cat person until they scurried into our lives.

This morning, as I got ready for work, Moses would make his cute little cooing noises as I passed by in hopes that it would grab my attention long enough to give him a belly rub. He certainly knows how to work his momma :D

Batteson.Ind said...

Well... you gotta just love a water cat!... and cowboy songs! That gathering sounds amazing, I would be intrigued to go there and see what the whole thing is like. You're right about cowboy songs, they have a real earthy, sincere intent... plus they're normally played in simple chords :-)

La Belette Rouge said...

I love how your mind works!!! You see your cat getting water and the next thing you know you are at the Cowboy poetry gathering. Love it!

Lydia said...

@Chuck- No, not my poem. It's copyrighted material so I hesitate posting it. Click the linked title and go to the end of the page. Title is The Barn Cats by Vess Quinlan.

@Wayfaring Wanderer- I wondered if anyone would give me a verbal spanking for that dripping water! Honestly, I shut it off as soon as I finished the vid.
Moses coos, how sweet. He's such a gorgeous cat, as shown by your photos.

@the watercats- But, of course! This video is dedicated to you guys, most definitely. If you ever decide to come over here for the Cowboy Gathering in Elko let me know. I'll meet you there.

@La Belette Rouge- Thanks! My manner of thinking usually resembles a mind map... :)

Marie Reed said...

Willow is huge! They grow up too fast! My Daddy- o used to sing me cowboy songs and now I sing them to the boys! The rugged lyrical poetry touches me each time I belt out the song:)

Erin Davis said...

We have the Marty Robbins version of this song. :0)

Lydia said...

@Marie- She has grown lots since you saw her kitten photos, that's for sure. She is just what you predicted, very long and graceful with long legs and a fluffy long tail. And then, there's that beard....!
Why don't you do a video of you singing cowboy songs at your blog? I'd love that!

@Erin- I listened to Marty Robbins' version, but selected this one because of the back singing, which kinda sounded like drops of water in the sink (at least in my imagination). In the 1980s I bought a 1956 Ford that had a Marty Robbins cassette tape in the glove box. No longer have the car, but wouldn't part with the little gift the car gave me. :)

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