RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: Bill D
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 11:25 AM

weird...I had a post just disappear!
trying to recreate it.

other songs I managed were, "Noah", "The Master's Bouquet", "It's Allright Now, but It Mighta Been Worse" (not sure of the title on the old LP), "Molly Brannigan" (after the Richard Dyer-Bennet version), and "The Housewive's Lament"


I'll sit down later and try to describe the process of creating/adapting that chicken 'recipe' on the fly.

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 12:40 PM

Well, I'm pretty late getting into this post-Mudgather discussion.

I got back to Indianapolis yesterday at 4:45 (having been held up by the necessity of a nap at a rest stop along the way). Then my Beautiful wife had SOME claim on my time last evening, and I'm just catching up on my computerism.

The weekend was FAR better than I'd dreamed. And in the company of such great people, too! Simpatico squared! I was so pleased to meet and put a face to the names I've known, it seems, forever. And boy, we ate GOOD! (I know, I know, that's not grammatical, but it communicates the sentiment better than "We ate well.") My compliments to the chefs!

Such a wonderful parade of songs. I hope I cause no-one jealousy by saying that I single out Rita's rendition of "Sheath and Knife". As I told several people, it gave me chills up and down my spine. That's not hyperbole, either; it's literal.

SOME of the songs I sang were:
The Lonely Willow Tree
The Swapping Song
Hobo Bill
Eggs and Marrowbone
The Grey Mare
Blow the Man Down
Sweet Little Window
So Long, It's Been Good to Know Ya
Three Jolly Rogues of Lynn
Ratcatcher's Daughter
Peggy Bawn (no aprons thrown over her in this song; it's another song entirely)
Beans, Bacon & Gravy
Billy the Kid
John Thurman
Bird in a Gilded Cage
Zebra Dun
Great American Bum
Frozen Logger
Hi Ro Jerum
Sing Anything
Wanna Get to Heaven
The Nightingale
The Undertaker
Kansas Boys
and on and on and on. Just when I thought I'd run out, someone would sing one that brought another to mind. And of course as soon as I drove away I started thinking of songs that I wished I'd sung.

Susan, I don't need the printouts of those songs. Keep or throw them; makes me no nevermind.

Wow, what a weekend!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 12:50 PM

OK-- I'll use them as Attic Dorm decor.

~Susan

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: wysiwyg
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 01:10 PM

Funny thing-- when the company goes home there's a lingering effect that is sometimes very strange. For instance, I just got up from my recliner and grabbed the bowl my brekky had been in, to take it out to the kitchen.

Spontaneously, my mind supplied the start of this song:

"Gathering dishes for the dishwasher's tray" to the tune, of course, for "Gathering Flowers for the Master's Bouquet."

Scary! :~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: Bill D
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 01:23 PM

LOL...the mind will have its way! I suspect that's how many great songs get started. I have to be VERY careful when I do that in Rita's hearing, as she will get 'hung' on it and grump at me.

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: Ferrara
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 01:50 PM

The thing is, we did that when I was growing up. My mom and dad frequently turned situations into song fragments. So when Bill starts one, I automatically start writing more lines to it and it turns into a mind virus until he sings something else silly (fortunately I don't usually have to wait very long).

BTW the very best person we ever knew for writing ad hoc songs is Tom McHenry of the Boarding Party (Padre). He not only was lightning fast at coming up with them, they were good!

Thanks for the song lists. I know they barely skim the surface. There was a LOT of music!

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: Ferrara
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 01:51 PM

Some of the zither songs I sang were

Rose of Allendale
When You and I Were Young, Maggie
Faded Coat of Blue
Tenting Tonight

Also sang Molly Bender, an Appalachian version of Molly Vaughan/Polly Bawn.

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Mar 06 - 11:19 AM

I wrote a lovely long post yesterday full of reflections and appreciations-- and the power went out while I was editing it just before hitting SUBMIT. I can't seem to make my mind go back there, today.

TODAY I am noticing that there has been a lot of personal after-Gathering communication with participants-- much of it on a closer level than we'd had before the Gathering. This seems to have occurred after each one.

There is so much more that occurred that can't really be described here-- such as the enormous impact on us all, each in our own ways, when Hardi was called out late Saturday evening for a deeply tragic hospital call. I can SAY that happened, but the impact on each of us was mostly silent, wordless, and experienced on the inside.

I can SAY that Bill and I *met*-- but the flavor and content of it are beyond words, if it's anyone's business anyhow. (hi ßill!) I can SAY that Dave is a non-stop entertainer, but I could say that about anyone and it would not capture Dave himself. I can SAY that Susan of DT is a fount of ballads, but that doesn't convey how moved I am when she sings. I can SAY that Dick is a wonderful man among men, but the interplay between him and Hardi is far more complex. I can SAY that Dharmabum lit us up with his guitar playing, but to know how much that meant to me you'd have to know why he's a "found brother." I can SAY that Rita's heart led the Gathering, and if you know her I suppose you might know what I mean, but the way she fit herself to us and was still so much herself... you had to BE there.

And that is true of any Mudcat encounter, I guess-- you have to BE THERE. It's worth the advance planning to travel, and the time to recover in the days afterwards, to discover or rediscover what any given Mudcatter is, and what Mudcat itself is. It's not the threads. It's not the PMs. It's the live connection those textual efforts reflect as well as they can.

A Gathering is to the threads like a symphony is to a busy mechanic's garage.

That's how it was for me.

~Susan

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Mar 06 - 11:35 AM

LOST AND FOUND

One travel pillow in an attractively striped pillowcase, in the attic dorm.

~Susan

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: MMario
Date: 15 Mar 06 - 11:44 AM

we have *got* to get you to a Getaway.

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Mar 06 - 12:14 PM

{big secret: I've never actually enjoyed groups of that size, dear friend. I find a dozen too many/too much. I'm just too empathic to coast along that much input. Yes I know I can take the group in small subgroups-- but I would need a week of processing in between each encounter.}

I'll come when it makes sense for me, but don't cry for me, Argentina!

~S~

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: Bill D
Date: 15 Mar 06 - 04:25 PM

What I did to the chicken:

so....you take some chicken. (I use boneless breasts when I can get them cheap...like ½ price, but it's just a bit more work to use other parts)

I cut chicken into relatively small chunks, like bite sized, but I 'spose it would work on flat, un-cut boneless breasts. I just think the flavors get distributed better on little chunks, and it's easier for individuals to choose portion sizes.

Anyway, I searched Susan's spice supplies, and found some missing items, as well as some items I don't usually have..(including a bunch of Asian/Indian spices)....I set out a selection, and made some guesses about how much would be needed for 6 large boneless breasts.

I ended up with **about** ¾ tsp of mint, ½ tsp of thyme, ¾ tsp of White pepper, ½ tsp of black pepper, ¾-1 tsp of Paprika, about ¼ tsp of garlic powder, ¾ tsp of parsley , a 'little' salt, and perhaps ¾ tsp of Asian "5 spice mixture...("Ingredients- 'Spice'" ....it smelled ummm...spicy).

[insert- my USUAL spices include rosemary..(I like Rosemary a lot), Mrs. Dash's 'non-offensive' semi-bland mixtures, and don't include mint, white pepper, and Asian spices)

Now, two pans, because I also added some (what WAS in the bottle, Susan?) a tangy Asian condiment sauce to the larger batch). Put 'some' oil in pans and start it heating. (depends on amount of chicken, but this is not a deep-frying recipe, just enough to brown and moisten chicken)

Dump enough flour in a bowl to coat the chicken...Dump spices into flour and mix a bit...dump chicken in bowl, or bag...whatever. Shake or stir spicy flour till chicken is covered.

Layer chicken chunks in pans...(I usually try to have all pieces on bottom of pan, so I don't have to remember which ones have REALLY been browned)..turn and poke until all have begun to brown, but don't try to finish cooking them, or even worry about it...because now it's time to add some Apple juice! (and I 'have' used some other juices...peach, pear..etc, Apple is just easier to find, cheaper usually, and has a flavor that 'plays well with others')...so...stir in apple juice until you have about ¼" of juice in between pieces, more won't hurt, but less might. I did 3 pans full of chicken, 2 lg, 1 sml, with a pint of juice.

Let the juice bubble a minute, then IF you add more flavor, like I did with the bottle of tangy asian sauce, add it now, stir it in, then reduce heat from 7ish to 3ish, cover the pan(s) and let it simmer. The goal, for me, is to have a sort of coating-gravy, but not runny juice. So, simmer more or less time, add a bit more juice..etc...to suit....uncover pans briefly, if necessary. This all takes less time to do than to type...simmering is usually only 5-8 minutes.

Now you have gooey, flavored chicken chunks....they 'can' be eaten as they are, but my usual choice is over rice, and that is why I strive for 'almost' gravy to drizzle over the rice...personal choices on 'gravyness' determined by amount of juice and simmering time.


Yes, there are 5-6 places in all that where YOU could adjust the idea..size of pieces, crisper chicken, type of juice, spices...(see above)...but if you try it, give this a shot..15 years now, and I've about got it!

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Mar 06 - 04:37 PM

The Asian sauce is a sweet chili sauce from the oriental store, looks to have tiny bits of fruit and peppers in it with a pale golden fruity sort of goo. It's thin enough to pour but thick enough to stick.

I'll look at the label later to see if I'm right. This one was the one they market for poultry and seafood, and there are two more in increasingly dark goo that are for pork and beef. From the oriental grocery, not on regular store shelves.

~S~

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 15 Mar 06 - 06:50 PM

Susan, just this morning I realized that I couldn't remember packing up the pillow, nor unpacking when I got home.

Neither the pillow (which is a disposable) nor the pillowcase (which is old) is worth bothering to mail. Just keep or throw, whichever suits your mood.

Thanx again for your hospitality.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Mar 06 - 08:37 PM

OK-- BTW, you get the prize for the longest travel time!

~Susan

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: wysiwyg
Date: 15 Mar 06 - 08:59 PM

Our Thai chilli sauce which Bill used in his chicken dish was Maeploy brand sweet chilli sauce for seafood from Theppadungporn Coconut Co. Ltd. (Really!)

Love the photography of the products-- the bottles actually glow!

~Susan

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: Ferrara
Date: 16 Mar 06 - 01:11 AM

BTW Bill was using about 3-4 pounds of boneless chicken, I think.

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: SharonA
Date: 20 Mar 06 - 08:54 PM

Echoing MMario's cry: Waaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!

...but then again, it sounds like people who gather at these Gathers are expected (or, at least, encouraged) to cook something. In that case, all attendees should be cheering over the fact that I was not there so that they did not have to taste my cooking. Even I don't want to taste my cooking.

But I'm very sorry to have missed the fun, the music, the meeting of new friends, and the sound of the mourning doves. :^(

As for Susan's thought that I should organize the next Gather... wish I could, but I don't have internet access at home, so I would have trouble monitoring MudGather threads and email messages, especially the last-minute ones. However, I did notice that Susan at least mentioned a possible future Gather, so I have hope that I might still be able to get up there and meet all you fine folks at long last.

Take care,
Sharon

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Mar 06 - 09:25 PM

Nah, Sharon, if you host or organize (it can betwo people), you don't have to cook!

:~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: SharonA
Date: 23 Mar 06 - 04:42 PM

Whew! What a relief!

Subject: RE: RSVP Here for WYSIWYG's Last MudGather
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 23 Mar 06 - 05:20 PM

Although I DO cook (and my Beautiful Wife says "spectacularly", but I would never be so arrogant as to claim that, myself), I didn't cook this time. Instead, I brought some snacks, but more significantly, a loaf of jalapeno corn bread from my favorite bread-baker store in Indianapolis. Wonderful stuff!

Dave Oesterreich