Sunday Drive: Strauss, An der schönen blauen Donau

A few peaceful moments of pure joy and beauty that I think all my truckbuddies will appreciate: André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra playing "The Beautiful Blue Danube," recorded live in July 2006 at the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna.

Waitin' for the Weekend

Don't Be a Sucker

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Everything old is new again:  so here's an anti-fascist educational film produced by the War Department in 1943 (re-released in 1947) that remains as up-to-date as today's headlines:




When will we ever learn?

Sunday Drive: Summer Rain

The 1967 hit from the great Johnny Rivers:




As it happens, it rained here twice yesterday, bringing us a little relief from the heat.

Waitin' for the Weekend

Sunday Drive: Summertime Blues

As performed by country-music giant Alan Jackson, 1994:

Waitin' for the Weekend

It's just too damn hot for clothes, even a swimsuit.

Sunday Drive: Let's Fall in Love

The other night, M. P. and I watched Judy Holliday and Jack Lemon sing this tune in the delightful 1954 comedy It Should Happen to You.  M. P. was so taken with this song, he suggested I use it for today's post - and so here it is, as performed by Margaret Whiting in 1955.  Pictured with Whiting is studly Hugh O'Brian, a. k. a. Wyatt Earp.

Waitin' for the Weekend

Sunday Drive: Summertime

As performed by the great Les Paul in 1992:

Today's Tidbits, 072217

Maria van Oosterwijk, Vanitas--Still Life (1693)

The other day would have been my darling mama's 95th birthday - strange to say.  Perhaps you will think it even stranger if I say, I'm glad she did not live to see the world as it now is, nor any of my kin.  Things high and low are out of hand, out of joint, out of control, and I fear that evil days are upon us.  But what do I know.

Long-time readers of this blog know that I used to have a lot more to say about gay rights and politics and all sorts of topics.  But once past 60, one realizes that the steam in the boiler drops gradually but steadily lower, and one has much less patience for the foolishness and futility of the world.  One also understands, finally, that one is just a very small ripple in the immense, immeasurable ocean of life, an endless rolling tide of change -- like it or not.  So why waste the time left to you, be it long or short, with utterly useless protests?  Leave that to the armies of youth, who have strength and passion a-plenty, and still believe they can change the world.

All that being said, I suppose there's really no point in my continuing this blog -- but somehow I just can't quite let go of it yet.  Even at only one or two posts a week, it gives a little rhythm to my otherwise mostly bland, blank life in retirement, a something to look forward to.  But what to post?  I am so utterly disgusted and outraged and horrified by the shambles in Washington and elsewhere that I have stopped reading news articles almost entirely - most days I can hardly bear even to glance at the headlines.  So no more of that here.

I do, however, spend my days looking up and contemplating many other, much more interesting things.  But I have usually hesitated to post that kind of potpourri here, since it falls under no heading and would be such an odd mix of unrelated topics.

Still, perhaps a potpourri is better than an empty bowl.  So starting today, I may from time to time give you all a sampling of my finds - none of which are necessarily cool, groovy, sexy, personal to me, or relevant to anything happening now in the world.  But they recall a memory, delight the eye, raise a smile, or give food for thought - is that so bad?  At any rate, it is the best this tired old sod can manage.  And it passes the time.

Click images to enlarge:

Fritos fried chicken recipe, 1950s

Grocery prices in Perry, Georgia, 1940; multiply by 17 to get today's equivalent.

Cutaway view of a Pan Am Stratocruiser

Still as true as ever.

Benham Park, Berkshire, England