I loved this one, especially (that is, I love them all, or most of them anyways, as they say in certain parts of the country, but this one - well, you know...). But speaking of "which," what do you make of the bit in John Donne's 'The Good Morrow,' which I and many another true lover believes was written expressly for them, where he says "Which watch not one another..." This troubles me slightly every time it's encountered. "Which watch? - John, dear..." and there he sits arrested, whispering it to himself as I do, hearing that small sizzle, muttering some ancient curse and rushing on in his creative fervor, leaving that small hot stone for us to trip on, every time. I think I know what you make of it - you leave it alone, you let John be John and love him anyway - but this column gives me a chance to bring it up among like minds.
I think American Christians would be better off meeting in caves these days, Garrison, and "It is Well with My Soul" would sound awesome in Mammoth Cave, KY. Here in Cincinnati, we have a grand church turned into an outstanding microbrewery...I think God is pleased with the change. Thanks for your post! Deano in Cincy.
Welcome to Michigan. Holland, Michigan is a lovely location to land for your show. The west coast of Michigan is transforming into the social and cultural center of the “Mitten State”. The east coast of Michigan is the industrial giant of the state. Many cultural and social events still happen in the Greater Detroit area along with the history of this region but the west coast area is catching up fast.
Canada you claim is the next area of concern for intrusion by illegal infiltration. Canadians would have seemingly unfettered access to our United States of America and yet the Maple Leaf country, an independent sovereignty of the Great British Empire, “God Save the Queen” still has a prospering and vigorous populace. They stand proudly with hand over heart while admiringly watching their ecologically friendly imaged flag and sing,
“O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.”
We Michiganers have lived amongst our Canadian neighbors all our lives. They work, shop, play, marry, receive medical services and die here in this Great Lake State just like the rest of us. When asked to come and make this “Home of the Brave and Land of the Free” their home most will tell you “ Much Obliged but No Thank You”.
Garrison, I am delighted to hear about your show and that others are scheduled in 2022. I am an observer from a distance but it seems to me that doing those PHC style shows is what you are best at doing. You just walk out on stage and start talking, then have a song or have a familiar song with new and different words.
You "retired" from PHC several times but you are still at it. You are luckier than many people. You have something to do that you are good at, and something you like to do, and something that people will pay money to come see/hear.
I am with you on singing. Years ago we would go to gatherings where large groups (30-50 people) would sing hymns and gospels songs. And these were people who knew how to sing and how to sing the parts: soprano, alto, tenor, bass. It is such a great experience being in a big group singing great old hymns and songs. But we could not gather a large crowd today.
In those days we had singing and music in the public schools.
You spoke of the decline or Protestantism. That is obvious in the terrible decline of church music. But also in decline related to beliefs and politics. Some churches have become adjuncts of the republican right wing. Some of them are more interested in Donald and the "gospel" according to Fox than they are in our Lord and the real Gospels.
It sounds naive but I think that as we go through life -- what we look for is what we find.
There are a lot of bad people and bad things in the world. Our job is to be on the look out and avoid said bad people and stay away from bad things as much as possible. But when we encounter good things and good people then we should stay close to them and celebrate and enjoy them as much as we can.
That is why I do not listen to Fox and why I did not listen to Rush (the old bloviator in chief) during his lifetime. Some people say that NPR is pretentious. Well Fox is pretentious and sanctimonious and malicious and some other things. But those are just my opinions; obviously many other people feel differently.
Remember and enjoy the good; forget about the bad. Life is too short to spent it angry and upset about things that happened in the past and that we can't change way.
Speaking about an enormous influx of border-crossers - almost half a century ago, during the Vietnam conflict, the influx ran in the opposite direction! I worked with a woman whose husband disagreed with the Draft, so they lit out for Hamilton, Ontario. There was quite a significant "ex-patriate" community there, until the conflict was resolved. I suppose, if we looked at the history of our two neighboring countries, there have been sporadic flows of folks going one direction or the other. That would even include some Keillors who went to Nova Scotia, if I remember correctly. It's something that I think both our nations can be proud of, an international boundary that has been at peace for most of two hundred years, now, and has welcomed each other's citizens as friends and residents!
I enjoyed the medley in the last paragraph! As a "counterfeit alto" who has trouble hearing the pitch in that range, I infiltrated our company's choral group. When we sang from Cats " If you touch me, then I'll understand what happiness is," my spirit would take off soaring! The thought of that touch still sends me into ecstasy!
This is it, Folks! This is the place to be - GK and Friends - if you want a pick-me-up for the day! Our Beloved Host has plenty of LOVE, and it's just what we need! Thanks SO, SO, SO Much!
Finally!! Finally!! A subject I, a born and bred (and if it's bannock - bread) Canuck can intelligently (as opposed to my other comments) opine upon. On the bacon - yes, Canadian bacon is round, but a lot of us, in covert groups, eat American bacon - we gather in bacon strip clubs, actually. And we DO have a South - it's called the U.S.A. No one said it better (and I mean this kindly) than Robin Williams, who said "being a Canadian is like living above a meth lab".
Sending our angry Canucks down to you keeps us ahead of the game; after all back in the '60s and '70s we got over 50,000 of your draft dodgers. They've added immeasurably to the Canadian fabric. Now we're sending you the cranks. A double gain to us, methinks.
And the vowels: yes, we DO use more letters. (Not sure, actually, why the U.S. has "T" in the alphabet, when I routinely hear American interviewees speaking of 'inneresting events', or 'winner temperatures'). And, yes, we CAN identify you easily; we just work "harbour" or "labour" into the conversation and immediately spot you by your lack of "u"s. It's easy, eh?
And, sadly, it's not just the songs that are being proscribed: think of Christmas movies. "Home Alone" - no, unremitting violence. "Polar Express" - no, an obvious example of child abduction. "It's A Wonderful Life" - no, too Christian, for a start, and a flagrant example of paternalistic male hegemony. Sigh.
All the best from the Frozen North to you all for the best Season that we can salvage from the omicron variant. As Lincoln said of the Civil War - this too shall pass.
Wonderful piece. Loved it! Wanted to let you know that only Americans call Canadian bacon, Canadian bacon. As a Canadian-born American here's the skinny for you.
Which and that...love that too!
Wendy Rankin, Portland, Oregon
What is Canadian Bacon ??
Canadian Bacon is a misnomer.
The only place they call it that is in the United States.
Just as they don’t cal Philly Cheese steak in Philadelphia, or Buffalo Wings in Buffalo.
Why is it called “Canadian” bacon ?
Canadian Bacon probably got that name says because in the mid 1800’s there was shortage of pork in the United Kingdom and they imported the meat from Canada.
They would cure the backmeat in a special brine, which the Canadians call peameal bacon, because they would roll it in ground yellow split peas to help preserve it.
The English smoked it instead, and this new concotion was just referred to probably as
Canadian Bacon, The Amreicans like it and brought it back to the states.
So if you went to Canada and asked for Canadian bacon what would you get?
If you were in Toronto and asked for Canadian Bacon you would probably get something
called Peameal bacon . This bacon is from the loin of the pig as opposed to most bacon which is from the belly. Especially in the United States. The loin is the part that they make pork chops out of, so they
just remove the bones.
In Canada, the back bacon is not smoked or pre-cooked. It is almost always the lean, boneless pork loin of the animal.
The loin is then pickle-cured and rolled in a fine golden cornmeal. Which is ironic, because another name for Canadian Bacon is “Pea meal” bacon, which has to do with the fact that the cured pork loin is rolled in some sort of fine meal.
It used to be that the manufacturers would dry and grind yellow peas into a meal and pack it around the meat to help preserve it. When Cornmeal became more plentiful they made the switch but the ‘Pea meal’ name still stuck.
Thanks! I sang along with you even though my 77 year old voice cracks. I’m grateful for it still working, if less on key. Being grateful helps in looking on the bright side!
I have far-sighted vision and I can see all the way to the back row of a crowd. But don't look down on me - an Alabamian. Being an Alabamian is Well With My Soul! And I could sing all those songs you sort of cryptically threw in here for your resolution...which is a very good one. Let's Keep On The Sunny Side!
I love this. Funny, warm, generous, tongue-in-cheek. And right on the money, too.
I loved this one, especially (that is, I love them all, or most of them anyways, as they say in certain parts of the country, but this one - well, you know...). But speaking of "which," what do you make of the bit in John Donne's 'The Good Morrow,' which I and many another true lover believes was written expressly for them, where he says "Which watch not one another..." This troubles me slightly every time it's encountered. "Which watch? - John, dear..." and there he sits arrested, whispering it to himself as I do, hearing that small sizzle, muttering some ancient curse and rushing on in his creative fervor, leaving that small hot stone for us to trip on, every time. I think I know what you make of it - you leave it alone, you let John be John and love him anyway - but this column gives me a chance to bring it up among like minds.
I think American Christians would be better off meeting in caves these days, Garrison, and "It is Well with My Soul" would sound awesome in Mammoth Cave, KY. Here in Cincinnati, we have a grand church turned into an outstanding microbrewery...I think God is pleased with the change. Thanks for your post! Deano in Cincy.
Welcome to Michigan. Holland, Michigan is a lovely location to land for your show. The west coast of Michigan is transforming into the social and cultural center of the “Mitten State”. The east coast of Michigan is the industrial giant of the state. Many cultural and social events still happen in the Greater Detroit area along with the history of this region but the west coast area is catching up fast.
Canada you claim is the next area of concern for intrusion by illegal infiltration. Canadians would have seemingly unfettered access to our United States of America and yet the Maple Leaf country, an independent sovereignty of the Great British Empire, “God Save the Queen” still has a prospering and vigorous populace. They stand proudly with hand over heart while admiringly watching their ecologically friendly imaged flag and sing,
“O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.”
We Michiganers have lived amongst our Canadian neighbors all our lives. They work, shop, play, marry, receive medical services and die here in this Great Lake State just like the rest of us. When asked to come and make this “Home of the Brave and Land of the Free” their home most will tell you “ Much Obliged but No Thank You”.
Please come to Cincinnati!
Enjoyed your column very much.
Garrison, I am delighted to hear about your show and that others are scheduled in 2022. I am an observer from a distance but it seems to me that doing those PHC style shows is what you are best at doing. You just walk out on stage and start talking, then have a song or have a familiar song with new and different words.
You "retired" from PHC several times but you are still at it. You are luckier than many people. You have something to do that you are good at, and something you like to do, and something that people will pay money to come see/hear.
I am with you on singing. Years ago we would go to gatherings where large groups (30-50 people) would sing hymns and gospels songs. And these were people who knew how to sing and how to sing the parts: soprano, alto, tenor, bass. It is such a great experience being in a big group singing great old hymns and songs. But we could not gather a large crowd today.
In those days we had singing and music in the public schools.
You spoke of the decline or Protestantism. That is obvious in the terrible decline of church music. But also in decline related to beliefs and politics. Some churches have become adjuncts of the republican right wing. Some of them are more interested in Donald and the "gospel" according to Fox than they are in our Lord and the real Gospels.
It sounds naive but I think that as we go through life -- what we look for is what we find.
There are a lot of bad people and bad things in the world. Our job is to be on the look out and avoid said bad people and stay away from bad things as much as possible. But when we encounter good things and good people then we should stay close to them and celebrate and enjoy them as much as we can.
That is why I do not listen to Fox and why I did not listen to Rush (the old bloviator in chief) during his lifetime. Some people say that NPR is pretentious. Well Fox is pretentious and sanctimonious and malicious and some other things. But those are just my opinions; obviously many other people feel differently.
Remember and enjoy the good; forget about the bad. Life is too short to spent it angry and upset about things that happened in the past and that we can't change way.
Best wishes to one and all.
Garrison as a x Iowa farm kid I have to take exception to 3 wire pig fence - cows yes - pigs no - just a nit -
Please come to Pittsburgh! Or State College. Would love to see you!!!
Speaking about an enormous influx of border-crossers - almost half a century ago, during the Vietnam conflict, the influx ran in the opposite direction! I worked with a woman whose husband disagreed with the Draft, so they lit out for Hamilton, Ontario. There was quite a significant "ex-patriate" community there, until the conflict was resolved. I suppose, if we looked at the history of our two neighboring countries, there have been sporadic flows of folks going one direction or the other. That would even include some Keillors who went to Nova Scotia, if I remember correctly. It's something that I think both our nations can be proud of, an international boundary that has been at peace for most of two hundred years, now, and has welcomed each other's citizens as friends and residents!
I enjoyed the medley in the last paragraph! As a "counterfeit alto" who has trouble hearing the pitch in that range, I infiltrated our company's choral group. When we sang from Cats " If you touch me, then I'll understand what happiness is," my spirit would take off soaring! The thought of that touch still sends me into ecstasy!
This is it, Folks! This is the place to be - GK and Friends - if you want a pick-me-up for the day! Our Beloved Host has plenty of LOVE, and it's just what we need! Thanks SO, SO, SO Much!
You make me happy!
Finally!! Finally!! A subject I, a born and bred (and if it's bannock - bread) Canuck can intelligently (as opposed to my other comments) opine upon. On the bacon - yes, Canadian bacon is round, but a lot of us, in covert groups, eat American bacon - we gather in bacon strip clubs, actually. And we DO have a South - it's called the U.S.A. No one said it better (and I mean this kindly) than Robin Williams, who said "being a Canadian is like living above a meth lab".
Sending our angry Canucks down to you keeps us ahead of the game; after all back in the '60s and '70s we got over 50,000 of your draft dodgers. They've added immeasurably to the Canadian fabric. Now we're sending you the cranks. A double gain to us, methinks.
And the vowels: yes, we DO use more letters. (Not sure, actually, why the U.S. has "T" in the alphabet, when I routinely hear American interviewees speaking of 'inneresting events', or 'winner temperatures'). And, yes, we CAN identify you easily; we just work "harbour" or "labour" into the conversation and immediately spot you by your lack of "u"s. It's easy, eh?
And, sadly, it's not just the songs that are being proscribed: think of Christmas movies. "Home Alone" - no, unremitting violence. "Polar Express" - no, an obvious example of child abduction. "It's A Wonderful Life" - no, too Christian, for a start, and a flagrant example of paternalistic male hegemony. Sigh.
All the best from the Frozen North to you all for the best Season that we can salvage from the omicron variant. As Lincoln said of the Civil War - this too shall pass.
Wonderful piece. Loved it! Wanted to let you know that only Americans call Canadian bacon, Canadian bacon. As a Canadian-born American here's the skinny for you.
Which and that...love that too!
Wendy Rankin, Portland, Oregon
What is Canadian Bacon ??
Canadian Bacon is a misnomer.
The only place they call it that is in the United States.
Just as they don’t cal Philly Cheese steak in Philadelphia, or Buffalo Wings in Buffalo.
Why is it called “Canadian” bacon ?
Canadian Bacon probably got that name says because in the mid 1800’s there was shortage of pork in the United Kingdom and they imported the meat from Canada.
They would cure the backmeat in a special brine, which the Canadians call peameal bacon, because they would roll it in ground yellow split peas to help preserve it.
The English smoked it instead, and this new concotion was just referred to probably as
Canadian Bacon, The Amreicans like it and brought it back to the states.
So if you went to Canada and asked for Canadian bacon what would you get?
If you were in Toronto and asked for Canadian Bacon you would probably get something
called Peameal bacon . This bacon is from the loin of the pig as opposed to most bacon which is from the belly. Especially in the United States. The loin is the part that they make pork chops out of, so they
just remove the bones.
In Canada, the back bacon is not smoked or pre-cooked. It is almost always the lean, boneless pork loin of the animal.
The loin is then pickle-cured and rolled in a fine golden cornmeal. Which is ironic, because another name for Canadian Bacon is “Pea meal” bacon, which has to do with the fact that the cured pork loin is rolled in some sort of fine meal.
It used to be that the manufacturers would dry and grind yellow peas into a meal and pack it around the meat to help preserve it. When Cornmeal became more plentiful they made the switch but the ‘Pea meal’ name still stuck.
Canadians DO have a South to look down - it’s US.
I enjoyed the column and the comments people have made on it. I made a comment on singing on the page where the video is.
Thanks! I sang along with you even though my 77 year old voice cracks. I’m grateful for it still working, if less on key. Being grateful helps in looking on the bright side!
I have far-sighted vision and I can see all the way to the back row of a crowd. But don't look down on me - an Alabamian. Being an Alabamian is Well With My Soul! And I could sing all those songs you sort of cryptically threw in here for your resolution...which is a very good one. Let's Keep On The Sunny Side!