Music Monday - "Let There Be Peace on Earth" by Nat King Cole (1963)

Last week was a sad one in America, with tragic news of violence over and over again.  In the midst of this, I kept thinking of this song.  I remember singing it in elementary school music class when I was a little girl, and it has always brought me peace and hope.  It imparts the idea that no matter what is going on in the world, we can all be a voice for peace.

This song was written in 1955 by Jill Jackson Miller and Sy Miller for a children's choir.  It has become a classic and is now often performed at Christmas time, as well as in churches throughout the year.  The inspiring lyrics include these lines:

"Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that was meant to be.
With God as our Father
Brothers all are we.
Let me walk with my brother
In perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment
And live each moment
In peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me."

I looked for a version of this song and found this unusual video on Youtube.  It features Nat King Cole (one of my all time favorite singers) performing on Danny Kaye's Christmas Special in 1963 along with Danny Kaye and a young Mary Tyler Moore (circa The Dick Van Dyke Show years).  It's a short, simple, lovely version, and I hope it speaks to you, too.



I would love to hear from you in the comments.  Are there any special songs that bring comfort to you?

Dear Abby - "Dixie the Tiny Dog" by Peter Himmelman

(1964 vintage Gaines Burger ad)

Dear Friends,

How are you doing?  How was your 4th of July weekend?  I enjoyed the beautiful sunshine and lots of time with my Momma.  I did not, as you may guess, enjoy the fireworks.  Saturday night they irritated me.  Sunday night they made me shiver.  By Monday night, the 4th of July, I was ready to hide under the covers.  Enough said!  I hope they are done for quite a while.

I have a song to share with you this week.  I love it and hope you will too.  It is about a dachshund named Dixie and it is called "Dixie the Tiny Dog."  It was written and sung by Peter Himmelman. 

My Momma first heard this song some years ago online and she was so happy to find it again to share with me.   I think it captures the life of a little dachshund pretty perfectly.  That's why I have to share it with you!


"I'm a tiny dog named Dixie
I have small feet which pitter patter on the Linoleum floor.
You can hear my toenails in the middle of the night.

My tag says I belong to the Johnsons but they don't own me;
they just feed me. They just bought me one day.
No one owns me.  I am Dixie the Tiny dog.

And in the middle of the day I sit in the sun 
and I hear young children call me a wiener dog-
perhaps that's what I am.  
The Germanic term is dachshund and I like that.

I'm thin and I'm proud, no one can make fun of me.
I can slip through the bars of a prison if I were ever incarcerated 
but I don't know what I would do wrong-
my body yields no evil inclination.
I'm a pure wiener dog.
 
My name is Dixie and I go dancing cross the floor 
in the evening of the Johnsons when everyone is sleeping.
Sometimes I look for a morsel of food but they are so clean, 
they are almost anal retentive in their cleanliness habit 
and there is nothing for me. 
But I don't despair because I know tomorrow 
my Gaines Burger will be there 
and they will unwrap the plastic from them 
and feed me this succulent dish and I will eat.

And oh I've watched the German shepherds with their long necks, 
their graceful necks dipping into the toilet to drink 
whenever they want to have a drink of cool water in that well 
but I must plead, I must beg, I must whine 
for Mr. Johnson to put out my bowl 
or one of the Johnson boys to refill it after I drink it 
because I am Dixie the dog and I like water.

And in the middle of night you can see me dancing 
a small Fred Astaire tap dance with my little toenails 
they go click click click against the linoleum 
and I run down the hall and I slide 
and the back of me goes in front of me-slowly.

I'm long and I'm thin
I'm Dixie the tiny dog and I like it."


Here for your enjoyment - this is a sweet video:



Do you have a favorite song about dogs?  I am thinking of making a list of them here and would love to look for songs you enjoy.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Love,

Abby xoxoxo

Book Spotlight and Giveaway - Final Fondue by Maya Corrigan

Book Synopsis

Val Deniston certainly has her plate full running a café, dabbling with recipes, and helping her grandfather prepare for the town’s upcoming tri-centennial celebration, but she’s grown fond of her new life in the Chesapeake Bay town of Bayport. . .

So when Val is asked to reclaim her old position as a cookbook publicist in New York City, she puts off her decision in order to help her grandfather perfect his chocolate fondue for the weekend festivity’s dessert cook-off. But after the opening ceremonies, Val finds a houseguest strangled to death in her grandfather’s backyard. She suspects a classic case of mistaken identity, especially when another guest nearly bids her life a fondue farewell. Now it’s up to Val to keep the killer from making another stab at murder . . .

Includes 6 five-ingredient recipes!

Author Bio

Maya Corrigan lives near Washington, D.C., within easy driving distance of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the setting for this series. She has taught courses in writing, detective fiction, and American literature at Georgetown University and NOVA community college. A winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, she has published essays on drama and short stories under her full name of Mary Ann Corrigan.

Author Links
WebPage: mayacorrigan.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maya-CorriganBooks/305167769636032

Purchase Links
Amazon – B&N

Giveaway
(1) Autographed Print Copy of Final Fondue from author Maya Corrigan
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Dear Abby - Keeping Pets Safe and Happy on the 4th of July

Dear Friends,

It is almost the 4th of July!   I like to be a positive pup, but I will admit it:  this is my least favorite holiday.  Before I found my way to rescue, I was a stray in a busy parking lot, living outdoors.  A wonderful rescue group found me, and then Momma found the great rescue group ... so I have a happy and loving home.  Unfortunately, I carry one thing with me from my days as a stray, and that is a real fear of loud noises.  The 4th of July is all about loud noises.

I live in a busy, urban area and we are near a big fireworks display.  I actually hear the 4th of July fireworks over my home.  On top of that, neighborhood fireworks are legal here, so there are sure to be fireworks out this year not just on the 4th, but on the weekend nights as well.

Do you have a pup who is scared of fireworks?  I have a few tips that may help.

I wear a Thundershirt.  I love my Thundershirt!  I go to the closet where it waits when noise starts to happen.  I wear it when it thunders and when there are fireworks.  It hugs my little body tightly and makes me feel comforted.  Here are a couple of Thundershirt posts I've written for this blog:  2015 and 2014. 

Momma knows that summer holiday evenings are hard for me because of the noise, so she plans her day in order to be home with me at night and comfort me.  That helps me so much!

Of course, I walk before dark on firework nights, so I can be safely home inside.

I like to have lights on and happy music playing during fireworks.  Momma will often put nice music, like oldies or jazz or classical, on the radio station in the bedroom, and in the study, and in the living room as well.  The music fills the house that way.

Please remember that many dogs are spooked by fireworks and sudden loud noises.  If your dog needs to go out after dark on the summer holiday evenings to potty, it is safest to take him or her on a leash (of course, wearing ID tags!) and keep walks short.

Also a reminder about cookouts - grills and open flames can be both tempting and dangerous for pets (and both cats and dogs may be tempted by goodies on a grill!).

Do you have any other 4th of July safety tips for pets?   I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Have a great weekend!

Love,

Abby xoxoxo

Music Monday - "Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush (1978)

"Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush was released in 1978.  It appeared on her album The Kick Inside.  Kate Bush was inspired to write this song after seeing the BBC miniseries of Wuthering Heights.  She has said that the last 10 minutes of that program inspired this song.  "Wuthering Heights" was written at a single sitting.

I didn't discover this song until my college years, the 1980's.  I was an English: Creative Writing major, so of course I loved the swooping romanticism of this song, and the references to Wuthering Heights.  The lyrics include:

"Bad dreams in the night.
They told me I was going to lose the fight,
Leave behind my wuthering, wuthering
Wuthering Heights.  

 Heathcliff, it's me--Cathy.
Come home. I'm so cold!
Let me in-a-your window.

Heathcliff, it's me--Cathy.
Come home. I'm so cold!
Let me in-a-your window."

Here's a little trivia tidbit:  Kate Bush and Emily Bronte share the same birthday, July 30.

And now, the video for your enjoyment -- the interpretive dancing is a bit dated but the song is still beautiful!



Do you remember this song?  What is your favorite song based on literature?  I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.