I'm on the bus....

So here I am
still on the bus
never get off
never forget
still on the bus

Maybe not the party
but still on the bus

So what I'm 30
So what I'm a mom
still on the bus

Don't forget
the girl
still on the bus

Time to make something colorful!

This one always gets me through....

There are times in our lives when things just aren't quite right
Times that we have to sit back and smile
Make a circle around the sun
Dance with everyone
Dream a dream for your neighbor

The stars are shining so bright
And the sun is waiting for tomorrow
If your day isn't going quite right
Then borrow a dream from your neighbor

We have to live with our decisions
Climb our own tall mountains
Swallow our pride
And choke down our own tears

We have to love one another
Support our sisters and brothers
Hold on tight
And hope we make it out alright

Apple Bundt Cake

YUM!!!

3 c. AP flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 1/2 cups chopped apples
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. melted butter
3 lg. eggs
confectioners' sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 325*F. Coat bundt pan with non-stick spray.
2. In large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl combine vanilla, cinnamon, and 3 cups apples. Reserve remaining 1/2 cup apple.
3. In large bowl, with mixer on medium-high speed, beat sugars, oil, butter, and eggs until well blended. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture, scraping bowl occasionally with rubber spatula. Beat 1 minute longer or until well combined. With spatuala, fold in apple mixture (batter will be thick). Scatter remaining apples in the bundt pan and spoon batter over them.
4. Bake until done. (45 minutes - 1 hour) until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack until completely cool.
5. Unmold cake onto cake plate and dust lightly with confectioners' sugar.
6. EAT!

Wake Up Album of Today

The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow (2003)

So I ran into an issue finding a pic for the album....I have this on vinyl (as usual) and the only pic I could find of my cover was of a poster...maybe I have a special release...I don't know. Anyway, my LP cover is the one with the pink guy on the front....not the gray rhino thing LOL.

So onto the music. This album has gotten me through MANY baking marathons, on vinyl and mp3! Just a great follow up album to their debut, "Oh, Inverted World". I have always been a lover of The Shins, but REALLY got the addiction after watching "Garden State", which was written, directed and starred Zach Braff....what a cutie LOL. Natalie Portman, also in "Garden State" is a self proclaimed lover of The Shins...pretty cool when Padme Amidala approves.

As a writer of poetry and prose The Shins inspire me to keep on keepin' on with my crazy thoughts...Check out some of their lyrics...such beautiful arrangement of words...in art there is postive and negative space...the rule of thirds etc. and I believe the same rules exist in the placement of words and the arrangement of lines in music...The Shins exlempify this.

I don't really want to choose favorite tracks from this album because I see the creation more as a whole....but....I will say this "Pink Bullets" is a song I have sang to my kids to put them to sleep and I have the undying urge to make Bob (hubby) play that guitar part for me repeatedly LOL. Check out the video for this song too...very awesome!

Pink Bullets

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XBabozrPGA

another good chill...

Those To Come

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVsX56BPrpU

Those To Come lyrics - Read them they are beautifully arranged :)

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/shins/thosetocome.html

So thanks for sharing my wake up album with me today! I love music and I love vinyl! Please comment and share! Have a great day and let the music carry you!

Wake Up Album of Today!

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Deja vu (1970)

Oh how I love this album! And for so many reasons!

This is the first album release of Crosby, Stills and Nash with the addition of Neil Young.

CSN&Y are the result of a few seriously rockin' bands falling apart. The Byrds, The Hollies & Buffalo Springfield. Interestingly, the bassist on Deja Vu, Greg Reeves, was suggested by the infamous "SUPER FREAK" Rick James. Reeves didn't last long, and was replaced for "acting erratically", sounds right coming from a Rick James suggestion!

Jerry Garcia, best known for being viewed as the leader of The Grateful Dead, appears on "Teach Your Children" playing the pedal steel guitar.

John Sebastian, the founder of The Lovin' Spoonful, appears on the title track, "Deja vu" playing harmonica.

"Deja Vu" had a great time on the charts, in my opinion, it spent a week on top.It also ranked #14 of the top 100 albums of 1970. The "top hit singles" aren't necessarily my favorite tracks on the album, but have become momentous in American life. Songs like "Teach Your Children", "Our House" & Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock".

My personal favorites are "Carry on", "Helpless" & "Country Girl"...although I do love the album on it's entirety!

Carry On

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWTz_lU5BY0

Helpless

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy_uSlnaTjM

So thanks for sharing my wake up album with me today! I love music and I love vinyl! Please comment and share! Have a great day and let the music carry you!

May you stay forever young....

Muffin Tin Monday!!!!

Okay so Sadie wanted to do POLKA DOTS today! So we have raisin dots, sandwhich dots, tic tac dots, cheerio dots, marshmallow and chocolate chip dots and pistachio and cranberry dots!

There are a ton of great muffin tins going on....go see http://michellesjournalcorner.blogspot.com/ !!!!