Down on the Caney Fork

 Funeral Cake

State of the Ozarks Cookin'

Funeral Cake

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• Butter
  
• 1 tablespoon water
  
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
  
• 3 eggs
  
• 3 1/2 cups flour
  
• 1 cup sultanas or golden raisins
  
• 1/2 cup raisins
  
• 1 cup currants
  
• 1/2 cup candied fruit peel
  
• Nutmeg
  
• Allspice
  

Put the sugar, butter and a tablespoon of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Stir in the ground almonds, eggs, flour, raisins, currants, fruit peel, and a pinch of nutmeg and allspice.

Pour the cake mixture into a 10-inch greased cake pan and bake at 375°F for 1 1/2 hours. Reduce the oven to 350°F and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and turn it onto a rack. Allow the cake to cool and store in an airtight container.

— page 328, Celtic Folklore Cooking by Joanne Asala, Llewellyn Publication, Woodbury, MN 2007

 

I'm the man in overalls at Ryman stage in Nashville with actress portraying Patsy Cline in movie about her and Loretta Lynn

 He made this mirror inspired by Lord of the Rings

 Merle Haggard at Powderhorn Park, July 1978

Marcia Littlebear Howard -- Grand Lake Vintage Facebook

In honor of Merle Haggard's 88th birthday today- here are a few pictures from July 1978 when he did a two day show in Langley, Ok at Powderhorn Park. My mom was a huge Haggard fan. Me, my sister, mom and my 2 kids went to see the show. We booked a room in Pryor at the Best Western and when we got there Merle and the Strangers were staying there too! We had the pleasure of meeting him and getting to visit with him before and after the show. He was a super nice guy!

That's me with Merle in the bottom right picture. He was telling his security guys to get us a good place to set up our lawn chairs for the show. Everytime after this when we went to one of his shows we always got to get on his bus and visit a bit. He always remembered who we were!

Anyone else go to this show? Is Powderhorn Park still there?

 Gram Parsons

Ingram Cecil Connor III (November 5, 1946 – September 19, 1973), known professionally as Gram Parsons.

Parsons is best known for his work with the Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers. He also popularized what he called "Cosmic American Music", a hybrid of country, rhythm and blues, soul, folk, and rock. He recorded as a solo artist and with the International Submarine Band, the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Parsons joined The Byrds in early 1968 and played a pivotal role in the making of the seminal Sweetheart of the Rodeo album. After leaving the group in late 1968, Parsons and fellow Byrd Chris Hillman formed The Flying Burrito Brothers in 1969, releasing their debut, The Gilded Palace of Sin, the same year. The album was well received but failed commercially. After a sloppy cross-country tour, they hastily recorded Burrito Deluxe. Parsons was fired from the band before its release in early 1970. His next solo albums met with little success. Parsons died from a reported alcohol and drug overdose on September 19,1973, he was 26 years old. After his death his body was to be flown to Louisiana for burial. However, his body was intercepted at the airport by friends Phil Kaufman and Michael Martin. After stealing his body they drove to The Joshua Tree Desert and poured gasoline inside the coffin to set the fire. Parsons had stated to friends that he wanted to be cremated at Joshua Tree Desert instead of being buried in the ground. His remains were finally interred in New Orleans. Kaufman and Martin were arrested and fined $700.00 for stealing and burning the coffin as it was not against the law to steal a deceased body. Parsons is interred at Garden Of Memories Memorial Park in Metairie, Louisiana