. . . of Legends and Lore
Under this heading, I'll be throwin' some hardwood blogs on the fire about the life and lore of the American southwest. I grew up with this background and know the trails. So, I'll try to capture some of the colorful details of unique American southwest desert pioneers and their lifestyle. Look for a regular post of an historical vignette, maybe some cowboy poetry, recipes and more.
The colorful southwest has always attracted the adventurous sort. From settlers to prospectors, traders and cowboys and, the loose gun on the run; each has left their indelible mark on the historical tales of the American southwest.
Add in, the fabled lost bonanzas and treasures of gold and precious stones, the mines and mountains and mysteries of the searing desert, the wonder of the desert cowboy and ghost towns and cow-towns, they all weave a history of fact and folklore that still excites the imagination.
Some stories seem naturally worth repeating, sometimes as narrative poetry, especially if they can be freshened up with a new perspective or little-known fact. Like gold, the tale is where you find it. Whether it is well known or not, each has its own fascination that keeps the regional history alive. So, here are some historical vignettes of American southwest legends and lore that are worth telling to the next generation. Drop every month or so for another fascinating yarn of fact and fable of the old southwest.
I'll also throw in an occasional cowboy poem from my book, "Cow Chip Poetry—Lies, Lingo & Lore." Here's what the BigBlendMagazine.com had to say about my book: "These cowboy poems and stories are laced with real cowboy humor, and filled with a reality and drama and extremes that only the southwest desert can provide. He has obviously been over the trail of which he writes."
Look for an expanded second edition of sixteen more poems, due out in the spring of 2013. To get an idea of what others had to say, click on the book —"Reader Reviews". Here is what one reviewer said: "His poems and stories are laced with real cowboy humor, but filled with reality and drama of the extremes that only the desert can provide."
'Ol Gabby, the chuck wagon cook, is a crusty character identified with the poems of Cow Chip Poetry. So, it seems natural to list some of his recipes on the "Chuck Wagon Recipes " page. Included are a number of Dutch oven recipes, since that and the skillet were "Ol Gabby's" favorite cooking utensils. "Rattlesnake Soup" is not only a recipe of his, but has also become one of the cowboy poems.
So, "Come 'n git' it or he'll spit in the skillet!"