Paul Simon- Old Friends

Sheila and I went to see

Paul Simon!

I think this tour across North America is a result of his release on June 3rd.

Stranger to Stranger

Paul Simon’s artful and vital new album of 11 songs.

He has been one of my favorite artists since my college days.
I remember listening to his hit song,
"Bridge Over Troubled Waters" in 1970 when I was at Tarkio College in Missouri.
At that time, he was part of the duo, Simon & Garfunkel.
That is how I remember him from the music that shaped my generation.

And we all remember the hit movie, The Graduate, with Dustin Hoffman.
Who can forget Mrs. Robinson?
 In 1967 their music was a key ingredient in the success of that hit film.

Waiting...

I was trying to think how old Paul Simon was.

He is 10 years older than I am.

Paul Simon was born October 13, 1941 in Newark, New Jersey.

Now you know.

As a teenager Simon teamed up with his classmate from Queens,

 New York, Art Garfunkel, to form Simon and Garfunkel (first known as Tom and Jerry). 

Beginning with “The Sounds of Silence,”

 they were the most popular folk-pop duo of the 1960s 

and the musical darlings of literary-minded college-age baby boomers. 

One of Simon’s best narrative songs, “The Boxer” (1969),

 is the streamlined dramatic monologue of a down-and-out prizefighter.

The concert was a mix of old and new.

Simon closed his concert with "Old Friends."

What a fitting end to a stroll back in time, at least for me, to the '60's.

Lyrics from Old Friends:

Can you imagine us years from today

Sharing a park bench quietly?

How terribly strange to be seventy

Old friends, memory brushes the same years

Silently sharing the same fears

Read more: Simon And Garfunkel - Old Friends Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

Among songwriters of his generation,
 Simon enjoyed one of the longest-lasting careers as a pop innovator.
Simon was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

I remember when Simon & Garfunkel broke up and went their separate ways.
I just couldn't remember why.
And I really didn't remember that they broke up in 1970.
That was basically when I first started really listening to their music and lyrics.
I like the stories they tell.

When the 1970's Bridge Over Troubled Water was a massive commercial and critical success,
 long-simmering creative differences between Simon and Garfunkel came to a head while making the album, and there was a proper breakup when Simon released his self-titled solo album in 1972.
 Paul Simon featured two hit singles, "Mother and Child Reunion"
 and "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,"
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/paul-simon-mn0000031685/biography

So, now I am looking for a concert with Art Garfunkel.
And, Doug and I did find one not too far away, next year.
So, even though I won't see them performing together,

I can still see them.

Blog facts from above web sight and the following:
More on Paul Simon

Mother's Day-Brownie & Strawberry Trifle & Golden Berry Pie

To all Moms on this special day.
All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother. Abraham Lincoln

This dessert is too good to be trifled with.

Just take a look.

 Brownie & Strawberry Trifle.
This dessert is very easy with just 4 ingredients.

 Mother's Day
is not complete without a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
Thanks, Evie & Kevin.

My kids when they were little.

Before I was a Mom -
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
 I never knew that something so small could affect my life
so much.
 I never knew that I could love someone so much.
 I never knew I would love being a Mom.

On to the recipe for the trifle.

The first of four ingredients is the Brownie.
I mixed mine up according to the directions on the box.
I added walnuts to the batter.

I baked, then let them cool.

The second step is to prepare the Strawberries.
I sliced 2 boxes of strawberries and sprinkled white sugar over them.
Maceration
 is the technique of mixing berries with sugar until they soften
 and release a delicate syrup
resulting in sweet, brightly acidic, and tender strawberries.
(https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/macerated-strawberries)

When the brownies have cooled, cut them into 1" squares.

I took the ingredients to my brother's house,
and assembled the dessert there.

Put a third of the brownies into the bottom of the bowl.
Top with a generous amount of the third ingredient,
Cool Whip
non-dairy whipped topping.
The recipe takes 2 cartons of Cool Whip.

Add another layer of brownies, strawberries, and Cool Whip.

Repeat with the third layer until all the ingredients are used.

The fourth ingredient,
Smucker's Magic Shell Chocolate Fudge.
Squeeze a generous layer over the top of the berries.

 I popped the dessert into the freezer for a few minutes.
The chocolate shell freezes in seconds, but I wanted the whole trifle chilled.

 Doug, Gail, Yatzi, Mom, Rick, Sheila

Denise, Gail, Mom, Rick

Celebrating Moms...
Denise, Yatzi, Mom, Sheila

 Doug & I with Mom

Sheila & Rick

Another recipe...
Golden Berry Pie
a.k.a. Cape Gooseberries

Mom always liked fresh gooseberry pie.
I thought I had found fresh gooseberries, but I had purchased Golden Berries.
I did not know the difference until Doug pointed out that
golden berries were not the same.

Goldenberries, also known as cape gooseberries, are considered a superfood due to their high concentration of nutrients. Goldenberries are native to Brazil, but are grown in many warm climates including Peru, South Africa, Australia and Hawaii. They are not easy to find fresh in the United States. Adding goldenberries to a well-balanced diet increases your intake of many nutrients that are important for good health.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/552707-the-nutritional-value-of-goldenberries/

I followed the directions for gooseberry pie
and achieved a very good pie.
These berries are naturally sweeter than gooseberries,
so I followed the directions for gooseberry pie and achieved
a very good tasting sweet pie.

Golden Berry Pie

Ingredients:

• 2 cups golden berries or gooseberries
• 1 tbsp. water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup flour
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg

The basic recipe comes from Midwest Living.

I modified it using 2 cups of berries instead of 4.

http://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/pies/gooseberry-pie

I also filled 2 small ceramic pie plates using half the filling in each.

The golden berries came hulled.

I cut off the ends where the stem was.

 In the mean time, I rolled out a refrigerated prepared pie crust.

I used a plastic lid for a template to cut the crust to fit a small
ceramic pie pan.

 You need two of these.
One for the top and one for the bottom.

 Once the dough is in the pan,
use a fork to gently pierce small holes on the bottom of the crust.
 This allows for ventilation and prevents the dough from puffing up in the oven.

Then prepare the berries.

In a medium saucepan, combine berries, and 1 tablespoon water.  

Cook over medium-low heat until the berries "pop," stirring occasionally.

 Add the sugar, the flour, and nutmeg
 to the saucepan.

 Cook and stir until mixture just begins to bubble.

 Spread mixture in the pastry-lined pie plate.
Place remaining pastry on filling.
Fold top pastry under bottom pastry. Crimp edge as desired.
Cut slits into the top pie crust to vent.
 Sprinkle with a little sugar.

 Cover the edge of the pie with foil.
Here are both of the pies.

 Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 25 minutes.
Remove foil. Bake about 20 minutes more or until top is golden.

 Let cool.

Enjoy!

Before I was a Mom -
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
 I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important.

It has been many years since we were little,
but the bond between a mother and child remains.
Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

And remember that behind every successful woman......
is a basket of dirty laundry.
- Unknown

For more inspirational quotes go to:
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_mothersday.html
http://boardofwisdom.com/togo/?viewid=1005&listname=Mothers%20Day#.VzTqpvkrK70