RIP Agathe, and Thank You, and all the von Trapp family!

Woman whose family inspired singing clan in 'Sound of Music' dies in Maryland at 97

Agathe von Trapp (highlighted)

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) — Agathe von Trapp, a member of the musical family whose escape from Nazi-occupied Austria was the basis for "The Sound of Music," has died, a longtime friend said Wednesday.

Von Trapp, 97, died Tuesday at a hospice in the Baltimore suburb of Towson after suffering congestive heart failure in November, said Mary Louise Kane. Kane and von Trapp lived together for five decades and ran a kindergarten at the Sacred Heart Catholic parish in nearby Glyndon until 1993.

Von Trapp was the oldest daughter of Austrian naval Capt. Georg Ritter von Trapp. His seven children by his first wife, Agathe Whitehead von Trapp, were the basis for the singing family in the 1959 play and 1965 film, which won the Oscar for best picture.

Read the rest here.

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Without the von Trapp Family Singers, the world would never have experienced this:



Thank you, Agathe, and may you rest now.

It's almost time, isn't it?

When my two boys were young, they really loved the soundtrack from Maurice Sendak's "I'm Really Rosie". I can't tell you how many times we sang this song:



It's also quite a nice calendar for the year, isn't it? The year of Chicken Soup, that is.

Just how do you make Chicken Soup with Rice?

Follow these directions, as I've just made a pot today!

Two skinless chicken breasts (or any couple of chicken parts)
Half a large onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, washed and sliced
A generous sprinkle of crushed red pepper
A generous sprinkle of dried minced garlic
Several bay leaves

NOTE: I've used no salt, as the skinless chicken breasts I buy have quite enough. If you're using chicken parts (backs, etc.) you might want to add a teaspoon or two of Sea Salt.

(I like to use my serrated slicer for the carrots--it's easier on my arthritic hands and makes a prettier presentation!).

Add filtered water to cover

Bring to a boil, then cover...

..and simmer for about 2 hours...

...stirring occasionally.

Add a half cup (or so) of rice.

(I've used Arborio here, but you can use long grain white, or even brown rice--which will require a bit longer to cook).

Let this simmer for at least another 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.

Now--how difficult was that, huh?

And soooo much better (and cheaper) for you than 'Campbell's'!

From my window:

In the midst of winter...



...be very careful out there, please?

BLOGGER is being so obstinate today...

...I am thinking of switching to Wordpress!

Get with the program, Blogger!

If you just can't, get your frying pan out of the fire!

(I really hate it when Blogger goes 'topsy-turvy', don't you?)

For the past 24 hours, I have been attempting to post a 'simple video'--about 20 Meg--and Blogger does not seem to be able to handle that...though they say they will accommodate a video up to 100M!

As I write, the font is Times Roman in this window...not Arial, as it should be.

Perhaps it is time...to leave Blogger...and post somewhere else? (And perhaps then I could lose the TROLL, Mike Giovanelli--and his stupidity?).

Shouldn't he be considered a hero?

Lynn Sweet reports...

Davis to Obama, Clinton: Stay out of it

Chicago mayoral hopeful Danny Davis

Mayoral hopeful Rep. Danny Davis warned former President Bill Clinton — who will be campaigning for rival Rahm Emanuel — to stay out of Chicago politics if he wants to maintain warm relations with African Americans — and told me President Obama should remain neutral as well.

“There are lots of people who supported the Clintons here” Davis told me, referring to the former president as well as Chicago native Hillary Rodham Clinton, now the secretary of state. “I think it would be great if they both took a neutral position.”

Read the rest here.

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Danny Davis has a lot of 'street smarts', and hopefully will be able to defeat Rahm Emanuel, 'the Chosen One of the supposedly Chosen One'...Barack INSANE Obama!

I support Danny Davis for Mayor of Chicago.

Just for Kicks!