Happy Friday! It’s been a crazy busy week, and the Saddled Hearts tour is still going on. I am overwhelmed and happy with the reviews that are rolling in for this new book. In fact, as a good friend likes to say, “I’m dancing on sunshine!” (Parris, if you see this, you know I’m talking about you.)
To start off today, I want to talk about mushrooms. No, not the magical kind, but the kind you put in omelets and such. I have a question for you. Do you peel your mushrooms before you use them?
I never did until a few years back when my best friend, Kay, and I went to Arkansas with another friend, Cactus Mike, to dig for crystals. You see Mike is a connoisseur of fine dining and he did some of the cooking while we are there. He was the first person I ever saw peel mushrooms. When I questioned him, he said, “Do you know where mushrooms grow?”
Well, yes I do. Oh yeah. A great reason to peel and wash them before using. Now, I never use a mushroom without first peeling it, then follow with a good rinsing.
What about you? Have you ever thought about it? Do you peel your mushrooms before using them?
Oh, and before you ask why Mike goes by Cactus Mike, he is the owner of Cactus Town, Texas and when Rick and I first met him many years ago, he was one of the largest distributors of cacti in the southwest. If you’re ever near San Angelo, Texas, drop by and visit Cactus Town. It’s pretty amazing.
And just for fun. I had to go back a few years to find a picture of the three of us. We were heading off to the Big Bend on that trip.
Now, I’m going to shift gears just a little. Yesterday, I was driving down the street and as per usual, had my radio on. This song came on. I had an emotional meltdown as I listened to it, and I’ll tell you why.
It would have been sometime early in 1971. Rick had a strong premonition that things were about to break bad. He’d taken me back to my sister’s house and dumped me. If you’ve read “Flowers and Stone,” you may remember this scene with Luke and Darlina.
I was broken, shattered, and unable to breathe. A girlfriend took pity on me and invited me to her apartment for drinks and to try and cheer me up. It backfired. The more I drank, the stronger the urge grew to go to where Rick was playing that night. Then we ingested something a little stronger than booze, and the feelings intensified to the point I told her if she didn’t take me to the nightclub, I would walk. So, she drove me over and dropped me off at the front door. Of course, the minute Rick saw me, he knew I was messed up and out of control. Long story short. He took me back to Brownwood with him that night, fed me hamburgers, and talked until I was no longer messed up. The next night he was playing back in Abilene, and we went alone in his car as opposed to riding in the band car. I will never forget it if I live to be over a hundred. We were driving down Sayles Boulevard, getting closer to my sister’s house where I knew he’d leave me again, and this song came on the radio. I lost it. All I wanted was to be together again, but all I could be was gone. It affected me much the same way yesterday. So, just thought I’d share that little soiree down memory lane.
Anyhoo. I hope everyone has a great weekend lined up. I plan to get some serious work done on my much-neglected WIP. And I’ll have some book reviews posted on Saturday. I don’t like to blog on the weekends, but with the tour going in, there isn’t much other time.
To everyone who has tagged along on the blog tour, purchased Saddled Hearts, or read and reviewed it, I say
Writing and Music 
No peeling here, just wash ‘n’ chop! 🙂
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Interesting. I have loved all the comments on this, Mark. Thanks for adding to it!
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I don’t really cook with mushrooms much. But I can well appreciate how a song can so easily trigger us. Hugs ❤
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I know you can, Debby. It was just one of those overwhelming moments. Thanks for visiting!
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I know well how a song can catch us right off guard. 🙂
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I learned from a master chef not to peel mushrooms or to wash them. (They are like a sponge and absorb the water and become soggy) They need a good scrub with a brush or damp towel of course as we do know how they are grown commercially.
It’s funny how certain songs can do that to you. The Buck Owens song makes me think of my dad actually, I miss him so much.
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Thank you for chiming in on the mushroom dilemma, Darlene. If a master chef taught you, then it must be right. They can become soggy when washed. I appreciate you stopping by and adding to the conversation. I’m glad the song triggered a memory of your dad. Hugs!
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I do peel mushrooms except for buttons but give them a good scrub…and I remember that scene in your book very well. A very emotional time for you and I am sure it felt that nothing would ever be right again. But, your story was not over yet.. I have the next book to catch up on waiting for me…♥♥
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Thank you for chiming in, Sally. I think it would be hard to peel buttons. They are usually pretty small. Yes, the scene in the book was highly charged, but as you say it wasn’t over yet. 🙂 I appreciate your comment!
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I’ve never seen anyone peel mushrooms but then I don’t eat them a lot and never fix them for myself. Mike is an interesting man. I always loved the times we went over to Cactus Town and felt the peaceful aura of the place. Sorry about the sudden memory the song brought. Things like that come from out of nowhere and knock us to our knees. Love you, sister. Tender hugs.
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You are right, sister. Cactus Mike is an interesting person. He has expanded Cactus Town a lot over the years. I’d love to go visit again soon. It’s okay about the memory. I think sometimes we need to feel intense emotions because it makes us realize just how alive we are. Thank you for visiting and commenting. Love you!
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Dumped is another word for temporary in your case. Thanks for sharing.
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True enough, John. Dumped for my own good. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
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Thank you for sharing your memory so openly with us. I understand what power music can have. The memories it triggers are so real as if they happened right now, right here. We can become so emotional and fragile.
As for mushrooms, I never considered peeling them. I do brush and rinse them before using them.
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The mind is such a mysterious place, Erika. A memory can invoke just as strong of an emotion as the actual event. It’s easy to fall into an abyss. As I get older, I find it also easier to climb right back out. Always toward the light. Interesting comments today about the mushrooms. Thanks for stopping by!
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Yes, it can strike a chord that opens a trapdoor. And yes, I experience it too that I can distance better from the emotion. But sometimes I love letting some melancholy taking over for a moment. (But not the devastating feelings, of course, that throw you back at a time you finally made it out.)
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Beautiful story, Jan. Music always stirs heavy emotions in me–good and bad. As for mushrooms, I’ve never peeled them. I do brush off the dirt to clean them but have never heard of peeling a mushroom. Interesting… I think I’ll try this method. Love mushrooms, too!
Enjoy your weekend! And ride the wave of all those beautiful reviews, Jan. Again, so well deserved! 🙂
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Thank you, Mary! I definitely had never thought of peeling mushrooms until that trip when Mike cooked for us. It’s amazing the things we learn, right? And I am overjoyed with the reviews, especially the crowned heart review at InD’Tale!! Have a great weekend!
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What a story about you and Rick, Jan. So poignant and heartbreaking. I can totally understand why the song is so emotional for you. Thanks for sharing so honestly here. (And I don’t peel my mushrooms. 🙂 )
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Lol, Diana. Thanks for stopping by. Yes, poignant and heartbreaking at the time, and again at the memory. But my story got a happy ending. 🙂 So, will you now peel your mushrooms? Or will you continue as is? 🙂
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As is. Peeling mushrooms? I am WAY to lazy for that. Ha ha.
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It’s amazing the power that music holds. It gives life to memories both sorrowful and joyful, and we are changed because of simple notes. Thank you for sharing for poignantly, Jan. 🌞
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Thank you, Gwen, for your beautifully poetic comment. Simple notes, indeed, and yet each one holds the power of a million universes. I appreciate you taking the time to visit today and hope you have a wonderful weekend!
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I don’t peel mushrooms as I tend to buy them pre-sliced these days to aid in the kitchen with my limitations. I’d much prefer doing it all myself like I used to. Your memories are powerful, and I’ve had so many occasions where music has triggered a tsunami. Thanks for sharing, Jan. Have a wonderful weekend. Hugs 💕🙂
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A tsunami is the right word for it, Harmony. Memories are powerful and isn’t it interesting how a memory can invoke the exact same response as the actual moment did? The mind is a mysterious place. I sometimes buy the pre-sliced mushrooms, too, when I need the convenience. Hopefully, they’ve washed them good before slicing. 🙂 Thanks for visiting. Have a great weekend!
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Not a mushroom peeler myself. I do have a mushroom brush for those I harvest myself. There are lots of little pockets in wild morels and they can hold sand and bugs.
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Oh yes, those little pockets. I love that you know which mushrooms to pick and which to leave alone, Craig. I wouldn’t have a clue. Thanks for chiming in!
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Music also brings back many memories for me. For instance, every time I heard The Judd’s “Love is Alive” it takes me back to the summer of 1985 and a trip to Wyoming. Great memory. Thanks for sharing yours.
No, I’ve never pealed mushrooms, but I do wash them carefully! 😀
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Okay, I admit thinking about mushrooms reminds me of a Jefferson Airplane song. (A different kind of mushroom.) LOL
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Lol, Joan! Yep!
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While the memory I shared was painful, it was also powerful. So powerful that it’s ingrained in my DNA. I love how music can transport us back to different times, whether good or bad. It’s amazing the things we learn in life. I had lived a long time eating unpeeled mushrooms until bam, I learned something different. Thanks for visiting!
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Thanks for sharing your memory with us, Jan. Music is a powerful way to evoke memories. This is way I use it as a way to get “unstuck” when I’m writing. Have a great weekend!
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Music can be a great tool for moving us forward at times, Jill. Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment! Have a wonderful weekend!
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I love the phrase “dancing on sunshine.” Of course Parris came up with it.
There’s nothing like music to take us back to a specific memory. I know they say smell is the most powerful scent associated with recall, but I know there are plenty of songs that immediately transport me to a place and time in my past—some good moments, some bad. All visceral.
Happy weekend, Jan. Good luck on the WIP. (I’ve been neglecting mine, too.)
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Lol! Yes, Parris is a ray of sunshine her own little self. 🙂 You’re right about things that can trigger a memory as poignant and vivid as the moment it actually happened. I think a lot of food scents can take us back to our childhoods and holidays. They do for me. I hope you have a good weekend, too, and here’s to knocking out some word count! Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment!
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Yes! Food absolutely does! 💕
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Most of us have been dumped at sometime in our lives, part of the maturing process I dare say. Think about all the things you learn through lifes rich pageant though, even the downs have their place !
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It’s an amazing journey, Joy. I am thrilled to say that my story did eventually have a happy ending. Without the downs, we wouldn’t appreciate the ups! Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment. Have a wonderful weekend!
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