Bushy Tail Ranch

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I sold my farm two years ago. At first is was great not having to feed and tend to animals every day. I finally had the freedom to go places and not have to hurry home to take care of the critters. Still to this day, when the sun goes down my first thought is always "time to close up the chicken coop...oh wait".

Lately I've really started missing the animals so I began feeding the squirrels in my backyard. So far I've acquired quite a herd. I have about a dozen "head" of the fuzzy beasts (although since I haven't figured how to brand them yet I'm not sure which squirrels are mine). I've decided to call my place "Bushy Tail Ranch". I made a lasso out of yarn and with a little more practice I should be able to rope a few. One squirrel I call "Nut Case" (not to be confused with Wingnut) is really huge. I figure If can catch him and "break him" so he's comfortable wearing the saddle I'm making out of an old baseball glove, I'll be able to ride him. I'm hoping I can talk Tommy G Productions into helping me host the "PSR" (Professional Squirrel Riding) competition. You think bull riding is tough, wait until you experience squirrel riding. An eight second ride is almost impossible!

Top Country Party / Dance Songs

Like you, I lOVE country music!!! Not only do I get to play your songs on the radio, but I also host a mobile music show for parties. After years of observing the reactions from party goers to many different songs, I have come up with a list of the all time top country party / dance songs. Songs have to have the right beat, sound fun and slow songs have to be romantic.

Here's the list (in no particular order) :

Trace Adkins - Honky Tonk Badonkadonk / Alabama - Feels So Right
Big and Rich - Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy / Lone Star - Amazed
Garth Brooks - Friends in Low Places / Gretchen Wilson - Redneck Woman
Brooks and Dunn - Boot Scootin' Boogie / Sara Evans - Suds in the Bucket
Neal McCoy - the Shake / Tracy Byrd - Keeper of the Stars / Patsy Cline - Crazy
Toby Keith - I Love This Bar / Mickey Gilley - Stand By Me
Lee Ann Womack - I Hope You Dance / George Jones - White Lightning
Kentuck Headhunters - Oh Lonesome Me / Johnny Lee - Lookin' For Love
Little Texas - God Blessed Texas / Tim McGraw - I Like It I Love It
John Michael Montgomery - I Swear / Anne Murray - Could I Have This Dance?
Joe Nichols - Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off / Waylon and Willie - Good Hearted Woman
Ray Price - For the Good Times / Kenny Rogers - Through the Years / Dan Seals - Bop
Tractors - Baby Likes to Rock It / George Strait - Ace in the Hole
Shania Twain - Man I Feel Like A Woman / Shelly West - Jose Cuervo
Gretchen Wilson - Here For the Party.

That's my list. What are your favorites?

Dashing Through the Snow!

During our most recent snowstorm I was shoveling the sidewalk in front of my house when I realized that there were no kids sledding on our neighborhood hill. Since I am living in the very house I grew up in I remembered a time when there was always a group of kids sliding down "Thrill Hill". I had the sudden urge to go out and purchase a Flexible Flyer and show this video game generation what real fun is! Because even if you can't afford a snowmobile or the price of a lift ticket at a ski area, you can still have free frozen fun! We used to spend hours building snow forts complete with secret tunnels. Build a snowman. All you need is an old hat, a couple of sticks for the arms, a carrot for the nose and some rocks for buttons. Make snow angels. If you don't have a sled, use an old inner tube or even a plastic garbage bag. Make some snow ice cream. About this time I noticed my neighbor shoveling the walk in front of his house. Since the snow was wet I quickly pounded out a big fat snowball, took aim and whizzed this ball of mush right past his head splattering on his freshly shoveled sidewalk. He was quite perturbed that I had forced him to re-do part of the walk. Doesn't anybody have fun in the snow anymore?

John Deere

Up until about 2 years ago I was working for a country radio station on the Maine coast. I lived however on a small farm in rural Appleton, Maine where I raised ducks and chickens (there's nothing like fresh eggs). Things grow pretty fast in that wet climate and I had to mow several acres. I had been using an old Ford lawn tractor that came with the house. It was a good little tractor, but it was worn and abused and ready to fall apart. All my life I had dreamed of owning a John Deere. So I saved my money and finally got enough together to pay cash for a brand new Deere! Now don't get me wrong, there are a lot of tractors out there I'd love to own. I have a listener who calls me regularly who loves his International Harvester and I have another friend who swears by his Kubota. But for me "nothing runs like a Deere". You see in Appleton it doesn't matter what kind of car you drive, if you have a Deere tractor you park it in front of the house by the road. It's a status symbol. About a month after I bought my tractor a package came in the mail from John Deere headquarters in Moline, Illinois. I opened it like a kid ripping open a Christmas present and I was disappointed that all it was a John Deere baseball hat. I had plenty of those. Then I spied the gold stitching in the bill of the cap. It said "owners edition"! Now, anyone can buy a John Deere hat, but you have to own a Deere to wear this hat.
The John Deere was sold with the farm to my cousin Donovan about 2 years ago, with the stipulation that I can drive the tractor any time I come visit. I did keep the hat and although it's dirty and worn out I still proudly wear it!

Does this one count?

One of the cool things about being in radio is that you get to meet and sometimes hang out with interesting celebrities. From country stars to actors and actresses to sports stars to politicians. Before I recently moved back home to the Springs, I spent the last two years as a substitute high school teacher in Glendale, Arizona. The students knew I was a "radio guy" and they often asked which famous people I had met. I'd rattle off names like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, President Ford, Goose Gossage, Alex Trabek, Dolly Parton, the list goes on and on. Most of these kids had never heard of any of them!! The only one that really impressed them was one that may not count. You decide.
Back in the eary 90's I did a show in Phoenix with Billy Ray Cyrus. Backstage I met Billy's wife and we talked about her pregnancy. When the baby started moving around she placed my hand on her tummy and I felt the baby kick. This is how I met Miley Cyrus. Does this count? She was still in the womb, so did I really meet her? I'd like to hear what you think.

Hi Cat Fans!

I just got back from a trip to Phoenix to retreive some of my stuff. Although I grew up here in the Springs I have been gone for many years and for the past few years I've been living in Arizona where a lot of my stuff is still stored. I was able to bring back my mobile dj equipment so I'm ready to roll for your party, wedding reception, or whatever. Naturally I have a great collection of country music as well as rock and roll oldies, classic rock and pop. The all time great party and dance songs!
On the way to Arizona we got caught in a landslide! You know those signs that say "watch for falling rocks"? Well we saw them fall right off the side of a cliff and couldn't stop in time. All of a sudden we were driving through a cloud of red dust and dirt and ran over a few good sized rocks.
I pulled over and checked out the car and there didn't seem to be any damage, but on they way home near Las Vegas, New Mexico a tire blew out. Although the tire was pretty new, the tread was stipped off. So I think one of the rocks must have sliced the tire and it took several hundred more miles before it fell apart! Luckily no one was hurt. It's one thing to be stuck in Las Vegas, Nevada, but Las Vegas New Mexico? There's not much to do!!!
All in all I'm just glad to back home safe and sound in Colorado Springs!