Well, not cotton. But that irritating wild grass that towers over my head and makes hiking more difficult does have a name: talahib. At least that is what the Filipinos call it. Scientists say Saccharum spontaneum, and us English speaking folks might call it thatch grass or fodder cane. Whatever the name, it is a pain in the ass.
On my dog walking excursion this morning, I took note of the thatch grass growing throughout the neighborhood. From the vantage point of the pavement, I could better appreciate it’s beauty. Like the photo above, the grass here has gone into its “blossoming” phase.
Anyway, it was just another example of looking for new within the routine.
I did the Wednesday walking group this morning. I’ve got some photos of that to post tomorrow. Right now, I need to head out for darts. But before I go, let me share this:
A girl at the bar showed me a picture of her mother. I said “wow you look like identical twins”. After a pause, she said “Yes, we were separated at birth.”
Reminds me a bit of South American pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana, according to Wikipedia).
Yeah, that sounds right. See “pampas” reminded me of a song we sang during music class in elementary school. I looked and looked (well, I had Google look, but you know what I mean) and couldn’t find it. All I remember of the lyrics is:
“see the gaucho ride the pampas, see the gaucho…” something or other. Oh well.
John McCrarey
See the gaucho ride the pampas, ride the pampas green and wide.
With his blanket spurs babatas and a bolo by his side.
Riding home to Consuelita, who is waiting for this day.
Ay, manita, how he’ll greet her. They will sing and shout “Ole”!
(spoken) OLE – listen to the gaucho!
He’s singing… Lita, Lita, Lita, Lita darling Lita, Consuelita all the way.
Oh it’s…Lita, Lita, Lita, Lita darling Lita, Consuelita every day.
(or something like that). I think there was a record they would play, so the class could learn how to sing the song too.
Thanks, Howie. Yes, that’s it. I know we sang it in music class back in like 5th grade. Teacher said it was about the cowboys (gauchos) in Argentina.
“See the gaucho ride the pampas … I was trying to sing that to my wife just the other night from 5th or 6th grade music. I could only remember the first line, and then the ‘bolo by my side’.
I can still remember the tune, though! (at least I think ….)
Wonder was it a traditional folk song of the region, or was it authored specifically for the music book series? Best I recall they often included ‘traditional folk song’s.
Hi Paige, yes, we did that song in 5th or 6th-grade music class. I went to school in Southern California. I seem to recall the music teacher saying it was a traditional song from Argentina.
I will be 63 soon and I remember singing this song in elementary school music class in Louisiana. I have no memory of the song book, but I do remember all the words to the first part of the lyrics leading up to the chorus.
Thanks for the comment, Vickie. It’s funny how some things stick in our minds. I recall some song lyrics better than I remember why I walked into the kitchen some days.
I learned it with “bombachas” rather than “babatas,,”. Every other words is identical. I’m 74 and it was in my 4th grade song book. So catchy and memorable,!
Thanks for the clarification, Anne. It is strange how long ago moments like this song stick in our head and the rest of the time I’m lucky to remember my name…
I remember it as well and yet with everything on the internet I can’t find it. Yet you can still find Chicken Fat… remember that goodie?
I had to look it up on YouTube, but once I heard it again it was familiar.
Howie Boyd and Anne Ross – YES! That song came to me at random in the middle of the night and now I’m frustrated because Google and YouTube are failing me! I’m 69 and remember learning the song from a record at school in Baltimore. My best friend and I would shout “Ole!” with a flourish and dramatically say “Listen to the Gaucho!” Then we tried to mimic the guitar riff – “dat dat dat alata dat dat dat alata” before the gaucho started singing about Lita, and we ran out of breath trying to repeat the name lol. Ah, such simpler times!.
I appreciate you sharing the sweet memory of singing that song in class, Rhonda. It is so strange that the song lives on in the hearts and minds of so many and yet we can’t find it on the internet. What’s up with that?
I too have been trying to remember all the words to this song. We sang it in 5th and 6th grade at West Elementary in Southern Utah.
Thanks for all the words! I have been trying to look them up as well. We sang bombachas!
Glad to have added some value here, Donna! It’s weird how that song stuck in all of our minds that way.