I have a meeting with the Arts Council in Webster Parish this morning at 11:00 a.m., so I’ll be driving to Minden shortly. We are finalizing our work plans for the Minden area schools. Yesterday, I finished the revision of my Scottish children’s book and worked on promoting my upcoming Mobile book tour. Marketing yourself takes so much time, thought, and energy. I’m making Mobile a study and model on how to take a city by storm. There are many Southern cities I want to attack with the same thoroughness. If successful, maybe I’ll write a book later on my secret strategies.
This weekend, I’ve got a teacher’s organization to perform for and present my book to, and then the Celtic Fest here in Monroe, where I’m going to try to sell some books. There is also a Civil War show I may attend in Vicksburg. I had thought I might set up a table there, but I’m having second thoughts. I might do just as good to just go and hand out some materials on my books and program. I didn’t get to go to a single beach this summer (other than Mobile, where I only saw the Gulf). Not one. I must remedy that and make sure I have some coastal cities this next summer. Last night, I learned a new song for my children’s book presentation: “A Place in the Choir.” I think students will love it. Simple three-chord song. I do it in the key of F. Here are the words:
A Place in the Choir
All god’s creatures got a place in the choir
Some sing low and some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
Some just clap their hands or paws or anything they’ve got now
Listen to the bass it’s the one at the bottom
Where the bullfrog croaks and the hippopotamus
Moans and groans in the big tattoo
And the old cow just goes “moo”
The dogs and the cats they take up the middle
Where the honey bee hums and the cricket fiddles
The donkey brays and the pony neighs
And the old grey badger sighs oh
All god’s creatures got a place in the choir
Some sing low and some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
Some just clap their hands or paws or anything they’ve got now
Listen to the top with the little birds singing
And the melodies and the high notes ringing
And the hoot-owls cries over everything
And the blackbird disagrees
Singing in the night-time, singing in the day
And the little duck quacks and he’s on his way
And the otter hasn’t got much to say
And the porcupine talks to himself
All god’s creatures got a place in the choir
Some sing low and some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
Some just clap their hands or paws or anything they’ve got now
It’s a simple song, a little one sung everywhere
By the ox and the fox and the grizzly bear
The dopey alligator and the hawk above
The sly old weasel and the turtle-dove
All god’s creatures got a place in the choir
Some sing low and some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
Some just clap their hands or paws or anything they’ve got now