Aww…some Monday’s Music Moves Me

Aww…some Monday

I’ve been photographing some of my collection of University of Oklahoma caps for possible blog header image. The one currently on the blog is more of a practice run than a real contender for a place on the blog. Here are a few of the finalists.

First up, I was born and raised in Oklahoma and graduated from OU. There is a company called The OKIE Company that markets caps, t-shirts and hoodies with the OKIE logo. “Okie” comes from the dust bowl days. Much of the 1930’s saw Oklahoma experience drought conditions. Poor crop management turned the soil into dust and it was unbelievable. Couple the dust bowl with the depression and many residents moved to other states with California being among the most popular destinations. All of these new people moving into California did not set well with many locals and they began calling the displaced Sooners, “Okies”. It was not originally an endearing term but more like a racial slur. Today, many Oklahomans proudly refer to themselves as Okies because they believe themselves to be an independent, hardy breed of Americans that settled a portion of the wild, wild west. All that to say, I have several of these OKIE hats.

The University of Oklahoma is simply known as OU by everyone in the state. The logo on the cup above is the current version of OU found on most merchandise. However, the logo on the cap below comes from the early days of the university and I still think it’s a very good look.

Combine the University of Oklahoma with OKIE and you get OKIE University

The theme this week at 4M is…Learn something about this first month of the new year and build your playlist around that for your music inspiration.

If birds begin to whistle in January, frosts to come.

Birds are usually around and active in the northern states during the heart of winter only when temperatures are unusually mild, which means that the steering winds high aloft have a large north–south component. The southerly component is what brought the warm weather, but, as those steering winds move, they will become northerly, bringing along very cold air.

So what do I do with this bit of trivia. We have birds around the house in January. There are a few cardinal, sparrows, and starlings. The occasional hawk will perch on the back fence, looking for anything moving in the easement behind our back fence and there are a couple of species that are always trying to winter in the wreaths that my wife makes and adorns our front door. There’s even the straggler robin that never quite makes it all the way south into Texas and Louisana. So, here’s to the birds that whistle…or not.

Originally recorded by Bobby Day in 1958 here is the Jackson 5 with Rockin’ Robin!

Beautiful song about a bird by the most influential band in rock n roll

Finally, a song by the Byrds. Have a blessed week.

16 thoughts on “Aww…some Monday’s Music Moves Me”

  3. CAAC's avatarCAAC

    Of your photos, I like the current one you have up as a header. The single cap and mug appeals to me the most. This is a cool idea. 🙂

    Now, I just love the way your inspiration flowed using the quote to spin off your bird themed songs as well finishing up with the Byrds. We frequently see birds in the backyard in the middle of winter. I normally can’t hear the chirps, though. DH frequently hears their call. “Rockin’ Robin” is a great classic and I love the original and the cover equally.

    Thanks for sharing and joining the 4M party, my friend. Have a boogietastic week!

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  5. Sandee's avatarSandee

    I knew this because my family came to California during that time. I would be proud to be an Oakie too.

    Love the videos. You’ve captured birds very well. You always do a great job.

    Thank you for joining the Awww Mondays Blog Hop.

    Have a fabulous Awww Monday and week, my friend. 🙂

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  6. DrillerAA's avatarDrillerAA

    My family came from Kentucky to Oklahoma before Oklahoma became a state. My great aunt’s teaching certificate is dated 1903 and Oklahoma didn’t become a state until 1907.

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  7. alanamautone's avataralanamautone

    You made me think of my late Aunt Mary, who was a native of Oklahoma (born in 1925) and spent much of her adult life in Texas and then Iowa. Her mother was also her teacher in the one room schoolhouse she and her siblings attended. She married my father’s youngest brother. Your post made me think – if she was born in 1925 her mother may possibly have lived in Oklahoma before it became a state. So I don’t have Okie blood in me, but I enjoyed your keepsakes and your bird oriented songs anyway. Birds? I hear a lot of blue jays and starlings even on miserable days like today, plus the occasional cry of a red bellied woodpecker and our cute snowbirds, the dark-eyed junco. And I love Eight Miles High and the Byrds. Alana ramblinwitham

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  8. DrillerAA's avatarDrillerAA

    My father was the first of his siblings born in Oklahoma. All of his older siblings were born in Kentucky. It was my grandfather’s sister that was the first family member to take up residence in Oklahoma. My grandfather and his brothers followed several years later.

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  9. messymimi's meanderings's avatarmessymimi's meanderings

    Oklahoma is an amazing part of the country, I enjoyed visiting a couple of times.

    Birds singing during a warming spell in January meaning more cold to come reminds me of the story about Groundhog Day — if it’s a beautiful day and the Groundhog sees a shadow, it means there will be more cold coming.

    Your music choices are always excellent.

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  10. Birgit Bedesky's avatarBirgit Bedesky

    I love your take on this theme! I love birds and enjoy watching them perched on our fence. These songs are great and perfect for the month.

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