As some of you may now know “Take a Stick of Bumbleweed” may NOT actually be a real song. (Which was news to me!!!!) I talked to my sister after my blog and she was like “Ummm! I don’t think that was a real song!”

I responded like the sure child that I am “But I know all of the words and the tune and I can sing it in rounds so it has to be a song!”

She said “Sing it!      Out Loud!      Right now, sing it out loud and really listen to the words.”

I start singing “Take a stick of Bumbleweed!” I won’t bore you with the eight words in this song, but what I can tell you is that it is complete and utter nonsense. “Oh MY God, I sang this song to my kids to put them to sleep at night. I have been singing this song that I believed to be some folksy artistic seventies classic for like forty years. Why did I not know until right now today that this isn’t a real song? Why can’t I trust my own brain enough to tell me, hey dipshit that fucking nonsense you’re singing as a lullaby is actually gibberish that you and your sister made up as children.”

I thanked her, because I wrote it in a blog (thinking I hope they don’t get the ear worm of this song stuck in their heads) and I want to be honest with my writing and now I don’t know what other things I have been lying to myself about. (probably a Lot because my inner child is more outer child and I accept that about myself) I also was thinking ‘Can I actually make money on this song with eight words in it? Maybe have Rhianna sing it? Come out with a line of Bumbleweed products. Bumbleweed trademark to me…don’t pilfer my great ideas guys!’ I really was embarrassed….(by embarrassed I mean I thought it was actually hilarious because it just gives me another great story to tell)…and I thought I better tell my readers about this so that we can all laugh about it together. Again I would like to point  out that this was a beloved song from my youth that I then sung to my babies in the wee hours of the night to get them to sleep. It was a song that was quick to my memory and had a nice repetition and the melody was simple….(because it was written by two small children in the warmth of their beds) I really loved that song and now I absolutely love it because it is a piece of my sister and me and the bond that we share. Maybe that’s what a bumbleweed is? Its a weed that grows and connects two hearts with childhood memories. In that case, to my sister: My Bumbleweed is large and overgrown and flourishing. It has small colorful flowers and it is precious to me. My Bumbleweed is probably the largest weed and I would never think of pruning it. I will let my Bumbleweed take over the garden of my heart because you are my sister and I love you. You have been with me through thick and thin. I have relied on your love and wisdom for over forty years and I am thankful to have you in my life. I will take a stick of this Bumbleweed and I will give it to each my children and I will say “Take a stick of Bumbleweed!” I will hope that they too will let that weed grow and flourish and take over their hearts as well. Siblings are your first playmates and your first sparring partner. You will fight and sing and laugh and play games and you will grow and love and cry and raise kids together. You will get in trouble and have precious tv’s taken away from you together. You will stand up for each other and you will knock each other down a peg when one of you is getting all “High and Mighty” (as my mother would say)

So even though this great hippy song from the seventies wasn’t penned by some struggling artist (perhaps smoking a stick of Bumbleweed) and was actually put together by two little shits in bed trying to stay up and laugh a bit longer, it is a cherished song to me. It reminds me of the days when I didn’t want my day to end. When I wanted just one more moment with my beloved sister. I still remember whisper singing it in rounds and it was magical. My thoughts have failed me when I thought it was a great hit from some terrific artist, but it doesn’t fail me as one of my most cherished memories.

Moral of my story: You can’t always count on your memories to be accurate, but it doesn’t really matter because what you feel about those memories is the important fact. “Take a Stick of Bumbleweed” is a great hit written by two nightgowned rockstars with long hair and wild imaginations. They partied until all hours until the authorities came in and shut them down. (And removed their TV) Another moral of my story, if this story sparked a memory of your childhood and you have a sister or brother or dear friend that is your “Bumbleweed” reach out and tell them. But don’t use my term because I am trademarking it….Don’t steal my great idea!!!!