Mid-Dec #BoTB showdown & more Friday Fun Stuff!

Hello Kittens & Dawgs! This is my last BoTB for the year. I can’t believe how fast 2017 went and I’m not hopeful that the upcoming year will be any different. Time stands still for no one!

Last time I kicked off the month with A Twisted Christmas Carols showdown and this time I did the exact opposite in choosing my all-time favorite classic Christmas carol, Silent Night. Instead, of using the typical vocal arrangement I went with three instrumental covers.

 

Contender #1 Rafael Scarfullery strumming a classical guitar.

Contender #2 Michael Lynch on picking a Ukulele.

 

Contender #3 Taylor Davis duet with herself playing the violin.

Ok, here’s the drill. Voting is open to everyone visiting. There is NO wrong vote, except if you DON’T vote. You can start by telling me in comments which artist you like best and why (optional).  Which string artist gets your vote –  guitar, ukulele, or violin?

I invite you to visit the official manager of BoTB, Stephen for the update list of players for more spectacular showdowns.  Next Friday, I’ll share the results along with my vote and I hope you’ll check back to see if your pick wins.

Next, let’s have a little get-to-know-Cathy-better time with these Friendly Fill-Ins shared by the lovely, Annie and Ellen!

  1. Snow oh no, not here which is purrfectly alright by me.
  2. I am ready for spring. Are you?
  3. One holiday memory that I cherish is the collection of memories from my childhood mostly of my brother. He loved Christmas. This will be his 11th Christmas in heaven. I sure do miss him a lot.
  4. I always thought that Santa left lumps of coal or a bundle of twigs for bad children. I never wanted to find these things under the tree on Christmas morning. Thankfully, I was a good girl most of the time and didn’t receive either. Of course, it might have been a clever way to get kindling for the furnance each year. Maybe it was job of the parents to be naughty so he’d leave them coal and twigs.

Aren’t you glad hung around for that? 😉

I believe everything in life is worth celebrating big or small and am playing alone with Lexa and her hostess in Celebrate The Small Things.

I am celebrating the new Christmas mewsic, Gwen Stefani’s You Make It Feel Like Christmas album that DH got me from iTunes this week after we watched her TV special.  Incidentally, I shared Gwen’s complete album on Tuesday if you’re interested in listening for yourself. 😉

I’m celebrating my birthday. Actually, it was yesterday. I’m another year older which is good considering the alternative. I don’t feel any different. My brain keeps telling me I’m 18 or 20 or 30. I’m blessed with good health and can do most things that I did in my 30s. The mirror however always has something else to say about my age….if I stay in front of it long enough. I try to not hang around it too much because I’m afraid I won’t like what it has to say. 🙂 DH made me a Duncan Hines chocolate cake with caramel frosting.  I wanted to try that combo for a while and was more than happy that he did it just for me and it was good. He got me an Apple Pencil that I hinted at wanting after he got me my iPad back in June which I’m love, love, lovin’! He made this gal really happy by surprising me with it. I mean, how did he know THAT was exactly what I wanted? I can’t say my husband doesn’t listen to me now, can I? lol But, he’s a darling sweetheart and I wouldn’t take anything in the world for him!

I am celebrating the completion of my Christmas shopping and cards sent out.  I celebrate a little every day as I make a dish or dessert for our Christmas dinner. It helps to do these things in stages, storing it away in the freezer for the big day. It makes life so much easier! We’re in the final countdown with 10 days to go!!

What are you celebrating?

Finally, a little humor with Friday Sillies Christmas edition on “Silent Night”.

That’s all the laughs for now. Have a songtastic day; don’t forget to hit the dance floor with Monday’s Mewsic Moves Me where we’re celebrating all things Christmas!

FYI Jingle Cats is not a contender in this edition of BoTB, so please refrain from voting on it. I couldn’t resist sharing this with you! 😉

X💋X💋, Cathy

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35 comments

    1. Hey Mike,

      I’m glad you found time to stop by to vote. You barely squeezed in this time, didn’t you? lol That’s okay, though. I”m just happy that you made in before the polls closed. 🙂

      Rafael Scarfullery (guitar) -3
      Michael Lynch (ukulele) -2
      Taylor Davis (violin) -7

  2. Wow, these were all great and UNIQUE versions of the classics – well played, madam.

    I’m surprised at the ukulele version, it was really pretty cool for a ukulele. #dontbeaukulelehater

    In the end, I gotta go with the violin duet. Taylor Davis nailed it.

    Merry Christmas, friend!
    Cherdo

    1. Cherdo,

      I’m glad you found time to stop by for a visit and listen to my last BoTB for 2017. You’re getting in just under the wire! 🙂 I’m further happy that you enjoyed all versions of “Silent Night”. It’s been a busy month for everyone and it’ll soon be ending along with another year. Where does it all go to? *sigh* Thanks for sharing in the fun with me, dear friend. Have a blessed Christmas and brand new year!

      Rafael Scarfullery (guitar) -2
      Michael Lynch (ukulele) -2
      Taylor Davis (violin) -7

  3. Lovely post Cathy, I am going to have a listen to all these versions of Silent Night now. I can not believe how quickly this years has gone by too. So fast!

    Thanks for sharing at Welcome To The Weekend Blog Hop. Hope you can join me for the last blog hop of the year tomorrow 🙂

  4. Interesting choices for the battle Cathy, with the guitar and ukelele being quite interesting but my vote has to go to the violin version as it just sounds more soothing to my ears. Love Silent Night and lovely to hear the instrumental versions for a change.
    Christmas can be a difficult time when loved ones are no longer with us – one of the people I support at work told me that they always have a toast to absent family and friends at the start of their Christmas meal. I really like that idea and think I might like to do that this year.
    Thanks for the funnies – they really made me smile.

    1. Pamela,

      We can’t let the holidays pass without remembering someone we love who’s on the other side by either sharing a story, expression, or just a sentiment. Thanks for visiting and casting your vote for the violinist!

      Rafael Scarfullery (guitar) -2
      Michael Lynch (ukulele) -2
      Taylor Davis (violin) -6

  5. Those Jingle cats are adorable; but I’m so glad they are not in the running. I think I’d have to shoot the little darlings.

    I’ve only got a couple more gifts left on my list. Always save the toughest for last, lol.

    Awesome funnies! I don’t mind snow when all I have to do is look at it from my warm living room. Hate to drive in it though.

    This is an awesome song. A treat to listen to so many different versions. I loved all three. But my vote will go to Rafael. Something about a guitar and those smooth notes just go together for me, and Rafael played excellently.

    I hope 2018 goes exceptionally well for you 🙂

    1. Donna,

      Well…the Jingle Cats are happy that I did not include them in this battle with a death threat now on the table. lol I know what you mean, I don’t like being in a car when the weather is bad but watching the heavens drift white fluff upon the earth is ok. In fact, it’s rather nice to see from the comfort of my home with a hot cup of something in my hand. Thank you for visiting and voting in this last round of BoTB for 2017!

      Rafael Scarfullery (guitar) -3
      Michael Lynch (ukulele) -2
      Taylor Davis (violin) -5

  6. Hiya Cathy. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Hope it was fun and fabulous! Thank you so much for the magnificent Jacquie Lawson card. So beautiful! Hopefully you got my note… It was such a wonderful surprise to get that from you and it meant a lot to me.

    Thank you for ending your post with the Jingle Cats! OMG, I LOVE them! Soooo precious! I want more, more Jingle Cats!

    As for your battle: I’m going with Taylor Davis. The violin is my favorite instrument and the way the bow moves across the strings always fascinates me. My arm would get tired! Violin music is beautiful and I especially like the electric violin. I wish the video would’ve been more Taylor playing and less Taylor talking though… She’s quite talented.

    I think you’re brilliant for cooking ahead for Christmas Day. Wow, you all must be having a huge crowd to be cooking a dish every day two weeks out! Your freezer is going to be stuffed! Can I come over?? 🙂 Sounds like fun.

    I hope you have a wonderful holiday season. Merry Christmas my friend. All the best that the season can bring, may it swing your way…
    XOXO

    Michele at Angels Bark

    1. Michele,

      You’re welcome for the e-card. It’s just a small way to express to those of you in Blogosphere who I’ve come to regard as good friends. No, our crowd isn’t huge but when you do everything from scratch then it takes time. So, it’s just nice to have everything done ahead where all I need to do is put it in the oven to heat up. It makes life so much easier. I hope you have a joyful and blessed Christmas, too. Thanks for dropping by to vote and visit! 😉

      Rafael Scarfullery (guitar) -2
      Michael Lynch (ukulele) -2
      Taylor Davis (violin) -6

  7. First off, Happy Birthday!!! Next, I liked the ukulele best. Thank you for participating in the fill-ins. I am sorry your brother is no longer with you, I am sure that makes this time of year very difficult. XO

    1. Ellen, Thanks for the birthday wishes. Yeah, it’s sad that my brother is no longer with us but at least I know he is not in any pain anymore and one day, I’ll see him again. Thanks for stopping by for my fill-ins and to vote in this BoTB!

      Rafael Scarfullery (guitar) -2
      Michael Lynch (ukulele) -2
      Taylor Davis (violin) -5

    1. Janie,

      I’m glad to see that Michael gets a vote. I like the ukulele rendition, too. I’m not sure which will get my vote in the end but the ukulele is nice. Thanks for voting, my friend!

      Rafael Scarfullery (guitar) -2
      Michael Lynch (ukulele) -1
      Taylor Davis (violin) -5

  9. JINGLE CATS! JINGLE CATS! JINGLE CATS! 😛

    But seriously…

    Michael Lynch’s version fine as well as it goes, but he didn’t really do anything more with it; it was three times through the same exact arrangement. Taylor Davis’s version was beautiful, but way too short. I saw that the video was almost five minutes and I was expecting a whole lot more, then she pulled up after two minutes and we got three minutes of chatter, which disappointed me greatly, because the video was clever, she plays beautifully and is a very attractive woman.

    Which leaves Rafael Scarfullery. I listened to it and was ready to vote for him, but gave the other two a chance. First, the history behind the song was that Gruber wrote it for the organ, but when he arrived at the church saw that mice had chewed through the bellows, rendering it unplayable, so they played it on guitar. Second, he varied the arangement between the verses, the first being a straightforward classical reading, the second more of a chord-melody, the third played partly on the bass strings. Finally, it was a peaceful, meditative arrangement, to match the peaceful, meditative mood of the song.

    Long story short, Rafael Scarfullery gets my vote, since I can’t vote for the Jingle Cats….

    1. John,

      Well…I wanted to include Jingle Cats but I wanted to keep this one respectful and serious. I know, I know what a boring Cathy I am! Oh well…I appreciate you listening to all three even though you wanted to vote for Jingle Cats before deciding to go with the guitarist. Your analysis of the three renditions is indepth. It amazes me how someone like you can pick out the various nuances of why you like or don’t like a song. Reading such remarks help me to hon in my experiences a little better but I’m not quite a descriptive as you. That’s okay, though. It’s all in fun. Thanks for dropping by to cast your vote, my friend. Have a good weekend!

      Rafael Scarfullery (guitar) -2
      Michael Lynch (ukulele) -0
      Taylor Davis (violin) -5

      1. You probably figured out I wouldn’t have voted for the Jingle Cats in this battle. Now, had the song been “We Three Kings” or “O Holy Night”…

  10. Well Happy Birthday!! The cake sounds decadent and good:) I am laughing at the cats singing Silent Night..I’m having a hard time writing this from laughing. As for the battle…I give it to the 3rd with the violins as I am a sucker for them and she does it so nicely. I also loved the ukele version better than I thought I would. Right now, it is snowing and we have a weather advisory in effect and I am loving it!!! I have snow tires on my car and will be off to do shopping. I always thought Santa was too fat until my mom showed me the slim European version and i liked him much better.

    1. Birgit,

      The singing cats are hilarious. I’ve seen them a few times already this season and it never gets tiring. I never thought much about Santa being fat as a kid but later on I began worrying about that image especially given how fat kids (adults, too) are getting each year. I say, everything in moderation for a happier life. I bet the snow coming down is beautiful. I do love seeing it fall but that’s about it. I just think I’ll dream of a white Christmas and forget about it. Thanks for voting, dear!

      Rafael Scarfullery (guitar) -1
      Michael Lynch (ukulele) -0
      Taylor Davis (violin) -5

  11. If i haven’t done so before (and i think i did, but just in case), i wish you many happy returns of the day!

    Those funnies had me running to share them with the gentlemen here in the car repair shop. They liked them, too.

    As far as snow goes, i am with you. It would be nice to live in Hawaii and never have to worry about the weather.

    My heart loves the ukulele, and i really wanted to love it. Silent Night was written for guitar and i really wanted to love that. The rich sound of the violin wins, though.

    Happy Friday!

    1. Mimi,

      So glad I had you and the auto repair guys smiling today. I guess living in paradise has its hiccups, too. There’s no purrfect place where the weather goes and I really shouldn’t complain because it’s not all that bad here. I just don’t like being remotely cold. 🙂 Thanks for voting, dearie!

      Rafael Scarfullery (guitar) -1
      Michael Lynch (ukulele) -0
      Taylor Davis (violin) -4

  12. CATHY, my friend, first of all I want to say thank you again for that surprise I found in my Email InBox. It was beautiful!

    Also, those cartoons were all funny. Thanks for the laughs!

    OK, onto the Battle…

    The guitar solo was nice but maybe a bit too simple to enthrall me.

    Forgive me, Tiny Tim, but the ukulele just does not have a rich enough sound to interest me.

    I felt the TAYLOR DAVIS violin duet was the clear winner here — sweetly played and beautiful. And with a little luck and a smart Santa, I’ll find both Taylor Davises in my Christmas stocking on December 25th. ; ^)

    I sincerely hope you and your family have a joyful Christmas, Cathy, and a peaceful New Year! Blessings upon blessings.

    ~ D-FensDogG
    STMcC Presents ‘Battle Of The Bands’

    1. Stephen,

      You’re welcome again for the e-card. I’m delighted it meant so much to you. 🙂

      I know you’d love to have twice the good fun on Christmas morning with a pair of twins in your stocking but I think Santa might find that a tall order to fill. Yeah, I know he’s Mr. Magic and can do some amazing things but he might be afraid that law enforcement will book him for pimping out the girls. You see the dilemma? Maybe, Taylor Davis will see this and talk to her other self about showing up at your house since you made the request. I mean, stranger things have been known happen.

      Thanks for dropping by to play along in my last BoTB showdown of the year. I hope you have joyfully, blessed Christmas, my friend and God bless!

      Rafael Scarfullery (guitar) -1
      Michael Lynch (ukulele) -0
      Taylor Davis (violin) -3

  13. Happy Birthday a little late, Cathy! I hope you had a lovely day. How sweet that DH made you a cake. 🙂 I’m sorry you lost your brother at such a young age. It must be especially sad for you at this time of year. ♥

    Your cartoons made me smile and so did the Jingle Cats. How cute are they? 😀 Nice vintage graphic, also.

    Winter has just arrived here (first snowstorm on the 11th) and yes, I am definitely ready for spring. That said, the snow is pretty for the holidays. Then it can go away! LOL

    This is my favourite Christmas carol too and as a child, I learned the words in the original German. Still remember the first verse! All three instrumentals were pretty good, but the sound of the violin really brings it home. Please give my vote to Taylor Davis. Here’s another one for your listening pleasure: Merry Christmas!

    1. Debbie,

      I have no right to complain about our cold because y’all have it far, far worse than we do. I just can’t imagine living in Canada. Brr, no thank you! The snow is pretty but it gets old. DD#2 is enjoying the cold, snowy weather in their new Maine home. They live in Brunswick. I love Maine but I’ll stick with the warmer months to visit. 🙂 Thanks for voting in the latest BoTB for the year. I can’t believe we’re only a couple weeks away from 2018. The time just zips!

      Rafael Scarfullery (guitar) -1
      Michael Lynch (ukulele) -0
      Taylor Davis (violin) -2

      1. Thankfully, we’re in southern Canada, an area known as the “Banana Belt”, so it’s not nearly as bad as elsewhere. Maine is further north and much colder, generally. I would go in the summertime, too. 🙂

        1. Debbie,

          That’s interesting to hear about southern Canada. DD#2 doesn’t live too far from the coast so that help somewhat but still their temps are cooler than ours. I remember asking her about the weather because our DSIL has Lupus and that concerned me but she reassured me that the temps were similar to ours but I’m not seeing that when I look at the forecasts of there and here. lol Keep warm, my friend!

  15. Great music, as always. Taylor Davis is from IL. She has been at many fairs here. I know what you mean about age. I feel like I am 19…then, I look in the mirror…it isn’t me. It is my mother. Thank heavens that is where our similarities end.
    I am wishing you your best year, yet! Hugs!

    1. Annie,

      Are you voting for Taylor Davis? I’m going to assume that you are and put you for her. 🙂 I see a little of both of my parents in my reflection. Thanks for the birthday well wishes for another year. God is good and I’m blessed! Thanks, dear friend!

      Rafael Scarfullery (guitar) -1
      Michael Lynch (ukulele) -0
      Taylor Davis (violin) -1

  16. Hi, Cathy!

    Happy birthday, dear friend! I hope your day was filled with holiday cheer. I’m sorry to learn that you lost your brother eleven years ago. Christmas day 2017 will mark the 16 year anniversary of my dad’s death and the 80 year anniversary of his father’s (my grandfather’s) death.

    In your band battle I am voting for artist #1, Rafael. All three renditions of “Silent Night:” were pretty. The second, the uke, reminded me of a music box. The third, the violinist who accompanied herself, was also a beautiful performance. However, I most enjoyed the richness, purity and simplicity of Rafael’s classical guitar notes. That’s my idea of the ideal “Silent Night” instrumental.

    I am not ready for spring. I prefer the cool, crisp air of Florida winter and hope we get plenty of it this season. Send me some more! 🙂

    I enjoyed your Friday sillies and the Jingle Cats were a purrfect way to end the post (along with that vintage glamour girl).

    Once again, happy birthday to you, and have a wonderful weekend, dear friend Cathy!

    1. Tom,

      Thank you for the birthday wishes. I had a lovely one for sure and DH is the bestest ever. The holidays are always filled with bittersweet memories, especially with the passing of my brother. But, we’ve both lost other family around this time. DH lost both of his grandfathers the year we were married within 2-weeks of each other and in 2012 my maternal grandmother passed away a few days before my birthday. They actually had her wake on my birthday. Life goes on, though. I’m grateful for the years spent with each one.

      I’d be more than happy to send this cold air your way. I don’t like it! lol It’s not even noon and our temp is just 36º. We’re supposed to only reach the low 40s today, I think. Tomorrow is forecast to be warmer and sunnier, so I”m looking forward to that. 🙂

      I’m glad you enjoyed the giggles and I appreciated you taking time to cast your vote in the BoTB round. Have a great weekend, dear friend!

      Rafael Scarfullery (guitar) -1
      Michael Lynch (ukulele) -0
      Taylor Davis (violin) -0

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