Kitchen Man

I took this photo in my kitchen after hearing the saucy, sassy lyrics of the  song “Kitchen Man” recorded in 1929 by the legendary jazz and blues singer Bessie smith.


Here an excerpt from a recording for the Public Radio series "Riverwalk Jazz," featuring The Jim Cullum Jazz Band and guests—singer Catherine Russell and pianist Dick Hyman at Pearl Stable, San Antonio, TX, May 2010. 


Halfway through the video Catherine Russell sings.







Madam Bucks
Was quite de-luxe;
Servants by the score,
Footmen at each door,
Butlers and maids galore!

But one day Dan,
Her kitchen man,
Gave in his notice, he's through!
She cried, "Oh Dan, don't go,
It'll grieve me if you do."

I love his cabbage, crave his hash,
I gotta have me some of that succertash,
I can't do without my kitchen man!

Wild about his turnip tops,
Like the way the man warms my chops,
I can't do without my kitchen man!

Anybody else could leave
And I would only laugh,
But he means that much to me,
And you ain't heard the half!

Oh, his jelly roll is so nice and hot,
Never fails to hit the spot,
I can't do without my kitchen man!

His frankfurters are oh so sweet, 
How I like his sausage meat.
I can't do without my kitchen man!

Oh, how that boy can open clams,
Nobody else will ever touch my hams,
I can't do without my kitchen man!

When I eat his doughnuts,
All I leave is the hole!
Any time he wants to,
Why, he can use my sugar bowl!

Oh, his baloney's worth a try,
Never fails to satisfy,
I can't do without my kitchen man!

1956 Greetings From Paris

My maternal great great grandmother, Jane Reno, was born in France in 1807. She immigrated to the U.S. and married a Scot. I bear her middle name of “Renault” with its correct spelling, as does my daughter and granddaughter. So there is a bit of DNA that I find important and that keeps calling me to France.



Currently on my desk I have a copy of “Sara Midda’s South of France A Sketchbook” with endearing little watercolors filling the pages. Next is the “Bedside Book of Famous French Stories” printed in 1945, and finally “The Paris I Love” with photography by Patrice Molinard. This is this book that consumed a good part of my afternoon.



Gorgeous in its heavy linen covered book boards, the pages unfortunately are falling out. So, I have made eight delightful greeting cards from these photos that were taken sometime in 1956. I’ll sell the eight cards in my etsy MoxyFoxDesigns shop. See the link at the top.

I thought you might like to go back in time with me to the home of Jane Reno (Renault) and brush against my beginnings.



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