Hello, Cutie Pies, and Happy New Year. We’re baaaaack!
Yes, well, mostly. Still battling the jet lag . . . lag . . . lag . . .
Hope you had a wonderful holiday season and that Santa was extra good to you. I must say, you’re as good looking as ever and none the worse for the wear (are those cookie crumbs I see on your face?). Mr. Cornelius and I had fun visiting friends and relatives in Hawai’i, where the operative word is FOOD. Enjoyed Christmas at my brother’s, some great restaurant outings, and of course, the ultimate New Year’s Korean Feast at my parents’ home (details in a separate post).
Yay! It’s a brand new year and a brand new month. January is a particular favorite because it’s National Soup Month and Hot Tea Month. I’m looking forward to welcoming some cool guests to Alphabet Soup in the coming weeks, not only authors and illustrators talking about their new books, but also folks who create some fabulous arts and crafts. Look for, “Indie ArtistSpotlight,” a new interview series featuring some immensely talented artisans and their work. I’ve always loved unique, heartmade, handcrafted goods, and try to support independent artists whenever possible. I can’t wait to learn more about their inspirations and processes!
For now, check out some of our Hawai’i adventures. As usual, Mr. Cornelius ate more than anyone else and loved having his picture taken. (He asks that you hold your applause until the end.) 🙂
Just a quick note to let you know Alphabet Soup will be on hiatus for the next several weeks. Thank you, regular readers, for visiting, sharing, commenting, and eating all my cookies noshing with us this past year, and welcome, all you perky and good-looking new subscribers! This online community has been such a wonderful source of comfort and joy for me each and every day — I appreciate and never take for granted your time, attention and support!
It’s often said that Christmas is for children; it is especially true this year, perhaps the most soul-searching, emotionally wrenching holiday season we’ve ever experienced in our lifetimes. Most of you who follow this blog are connected with kids in some way — not only as parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, but as teachers, librarians, counselors, writers, artists, illustrators, reviewers, booksellers or publicists. While we honor and celebrate the children we are fortunate to have in our lives this holiday, let’s not forget to nurture the innocent, trusting child within, who still believes in goodness, loves freely and openly, is alight with wonder, and never loses hope.
I wish you all that is merry and bright in this season of miracles, and many happy hours in your kitchen, at the table and around the hearth, cherishing loved ones who are present or forever in your heart’s memory. Hope Santa’s good to you — I’ll see you in the New Year!
I’m happier than a gator in a gumbo swamp to welcome guest blogger Terri Hoover Dunham to Alphabet Soup today. Some of you may know Terri from her delightful picture book illustrated by Laura Knorr, TheLegend of Papa Noel: A CajunChristmas Story (Sleeping Bear Press, 2006), which tells how Santa delivers his presents to all the “childrens” on Christmas Eve down in the deepest, darkest swamps of Southern Louisiana.
On this particular Christmas Eve, there’s fog “thicker than gravy on rice,” making it really hard for Papa Noel to make all his deliveries — they keep bumping into stumps and logs and the poor gators’ bellies are getting all scratched up. But they push on and get the job done with a little help from the Cajuns. Of course Papa Noel doesn’t forget to nosh on goodies at every stop.
“All it takes is one bloom of hope to make a spiritual garden.” ~ Terri Guillemets
 WELCOME TO POETRY FRIDAY AT ALPHABET SOUP!
Please help yourself to a cup of tea and a cookie or two or three. 🙂
We have a very special treat today. Knowing how much you love her work, I asked Barbara Crooker if she’d share a poem especially appropriate for the holiday season. Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, or Kwanzaa, it’s good to remember that no matter what our personal challenges may be, we’re all part of the same human family and nothing matters more than fostering Peace, Joy and Love whenever and wherever we can. Enjoy her poem and all the other poems being shared in our friendly circle this week, and may a good measure of Hope always light your way.
* * * * *
♥ BARBARA CROOKER ♥
I can’t exactly explain the connection, but somehow, I equate the amaryllis with hope. I’d sent one to a friend with breast cancer as a “no special reason” gift, and she reported to me how hopeful it made her feel, something green like that in the middle of winter. She died, and I bought one (the bulb, in a kit), for myself the following Christmas, and it became hopeful for me as well, the green blade rising (that references a hymn) when everything outside was dead, cold, white . . . I’ve given a number of these as gifts for these sorts of reasons, and everyone seems to have a similar response.
“White Amaryllis” by Kay Smith
NATIVITY
The amaryllis bulb, dumb as dirt,
inert, how can anything spring
from this clod, this stone,
the pit of some subtropical,
atypical, likely inedible fruit?
But it does: out of the dark
earth, two shoots, green
flames in December,
despite the short days,
the Long Night Moon
flooding the hard ground.
Nothing outside grows;
even small rodents
are burrowed in
the silent nights.
Then, one morning—
a single stalk,
then a bud
that swells, bells
full sail, full-bellied,
the skin grows thin,
tighter, until it splits:
heralds the night
will not be endless,
that dawn will blossom,
pearly and radiant,
and two white
trumpets unfold, sing
their sweet song,
their Hallelujah chorus,
sing carols in the thin cold air,
and our mouths say O and O and O.
“Still Life with Amaryllis, Evening” by James Aponovich (2012)/Clark Gallery
* * * * *
Now, please leave your poetry links with Mr. Linky, and don’t forget to add the title of your poem or book in parentheses after your name. I will update this post with your info throughout the day.
This will be my last Poetry Friday post for 2012. Thanks for joining us today and for visiting this past year. I appreciate all your poetry love and look forward to sharing more tasty poems in 2013. Have a joyful, supremely delicious holiday!!
Everyone can’t seem to get enough. Don’t worry, when your belly’s full, you can rest between platefuls by feasting on these warm, crispy, fluffy, savory, salty, lip-smacking picture books, and then you can fry up some more!
Today I’m serving up 8 of my favorites, one for each night of Hanukkah. There’s a little bit of everything in the mix — family and friends, folklore, legend, magic, humor, and miracles! Enjoy these heartwarming, satisfying stories and pass the applesauce!
Yay! It’s a brand new year and a brand new month. January is a particular favorite because it’s National Soup Month and Hot Tea Month. I’m looking forward to welcoming some cool guests to Alphabet Soup in the coming weeks, not only authors and illustrators talking about their new books, but also folks who create some fabulous arts and crafts. Look for, “Indie Artist Spotlight,” a new interview series featuring some immensely talented artisans and their work. I’ve always loved unique, heartmade, handcrafted goods, and try to support independent artists whenever possible. I can’t wait to learn more about their inspirations and processes!
I’m happier than a gator in a gumbo swamp to welcome guest blogger 
Jama's Alphabet Soup 