Please Pass the Joy Butter

Quite recently, I was asked the question that all authors, bloggers and ordinary people love to answer:

“Why do you write?”

Those four words are deeper than you can imagine! To even begin to answer the question requires much thought and soul-searching. Most writers would toss it back and forth between their ears, and mull it into a warm autumn drink. They would then consider the options; they would weigh the outcomes and pontificate on the ramifications.

It took me about three seconds to answer…

I write to spread Joy Butter over the toast of ordinary, everyday life.

Eric needs a little Joy Butter on his rye bread.

The Lord said that we should pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Toasting the bread is good — getting it warmed and crunchy is a fine morning tradition — it’s completely palatable and nourishing. However, dry toast can be…well, dry! It can be just crumbs in your mouth, pretty bland and ordinary. But omigooseness when you spread a pat of butter over the toast….why it just makes a world of difference.

Do you have “toast” days?

Kinda of dry, kind of boring, kind of crumby…

Mother Goose is here with her Joy Butter, ready to add some flavor and smiles to your day. Please pass the Joy Butter!

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day

In observance of Dr. King, Mother Goose has spent the day in service to her family — baking up a storm in the kitchen. I think that Dr. King would approve for charity begins in the home…

Hence, fresh bread.

Corn muffins.

Chocolate crinkled cookies.

Green bean casserole.

Italian sausages in fresh rolls and topped with a traditional pasta sauce.

And we thank the Lord for the blessings of food.

But we also thank you, Lord, for the life of Martin Luther King Jr. May his dream of brotherhood and peace continue to become reality.

Oyster Sandwiches?

“A loaf of bread,” the Walrus said, “is what we chiefly need: Pepper and vinegar besides are very good indeed.”

Remember the story of the Walrus and the Carpenter by Lewis Carroll? These two slippery fellows decided to take a stroll along the beach one night when the moon, as well as the sun, were shining bright. They grieved and commiserated about the vast quantities of sand along the shoreline. The Walrus spotted a bed of oysters. Feeling magnanimous, he invited them to come along for a walk. They walked briskly and talked about many things.

“The time has come,” the Walrus said,
“To talk of many things:
Of shoes–and ships–and sealing-wax–
Of cabbages–and kings–
And why the sea is boiling hot–
And whether pigs have wings.”

So they had a grand discussion about all of this, resting a bit because the over-weight oysters are out of breath. That’s when the guys begin talking about bread. Suddenly it seems that this party is out for a midnight oceanside picnic! How nice! The poor oysters turn blue and start to think that they’ve possible made some poor choices recently — maybe they should have listened to the older oyster who shook his head and went back to bed at the initial invitation.

The Walrus changes the subject and shows a vital interest in the lovely view at their picnic site. The Carpenter asks for some more bread and complains that his last slice had too much butter on it. They realize that the oysters have been very quiet — they just aren’t saying much anymore….

My favorite stanza of the poem:

“I weep for you,” the Walrus said:
“I deeply sympathize.”
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.

And, of course, the unhappy ending of the poem:

“O Oysters,” said the Carpenter,
“You’ve had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?’
But answer came there none–
And this was scarcely odd, because
They’d eaten every one.