Life in Poetry reading, writing, reflecting

Life in Poetry reading, writing, reflecting
April showers bring May flowers

Thursday 11 April 2019

⌗AtoZ challenge, April 11th 2019, letter J

Here is my contribution to the A to Z Challenge of April 2019.
This is the first time I am participating in this challenge, so we'll see if I have the stamina to complete the whole month !

I am also, very ambitiously, writing for the April NaNoWrite ! So the challenge is
twofold !!
Hang on to your horse and enjoy the ride. And good luck to all my fellow participants.


If you would like to know more  go here

J is for  JAM

It's my Birthday on Saturday and I'm going to make a cake.
A raspberry jam sponge with whipped cream.


Put the kettle on to boil.
As soon as the bird whistles,
pour into a large glass bowl.
Place the cake basin on top.
So the base heats with the steam.

My mother stopped doing this.
Now she wonders
why her sponge doesn't rise
light and fluffy ! She has forgotten
her own lessons, Nana's recipe.

Measure out the sugar : 3 oz.
Dump it in the bottom, swoosh.
The same amount for the flour.
Break an egg and beat it up
with the sugar, snug in the warmth.

Another, then another. Three,
three, three, easy as pie.
Beat till bubbles bob
on the surface. It makes a racket.
You gotta do what you gotta do.

Sieve the flour, sprinkle, falling
snow. Fold in. Gentle, soft.
do not offend the bubbles.
Butter the round half tins.
Ripple the mixture back and forth.

An equal amount in both.
Stick in a scorching oven.
Quarter of an hour, risen,
light brown. " Lick the bowl ? "
You holler, up the stairs.
Patter of feet, smacking of lips.

Proceed with the rest of your life,
while the sponge halves cool.
Have a nap in the spring sun.
Slice the two pieces out,
thanks to the built-in device.

Whip the cream, whole fat.
Spread the raspberry jam.
Dollop the whipped. Sandwich.
Sprinkle with icing sugar.
Decorate with fresh strawberries.

If you're not born in July !
Decorate with the fitting
number of candles, or not !
A sugared message, Happy Birthday.
Easter chicks and eggs.

©susanbauryrouchard


A Children's story : It's my Birthday and I'm going to make a cake, by Helen Oxenbury    , Walker Books Ltd, Abbey Broadcast Communications plc
go here

and another one of my favourites : Surprise, Surprise by Michael Foreman. The video is unavailable online, but for the references to the book,
go here

It's about a little panda who wants to make a surprise for his mother's birthday. And what a surprise !

Alice's third Birthday, 18/4

Thank you for reading. If you would like to share your thoughts, please comment below
and I will be sure to reply. Have a nice ' J ' day. Raining today, here in Toulouse. Thunder storm yesterday evening with a magnificient rainbow against a prune sky as the setting sun peeped under the clouds.