7-Imp’s 7 Kicks #453: Featuring a Julie-Paschkis Sun
October 11th, 2015 by jules
Hi, dear kickers. I emailed Julie Paschkis this weekend (she’s one of my very favorite illustrators), and I asked if I could post one of her cheery suns today. My father passed away this week, and I not only wanted one of her lovely suns, but I’m also not really prepared to showcase the work of anyone else today. I’ll get organized next week and perhaps back to “normal” blogging habits when life settles down a bit. I thank her for permission to share one of her sparkling suns.
p.s. Did you see here recently when Julie visited Jama Rattigan?
Note for any new readers: 7-Imp’s 7 Kicks is a weekly meeting ground for taking some time to reflect on Seven(ish) Exceptionally Fabulous, Beautiful, Interesting, Hilarious, or Otherwise Positive Noteworthy Things from the past week, whether book-related or not, that happened to you. New kickers are always welcome.
1) I was with my father when he passed away.
2) Family pulling together.
3) Birthdays …
4) … including my youngest daughter’s. She will hit double digits this week!
5) The changing leaves. Welcome, Autumn.
6) Humor when you’ve been stretched to the limit.
7) Finding an old note from my Dad where he told me I was special and to never let the bastards wear me down.
Please do share YOUR kicks this week. …
Sending more love and hugs, Jules. I hope you know that for many of us, you and 7-Imp are like the sun :).
Julie is one of my very favorite author/illustrators too, and it’s always an honor to have her visit Alphabet Soup!
I love all your kicks, but especially #7! 🙂
Some of my Fall kicks:
1. The 2015 National Student Poets Program — loved the video of the students reading their poems and Jacqueline Woodson speaking at the White House.
2. Two beautiful baby boys born to the kids of our former neighbors.
3. The Great British Baking Show.
4. Getting ready to launch a fun new blog series at Alphabet Soup (announcement tomorrow).
5. Lemon Cake
6. Autumn
7. Sorting books to give to trick-or-treaters.
Happy Sunday, All. Happy Birthday to Ada :).
Jama!
Just last night I was flipping through channels and saw this Great British Baking Show. Well, I saw an ad for it. I should have watched it. Is it new?
Looking forward to hearing about your blog series, and you know I love your last kick.
Thinking of you, Jules. Wishing you peace, solace, and happy memories to sustain you. Old cards are the best. I found one while collecting my mom’s files. She had meant to send it while I was pregnant and in the hospital on bed rest. It is now readily accessible and I often read it. I love seeing her iconic handwriting – immediately brings her back to me.
Kicks:
1. Upcoming book travel and my family is joining me. That is always my happiest. Looking forward to seeing family and friends.
2. Finished a difficult chapter yesterday (a book!) and pleased (but, now I realize it is the penultimate chapter, oh well!).
3. Beautiful fall.
4. Halloween approaching.
5. Our dog does not have fleas (!) – just an allergic reaction. Yeah;
6. The hummingbirds that grace our kitchen window feeder.
7. Finishing “The Martian” and looking forward to seeing the big screen version.
8. 5th grade happiness, confidence, and growth. Fun to watch.
9. Homeland is back!
Xo SRV
I’m glad to see the sun here and in real life.
Jules – Humor when your heart is heavy is such good medicine.
Jama – Books for trick-or-treaters? Great idea
Samantha – We just started Homeland. We are half way through the second season. I’m trying not to read anything about the new season on the internet.
kicks
1. Getting excited for the reception for my art show.
2. I’ve been enjoying Inktober. If you want to catch up to the story I have the first 11 here http://moiraswiatkowski.com/inktober-2015/
3. Pumpkin ice cream from the Sundae School
4. Pretty Fall colors
5. Getting stuff done even when I want to crawl back under the covers.
6. Reading, “The Bees” for Book Club, very interesting
7. A new day, a new week
Have comfort food, sweater, hugs week all
Dear Jules: Sending you and your family lots of support and lots of strength.
Jules: the GBBS is in its second season I think. It’s competitive, but somehow seems a little more civilized than Food Network, etc.
Samatha: I feel the same way whenever I catch a glimpse of my mom’s handwriting — especially on recipe cards. 🙂
Moira: I got this great idea of giving out books on Halloween from Margie Culver, who’s been doing that for years.
Hi LW!!
You know I am always thinking of you,
My kicks
1. The funny things my second graders say every single day
2. Watching my cat stalk bugs all the damn day
3. Learning the joys of the NPR ONE app
4. Reading “Stone Fox” to my students and watching their faces
5. Family weddings
6. Potential daughters-in-law
7. That moment when an old poem pops into my brain
I love you, Julie. And Julie P’s big-ole yellow sun!!
xox
Robin
Just wanted you to know that I’m sending hugs, prayers, and comforting thoughts. I lost my mom at the end of August and it’s been difficult. Allow yourself plenty of time to sort out your thoughts and emotions as you begin to heal.
Love,
Katy
Jules, Sending love and healing energy to you and your family. Your warmth, generous spirit and wonderful work send ripples and waves of love, beauty and inspiration through the world – we thank you, and I know that energy returns to you and yours with much Love, and we hold you in our hearts.
Jules – so sorry, sending hugs and love to you and yours. Love the Sun artwork today, and I echo Jama, landing here on Sundays is always a sun-filled and happy experience. Kick number 7 is the best.
Jama – mmm, lemon cake.
Samantha – yay for no fleas! And travel with family is so nice.
Moira – congrats on your art show!
LW – Hi there!
Robin – hooray for family weddings and funny second graders.
My kicks this week:
1) All the wonderful book recommendations from Seven Imp blog posts and kickers.
2) Finished “Counting By 7s” this week and I so loved Willow and her entire family.
3) 10 year law school reunion this weekend – so fun to catch up with old friends.
4) Coming home Friday night after the first reunion event to watch “Home’ with Daisy snuggling me on the couch.
5) Good work week.
6) Sharing dating stories with friends and howling with laughter.
7) Reading everyone’s happy kicks every week, reminding me how grateful and lucky I am.
8) Good friends, online and IRL, who spread light and joy.
Have a love and laughter filled week everyone!
Julie, I am so sorry you have lost your father, and inspired to write my first kicks to honor you and him:
1) a chance to add mine to the healing wishes above.
2) A sad and beautiful memorial service outdoors under tall trees in rain showers.
3) A tree planted in memory.
4) A bronchoscopy to figure out lingering pneumonia.
5) The cup of water and breakfast with hot tea from a teapot afterwards.
6) Being in the thick of rewatching The White Queen
7) Changeable autumn weather, and today a sun like the golden one by Julie Paschkis.
Please take care Julie, this loss a big deal.
Indeed… never let the bastards get you down, love. Happy Sunday.
Hey, Jules:
Very sorry about your dad. “Don’t let the bastards grind you down” is damn good advice. In the hopes that my kicks will at least provide some distraction, here they are:
1) I’ve been at American Studies Association for much of the past week, and one obvious “kick” is learning stuff — helpful for my current book project, but also just learning interesting things.
2) Conferences are also a place where I see friends, and make new friends. I like that about conferences, also. (On that note: looking forward to seeing you in January!)
3) Since this particular conference was held in Toronto, I’m really enjoying the refreshing lack of firearms in Canada. (Kansas’ “guns everywhere approach” has made the state a rather frightening place to live.)
4) The famous Massey Hall! I happened upon it today, here in Toronto. (It’s where, in 1953, the classic record Jazz at Massey Hall was recorded — featuring Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, and Max Roach.)
5) Have you heard EL VY, the new side project from Matt Berninger (The National)? I like the first single, “Return to the Moon”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUAOwceIzRM
6) My friend Alison’s brain tumor seems to again be under control! I know that “brain tumor” is a downer, but… it had seemed to be getting worse. She had a piece in the New York Times about it this week…. and then she got the good news that it again seems to be stable / not expanding. So, that’s a pretty big kick!
7) Finally, since silly, irrelevant jokes could (possibly?) be helpful for you right now, here’s one:
Knock knock.
Who’s there?
Hank.
Hank who?
You’re welcome.
Back tomorrow. Today got away from me. Thanks to all who visited. More soon.
Samantha, have fun with the book traveling, and congrats on finishing that chapter (and good luck with the last one). Are you working on a novel? Exciting.
Moira, do you mean the library art show? So cool. I wish I could be there.
Thanks, Little Willow.
Jama: Okay. I’ll have to watch that soon.
Thanks, Robin. I love you right back.
Katy, thank you (and everyone) for the kind note. I’m sorry about your mother.
Janis, thank you a whole bunch!
Rachel, your kicks are so sunny and warm and happy! You always live a good life, but I might have to come and read these particular kicks weekly.
Katy, thank you — and welcome! Sounds like you had a loss too, and I’m sorry. And if the pneumonia you speak of is yours, I hope you get some answers and some healing soon. I love your fifth kick. Makes me want to put some tea on now.
Hi Tanita. Love to you.
Phil, what juicy-good kicks. Happy learning and safe travels. Great news for your friend, and thanks for the music recommendation. I’ll listen now. Oh, and the joke made my day.
Thanks again to all. …. Here’s hoping you all have a good week.
Lots and lots of hugs to you and your family, Jules. May only the good memories live. I’ll try my kicks here for the first time:
1. Over the weekend, I pulled out a drawing I did in 2007 of me and my dad when I was a kid, which I never got to share with my dad, and framed it and hung it.
2. Wonderful autumn weather.
3. Croissant for breakfast this morning thanks to my long walk yesterday to my favorite bakery in the next neighborhood.
4. Not so crowded commute train this morning.
5. Acorn jelly for lunch – this might sound weird, but it’s one of my favorite food from Korean grocery.
6. Kimchi fried rice for dinner – waiting for me at home.
7. Wrapping up my first picture book – I sent my editor and art director the cover art and endpaper art this morning.
Aram: Your first picture book! Congrats! That is very exciting. Whose the publisher?
I love your first kick the most.
I am sending you mass quantities of hugs and love Jules. Losing a parent is very, very hard. I love the note you found. I think he and my Dad would have been good friends.
I’m getting ready to give out books to trick or treaters too Jama. It’s one of my favorite times of the year.
Hummingbirds are some of the friendliest birds Samantha and fun to watch too.
I’ve been enjoying Inktober too Moira. I love all the wonderful art from talented people like you.
Second graders are a special group of people Robin.
I ♥ your number one kick Rachel and totally agree.
Loving the sun and autumn too Katy.
Philip—I think that might be my favorite knock knock joke of all time.
I think I might need to try acorn jelly Aram.
My kicks:
1. Seeing mountains first thing in the morning and all day every day.
2. Lack of humidity
3. Friends near and far
4-7 Time with Xena
Have a sunny week.
Margie, big hugs to Xena (and you). Your travels have sounded so exciting.
Jules – it’s with Holiday House, with Grace Maccarone who was just mentioned in the posting for Mousetropolis.
Margie – I will think of the way to send over the acorn jelly to you. 😉
So late in getting here but just wanted to say hello and that I am thinking of you. Big hugs coming south!!
[…] Remember how last week I had an older and lovely Julie-Paschkis sun? This week I’ve got a brand-new Steve-Light sun, […]