The Water Flowers

1982 marked the publication of one of Edward Gorey's Christmas stories, The Water Flowers. In typical fashion, the title and cover illustration has little to do with the Yuletide season and the story has very little "Peace on Earth...".

Stranded in the house by snow and growing hungry, our intrepid characters begin to cook with the only ingredients on hand - flour and water. The result is an out of control white sauce that is served with Soda Crackers. People come, go, cook and die, but still the white sauce remains!

When we have nothing to eat in our house, Bill will often ask if I am going to make a delicious white sauce. We have both been known to look at something cooking on the stove and proclaim, "It's lumpy".

Published by Condon & Weed, Inc. of New York, The Water Flowers is a hardback in illustrated boards and a matching dust wrapper. The copy I am showing is signed and inscribed to me by Mr. Gorey. This story is reprinted in Amphigorey Again.