On a recent trip to my near-by grocery store, I saw pots of pansies in a multitude of rich colors. Bold gold. Pale yellow. Sky blue. Royal purple. The name “Pansy” means a thought which engages our mind. That reminds me of an old saying, “Pretty is as pretty does.” I take this to mean … Continue reading Be Careful What You Think
Sometimes it is the simplest things that can bring joy. For me, this week, it was the daffodils blooming in my yard. Happy Spring, dear blog readers! Daffodils! Happy Spring!Connie Carlisle Polley, 2025ConnieCarlislePolley.comNonnyDay.com You can view my new book Play Clay Hooray! and all my children’s books on Amazon
I recently pulled out a couple of my Travel Scrapbooks and I started thinking about trips I’ve been fortunate to take: France in 1992 Spain, Portugal, and Morocco in 1998 Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in 2000 Alaska in 2005 These Scrapbooks are currently sitting on the top shelf of a Bookcase in what we call … Continue reading My Travel Scrapbooks
"The Hole in My Heart" Poem by Connie Carlisle Polley The hole in my heart will never be filled Yet someday will be not so deep, not so fresh. Someday my body’s shivering deep chill With returning embrace and kiss will be met. So I’ll not lose hope even though I weep. Goodness will help … Continue reading The Hole in My Heart — a poem by Connie Carlisle Polley
How do you define the word “translate”? If you currently live or have lived in a family where more than one language is spoken, you may have found yourself in the position of being a translator for a family member who needs help navigating the linguistic demands of daily living. A memo comes from school. … Continue reading The Power of the Word
Have you ever wondered where the expression “When it rains, it pours” comes from? It dates back at least to the slogan associated with the girl on the cylinder of Morton Salt, which first appeared in 1914. I happened to purchase a container recently when grocery shopping. And there she was! Looking just as playful … Continue reading When It Rains, It Pours
Let me wave my magic wand and bedazzle you with a Magic Chocolate Cake--magic because it has no eggs or dairy! And also magic because you mix it, bake it, and serve it from the same pan! In addition to being super easy to make, like all the recipes from Nonny's Kitchen, it has passed … Continue reading Magic Chocolate Cake – Good Recipes from Nonny’s Kitchen
You can’t sing The Twelve Days of Christmas without smiling. Its references from the sublime “swans a-swimming” to the merry “lords a-leaping” keep us in a festive mood. However, the early Christian Church did not view these twelve images as trivial; each was viewed as signifying a spiritual truth. The book of Christmas Carols that … Continue reading More Than A Rollicking Christmas Song: The True Meaning of the Twelve Days of Christmas
At this time of the year I love to watch my Christmas Cactus as its blooms increase every day! But it makes me a little sad to think that I will see this spectacular show only for a season. However, even when it is no longer blooming, it retains its healthy green leaves and the … Continue reading A Christmas Cactus Greeting
The Old Testament prophet Isaiah, in the midst of many other prophecies, foretells the birth of the Messiah this way: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Emmanuel.” Isaiah 7:14, Holy Bible, New International Version. Emmanuel means “God dwells … Continue reading The Emmanuel Who Dwells With Me: 2024 Christmas Devotional & Poem
Like all of Nonny’s children’s books, Play Clay Hooray! includes activity instructions and Nonny’s Nurturing Tips. This particular book features a recipe for homemade play clay from everyday kitchen ingredients. Reading a book, making & playing with some play clay… makes for a great day! You can view Play Clay Hooray! and all my children’s … Continue reading Holiday Cheer: Discover Fun Activities in Nonny’s New Book!
Hello, Blog Readers! Thank you for being along with me on the journey to the publication of my most recent children’s book, Play Clay Hooray! As the holiday season approaches, I invite you to consider my books as delightful and educational gifts for the little ones in your life. I appreciate greatly your sharing of … Continue reading Gift the Joy of Language, Learning, and Life: Exploring My Children’s Book Series
My new book is out! If you have children ages 3-8 on your shopping list for this holiday season, this might just be the perfect gift for them. It’s also great for their parents or other caregivers, too. PLAY CLAY HOORAY! is not only beautifully illustrated and fun to read, but also includes activities and … Continue reading Unwrap Joy This Holiday Season: My New Children’s Book, PLAY CLAY HOORAY!
Hello, faithful readers! There are just 5 days left until the release of my latest children's book, PLAY CLAY HOORAY! Your support means the world to me, and I’d be grateful if you would like, comment, review, and share this excitement with your friends and family. It truly makes a difference. You can share this … Continue reading Count Down to PLAY CLAY HOORAY: Your Likes, Comments, Shares, and Reviews Requested!
We’re thrilled to announce that my latest children’s book PLAY CLAY HOORAY! will be released on November 27th. We’ve been fine-tuning the promotional text and would love for you to take a look at our current book description. Your feedback is always welcome as we get closer to this exciting launch! Discover the Joy of … Continue reading Get Ready to Celebrate: Release of ‘Play Clay Hooray!’ on November 27
Hello everyone! As I gear up for the release of my upcoming children's book, I wanted to share some valuable insights about the self-publishing journey that I’ve learned along the way. My first submission in 2019 brought a few surprises, including a detailed list of “fix-it” notes from Kindle Direct Press (KDP)—even when I thought … Continue reading Insights from the Final Steps of Self-Publishing
Building a book is like building a house. For me, first comes the story I'm going to narrate—the basic framework of my house, those pieces of wood nailed in place. Next, I share my story with my artist collaborator, Courtney Coriell Williams, and tell her the illustrations I have in my mind. When she delivers … Continue reading Building a Book
Another update about my soon-to-be-published children's book... All of the books in my Nonny Day Series include activities that relate to the story. In Play Clay Hooray! the activity is two-fold: 1) Making Homemade Play Clay, and (of course) 2) Playing With It! Included in the book is an easy recipe for play clay, along … Continue reading Reading + Activity = Language, Learning, and Life!
Delightful news! Another book in my Nonny Day Series is about to be published. Like all books in the series, this book is designed for early readers (ages 5-8), and contains nurturing tips and activity instructions. Great for homeschoolers, public or private school teachers, parents, and all adults who are interested in fostering a child’s … Continue reading Fostering Bright Futures for Children through Reading: New Book Coming Soon!
Dear Grandchild, or I should say Dear Grand young adult of my progeny, Let me start by telling you a little story. As a child I was keenly aware that my paternal grandparents always voted and always worked at the polls. “Grandma Carlisle” was a staunch Republican. “Pop Carlisle” was a staunch Democrat. Of course, … Continue reading GET READY TO VOTE: a story about “canceled” votes
My prayer for you today as you read these brief words is that you may be touched by VIGOR AND VISION. VIGOR as a strengthening of your physical and mental capacities. And VISION as a plan for moving forward to meet those goals. May you not only have a renewed sense of purpose, but may … Continue reading My Prayer for You Today
I feel this is one of the most important things I have ever written. Join me in hope...
The Holy Spirit troubles our hearts that we are missing something—like a puzzle piece needed to make the picture complete. And the Holy Spirit turns us around, so we are facing and going in a new direction. Whereas before we were following our own physical desires, through this new awareness we are brought to repentance … Continue reading The Reason I Have Hope: The Power of Pentacost (Part 4 of 4)
In his Pentacost sermon, Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and the miraculous event of ‘speaking in tongues’ occurred. One insight for ‘speaking in tongues’ as I interpret it is speaking a language or languages beyond one’s mother tongue. However, some persons do attest that they have experienced ‘speaking’ in a language which even … Continue reading The Reason I Have Hope: The Power of Pentacost (Part 3 of 4)
Pentacost is a New Testament event at which the power of the Holy Spirit became evident to many. See Acts chapters 1 and 2. Chapter and verse subdivisions of the Bible did not exist in the early Scriptures which were written on scrolls. Thus, knowing how much time elapsed between the events of verses 14 … Continue reading The Reason I Have Hope: The Power of Pentacost (Part 2 of 4)
Every book in the Holy Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments, speaks of the Holy Spirit. And yet, many do not understand the Holy Spirit’s personhood and work, even those who identify themselves with a particular church or denomination. There are so many verses of Scripture on this subject, it is difficult for … Continue reading The Reason I Have Hope: The Power of Pentacost (Part 1 of 4)
My upcoming blog series on the power of the Holy Spirit and how you can access this power should be ready to begin next week. Until then keep an uplifting song in your heart even when times are tough. Keep Watching for My New Blog SeriesConnie Carlisle Polley, 2024ConnieCarlislePolley.comNonnyDay.com
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