When my children were little, we always had lots of music in our home. One of my adult daughters recently reminded me of one of those times. She said she remembered watching me play a lively upbeat pop tune on piano and sing words about putting a nickel into something called a nickelodeon. She told … Continue reading Music’s Magic Healing Place
As I was video-chatting with one of my grandsons recently, my casual conversation drifted to a time in my marriage before children. I told him I had had my first full-time teaching position in the adjacent community of Jeffersontown, or known by most of us as J-town. And my husband was working as a machinist … Continue reading Special Delivery
Spring 2019 was a wonderfully fulfilling time for me. I had been working several months on giving music and mini-drama to a formerly tucked-away lyric which told of the birth and life of Jesus in a way understandable to children. I enlisted the music director at my church as my proof-reader and advisor as I … Continue reading A Musical Score Written in God’s Time
I want to share with you a poem I wrote for my oldest grandchild when he was about ten. I printed it, put it in a frame and presented it to him as an extra Christmas Eve gift. I’m sure whatever else I gave him—and this was before any of the other grandchildren were born—seemed … Continue reading Ode to Stephen
My second children’s book, Sweet Pickles Among the Marigolds, is now available in a Kindle version through Amazon. Maybe you are a librarian, children’s early education center director, primary school teacher, homeschooler, parent/grandparent or other caring adult. If you want a peep into excellent materials and ideas to spark enthusiasm for reading, you might consider … Continue reading Sweet Pickles’ Ebook Release!
When I was a young child and a pre-reader, I was introduced to the nursery rhyme, “Mary, Mary, quite contrary. How does your garden grow?” Back then I never wondered why she was contrary. But as I grew older and planted gardens of my own, I found out why she was in such an unhappy … Continue reading Nonny . . . How Does Your Garden Grow? (photo gallery)
Last week I was excited to share with you the news of the publication of my latest children's beginning reader/activity book. It's called Sweet Pickles Among the Marigolds: A Rhyme of Garden Fun. Today I'll give you a sneak peep between the pages with a recording of my sing-along song Pick Some Pickles! You'll find … Continue reading New song, new website, new book… Celebrate with me!
The shutting down earlier this year of physical schools and preschools due to the Coronavirus left many parents, grandparents and others to assume full-time roles as facilitators for learning. And now as the summer looms large with its own set of concerns as to how to fill the time of the young ones, may I … Continue reading Keeping Young Minds and Bodies Busy–My New Book Release!
We see a wide-eyed little girl, maybe six or so, in a church worship service. She’s standing next to her mother in a pew at the left side of the sanctuary, very close to the pianist whose fingers move adroitly over the keys of the ebony baby grand piano. The child’s eyes shift from the … Continue reading Vibrant Vibes: A Musical Phenomenon
Announcing the release of the Kindle version of my children's book for only $1.99... I'm excited to share with you, my treasured blog readers, the release of the Kindle ebook version of my children's beginning reader Sweet Potato Pie, Oh My! It contains the same beautiful illustrations, fun narrative, and informative tips and activities as … Continue reading My Ebook is out! $1.99
Surely I'm not the only one who has ever done something outlandishly stupid. Maybe you have, too. My now adult son and I look back on an incident that happened when he was ten years old and still laugh as though it is a joke we are hearing for the first time. Growing up, my … Continue reading A Story to Make You Laugh: Certainly Not A Pipe Dream!
Many of you have told me you wanted to know when and where you might purchase the first book in my children’s NONNY DAY SERIES, VOL. 1, Sweet Potato Pie, Oh My! for pre- and beginning readers. The “when” is now! And the “where” is Amazon.com! Click on the link below to go directly to … Continue reading Available Now–Nonny’s First Children’s Book: Sweet Potato Pie, Oh My!
Publishing day is almost here! I am looking forward to having my children's book, Sweet Potato Pie, Oh My!, ready for your purchase online soon. It is the first book in my NONNY DAY SERIES. I think you and your beginning reader will love it! UPDATE 9/27/2019: The book is out 😀! CLICK HERE for … Continue reading Nonny’s Book Launch–Coming Soon!
The innocent honesty of small children lends charm even to life’s not-so-pleasant inevitabilities. I hope you enjoy the following scenarios. One day when my three children, my mother-in-law, and I were having lunch at a modestly-priced restaurant, it became apparent that my four-year-old daughter was staring intently at her grandmother’s face. “What are you looking … Continue reading Gems Out of the Mouth of a Babe
No matter what day of the week it is, if one or more of my young grandchildren and I are together having fun, we call it a Nonny Day. In STINKY STORY I'm sharing with you a letter I penned and mailed to my four school-age early readers. Even though I was not physically with … Continue reading Stinky Story
Hi! My name is Timmy. I’ve just got to tell you what happened to my Nonny. That’s what I call my daddy’s mom. She called me the other day and said she got caught on an elevator with some other people and firemen had to rescue them! I thought she meant that the elevator caught … Continue reading Two Too Many!
Surely I'm not the only one who has ever done something outlandishly stupid. Maybe you have, too. My now adult son and I look back on an incident that happened when he was ten years old and still laugh as though it is a joke we are hearing for the first time. Growing up, my … Continue reading Certainly Not A Pipe Dream!
The innocent honesty of small children lends charm even to life’s not-so-pleasant inevitabilities. I hope you enjoy the following scenarios. One day when my three children, my mother-in-law, and I were having lunch at a modestly-priced restaurant, it became apparent that my four-year-old daughter was staring intently at her grandmother’s face. “What are you looking … Continue reading Gems Out of the Mouth of a Babe
Nonny Day, 2018 Dear Grandgirls and Grandguys, Something funny happened to me the other day and I wish you could have been here to laugh with me! I had been at my city house for a number of days and was just returning to my country house. Immediately when I got back and was going … Continue reading Stinky Story
Hi! My name is Timmy. I’ve just got to tell you what happened to my Nonny. That’s what I call my daddy’s mom. She called me the other day and said she got caught on an elevator with some other people and firemen had to rescue them! I thought she meant that the elevator caught … Continue reading Two Too Many!
