There is beauty all around us. And a worthy endeavor is nurturing that beauty. I find beauty in the sunshine-filled bay window at the front of my house. It has an assortment of potted plants. Some were given to me. Some I bought for myself. In my care, they require a constant vigilance if they … Continue reading NURTURING BEAUTY (Finding Beauty Series, #1)
I don't think anyone reading my blog today would disagree with the statement that our society has become less and less civil. As information is spread so quickly through mass media, we make snap judgments which may or may not be based on truth. Consequently many allow their perceptions of what is right or wrong … Continue reading A North Star Worthy of Following
As I was recently going through some old family documents, I came across a United States Postal Service first class stamp with the denomination of six cents. “Wow!” I thought. “When I sent a Christmas card this year, the cost was ten times as much-sixty cents.” The stamp had never been used to send a … Continue reading In the Beginning…
Because of family food allergies and preferences, I created my own Vegetarian Crock Pot Dressing a few years ago. Even though it may be lacking the traditional chicken or turkey broth as an ingredient, it is not lacking in flavor! In fact, it has become a family favorite! Ingredients 1 ½ cups finely minced celery … Continue reading Nonny’s Favorite Holiday Recipes – Vegetarian Crock Pot Dressing (with Step-by-Step Photos)
It’s that time of the year again when we begin to think about the upcoming holidays. And, of course, that means visions of delectable foods we might prepare start to dance in our heads! Some of mine take a good bit of preparation. But some are super easy to make! What I am sharing today … Continue reading Nonny’s Favorite Holiday Recipes – Magic Chocolate Cake – No eggs or dairy!
As days are getting cooler, I begin to want to use the last of the green tomatoes which are growing right outside my kitchen door. But, if you haven’t grown them yourself, you may have a neighbor who has some and would be happy to share. Or check out your food market. My children loved … Continue reading Nonny’s Favorite Holiday Recipes – Fried Green Tomatoes
I don't know if the monetary value or the number of your Christmas, Hanukkah, or other Winter Holiday presents was different this year than in years past. Perhaps your financial situation has been insecure due to the ramifications of the spread of Coronavirus-19 and its variants. Maybe you are feeling down that you could not … Continue reading The Best Presents: Family and Friends
As I was recently going through some old family documents, I came across a United States Postal Service first class stamp with the denomination of six cents. “Wow!” I thought. “When I sent a Christmas card this year, the cost was fifty-eight.” The stamp had never been used to send a piece of mail, but … Continue reading In the Beginning…
The seasons of Christmas and Easter are intimately related. Below you will find a video of my song of praise for all seasons, "Sing Hallelujah, Give Him Your Heart." It tells the story of the birth and life of Jesus in a way that is understandable to children as well as adults. Along with the … Continue reading A Song for All Seasons: Sing Hallelujah, Give Him Your Heart
Last week I met via Zoom with two educators—Ms. Kari and Ms. Jasmine—plus student/family participants in a 4-H Sweet Potato Pie Making Project in Sitka, Alaska. My daughter and tech support Eve Carlisle Polley joined me. It proved to be a delightful, fast-paced hour and fifteen-minute get-together joining Sitka and Louisville (over 2,500 miles). Eve … Continue reading Nonny says Hello to Sitka, Alaska Families! (Zoom Meeting for Cooking, Chatting, and Having Fun)
Dear Nonny's Blog Readers, I'm excited to share with you the news that the Sitka School District in Alaska will be using my book Sweet Potato Pie, Oh My! as a part of a sweet potato pie kit giveaway. The school district is distributing to fifty Sitka students and their families a kit with all … Continue reading Nonny’s Books are headed to Alaska! (New Project with Sitka School District)
Spot The Turkeys is an outdoor game my family has played while celebrating the Thanksgiving season. You could easily adapt it to other times of the year as Spot The Santas, Spot The Easter Bunnies, etc. Use your imagination to come up with other variations and have fun! Can you spot the post-holiday-meal napper? Not everyone … Continue reading Enjoy a Holiday Game
A few years ago my younger daughter and I were fortunate enough to be able to travel to Spain and Portugal and have in our itinerary an added excursion by ferry to Morocco. To this day I can still envision the café in Tangier where we sat at a low table sipping hot sweet mint … Continue reading Try Moroccan-Style Mint Tea (Recipe) plus Photos from our trip to Tangier!
This may be the season when you find yourself with extra green tomatoes on the vine in your garden, or you see them at your farmer’s market or at your grocer’s. If so, here is an easy recipe for Sizzling Southern Fried Green Tomatoes, just the way I made them for my children when they … Continue reading Sizzling Southern Fried Green Tomatoes: Tingle Your Taste Buds (Recipe with Photos)
Most everyone loves chocolate. If that includes you, you are in for a surprise at how easy and delicious today’s Magic Chocolate Cake is. It has a texture somewhere between chocolate cake and chocolate brownie. The recipe comes from a vegetarian cookbook called The Peaceful Palate by Jennifer Raymond. She says it is magic because … Continue reading The Magic Is in the Mix (Recipe with Photos)
For two and a half weeks in the early nineteen nineties my husband, the Dad Driver, our Pre-Teen Daughter and Daughter’s Best Friend travelled in our over-sized family van to California and back home. Their tent-camping odyssey stretched west from one state or national park to another, beginning in Kentucky. Their second day found them … Continue reading Life is Just a Bowl Full of Cherries
English—“Do to others as you would have them do to you." Luke 6:31 NIV (The Holy Bible, New International Version 2011) Français—«Faites pour les autres ce que vous voulez qu’ils fassent pour vous.» Luc 6 :31 PDV (La Sainte Bible, Parole de Vie 2017) Español—«Hagan ustedes con los demás como quieren que los demás hagan con … Continue reading A North Star Worthy of Following
Sometimes we just need good food to encourage our spirit as well as feed our body. Feeling a little down or merely a little blah? Check out today’s blog post to give your body and your spirit a food boost! And I’m not talking about reaching for a candy bar! My container garden, which sits … Continue reading Give Your Tastebuds This Tomato Treat! (Recipe for Kentucky Fried Green Tomatoes)
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)
Just thought I'd share a couple of new activities that we added to our recent Family Thanksgiving Celebration: a snowball fight and a time of testimony! Those two might not sound complimentary but enrichment of our lives involves physical activity to keep our bodies strong. And quiet, reflective times to give us inner peace. As … Continue reading New Thanksgiving Activities Added This Year!
Reading the Christmas Story from The Holy Bible, God's Word Reenacting the Christmas Story with Manger Figurines (Be mentally prepared that a piece may get broken. One year we had a Wise Man lose his head on his journey from the Far East to Bethlehem as a grandchild was treating him like an action figure.) … Continue reading Family Christmas Eve Traditions (Photo Gallery)
During Thanksgiving week out-of-town family members travel to my house. While they are in town we have a special family day when those who live nearby and those who live at a distance have a chance to be together. We talk, laugh, share good food, get my out-of-the-box Christmas tree set up, and have creative … Continue reading Reflecting on My Family’s Thanksgiving
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