Author: Neal Saye

Posted in Food Joy, Joy in Nature

Strong Spines

Posted on by Neal Saye

Over the valley and through the woods, gathering collards we go. 🎶

Walking in Habersham Village toward our favorite little bar and grill in Savannah, Robert and I saw this …

A mountain of beautiful pre-Thanksgiving collards! Being carefully pulled into our favorite little neighborhood grocer, The Red and White.

The sight brought a sudden jolt of JOY into my heart.

I love collards! They are deliciously beautiful. And they exude such leafy and cruciferous strength.

Collards greens have strong spines!

Posted in Life and Death

“Just Set It Down“

Posted on by Neal Saye

I’m having a bit of trouble being happy today, after the Colorado Springs gay club massacre.

But today we were walking through Hobby Lobby, looking for Thanksgiving placemats for our family gathering, and I came across this.

And it made me smile. I needed to smile.

And HR seems to think the sentiment rings true.

P.S. But aren’t gay clubs supposed to be safe havens? Robert and I have visited them in New York City, Washington DC, Atlanta, Baltimore (HR’s hometown), New Orleans, etc. etc. etc.

But lately, whenever we go into a gay establishment, I look for the exits, just in case.

And even more sadly, when I go to our gay friendly church here in Savannah, I remind myself where the exits are, just in case.

It really shouldn’t be this way.

Posted in Delicious Joy

My Saturday Evening Post: 11/19/22 “I Miss Tomatoes”

Posted on by Neal Saye

About this time of year, every year, I fall into the “depths of despair,” borrowing a phrase from my very good friend, Anne of Green Gables.

Why so low, you ask? Simple.

THERE ARE NO LOCAL, SUMMERY, VINE- RIPENED TOMATOES!!!

The tomatoes you find at the grocery store this time of year are, to use part of Donald Trump’s newsy allegation, “fake” tomatoes!

They taste like … well, fake tomatoes.

Side Note: Please do not tell anyone that I agreed, even if just half agreed, with anything Donald Trump has ever said.

So what I like to do in mid-November is remember, somehow both sadly and joyfully, July tomatoes.

Here are a few memories of the Real Deals.

The vine-ripened beauties my parents always had on the table (along with “fried corn” snd candied yams) when I went home for a summer visit.

My Tomato Pies!

Tomato beauty.

I miss you, July Tomatoes.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 11/18/22

Posted on by Neal Saye

My weekly list of a few “joy inciters” in my life. A Friday Gratitude Journal, of sorts.

1. The beautiful bottlebrush plant we saw recently on a walk here in Savannah.

What a cool and fitting name! And it’s SO friendly. It colorfully whispered in my ear, “You know, Neal, Christmas is coming! Joy to the world!”

2. Pine. Oh, the glorious appearance and aroma of pine!

3. Comfortable shoes.

4. Always having enough food to eat. (I so often take that blessing for granted.)

Robert’s Baked Fall Zucchette Butternut Squash Pasta (with sausage)

5. The beach.

Tybee Island, near us.

May Peace shine on you this weekend before Thanksgiving.

Posted in Breaking News

Shoe Selling! (Funny & Not So Funny)

Posted on by Neal Saye

Did you see this CRAZY story in the news?

When I first read it, I laughed out loud. And thought about my old sandals. Here they are. I’ll sell them to you for a mere $500. A DEAL!

But then when I thought about it a bit more, the humor sort of leaked and lessened. 200 grand! Think how many homeless meals (for just one example) that amount could provide.

P.S. …

Hmm.

Posted in One-Word Wednesday

One-Word Wednesday: 11/15/22

Posted on by Neal Saye

“Locked”

So here I am (pic below), at the very top of Georgia’s Sapelo Island Lighthouse last week. Yvonne, our incredible tour guide, (inexplicably and even more incredibly) gave ME these keys and told me to unlock the hatch at the top of the lighthouse for the five of us who braved the winds (of approaching storm Nicole) to go to the very top.

After much struggle, I finally got the HEAVY hatch open, and we scaled the heights.

Robert found everything hilarious up there, while I fake laughed (and held on to him) …