On St. Patrick’s Day, there’s nothing quite like a heartfelt and loving Irish Blessing …
A Warm and Heartfelt Irish Blessing
Author: Neal Saye
Sunday Evening Shenanigans
It’s St. Patrick’s Day eve, and as Robert and I have done the last five or six years, we hightail it out of Dodge (well, Savannah).
“Why,” you may be asking. “Doesn’t Savannah have one of the nation’s largest and most celebrated St. Patrick’s Day bashes/parades?”
Yes, it does. And we have enjoyed them in the past.
But here comes the rub. I moved to Savannah back in 2009, as I was semi-retiring from Georgia Southern University (about an hour north of SAV). I have lived in two Savannah locations , and (incredibly) BOTH were directly on the parade route, which initially sounded great. And I suppose initially it was.
But as the years went by, I began to see aspects of the parade’s insanity. Don’t get me wrong, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations can be so much fun and meaningful: the Greening of the Fountains, the Celtic Cross Ceremony in Emmet Park, the Jasper Green Ceremony in Madison Square, etc.
Savannah’s population is around 150.000, and the parade usually draws at least that many more visitors. And living on the parade route, we have witnessed disappointing human behavior outside our door. Our potted plants being trampled, thrown and broken on the pavement, even urinated upon. (TMI?). Partiers loudly camping outside our door all night the night before the parade.
So anyway, we drove an hour or so south of us to St. Simons Island to a quaint little retro motel (not hotel). Queen’s Court Inn:
We are currently high-energetically super-celebrating St. Patty Eve.
My helpers:
And Robert’s:
It’s deliciously quiet here. And raining softly outside.
celebrate (with a small “c”).
Shhh … Silent Sunday. 3/16/25
Five Friday Happy Bringers 3/14/25
My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.
1. A small twig of rosemary I snatched from a mature bush and placed on our car’s dash.
A tiny bit of natural beauty and heavenly aroma.
(It obviously doesn’t take much to make me happy.)
2. This photo from daughter Emily on our family text thread this week …
And her accompanying comment: “Just me and my tiny lap dog.”
My response: “Can you still breathe?”
Emily: “Breathing is overrated.”
3. Truth I saw displayed on a church in Macon, Georgia, where we were visiting last weekend.
4. The ability to (still) walk up and down stairs.
Robert and I live in a mid-19 century building with steep, tiny stairs.
5. Pine.
May you find much happiness this weekend. Or at least a little.
Taizé One 3/12/25 “Light”
Tonight was the first of our church’s five Taizé services during the Lenten season leading up to Easter Sunday. (Asburymemorial.org)
I LOVE the quiet, almost somber, beauty of Taizé.
A little about the history of Taizé:
“The Taizé prayer service is from an interfaith community founded in Taizé, France in 1940. A Taizé service provides a meditative style of song and prayer known for its simplicity and focus on Christ. Today the Taizé community comprises those of Catholic and Protestant backgrounds from regions around the globe. At a Taizé service we pray as we sing, as we reflect on the Scripture reading, as we sit in silence, and as we offer our prayers to Christ.” jaxcathedral.org
TONIGHT’S INVITATION: “Come into this place of peace and let its silence heal your spirit; Come into this place of memory & let its history warm your soul; Come into this place of prophecy and power and let its vision change your heart.”
Tonight’s theme focused on light.
And the MUSIC/CHANT:
“Lord Jesus Christ, your light shines within us.
Let not my doubts, and my darkness speak to me.
Lord Jesus Christ, your light shines within us.
Let my heart always welcome your love.”
Whatever your belief, or lack of, may Peace be your Portion at this time of year.
One-Word Wednesday 3/12/25
“Buds”
Monday Moaning or Monday Marveling? 3/10/25
I’m marveling this rainy Georgia morning at the mystery, the illusive and changing allure of clouds.
And here’s a post HR did about clouds a while back …
Shhh … Silent Sunday. 3/9/25
My Saturday Evening Post: 3/8/25 “Gee, What an Airbnb!”
As I mentioned in Friday’s post, Robert and I drove up to Macon, GA, a couple of hours north of Savannah, and checked into a very cool and quirky Airbnb.
The purpose of our trip was to pick up our prizes for participating in the 2024 Georgia Farm Passport program.
Passport: https://search.app/9k7FNoMwS8SUNt2NA
But back to a few interesting features of our Airbnb.
First, look at its frig!
Guests leave notes about their stay.
And when you walk into the living room, you see this:
A simple set of stairs.
Or are they?
And I loved the old trees with Spanish moss in front of the Southern mansion (which had been divided into units for apartments and Airbnb rentals).
I found a description of the trees taped on one of the living room walls:
“The elegant specimen trees out front are Deodar Cedars. Deodar derives from Sanskrit that translates to “timber of the gods.” The tree is native to the Himalayas, where it has been known to reach 250′ tall. It was introduced to Europe in 1822 and to the United States nine years later. This tree is sacred in Hinduism. It produces rose-shaped cones and aromatic oil that naturally deters insects.”
I gathered some of the cones. They really do look like brown roses.
So much more fun than a Holiday Inn Express.
And that’s my Saturday Evening Post.
