Category: My Saturday Evening Post

Posted in My Saturday Evening Post

My Saturday Evening Post: “Bless Us All”

Posted on by Neal Saye

Each December, Robert and I LOVE watching the old animated holiday classics, reminiscing of yesteryear. Last night we pulled out The Muppet Christmas Carol.

My capital “F” Favorite song in the movie is “Bless Us All,” sung by poor, sickly little Robin/Tiny Tim and the rest of the Cratchit crew. It always gets me choked up (until I realize that, as a “grown man,” I am crying over an anthropomorphic, singing, cloth-born frog puppet).

“Bless Us All” is actually a beautiful, prayerful meditation, expressing both gratitude for all we have (the sun, family, each other, etc) as well as supplication for greater good outside of our individual little worlds.

I invite you to take a couple of minutes out of your Saturday for a quick listen …

Muppet Truths …

“No place on earth compares with home.” (Of course, “home” can have various definitions for us.)

“We have so much that we can share with those in need we see around us everywhere.”

“Let us hear the voice of reason singing in the night.” (Oh my goodness, yes.)

The full lyrics …

BLESS US ALL!

Posted in My Saturday Evening Post

My Saturday Evening Post: “An Artist and Her Pop-Up Work”

Posted on by Neal Saye

Thanksgiving afternoon, after The Big Meal, the lucky thirteen of us in my big ole modern family …

(Okay, okay, I know I posted this pic before.)

… sort of scattered throughout hostess daughter Amy’s sprawling house, the adults congregating in the den before the obligatory football games, while the children (ages 3-17) did who knows what.

At one point, nine-year-old Madison resurfaced: “I’m bored. Matthew (her twin) and Gabriel (her cousin) won’t stop playing video games.”

“Go outside for a while,” wise Nana suggested.

Checking on her a bit later, I saw a now-spirited Madison and a growing pile of sticks. She loves artsy endeavors—note her self-made turkey hat? … bandana?

And then a bit later (who knows how long, the tryptophan was working on me), Madison asked the adults to “Come see what I made!”

Those adults who were still conscious rambled outside to find … an outdoor pop-up art installation!

“A free-form, aesthetically pleasing amalgamation of found object natural elements representing both land and sea,” I immediately thought upon seeing the piece.

“Huh?!” Madison seemed to think in response, judging from her body posture.

Oops, a few last-minute touches …

As self-proclaimed artistic judge, I found the work dazzlingly daring yet delicate, detailed and deeply thoughtful, while being both dreamlike and dynamic!

“Huh?!” I even asked myself.

The artist was then joined by little sister/helper Isabelle (3) …

The Joy of Grandchildren and … Art!

Posted in My Saturday Evening Post

My Saturday Evening Post: “Who Let the Fish Out? A Trawling Adventure on the Sea Dawg”

Posted on by Neal Saye

Last month, Robert and I took our second day trip over to the University of Georgia’s Marine Extension and Sea Grant on Skidaway Island.

“By advancing research, education and training, and outreach, UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant promotes the economic, cultural and environmental health of Georgia’s coast and prepare citizens to become good stewards of coastal ecosystems and watershed resources.” — Marine Extension and Sea Grant website

A cloudy day, with rain threatening, we braved our away onto the Sea Dawg, UGA’s 43’ research vessel.

Here’s how UGA described our adventure …

Here’s Robert looking excited and normal (and a little bit like a dark Gilligan) …

And here’s me with a sort of seated and crazed I’m-not-so-sure-about-this-floating-Dawg-thing look …

We did two trawls, and although at first glance each catch looked like it held basically one type of little fish, upon closer inspection there were a couple of dozen different fish species, as well as sting ray, jellyfish, sponges, coral, etc.

Thankfully, these trawls on the salty Wilmington River brought up very little trash.

We can’t wait for the next adventure on the water. Thanks, UGA. Woof.

Posted in My Saturday Evening Post

My Saturday Evening Post: World Kindness Day 2021

Posted on by Neal Saye

Did you know that today is World Kindness Day?! No? I kinda didn’t either. But according to a quick Googling (should that word be capitalized since we’re using it as a kinda generic verb now?), WKD is celebrated every year on November 13.

Here’s my kinda extensive research:

Coincidentally, I snapped this photo the other day of a cool and kinda appropriate-for-today t- shirt.

We CAN be both. Or at least we kinda can.

And here’s a little about how World Kindness Day got started:

If you’re interested, here’s a kinda informative and encouraging article about ways to be kind … to yourself, family, community and the earth:

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/13/health/world-kindness-day-2021-acts-wellness/index.html

HAPPY KINDNESS DAY 2021!

LET’S FIND A WAY OR TWO TO BE KINDA TODAY — AND EVERY DAY.