Posted in One-Word Wednesday

One Word Wednesday 5/27/26

“Gators!”

Robert and I spent last week house- and dog-sitting for daughter Amy at their place on Savannah’s Skidaway Island.

Perhaps the Greatest Joy of visiting Skidaway (other than grandchildren, of course) is the wide variety of wildlife that abounds at nearly every turn.

White-tailed deer run around as if they own the island (which of course, they actually do, or used to).

On a walk, sharing the early morning

Raccoons, marsh rabbits, gray foxes, and opossums are common.

Dolphins and river otters.

A variety of native turtles, frogs, and non-venomous snakes are also present.

Coastal and I saying hello to a sandy turtle.

Black racer slinking across the back yard

But by far, the true Attention Grabber on the island in many of the lagoons and waterways is the omnipresent American Alligator.

You can’t see him well, but he’s there.

Robert and I saw four others (!) in this same pond on this day.

You simply learn to give alligators their space.

They are not inherently aggressive, naturally fearing humans and usually prefer to retreat or swim away when approached. The problem comes when humans illegally feed alligators. They learn to associate people with food and may aggressively approach them.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 5/22/26

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. This incredible pizza Robert and I devoured at Ricciardi’s Pizzeria in Richmond Hill GA.

2. This sheet of flowery wrapping paper …

… which wrapped a bundle of supplies I need for a summer memoir writing course coming up in June.

More about that adventure later. 

3. The ability to get out of bed each morning.

4. Completing 2222 meditation sessions on my 10% Happier app.

Wouldn’t you think I’d be a tad more guru-ish by now?!

5. The beautiful spring lights outside daughter Amy‘s next-door neighbor‘s house.

May something light up beautifully for you this weekend.

Posted in Thursday Doors

Thursday Doors: “Not the Main Door” 4/23/26

On a recent spring morning walk here in Savannah, my eye kept going to doors that were not the main door to a house or dwelling.

Like this one, which sort of looks like a garage door, but on closer inspection (i.e. spying through the cracks), I saw that this rooster door led to a small courtyard.

Can you see how the door opens to the left of #5?

A bit farther down the alley where I was walking, I came upon this vine-topped garage door.

And I love chancing upon iron gates, which are often doors leading to beauty.

Jasmine is sprouting up all over Savannah.

Look at the morning light spilling through the black iron!

And looking through another gate, spring charm exploded.

I hope you walk through some doors into beauty on this Thursday.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 4/17/26

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. For some reason this hole in an old piece of wood at the top of a wire fence at a local farm made me smile a bit and think.

Sometimes it’s what’s NOT there that somehow wields its way to the center of attention.

2. Sticking to that line of thinking, one morning this week. I woke up, looked at our breakfast table and saw that Robert had cleaned up a bit a little flower arrangement that was moving past its prime.

It made me smile again, perhaps with a melancholic edge, appreciating the beauty that was, and in a way, still is.

That little morning moment also made me think of Frost’s oh-so-truthful poem, “Nothing Gold Can Stay.”

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

Note to self: Enjoy it all while I still can.

3. Accidental photographs that somehow express a surprising hint of beauty.

Dashboard of our little Hyundai Accent.

4. Salt and pepper.

I love our salt and pepper shakers too.

5. Robert and Benny.

May you have Plenty to Love this weekend.