Friday – NealEnJoy

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 4/23/26

Posted on April 24, 2026April 24, 2026 by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Discovering new Little Free Libraries. (Do you have them where you live?)

This one is in the Vernonburg neighborhood of Savannah.

2. The amazing ability to see light.

Here the morning light is favoring my side of our little study.

I especially love the light and shadow on my Yes Stick.

There’s a bit of a story here. For some reason, years ago, as Robert and I were hiking in the woods somewhere, my eyes rested upon a small fallen tree branch shaped like the letter Y.

I was going through a difficult patch of life at the time and I thought, “Yes! That stick is reminding me that I can say Yes! to so many things, things I already have and things I desire.”

So I picked up my Yes Stick and hiked with it for a while, saying “Yes!” time and again.

I kept up the practice, and on another hiking adventure, I picked up the one you see in the photo above. Robert told me to give it to him. He brought it home, varnished it, and we put it above my desk.

So that you have it. My quirky, slightly weird story of the origin of my Yes Stick.

I challenge you the next time you see a stick (or anything) shaped like a Y, to pause and say “Yes!” to something you love or have or desire.

3. Our imaginations.

4. Robert’s new glasses, which look gargantuan in this photo at Savannah’s Midtown Sports Bar the other night as we were watching our Atlanta Braves.

You can’t quite tell it in this photo, but HR is wearing his Matt Olson Braves jersey.

5. My spiky ball, which so helps my ongoing lower back pain.

I hope you have a Helper of some kind this Beautiful Spring Weekend.

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 4/17/26

Posted on April 18, 2026 by Neal Saye

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.

4. Salt and pepper.

5. Robert and Benny.

May you have Plenty to Love this weekend.

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 4/10/26

Posted on April 10, 2026 by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. These incredible crab legs at the Tin Fin seafood restaurant near where we are staying for the week in Effingham County GA.

I just opted for a pound, but HR got the “All You Can Eat” Tuesday night deal.

2. Making new friends at Hunter Cattle Company near Statesboro GA.

Especially a friendly cow I named Betsy.

Here’s Betsy and HR co-starring in a little independent film I produced and directed, Good Moo Hunting.

3. Enjoying our last fire (probably) of the season at the farmhouse in southeast Georgia where we are staying this week.

4. The amazing ability to remember.

5. Sensational cinnamon rolls from Ally’s Bakery in Rincon GA.

May you roll joyfully this weekend.

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 4/3/26

Posted on April 3, 2026 by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Palms on Palm Sunday.

2. Savannah‘s azaleas. As usual, they are glorious this spring.

3. I’m grateful for a back … that can hurt.

Two weeks ago today, I had my fourth lower back procedure in the last seven months. This time an RFA—radiofrequecy ablation (whew), “a minimally invasive procedure that uses heat from radio waves to temporarily deactivate nerves sending chronic pain signals to the brain, commonly treating spine and joint pain.” (Thanks, AI.)

Frustratingly enough, I am feeling no relief. The typical time period before feeling if the procedure was effective is 5-7 days. This is day 14. 🙁

But you know what? What I do feel is Gratitude that I have a back that has the ability to hurt.

So there, Universe!

4. Finding yet another Free Little Library! This time across the street from Savannah’s beautiful Daffin Park.

Do you have these little treasures near where you are?

What a Joy of Surprise.

5. My little Easter/Spring displays in our apartment.

May you have a few Displays of Joy in your life this Easter Weekend!

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 3/27/26

Posted on March 27, 2026March 27, 2026 by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. The beautiful Cherokee Rose that HR and I found along one of the hiking trails at Skidaway Island State Park near Savannah.

2. This Lovely Yellow at the Savannah Botanical Gardens.

I love my iNaturalist app, which helps me to quickly verify plants I see along life’s way.

3. My only complaint about all this springtime beauty would have to be the heavy overlay of pollen upon Savannah. So I am thankful for my Allegra, Flonase, and redi-melt Claritin.

4. My nose—even when it glows with springtime allergies.

5. Non-humans.

We all need a bit of Escape from People now and again.

Make you escape to a fun and healthy spring weekend ahead.

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 3/13/26

Posted on March 13, 2026 by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. HR all excited about his new Canon EOS R100 camera.

Can cameras really cost that much?!

2. Our great buddy Margaret being recognized at church for her 84th birthday.

3. The ability to AGE. (It is world’s better than the alternative.)

4. Chuckling at the important question in the bathroom at our Airbnb in Macon GA today:

5. The beauty of purple in Macon.

Early wisteria!

GOODness! The aroma.

I hope your weekend smells good!

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 3/6/26

Posted on March 6, 2026March 6, 2026 by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Making it through this morning’s part two (of a three-part procedure) to—hopefully/fingers crossed—help my chronic lower back pain.

The fun description: “CPT 64493 – Left – Facet Injection, Lumbar/Sacral, a shot of pain numbing substance in one level of the lower back using imaging guidance or detailed pictures to diagnose or treat lower back pain.”

I’m such a baby that even with local anesthesia, I’m sort of out of it for much of the day. But I’m back to the land of the living now, working on this post.

2. Several cool outdoorsy photos Robert took a little while ago, probably to get away from me and my “recovery.”

Is it Spring yet?

3. Our bodies, which I continue to believe/hope know how to be well and are always trying to move toward wellness.

4. Pausing to appreciate the view from above.

5. Proud of Daughter Amy being named by the Savannah area’s United Way as one of the Women Who Rule panelists.

And this sweet text I got from great buddy Jamie Marie during the event …

May you have a weekend of things that bring you healthy pride.

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 2/27/26

Posted on February 27, 2026 by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Night beauty. Even at The Home Depot.

2. Coming across very neat posters.

I especially like the “Talk to the Flowers” suggestion.

3. The amazing ability to TALK and express ourselves.

4. Pets. If you’re a regular reader, I’m sure you get tired of seeing photos of Kitty Cat Benny. But what a positive difference pets can make to the quality of our lives.