Tag: Friday

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 4/2/25

Posted on by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Sweet Tea, or as Dolly Parton calls it in Steel Magnolias, “the Champagne of the South.”

2. Walking by this “wall of green” covering a building near us here in historic district Savannah.

If you look closely, you can spot HR meandering in the lane.

3. Toenail clippers.

4. The absolute, joyful contentment that kitty cat Benny finds in (literally in) cardboard boxes.

5. Grandson, Daniel and his “Senior Bike Ride” this morning at his school.

On the last day of school (for seniors), Country Day has this tradition for their soon-to-be graduates to ride bicycles onto campus, where they are over-enthusiastically greeted by their families and loved ones, holding up posters and pictures and joyfully cheering (probably because those soon-to-be graduates will also soon be leaving home).

May you have something this weekend to scream joyfully about. (If not, just scream anyway.)

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 4/25/25

Posted on by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Heavenly smelling Strawberry Blossoms and Fruit on a visit to Sonrise Farms near Dublin GA.

2. Reflection

HR and … me

3. The ability to walk up a staircase and to walk down a staircase. (Though it’s getting to be more of a challenge these days with my creaky knees.)

4. Grandson Daniel‘s 18th birthday dance at Miyabi’s Kyoto Steak House here in Savannah.

(You can hear Robert in the background, egging Daniel on.)

A pretty messed-up photo at the party but sort of cool in its own way. 

5. The amazing spectacle I often see when I step out my front door here in historic district Savannah, a few blocks from the Savannah River …

… and pause before I head to wherever I’m going … to take in a gargantuan cargo ship heading to the Savannah port.

The purple through the oak trees? That’s a cargo ship!

I hope this weekend brings you a Cargo of Good.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 4/18/25

Posted on by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Brilliant red blooms of the Fire Lily in a yard near us.

2. Enjoying a delicious and educational olive oil tasting at Woodpecker Trail Olive Farm near Glenville GA.

3. Making a very yummy Strawberry Pear Pie with fresh-picked strawberries from Sonrise Farms near Dublin GA.

4. Our skin, which wraps us up so lovingly.

5. This beautifully quirky little pillow on the couch in the waiting area at my therapist’s office.

(I wonder if it was strategically placed there to somehow assess or affect our mental health.)

May you have a Healthy Weekend ahead – mentally and otherwise!

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 4/11/25

Posted on by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. The joy of very simple food.

A sliced russet potato, half an onion, a little olive oil and my homemade Cajun seasoning

2. The joy of … fancier food.

Oysters at my favorite Savannah oyster bar, Sorry Charlie’s


But what was the first person

3. The incredible sense of taste! What a blessing.

4. Colorful trash cans on a visit to Greene Acres Farm in Cochran GA.

5. The color of not-quite-ripe strawberries.

May you have a ripe weekend ahead.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 4/4/25

Posted on by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Morning Glory.

Early morning walk on Skidaway Island (Georgia)

2. Simple Beige Beauty.

Our breakfast table

3. The inhale and the exhale.

And the oft-forgotten mindfulness of the inhale and the exhale.

4. The Breath of Fresh Air Robert and I are experiencing with the television reality series, “Love on the Spectrum.”

“Overview: Seven adults with autism dive headlong into a dating group to explore the unpredictable world of romance, tackling misconceptions about both themselves and how they want to live.” (Series Website)

We recently stumbled upon season two and are working through it now.

5. Playing hide and seek with a Japanese Flowering Cherry tree near us here in historic district Savannah.

May you experience a Bit of Play somehow this spring weekend.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 3/28/25

Posted on by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Walking to one of my favorite reading spots a couple of blocks from us here in Historic District Savannah on the bluff overlooking the Savannah River.

2. Being able to walk!

3. Friendly farm animals yesterday at Hunter Cattle Company in Brooklet GA, where we bought beautiful grass-fed ribeye steak.

4. More of Savannah’s Spring Beauty.

5. Looking for the Tree Spirits at various spots around Saint Simon’s Island (Georgia).

(I’m working on a post about the dozen or so “spirits” we found recently.)

May you spring into a Happy and Healthy Weekend ahead.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 3/14/25

Posted on by Neal Saye

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.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 2/28/25

Posted on by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Signs of approaching Springtime in Savannah.

2. The ability to hear. And to mindfully know, in the moment, that we are hearing.

3. Boardwalks. Especially as they weather and age a bit.

Skidaway Island, near Savannah.

4. This cool sign we came upon this morn in Savannah’s eclectic and edgy Victorian District.

5. Rest.

May you have a restful weekend ahead.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 2/21/25

Posted on by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. The amazingly resilient beauty of Savannah’s Resurrection Fern.

The green plant growing on the live oak tree behind me, Pleopeltis polypodioides, commonly known as Resurrection Fern, is “a native plant known for its ability to survive extreme dehydration and revive when exposed to water. Appearance and behavior: During dry periods, the fern shrivels and turns brown, resembling a dead clump of leaves. It can lose up to 97% of its water content, while most plants can only tolerate a 10% loss.”

“When it rains, the fern uncurls and turns green within hours.” National Wildlife Federation

(I need a little of what it has!)

2. Recognizing that two out of three isn’t bad.

High School Basketballer Grandson Gabriel practicing three-pointers

3. Going on a fascinating Savannah Port Tour this week.

Savannah has one of the busiest ports in the nation. We live a few blocks from the Savannah River, walk along it often but have never toured the port.

Fascinating!

Here we are with our nee bestie tour buddies.

Captain Birdie’s flowing hair.

There’s also a massive yacht repair facility …

The white structure to the right is actually a large yacht which had been “shrink wrapped” for some kind of moisture-control work.

What a fun couple of hours.

4. The joy of simple, delicious food.

I love being able to pull my grandmother’s large cast iron skillet off our cool, little rack …

… and toss in a couple of seasoned chicken thighs, along with whatever vegetables are on hand (cherry tomatoes, carrots and onions this time).

Yum!

5. The truth of this little placard outside a business on a recent morning walk here in Savannah.

Whatever your definition of “good” may be, may you have it this day … and this weekend.