Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 2/21/25

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.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 2/14/25

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. This beyond-delicious morning coffee at one of our favorite coffee shops here in Savannah, Origin Coffee Bar.

“Southern Frost: A cozy orange and cardamom flat white with your milk of choice.”

Of course, I didn’t really know the definition of a “flat white.”

Hello, Google.

“A flat white is an espresso drink made with steamed milk and microfoam, resulting in a velvety texture and creamy taste. It’s smaller than a latte or cappuccino, but stronger due to less froth and milk. The milk in a flat white is velvety and not diluted with foam, highlighting the coffee’s nuances. Flat whites are made with a 2:3 coffee-to-milk ratio, compared to 1:2 for cappuccinos.” coffeebeancorral.com

TMI?

2. The Joyful Ability to Walk!

On a hike, somewhere or other, with my faithful hiking stick.

3. Getting caught in a DOWNPOUR yesterday morning on busy Bay Street near us here in Savannah.

Finding a bit of shelter under a store’s awning.

My thoughts earlier as we headed out the door, umbrella-less, into threateningly dark clouds: “Oh we have time to dash down the street for a twenty-minute constitutional.”

Robert droning on about who-knows-what. I wasn’t paying attention to him. The rain was talking louder.

4. Laughter!

5. A Happy Valentine’s Day 2025!

My cards from HR …

May you have a sweet weekend ahead!

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 2/7/25

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Savannah winter camellias … in my bathroom.

2. My Crock Pot Sunday Sirloin Tip Roast, which we had, well, last Sunday.

Here’s a photo timeline of how it went down.

Put it in the Crock Pot, then walk away for eight hours.

But unlike Lot’s unfortunate wife, you know in the Sodom and Gomorrah saga, I did not look back and be turned into a pillar of Morton Salt.

Gracious, do I ever look like a grumpy old man, even if I am wearing my Christmas jammy pants, which may be out of season, but oh so comfortable and fashionable.

Eight hours later …

And because I’m sure you want to know, I’m out of my Christmas jammy pants by now. But seriously, do they expect you to wear your holiday attire ONLY on the holiDAY itself?!

Oh my GOODness!

Okay, I’ve probably brought you to near catastrophic boredom ranting about this roast, but do you know the difference between top and tip sirloin? I admit that I did not. Well, let AI inform us …

Here is what AI did not tell you: “tip” is substantially cheaper than “top,” (which is why I bought it to begin with).

You can now splash some cold water on your face and continue reading about my remaining Happy Bringers.

3. The amazing ability to SEE! In any direction. Take a moment to be grateful for this miracle. Everybody doesn’t have it.

4. Somehow, on a walk yesterday afternoon near us here in Savannah, being able to see a little beauty even in the wake of destruction.

A tree which had to be cut back because of disease.

Or maybe that’s not beauty. What do you think?

5. Completing 14,000 minutes of meditation this week.

But seriously, wouldn’t you think I’d be a bit more … enlightened by now?! Instead of still sometimes wondering what meditation actually is.

May you have a WONDERful Weekend ahead.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 1/31/25

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Sleep. And we get to do it every night! (And sometimes after lunch.)

2. Incredibly huge (and colorful!) container ships traversing past me as I read on Savannah River’s bluff near us.

3. The wonderful ability to read! Can you imagine NOT having this gift?!

What I just finished:

A creatively riveting novel about what we are doing to our world, our wildlife, our plants and ultimately ourselves, as told by a very special gorilla.

4. Triangles and Lines


Pond at J. F. Gregory Park, Richmond Hill GA

5. Embracing the Year of the Snake.

May we do some healthy shedding this new year.

Peaceful Weekend to You.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 1/24/25

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. My insanely delicious baked Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks for lunch yesterday. And so easy to make.

(I pretend they’re healthy, with the addition of the celery and carrots.)

2. Still marveling at our rare Snow-vannah we experienced this week.

Looking right and left outside the door of our old mid-1800’s apartment building …

What’s a snow shovel? And where on earth would you buy one? Or even want one? Isn’t snow supposed to melt the next day?

We also don’t have sleds or sleighs or whatever you use to careen playfully down snow-covered hills.

So you have to improvise. Here’s a little video of grandson Gabriel doing just that in his front yard.

That’s called Minimalist Sledding.

And other grandchildren in their backyard across the state from us in Columbus, Georgia …

But this morning, everything doesn’t look quite so angelically white and inviting. Why didn’t someone tell me the beautiful powder turns into gray and slushy mush?!

Who wants to slide in that?

3. The priceless blessing of a warm dwelling. I so often take it for granted, but I know that everyone is not so fortunate.

4. Lavender!

I love its restful, calming scent.

Dried lavender still smells good.

Beautiful Red Oak Lavendar Farm we visited recently up in Dahlonega GA

More dried lavender in our living room

H.R. and I have enjoyed chocolate-lavender candy bars, lavender cookies, lavender salt and lavender tea. Have you had lavender in other foods or drinks?

4. The ability to lean.

Mcmillan Creek Greenway, Jesup GA

May you lean into some Good Moments this weekend.

More years (decades!) ago than I care to admit.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 1/17/25

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Squirrels in our living room!

HR’s nickname is Squirrel.

2. The beauty of aging wood.

3. Clean water to drink. I SO take this incredible blessing for granted.

4. Our wonderful morning hike yesterday at J. F. Gregory Park down in Richmond Hill, about 45 minutes south of Savannah.

The park is home to a huge series of canals built in the 1800s (by enslaved persons) for rice cultivation. The canals flow into the Oveechee River, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

Seriously?

5. Flowers. We usually buy an inexpensive bouquet or two each week, divide them up and spread them around the house.

Flowers, like food, are essential to life.

Wait, I just realized you can see me taking that picture in the mirror.
Our study window, looking out over Savannah’s busy East Broad Street

May this weekend flower you with joy. At least, a little bit.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 1/10/25

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. My Roasted Tomato, Garlic and Basil Soup.

With HR’s gooey Habanero Cheese Toast.

YUM!

2. Heated homes for cold winter days.

3. This Peanuts blessing I received the other night. I pass it on to you.

4. Reading Ina Garten’s fascinating memoir.

(Do you think it’s too late for me to become a world-famous, multimillion dollar celebrity chef?)

5. The memory of this little silk arrangement of spring daffodils in the downstairs winter bathroom of our Airbnb at a recent stay in Baltimore.

(It doesn’t take much to make me happy.)

I hope it doesn’t take much to make you happy this weekend.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 1/3/25

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Discovering Buc-ee’s (that people seem to rave about) on our recent drive to Baltimore.

Robert and I have never been to one before.

This is a gas station?!

2. Athletic Grandson Gabriel, along with teammate Peyton, earning the All Tournament Team award AS FRESHMEN after Savannah Country Day School won their Holiday Basketball Tournament.

3. The wonderful ability to HEAR. What do you hear right now?

4. These World Famous (or so the menu said) Diner Chips at a little diner I found in Raleigh, North Carolina on our way back from Baltimore yesterday.

5. HR in front of this cool mural near the Inner Harbor in Baltimore.

May you get in front of some Weekend Joy ahead.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 12/27/24

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Morning coffee with Robert at Flora and Fauna, the coolest little coffee bar/supper club here in Savannah.

2. Youngest granddaughter Isabelle, one on one with Santa.

3. Mindfully recognizing and appreciating that I Feel Good whenever I Feel Good.

4. Christmas Day Supper with just HR and me. (We do a bigger Thanksgiving with family, but fam is scattered across the state, so now everyone does their own thing for Christmas.)

This year I told HR uber-enthusiastically that “I am making OYSTER DRESSING for the first time!”

He looked at me as I had just told him there is no Santa. (He still believes. See recent blog for proof.)

I got quickly to work, convinced that I could win him over. Even though he doesn’t accompany me when I have a hankering for …

… at one of Savannah’s fabulous oyster houses. “Neal, what must have been wrong with the first person in history who somehow—probably by freak accident—cracked open an oyster and said, ‘I’m gonna eat that slimy thing right now.’”

But I got him to like Susan Boyle, so how hard could a little mollusk shellfish be?

I opened up my two pints of oysters …

Prepped my other ingredients …

Fancy HR tells me this part of kitchen work is called “mise en place” (everything in its place).

All ready for the oven …

Forty-five deliciously anticipatory minutes later …

(I managed to place NOE—Neal’s Oyster Extravaganza—in the center of our little buffet in an attempt to make it the star.)

And guess what? (I’m sure you’re a nervous wreck by now wondering if he liked it.)

He did! He did! The joy bells rang triumphantly through Historic District Savannah!

(Although I have to confess that he took most of his dressing from around the edges … to avoid the possibility of slimy you know what. And covered it with his yummy mushroom gravy. But still, I declare Victory!)

5. The Seasonal Pause of Quiet and Calm that seems to occur each year between Christmas and the New Year (at least in my mind).

May you find some Quiet and Calm this final weekend of 2024.