Peggy, Moi, Mike and HR at the very cool Public restaurant in Savannah.
2. Oh my GOODness, Tuesday’s breakfast at Ally’s Bakery in Rincon GA, near the farmhouse where we’re staying while our place in Savannah is being renovated.
Perfect quiche with oh-my-GOODness pastryMade from scratch cinnamon rolls
Ally’s cakes and cookies are works of art. Check out some of her work/art on her website:
3. The amazing ability to SMELL! Walking into Abby’s the first time!
4. Laughing at discovering the outdoor shower at the old farmhouse where we are staying. The farm belongs to our friend Gordon who lives in Arizona but keeps his grandparents’ farm for visits to Georgia.
Of course it has been FAR TOO COLD try it out!
5. But wasn’t too cold for a tuna salad picnic outside the farmhouse the other day.
May it be warm enough for you to bask in some Weekend Joy ahead.
It is COLD here at the OLD farmhouse where Robert and I are staying for a few weeks.
When I woke up this morn, the temp was 21 with a Real Feel of 14.
Oh my goodness!
This is Savannah, NOT Alaska.
Back off, Winter!
When I looked out the screen door (Doesn’t that sound country-ish?), I saw her, standing resolutely, albeit shivering in the cold. A young, perhaps teen, Southern Magnolia tree.
I just felt so sorry for her. Until she said, a bit loudly I thought for early morning, “Don’t pity me, sir. I’m fine, more than fine. I’m a Steel Magnolia.”
And then I realized that she wasn’t shivering at all — she was dancing.
I asked if I could film her. She sighed, but I could tell she was game. She gave me her permission.
Even with her youth, she looked so at ease, at one with her world. Confident of her place, her space, her bearing.
And even though I’m old enough to be her grandfather (if I were a tree), I felt like I should ask her something.
But, finally, I didn’t. I just stood there watching, warmed and encouraged by her presence.
I know it’s an abomination to post ice cream photos in all this cold weather, but we actually had a warm-enough day recently to sit outside and enjoy this incredible ice cream here in South Georgia.
1. Robert MORE than enjoying his all-you-can-eat crab legs dinner at Tin Fin, a little seafood restaurant we discovered near where we are staying for a few weeks while our Savannah place is being renovated.
2. This old mailbox at our temporary country farmhouse.
See? Old can still be noteworthy and pretty, even with its age spots and creaky hinges.
3. Our amazing bodies, which are always trying to persuade us to appreciate them and to take care of them.
4. A Cute Coincidence …
But first a little background: HR and I agree on many things BUT NOT ABOUT COFFEE. He’s a Starbucks fellow while I love Dunkin Donuts. And here in Rincon GA, fairly close to the farmhouse, there is a Dunkin Donuts a few doors down from a Starbucks.
So here’s what we do when we go out for morning coffee: Pop in to Dunkin Donuts to get mine and then head to Starbucks for Robert’s — and to sit a spell with our iPads.
My blasphemous DD proudly (arrogantly?) holding his own inside a Starbucks.
Oh, and here’s the Cute Coincidence: My barista at DD is named Winter, while Robert’s at Starbucks is Autumn.
5. Yesterday HR and I took a day trip across the Savannah River (yes, we’re still close to the river, an hour away from our home, which is two blocks from the river!) over to the Webb Wildlife Management Area in South Carolina.
The Webb’s entrance … and Robert.Majestic Pines 
And here’s a little recording of bird sounds at the Webb’s rookery. (LOTS of LOUD birdies but hidden from view in the thick brush.)
TIB (Truth in Blogging): I had to look up the definition of a “rookery.” I was getting it confused with a “bird blind.”
“A rookery is a crowded, communal nesting or breeding colony, most commonly referring to birds like herons, egrets, or rooks.”
13 Bean Medley after soaking overnightVoila! Hambone Soup
And it’s just warm enough to eat outside. It = weather as well as soup.
2. Reading/skimming through this beautifully delightful book about flowers.
And then going outside the farmhouse to practice …
Okay, maybe I won’t win any floral awards. But it was fun.
3. Being able to stay warm in the cold of winter. What a blessing!
Brrr. Savannah!
4. This ceiling light at a local indoor—outdoor restaurant.
5. The neat coincidence of Grandson Gabriel re-entering his recent high school basketball game just as an advertisement for his parents’ medical company flashed on the screen behind him.
1. These gorgeous Paperwhite Narcissus jewels blooming in the yard of the old farmhouse (in January!) where Robert and I are staying while our kitchen and living room get a renovation.
2. Daughter Amy and her Hubby Scott being named one of Savannah’s “Power Couples” in the current issue of Savannah Magazine.
Old Proud Dad
3. Simplicity.
The older I get, the simpler I desire my life to be.
NealEnJoy 