On this Monday after Christmas, I’m still Christmas-ing (and marveling) a bit. Here’s Savannah’s Troup Square near us, all decked out.
Savannah has twenty-two beautifully unique squares in our Historic District, where Robert and I live.
Troup Square is known as “The Jingle Bell Square.”
They even decorate their trash cans.
And benches.
Here’s to Troup!
“Isn’t There Anyone Who Knows What Christmas Is All About?”
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NOEL!
Robert and I LOVE sending out Christmas Cards! We feel the practice (slowly disappearing?) is a way to pass along a little cordial and heartfelt “Soul of the Season.”
Our card for 2021. Here, we’re sending it to you!
Happiest of Holidays!
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What’s the backstory for this year’s card, you ask? Well, I AM super holiday busy (it IS Christmas Eve you know) but if you absolutely insist, I’ll take the time from singing “The Twelve Days of Christmas” to Robert, and explain.
I get the disturbing impression Robert’s just not that into the song anyway. He hasn’t blinked since the first time I sang the verse about the eight maids a milking—which I keep messing up, so of course have to start over from the beginning.
Anyway, back in September, with the pandemic seeming to ease up a bit, we ventured out on our first you-gotta-get-on-an-airplane-to-get-there trip. We spent a gloriously laidback and uneventful week in the Poconos, then hopped over to Manhattan for another week. (Where were all the people?!)
One day we booked a guided tour of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, led by guide extraordinaire Rob …
What fun we had! And because of Rob, how much we re-appreciated our diverse nation.
When we meandered to the front of Lady Liberty, Rob suddenly threw himself on the ground (!) exclaiming, “I take the best pictures this way.”
And he was right!
Later, walking around Times Square, Robert found Statues of Liberty at every corner.
NOEL! from NEAL & ROBERT
JOYFUL CHRISTMAS 2021 and YES, JUSTICE FOR ALL!
1. Robert’s and my annual holiday ritual of reading our beloved “A Cup of Christmas Tea” and “raising a cup of Christmas cheer to loved ones and family far and near.” (That includes YOU!)
2. Grandson Daniel singing “Hallelujah” with a chorus friend at the Savannah Country Day School Holiday Concert.
(Not that I’m a proud grandfather or anything.)
3. Having a fun early Christmas Luncheon Extravaganza (as I titled it) with ex-wife/great friend Donna at Savannah’s The Pirates’ House Restaurant.
4. Robert’s beautifully delicious and holiday-ish “Watermelon and Kiwi Breakfast Salad” sprinkled with fresh mint and nutmeg, and a side of pickled beets with jalapeño sauce and smoked paprika. (He sounded a little uppity to me when he explained the menu.)
The spiced oranges (we made last night) are pretending to lay low in the pic above. But are trying to steal the show.
5. And finally, recognizing and joyfully acknowledging that ….
Yes, they are. Look and you will see!
Blessed Christmas Eve to you.
Marveling at finding racially appropriate “Robert and Neal ornaments” for our tree.
Holiday Joy to You All! (Even on a Monday Moaning Morning.)
For this blog category, “Countdown to Christmas: Our Travel Tree & Georgia State Parks,” each day between December 1 and 25, I take a pic of a state park ornament on our Travel Tree and briefly highlight that park.
Hi there.
Welcome to the 10th day of my “Countdown to Christmas” series. Today we head over to Chattahoochee Bend State Park, near Newnan, Georgia. We visited on a short day trip in early March of 2020 before Spring made much of an appearance.
Chattahoochee Bend gets its name from, well, a bend in the Chattahoochee River.
Lots of hiking on this day.
The color scheme for this post is brown. But Robert found a few bits of color …
Here’s a riveting short, narrative-driven film, entitled, “Stick Gear: Winding Down by the Bend,” written, directed and filmed by Robert John Smith Jr, choreographed by and starring Neal Saye.
Good day to you! I hope things swing your way.
P. S. Robert says “Friday Hi!”
For this blog category, “Countdown to Christmas: Our Travel Tree & Georgia State Parks,” each day between December 1 and 25, I take a pic of a state park ornament on our Travel Tree and briefly highlight that park.
Yesterday, I wrote about Fort Mountain State Park. Cloudland Canyon is just a short drive away, so we took a day trip over. This state park, just south of Chattanooga, Tennessee and on the western edge of Lookout Mountain, boasts stunning views of craggy hills and waterfalls along three beautiful trails.
Two features are especially memorable at Cloudland Canyon: waterfalls and lots of steps.
Sometimes there’s a price for beauty. Imminent danger awaited me at every turn …
For some reason (the high altitude?), Robert wanted perfect strangers to take his picture at this state park.
“Robert, look at all the steps up this way! Come on up, slow poke!”
Robert’s response …
Thank you, State of Georgia, for establishing and preserving our Sensational State Parks!
For this blog category, “Countdown to Christmas: Our Travel Tree & Georgia State Parks,” each day between December 1 and 25, I take a pic of a state park ornament on our Travel Tree and briefly highlight that park.
Our first pandemic Georgia State Park trip, back in March of 2020, was a simple weekday excursion an hour and a half up the road to Magnolia Springs State Park near Millen. We reasoned that few people would be around during the week, and we were right. We had the park almost to ourselves.
We liked the park (and getting out of the house) so much that this short venture started our recurring overnight pattern of heading to a park on Monday, renting a cabin and returning before the weekend crowd arrived.
TIB (Truth in Blogging): Today’s countdown post is sorta long, so you might want to grab a snack and change into comfortable shoes. I’m incorporating three Magnolia Springs trips into one post.
The park website: “Beautiful Magnolia Springs State Park is known for its crystal clear springs flowing 7,000,000 gallons per day, and a boardwalk spans the cool water, allowing visitors to look for alligators, turtles and other wildlife near the springs.”
“Yeah, right, they’re just saying that about the big bad alligators,” I thought haughtily, standing in the sun by the springs, staring out at the water, daydreaming about our upcoming picnic lunch and my special sandwich.
Oh. My. Goodness …
Jeff Bezos couldn’t pay me enough to fish, feed or approach.
As I I have mentioned before, Robert and I love the Longleaf Pine, which excessive logging has cut to the brink of extinction, but is now making a bit of a comeback. Magnolia Springs has quite a number of majestic, mature specimens. (And so unlike with the alligators, I am simply not afraid of the Longleaf.)
I LOVE hiking through a forest replete with the beauty and aroma of Longleaf Pine.
Oh, here’s my new walking stick. I MEAN HIKING STICK!
Our cabin (and the goings-on inside and out) at Magnolia Springs. Come on in.
And looky here, it’s me leading a little impromptu (and free!) “Everyone is Welcome—Morning Yoga and Mental Cleanse Workshop.”
Even Robert didn’t show. He chose (non-supportingly) to sleep in.
But here he is, gay-ly, pridefully starting a fire.
I need to end this post, don’t I? It’s getting out of hand.
We really do love our nearby Magnolia Springs State Park.
Well, most of it.
NealEnJoy 