It’s okay to be different.
Different
Tag: Joy
Tale as Old as Time
As you might have seen, Angela Lansbury passed away today at age 96.
My Great Friend and Former-Wife Donna and I really loved her. We used to watch her every Sunday night in “Murder She Wrote.”
And, of course, she was the voice of Mrs. Potts in “Beauty and the Beast.”
Grandson Daniel played the part of Chip in the Savannah Children Theatre’s production of “Beauty and the Beast” a few years back.
And here is Angela in the 25th anniversary of Disney’s production of “Beauty and the Beast.”
Joy. Joy.
Five Friday Happy Bringers 10/7/22
1. My glasses.
Oh my goodness, WHAT would I do without them?!
2. The Atlanta Braves winning the National League East … again.
3. Lunch with youngest granddaughter Isabelle for Pre-K lunch (at 10:45 a.m.!).
Isabelle hugging Nana and holding a tiny piece of broccoli.
4. Colorful Fall
5. The simple joy of being alive.
Side note: The dead-looking, brownish clumps you see to the right and underneath the brilliant green …
They are not dead at all. They are Resurrection Ferns. And as soon as the next rain comes, they will burst into more obvious life and challenge the green vine’s brilliance.
May we all burst into More Obvious Life this weekend!
Monday Moaning or Monday Marveling? 10/3/22
Sitting in my faithful study chair with my “it’s-a-brand-new-day!” coffee precariously perched upon my knee (what? you don’t do that?), I suddenly noticed/was mindful of the Glorious Morning Sun streaking in through the blinds.
A shiver of joy awakened me once again to the Consistencies of Life: new morns following each night, breathing out following each breathing in, beauty all around just for the price of looking and seeing.
Here’s another day, dear,
Here’s the sun again
Peeping in his pleasant way
Through the window pane.
Rise and let him in, dear,
Hail him “hip hurray!”
Now the fun will all begin.
Here’s another day!
— from Glad Day by Graham Robertson
My Saturday Evening Post: 10/1/22 “Every Doorway”
I have always had a love affair with doors, especially eccentric doors.
Doors beckon, or deny.
Here’s one I saw today on a walk with Robert in our Historic District Savannah. It had a storied past, don’t you think?
Here’s to Doors!
Collarding Up
I love fall food.
One of my VERY favorites is, well, ANYTHING in the Leafy Greens Family.
Collards, Turnips, Mustard, even Poke Salad. (You have to be careful with Poke Salad—it can be poisonous. But it was my Granny’s favorite, and she taught me how to find it. In the wild.)
Well, yesterday, I found a beautiful bunch of local Savannah collards at our favorite little grocer near us in Habersham Village.
If you have read a bit on my blog, you know that HR (Husband Robert) is the fancy pants chef, and I’m the I-cook-what-Mama-taught-me fellow. Usually in cast iron.
So last night I pulled out our cast iron (heavy!) Dutch oven. (Okay, technically Robert pulled it out.)
And I went to work.
First, you gotta wash the greens, if you buy them fresh. And why wouldn’t you? A time-consuming task.
My Washed-Collards Bouquet.
I cut the thickest stems away from the leaves.
But don’t throw them away! I make homemade vegetable broth with them.
After cooking the ham hocks in water to provide the base for the “pot liquor,” I sauté onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil in the Dutch oven, pour the liquid from the ham hocks in, layer the ham hocks on top, and cover until the greens wilt.
Two hours of slow simmering later …
HR loves my pickled jalapeños, so he had to put some of that “sauce” and pickles on his greens.
The beautifully delicious “pot liquor” …
Oh, and what to do with the leftovers? Well, give some to ex-wife Donna, of course.
With a side of “healthy corn.”
And freeze the rest.
Fall Collard Joy
Five Friday Happy Bringers 9/23/22
1. Having a bed. To lay my head on every night. What a blessing. And to share with my Robert.
The little black bedside lamp was a birthday gift to me from my parents when I was in junior high.
2. Memories—the beautiful as well as the not-so-pretty. They are all a part of our legacy of life.
3. The unique scent of pine.
4. Low country boil for lunch this week.
5. The many faces of pruning.
See them?
Morning walk around Lake Mayer here in Savannah.
May you catch glimpses of beauty this weekend.
“Robert and … #27”
HR (“Husband Robert” for the uninitiated) and I were meandering around the Baltimore Museum of Art and stumbled outside to find … her.
Fruit: Bronze Statue by Emile-Antoine Bourdelle
Robert is most often bolder than me. “Hello, ma’am. May I have some of your fruit?”
“ I guess so. Because of your red pants.”
“Many, many thanks, ma’am.”
“You’re a cutie. Look behind.”
Generosity.
Life.
Life finds a way.
NealEnJoy 