Tag: Photography

Posted in Monday Moaning or Monday Marveling?

Monday Moaning or Monday Marveling? 7/3/23 “Giggling in the Grocery”

Posted on by Neal Saye

Marveling at the Joy and Humor of accepting—even embracing—the truth that we are all Imperfect.

GIGGLE #1

So the other day I was in Kroger, minding my own business and heading down the refrigerated coffee creamer aisle toward the Nutpods. (TMI?) A slim pretty lady, dressed Lululemon-ishly in yoga pants and a cool form-fitting t-shirt flashing three big words, came barreling toward me, with phone in hand feverishly texting her husband to remind him of their luncheon date at the club. Okay, I made up that last part, but I am NOT making up what happened next.

Continuing her multitask walk/jog/text exercise routine, Fit Lady, with head down, slammed directly into me before I had the common sense to skulk* against the butter.

*skulk: “to get out of sight, typically with a cowardly motive.”

To her credit. Lulu, clearly embarrassed, profusely apologized, then made her way toward the organic, gluten-free, goat’s milk yogurt. Okay, I made up that last part again.

But I’m not making up the three words on the front of her T-shirt: “BE HERE NOW.”

GIGGLE #2

The other day, Robert and I sashayed into Whole Foods, he detouring just past the entrance to look at the flowers, while I glanced at the featured items front and center.

But before I tell you what I saw, let me remind you of part of the Whole Foods mission statement:

Here’s what I saw.

“Homemade whipped cream!” I gasped. “I bet that’s better than Cool Whip.”

Excited far beyond a normal range, I leaned in a little closer.

“Wait, what does that say in the fine print?” I asked myself with growing concern.

I hustled HR away from the sunflowers and hydrangea blooms, and we both stood there, giggling imperfectly in the front of “Whole” Foods.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 6/30/23

Posted on by Neal Saye

My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.

1. Radishes.

They are just ravishing.

2. Billboards sprouting up around Savannah featuring grandson Daniel as Raoul in the Savannah Theatre’s upcoming production of Phantom of the Opera.

The production opens July 7.

3. This week walking one of the trails (by myself, quite unusual, R and I are usually together 24/7 ) at the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge near us.

4. My Feet

Benny and my (old man) feet

5. Air conditioning.

AIR CONDITIONING!

May you have a cool weekend ahead.

Posted in T-shirt Tuesday

T-Shirt Tuesday: “Savannah Wildlife T-Shirt Series” #1

Posted on by Neal Saye

Yesterday when Robert and I ventured over to the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, we stopped by the Visitor Center for trail maps and took a gander inside the little nature-oriented gift shop. We are nerdy enough to always be on the lookout for new magnets and ornaments for our travel tree for Christmas.

I fell IN LOVE with a series of very cool T-shirts about area animals and what we can learn from them. So I decided to feature one on each T-shirt Tuesday for the next seven weeks.

First the Tremendous Turtle …

I love the “Be well-rounded” wisdom. The older I get, the rounder I seem to be.

A friendly turtle HR and I encountered at Okefenokee Swamp Park,

Let’s try to follow at least some of the wise turtle’s advice.

Posted in Encouragement

Look Up!

Posted on by Neal Saye

So today, HR and I traversed twenty minutes to the Savannah Wildlife Refuge across the Savannah River from us over in South Carolina.

The purpose: For Robert to complete his homework for a course we are taking on Georgia’s Ossabaw Island and the concept of Wildness. We had to go to a Place, sit for a While, and observe the Wild, in whatever way we describe the word.

(I had already completed my assignment earlier this morning, meditating by the Savannah River itself, a couple of blocks from where we live in Savannah’s historic district …

… but more about that in a later post.)

(Now you have something to look forward to.)

Anyhoo, HR suggested we have a little picnic there, before his meditation, even though the temperature was supposed to be in the LOW 90s. Ever the accommodating spouse, after fussing a little bit, I agreed. Why? Curry chicken gyros – spicy! From Savannah’s iconic little Mediterranean Al Salaam Deli.

Oh my goodness! If I could, I would teleport a bite over to you.

It never takes a lot to grab my attention. But if you put a pine tree in the mix, I am FASCINATED. Years ago, after reading nature writer Janisse Ray’s Ecology of a Cracker Childhood (read it if you haven’t!), Robert and I fell in love with the Longleaf Pine.

So, before I even started to eat my curry gyro, I spotted some tall, majestic pine trees all around us.

And what did I do?

I looked up, of course, wondering if they were Longleaf. Wouldn’t you?

Curry Gyro in foil, wondering why I am not opening him.

(I will never forgive Robert for taking that ridiculous picture of me, without me knowing he was doing so, but since it works for this blog post, I’m going to use it. Don’t tell him.)

Alas, the pine trees were not Longleaf. I suspected as much. The pine cones were too small and the trees, majestic as they were, did not have Longleaf’s candelabra-like upward branches. (TMI?)

Later on a solo hike (HR was “meditating.” remember), I saw this:

Loblolly somehow intuited that I preferred the Longleaf. He asked me why. Having no real answer, I did the only thing I thought to do. I looked up. Up into his Heights.

And he said …

Loblolly is now a close second in my favorite pine tree cataloging.