My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.
1. Our charcuterie supper the other night.
2. This crazy can of baked beans I saw on the shelf at a supermarket the other day.
Dr. Pepper beans?!
3. The joy of surprise.
4. Finding out, from Ancestry DNA, about my ancestral trail.
5. My new Wisdom and Clarity candle I light while I’m working on my Summer Memoir Course.
May you experience some Joy of Surprise this weekend.
My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.
1. Discovering this very cool observation tower on Skidaway Island near Savannah.
2. Wildlife to observe.
3. Being able to hear. What a blessing.
4. Cinnamon rolls for breakfast!
5. Spices
Robert and I spent last week house- and dog-sitting for daughter Amy at their place on Savannah’s Skidaway Island.
Perhaps the Greatest Joy of visiting Skidaway (other than grandchildren, of course) is the wide variety of wildlife that abounds at nearly every turn.
White-tailed deer run around as if they own the island (which of course, they actually do, or used to).
Raccoons, marsh rabbits, gray foxes, and opossums are common.
Dolphins and river otters.
A variety of native turtles, frogs, and non-venomous snakes are also present.
But by far, the true Attention Grabber on the island in many of the lagoons and waterways is the omnipresent American Alligator.
Robert and I saw four others (!) in this same pond on this day.
You simply learn to give alligators their space.
They are not inherently aggressive, naturally fearing humans and usually prefer to retreat or swim away when approached. The problem comes when humans illegally feed alligators. They learn to associate people with food and may aggressively approach them.
Photos taken with my always-there and trusty cell phone.
Moon River, Skidaway Island GA
https://photobyjohnbo.com/2026/05/24/cellpic-sunday-reflections-at-the-tomb-of-the-unknown-soldier/
Robert and I were recently at the delightful Stacks Bookstore here in Savannah, where we met friendly worker Anna in her inquisitive T-shirt.
Anna gave us a book recommendation, which we quickly bought.
This morn, I’m marveling and remembering.
Strolling along Savannah’s Waters Avenue over the weekend, Robert and I came upon a row of past-their-prime storefronts.
I had to pause at one and admire its encouraging and exhorting graffiti.
I hope you have someone—or many ones—to say this to.
Neat Little Free Pantry in Savannah‘s Live Oak neighborhood.
Johnbo’s Cellpic Sunday:
https://photobyjohnbo.com/2026/03/15/cellpic-sunday-the-artist/
This national one-day party held the last Saturday in April celebrates independent bookstores across the country online and in-store. Through exclusive books and literary items, contests, cupcakes, and everything in between, it’s a party you don’t want to miss.”bookweb.org
To celebrate, Robert and I ventured over to one of our very favorite local bookstores here in Savannah, The Stacks.
We had a grand time connecting with other book lovers.
The Stacks very neat website:
https://thestacksbookstore.com/
And that’s my Saturday Evening Post.
My weekly gratitude journal, of sorts.
1. Discovering new Little Free Libraries. (Do you have them where you live?)
This one is in the Vernonburg neighborhood of Savannah.
2. The amazing ability to see light.
Here the morning light is favoring my side of our little study.
I especially love the light and shadow on my Yes Stick.
There’s a bit of a story here. For some reason, years ago, as Robert and I were hiking in the woods somewhere, my eyes rested upon a small fallen tree branch shaped like the letter Y.
I was going through a difficult patch of life at the time and I thought, “Yes! That stick is reminding me that I can say Yes! to so many things, things I already have and things I desire.”
So I picked up my Yes Stick and hiked with it for a while, saying “Yes!” time and again.
I kept up the practice, and on another hiking adventure, I picked up the one you see in the photo above. Robert told me to give it to him. He brought it home, varnished it, and we put it above my desk.
So that you have it. My quirky, slightly weird story of the origin of my Yes Stick.
I challenge you the next time you see a stick (or anything) shaped like a Y, to pause and say “Yes!” to something you love or have or desire.
3. Our imaginations.
4. Robert’s new glasses, which look gargantuan in this photo at Savannah’s Midtown Sports Bar the other night as we were watching our Atlanta Braves.
5. My spiky ball, which so helps my ongoing lower back pain.
I hope you have a Helper of some kind this Beautiful Spring Weekend.
NealEnJoy 