Posted in Joy, Humor, Travel

2023 Escape from St. Patrick’s Day #1

So as you regulars know, Robert and I live in beautiful Historic District Savannah … and we’re directly on the route of the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade—one of the largest and longest and “liveliest” (i.e. alcohol-laden) in the nation.

Sidebar: After I retired from my career in the Department of Writing and Linguistics at Georgia Southern University, an hour north of Savannah, I headed down to Savannah. Found a neat little apartment, which was directly on the parade route. I loved those few early years of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and even hosted several parties. Then later when Robert and I moved a few blocks over just off Washington Square, we found ourselves again on the parade route. That sounds convenient and fun, right? Well, we quickly grew tired of the hundreds of thousands of folks who descended upon our small city, with an annual contingent camping outside our apartment the night before the parade, partying noisily throughout the entire night, trampling our outdoor plants, and … using the bathroom in our little alley.

So we started our annual tradition of heading outta Dodge for the week around St. Patrick’s Day.

I thought I’d volunteer to keep you posted on our shenanigans this year so you wouldn’t have to ask.

After hauling as many of our outdoor potted plants inside as we could manage, alerting the cat sitter, and saying a prayer of protection over our abode, we rushed out of the SAV with an Irish blessing.

We headed to north Georgia, stopping in Atlanta for lunch and a visit to our favorite Atlanta artsy destination —the High Museum of Art.

I questioned HR’s gayness when I found him photographing and flirting with an indecisive woman.

He thinks his smile can always get him out of trouble. Ha!

Storming away from him, I went into the craft area, found a large piece of poster paper, and created a little art of my own, which they quickly hung in the Beginner’s Gallery.

Back on speaking terms, we looked at a few more pieces.

Can you sit in/on these?

Deciding we couldn’t, Robert and I drove north of Atlanta to the first destination of our little getaway, a cabin at Red Top Mountain State Park on beautiful Lake Allatoona.

A late afternoon hike.

Here’s Robert conquering … a rock.

Why can’t hills be flat?

OK, enough of this foolishness. I’m eating Robert’s dinner off the grill. See you tomorrow.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 3/10/23

1. Young singer/actor Grandson Daniel owning the mic recently.

In a local vocal competition. He didn’t win, but oh my goodness, how he wowed the crowd. He was the youngest competitor, so perhaps it just wasn’t his time.

2. The wisteria outside my therapist Rubi’s office.

Okay, that structure IS NOT my therapist’s office. His office is in a beautiful old house behind this display of wisteria beauty.

3. Breath. Breath. Breath.

4. PINK in (nearly) spring Savannah.

I know, I know. I keep posting pictures of our azaleas. But Savannah’s display has been more than glorious this year.

5. My Orange Hubby.

May your weekend be filled with pink and orange and every color you adore.

Posted in Beautiful Savannah, Where Happiness Finds You

Subtle Magic

As I have said, probably far too many times on this blog, I love living in downtown Historic District Savannah.

And one of the reasons? The beautifully unique twenty-two extant squares (two were lost to “progress”).

[Did I punctuate the above properly?]

This evening I am hanging out in Warren Square, the square closest to my own, Washington Square.

Hello!

This house is not mine.

Those houses are not mine.

But the sidewalk is.

Yes.

And that magic is free.

Posted in Savannah Joy

Sunday Evening Joy

One of the great rewards about living where we do in Historic District Savannah is that I can walk two blocks over toward the Savannah River, find a bench, read, and experience the Joy of Nature.

An hour ago

That’s the Savannah River behind me. Looking so peaceful now. But don’t be fooled. It is one of the busiest ports in the nation. And all of the ships travel right behind me.

But not at this moment.

Peace.

Posted in Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 3/3/23

1. A beautiful spring (almost) morning walk yesterday around Savannah’s Forsyth Park. Here’s Robert trying to steal the show. But I think the azaleas won.

The azaleas are actually breathtaking for this early in March.

2. The beauty of pine cones.

3. Reaching one thousand (!) meditation sessions this week.

4. Attending the coolest outdoor workshop yesterday evening over on Skidaway Island at the University of Georgia’s Skidaway Institute of Oceanography.

For two hours approaching sunset, we hiked among the old growth live oaks and the marsh, ending up at the boardwalk on Wilmington River.

The workshop was for photographers (which HR is, as many of you know). I went along for the ride, walking around and pointing my iPhone camera here and there in what I hoped conveyed a confident “Just look at the depth of field I can evoke from that angle, not to mention the aspect ratio and exposure compensation” sensibility.

Like here …

Don’t I look like I’m doing all those words I said above?

Now that’s a tree trunk.

HR and some Spanish Moss

And here he is worrying me by getting too close to the muddy marsh and the lurking alligators that are abundant in the area.

A few of the other photographers.

A fabulous evening!

5. Early Savannah wisteria …

May you have a photograph-worthy weekend ahead!

Posted in Savannah Joy

Ty-bee or not Ty-bee?

HR and I drove over to Tybee Island, aka Savannah Beach, (twenty minutes away) for a morning beach walk, actually our first one in 2023.

Robert parked the car near the pier, while looking all cool and beach hip.

(I stood in the shade and daydreamed while he did that parking app thingy, which I don’t quite understand.)

After parking my sandals in the sand, we walked toward the Atlantic.

(FYI: HR does not like to go barefoot on the beach. He doesn’t like to feel those bad little tiny broken shells on his feet.)

(FYI 2: Sometimes you just have to put up with all the quirks in a relationship.)

That’s a cargo ship in the upper left-hand corner, heading toward Savannah’s massive downtown port.

Here’s Robert and a bird.

And here’s a short documentary titled Cold Feet, produced and directed by HR, starring me.

Terrific morning!