It’s quiet up here, some 14 feet off the ground. Tree pegs allow a hunter to scale the tree and strap a metal stand on its trunk and then secure himself with a safety strap around his waist - just in case. It’s easy to fall asleep in a tree stand during this, the archery season for deer. This may be the most-quiet place on earth. It’s hard to find a quiet place these days. Homes are filled with … [Read more...]

  I’ve always thought that corn mazes were kind of creepie. Wander a few rows deep and you can hear voices coming from somewhere, but only the corn knows where. I get a little claustrophobic when surrounded by cornstalks and who knows what else.  That’s why I only go to the Kiddy Corn Maze when I visit Liberty Mills Farm’s Corn Maze – at 34 acres, the biggest in the country for 2020 and … [Read more...]

  It’s been a while since the “gas wars.” Not Star Wars, gas wars.  Years ago, maybe 50, rival gas stations tried to outdo one another by dropping their prices, often below cost. One station would go to 22.9c a gallon and the other would do 21.9. I can remember as low as 15.9c a gallon. Yesterday, I saw a modern version of gas wars. We were heading down. Rt. 151 to play golf at … [Read more...]

  If Cabin Fever is closing in like the Coronavirus, perhaps a trip to ExpoLand in Fishersville is in order. The 33rd Annual Western Virginia Sport Show is underway. This is always a fun-filled occasion for outdoor-types with lots of people you’ve never heard of and a few you have. It’s basically a travel show, with guides from across the county. There will be seminars and displays, … [Read more...]

Last week at the Dallas Lighting Show, I struck up a conversation with a group of men decked out in camo guide shirts, cowboy boots and Stetsons at our hotel. They said they were in Dallas to attend “the show”. “The Lighting Show,” I asked? “Oh no,” they said. “We came from Kentucky and Indiana for the Dallas Safari Club Convention, one of the largest outdoor shows on the planet.” And … [Read more...]

  I made only one resolution this year and I intend to keep it. This year, I am going to bring my own shopping bags to the grocery store. No more of those infernal plastic bags for me. My granddaughter, Berkley, knowing that I spend more time in grocery stores than Dean Martin did in a bar – gave me three heavy duty bags for Christmas. Last week, with bags in hand, I went to … [Read more...]

  Looking for fun and a worthy event over the Christmas holidays? Then consider a trip to CrossKeys Vineyards in Mount Crawford to attend the Roaring Twenties Gala to benefit the great work at St. Judes Hospital. The event is set for Dec. 28, a Saturday night, between 6 and 11 PM. Included in the $110 per ticket event is a Six-Course Plated Dinner, a bottle of your favorite CrossKeys … [Read more...]

  This is the concert we wait for. If you live in or near Charlottesville, The Christmas Concert with the Charlottesville Municipal Band is the one to see. On Dec. 15, the band will present its 97th Season Holiday program at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts from 3:30 to 5 PM. Special performances include the Oratorio Society, the DMR Youth Chorus and … [Read more...]

Not only is Hawaii a place of beauty, it is a geological wonder. Hawaii is one of the newest pieces of real estate in the world. The earth’s center is a hot spot. Hot enough to boil rocks. There is a place in the Pacific that– when the earth turns exactly right – gets extra hot and erupts. It first erupted years ago and it’s still spewing lava. The depth of the Pacific in these parts can extend … [Read more...]