I’m not much on buying prepared foods at the grocery store. They are usually overly expensive and not very tasty – gross, sometimes. But every now and then, when you don’t have time to cook or run to the store, it’s nice to have something in the freezer to pop in the oven – and hopefully it’s not gross. For some reason, I was in that section at the grocery store and saw a package of Chinese … [Read more...]

(Photo by Meghan Marchetti/DWR)   The largemouth bass is unquestionably America’s favorite gamefish. Virginians, too, have a love affair with these freshwater fish which leap when hooked and can grow to impressive sizes. In a few years, if things go as planned, there may be even more large bass in Virginia waters. Here’s the deal. The Division of Wildlife Resources (previously … [Read more...]

One of the most popular raffles in Virginia is underway – the Annual DU Calendar Raffle. It works this way. First, buy a raffle ticket for $50 – which goes directly to Ducks Unlimited and waterfowl conservation – a great investment by itself. But here’s what else you get for fifty bucks. Each day in December,  DU will select a name from the raffle bucket and only 1,000 tickets will be sold. Your … [Read more...]

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...]