I was still 4 when we were transferred to Beckley, WV. Daddy worked in an office with two other FBI agents. His territory covered 4 counties, and many times he was gone for several days at a time, often to the home office in Pittsburg. As I would come to learn, a lot of the work that Special Agents for the FBI did was investigative. If a woman from one of his counties applied for a Federal job in … [Read more...]
Moravian-Worthy Ginger Cookies
My Brewer family hails from Clemmons, NC, just outside of Winston Salem. This is Moravian Country, home to the best cookies on the planet. The Moravians are from the historical region of Moravia in the Czech Republic, who then fled the counter revolution in 1722. In 1753, many found their way to North Carolina and made their homes in the Piedmont Region. Of German descent, the Moravians can … [Read more...]
Outback: Almost But Not Quite
Went to the Outback for dinner last week. Hadn’t been in a while, but Nancy loves their pasta dishes, and I was hoping for some Bang-Bang Fried Chicken. Unfortunately, they no longer offer the Bang-Bang Chicken, but our dinner was very good, almost perfect. Almost. Our server was excellent, got us our water and drinks early and checked on us frequently, even though we were eating outside – … [Read more...]
Catching Some Bees
Last week I wrote about the perils on a yellow jacket nest in your yard. My stings are still itching, by the way, but I think we got rid of them with two heavy applications of Hornet/Wasp Killer. My friend, Hal Hurka, let me know about an even better way to eliminate the nasty stingers – let someone else do it. Hal says there is an outfit called Venom Collect that will come to your house – … [Read more...]
A Fresh Picnic Ham
Sunday was a special day in our house when I was a boy. We went to Church every Sunday, often just to Sunday School, but when we came home, the house was filled with the heavenly smells of dinner cooking. We called it “dinner” not lunch, because it was our main meal for the day. That night we would eat leftovers and watch Walt Disney on TV, but a Sunday afternoon was a time for dinner. Sunday … [Read more...]
Affordable Finch Food
If you don’t have any house finches or gold finches in your yard, it’s because they are all over at my house. I mean all of them. I have vast colonies of finches, and sparrows, and they swarm to my feeders every day, throughout the day – and they have been eating me out of house and home. I enjoy feeding the birds, but I also enjoy feeding my family. Feeding all these finches (plus the other … [Read more...]
NC Flounder Season – Finally
Virginians have been fishing for flounder all year, as have anglers in South Carolina with generous limits in each state. However, one of the Fisheries Pooh-Bahs in North Carolina effectively shut down the entire season – except for the next two weeks. As of September 1, fisherman have exactly 14 days to catch one flounder per day, at least 15-inches in length – mighty generous of those … [Read more...]
Fishing the Flats
Flathead catfish are on the prowl in the upper James and many other rivers and lakes in Virginia, and they’re hungry. Unlike blue or channel catfish, flatheads are as advertised with very wide, flat heads and a lower jaw the extends past the upper jaw. They also grow big. The Virginia state record stands at 68 pounds. Unlike other catfish species, flatheads want fresh bait. They are very … [Read more...]
Working on a Tan
It is really a miracle that there is even one in my generation still alive. For the most part, we worshipped at the altar of the sun, fearing nothing except that we might be the palest among our friends. Our moms would on occasion suggest that we use some suntan lotion. Remember the little girl in the Coppertone ad with her white butt cheeks showing? Who wanted to look like the Coppertone kid? … [Read more...]
A Late Lettuce Crop
Earlier this summer, you couldn’t afford to buy a head of lettuce. Adverse growing conditions caused the early shortage and the resulting sticker shock at the sky-high prices of the shriveled heads of lettuce. But now, we’re all afraid to buy lettuce because of the Cyclospora outbreak, which sent many on emergency trips to their toilets. Today, the lettuce situation in grocery stores across the … [Read more...]
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