We drove through Madison last week and stopped by an amazing hi-tech Tastee Freez. You won’t believe this. Instead of having to drive your car all the way around the restaurant and spit out your order to a little box beside the drive-thru lane, and having to repeat your order several times, and instead of then having to drive to the next box to pay for your order and then drive to another … [Read more...]
A Grosbeak Visit
Once or twice a year, a flock of evening grosbeaks will grace our yard and tree limbs. Nancy saw them last week. There were 20 or more birds fighting for space on the rim of our bird bath. A few flew down to our goldfish pond. They splashed a bit and then were off to who knows where - I assume they were on their way to their breeding grounds in northern carnivorous forests. Grosbeaks are … [Read more...]
A Cool Fishing Cooler
Ome of the problems a fisherman has to deal with if he decides to keep some of his catch for a future fish fry is what to do with the rascals. Fishing stringers are a royal pain. First, they are usually all tangled and you have to undo the hooks, then you have to put the hook through the jaws of the fish, then you have to lug the stringer around and keep it in the water. Or you can toss the fish … [Read more...]
Off to Italy
By Angelin Brewer My husband and I will celebrate 30 years of marriage this year, and we’ve decided to take our first European vacation. Actually, I decided. My husband, Brent, doesn’t like to fly. Okay, he hates to fly. But I am on a mission to ensure he loves this trip, so I’ve researched the heck out of it, doing my best to choose places and excursions I think he will love. My dad … [Read more...]
Llama Hair for Bird Nests
We have a heart shaped hanger packed with llama hair dangling in our back yard. Our daughter Laura gave it to us as a present, knowing our affinity for birds. The llama hair is there for the picking as birds build their nests and line them with soft fibers – like llama hair. Animal hair and fur are prized possessions in the nest-building department. Chickadees are known to swoop down and pick fur … [Read more...]
Shad Fishing: Virginia Style
By Dr. Peter Brookes The shad run often starts at the beginning of calendar spring, marking the official end of winter and, more importantly, the unofficial beginning of the fishing high season in the Commonwealth. As Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) fisheries biologist, Alan Weaver, put it recently: “Fishing for shad in Virginia is a rite of spring.” But some may not be … [Read more...]
The Big Blacks are Back
Black drum are returning to the Chesapeake Bay for their annual spawning run. Boats heading out of Cape Charles are making the run to the mouth of the Bay where they are finding black drum near the surf. These fish can be caught in the surf along the coastal beaches but are also found at several locations in the Bay, like reef sites and the bridge pilings at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. … [Read more...]
Strawberry Puff Pastry Tarts
It’s almost strawberry season. My little backyard patch is blooming, and the grocery stores are receiving daily shipments of luscious, red-ripe strawberries. It’s hard to go wrong with strawberries – eat ‘em plain, in short cakes, over ice cream - it’s all good. But recently I saw a recipe for Strawberry Puff Pastry Tarts and since I had some Puff Pastry in my freezer, I decided to give it a go. … [Read more...]
Sleeping with Snakes
This is snake season, when the slithery reptiles shake off their winter chills and make their presence known in yards and beneath porches and around sheds. Unless it’s a copperhead, there is nothing to be concerned about. Snakes are good to have around the house because they wouldn’t be there unless they had a reason – like eating mice and rats. I once took a nap with a snake, tough I had not … [Read more...]
Restaurants are Best When the Boss is on Duty
Going way back in Charlottesville history, there was a restaurant called The Gaslight at 625 West Main Street, founded by John Tuck in 1961. For years, it was among Charlottesville’s finest. John Tuck – everybody just called him Tuck – was always on hand. An eccentric sort of fellow who wore a beret, Tuck greeted each of his guests and went from table to table to make sure everything was just … [Read more...]
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