Not blue ribbons, but bluefish and ribbonfish – plus lots of Spanish Macs. That’s what they’re catching off Virginia Beach and up into the Bay. The charter boats are loading up. Flounder catches have also been excellent along the coast and throughout the lower bay - around the CBBT pilons, near the rocks that cover the tunnels and around coastal reefs and wrecks. Brian Hostetter … [Read more...]
Jim’s Drive-In: A Trip Back in Time
Thomas Wolfe says you can’t go home again. What once was is no longer. Things change. Nothing stays the same. Except for one thing. Jim’s Drive-In in Lewisburg, WV, my hometown. I’ve written about Jim’s Drive-In many times because it was such a large part of my youth and growing up. My family discovered the joys of the iconic drive-in soon after we moved to Lewisburg. When Daddy was out of town … [Read more...]
Grilled Rainbow Trout
Wow! Were they ever good. Last weekend, I did some grilled rainbow trout in a mustard sauce, and it was as good as it gets. I wanted a seafood dish for company, but not crab cakes and not salmon. In the past, I had cooked rainbow trout on the grill with good results, so I decided to go with that if I could find some fresh trout. I went to Whole Foods, my first stop for good seafood, and they … [Read more...]
A Strange Year for Gardens
It’s been a strange year for back yard gardeners. We have had weekly rains since April, so you think that would be good. But we have had almost weekly 90 degree sweltering days and that’s often not so good. My early garden was pretty good – lettuce, peas, and onions, but my summer garden has not been so great. I got a dozen cukes and several of the vines just died. I’ve picked a dozen … [Read more...]
A Squirrel Deterrent: Guaranteed
Any time I see a product advertised as “squirrel proof” I have my doubts. These industrious pests spend their entire squirrelly lives trying to figure out ways to confound humans, and they generally succeed. Baffles on a pole can prevent squirrels from climbing up, but not from jumping down. Sometimes squirrels will take gigantic leaps from far away limbs or overhangs to land on top of a … [Read more...]
Sugar Kiss Melons: A Sweet Deal
Freight is one of the main factors in rising food costs. Because of high gasoline prices and supply chain difficulties, heavier foods, especially, have increased dramatically. Melons, for one. Whereas cantaloupes and honeydew melons had been running $2.99 and $3.99 respectively, they are now $3.99 and $4.99 each, an increase of 25% to 33%. Since buying a melon is crap shoot anyway - … [Read more...]
Why Update Outdated Light Fixtures?
I met Randall Whitehead years ago and often read his funny play on words. He is a brilliant lighting designer and spares no expense in telling it like it is. In a recent article he mentioned homeowners are looking to refresh their spaces, following the pandemic. “Changing outdated light fixtures can update a home in subtle, yet meaningful ways. Why hold onto those fixtures from the … [Read more...]
Great Bottom Fishing on the Eastern Shore
Angelin and Brent Ham from Greensboro (who happen to be my daughter and son-in-law) spent 6 glorious days dunking Fish Bites and squid at the mouth of Cape Charles on Virginia’s Eastern Shore and caught literally hundreds of fish. “No whoppers,” Angelin said, “but lots of fish.” Included in their catch were some very nice whiting and stud-sized croakers, plus flounder, sea bass, … [Read more...]
59c Shrimp
I bought some Texas Gulf Shrimp from Kroger’s this week, on special at $9.99 a pound. They were large and sweet and juicy, and we really enjoyed them on a bed of lettuce as a seafood salad. However, I happen to remember shrimp priced at 59c a pound, and my dad thought that was outrageous. I was about 11 or 12 and we were on vacation in Morehead City, NC where my Aunt Anne had a cottage on … [Read more...]
Tenderloin and Eggs
About once a month or so, I’ll buy a package of pork tenderloins - the little guys that come two in a pack. They weigh about a pound each. We like to marinate them and cook them in the oven at 400 for about 30 minutes, or until the inside reaches 145, then let it rest. Well and good, but one of those two tenderloins is more than enough for just the two of us. So, you can either freeze … [Read more...]
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