Black walnuts. That’s what friends are for. A few weeks back I was chatting with my long-time friend, John Williamson, when the subject of black walnuts arose in the conversation. I remember cracking with a hammer, or trying to crack walnuts on a log in the backyard of a neighbor’s house, who happened to have a black walnut tree. Breaking the shells of these tough devils is like … [Read more...]
What’s Your Residential Lighting Design Style
By Nancy B Back in the day (just a few years ago) styles such as Contemporary and Traditional were the lighting choices that were offered. Now, many styles with new names have surfaced. Following is a guide for these new styles offered by a couple of my vendors: Crystorama and Maxim. Before tackling a major home renovation, it’s important to understand your interior … [Read more...]
Spring Gobbler Update
By Bruce Ingram Virginia’s spring gobbler enthusiasts have two weekends in their sights right now with the Youth and Apprentice Weekend on April 2 and 3 and the season opener kicking off on Saturday, April 9. Katie Martin, the deer, bear, and turkey biologist for the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), gives insight on what kind of action we can expect. “The best news … [Read more...]
Puppy Drum Bonanza
Got a note from Capt. Reece Stecher with Beachbumfishing this week. Reese said that a recent party had the best sight-cast fishing for Red Drum that he had ever seen in March. They caught fish up to 30-inches. There were huge schools. The sound, apparently, is full of fish. Up in Virginia waters, boats are already finding nice pups in the lower tidal rivers and all the inlets. This … [Read more...]
Spring Break
There was a time when America’s young people took advantage of a thing called Spring Break and headed, en masse, to Florida, namely Ft. Lauderdale. The movie and song, Where the Boys Are, captured that experience. As a sophomore at the University of North Carolina, I also headed to Florida on spring break, but not to Ft. Lauderdale. Rather, my roommate, Bob Payet, and I headed for Indian Lake … [Read more...]
Burton’s Delicious, Expensive
I had not eaten at Burton’s Grill & Bar. Friends advised that it was good, but expensive. They were right. The food was delicious, but their prices were at the very top of Charlottesville’s food chain. We met friends there last Saturday night and the place was packed – a good sign. The service was a bit slow, but to be expected on a busy night. I ordered a Maker’s Mark and Ginger Ale, … [Read more...]
Birds of a Feather
A male bluebird lit on our window feeder recently and he was simply stunning. There is no blue on the finest artist’s pallet that could begin to duplicate his color. This is the time of year when birds strut their stuff. An early spring molt leads to spectacular colors which male birds use to attract females. The feathers don’t change colors, but new, brighter feathers take their place. Even … [Read more...]
Bass Farm Sausage
I wrote recently about Spencer Sausage which I find on the Outer Banks and in Eastern North Carolina. It is good stuff. But there is another excellent sausage from down that way. When we were in Nags Head, I went to Food Lion and they no longer carried Spencer Sausage, but they had a brand called Bass Farm Sausage. It looked good and I bought a package of 8 link sausages. Later, though, I found … [Read more...]
Gun Control
Do you suppose there is even one person among the 43 million in Ukraine who is now the least bit concerned about the magazine capacity of weapons for sale in their country? Is gun control high on their political priorities? To the contrary, every single soul in Ukraine now wishes for effective weapons with which to defend themselves against Russian tyranny. The 2nd Amendment has nothing to … [Read more...]
Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm
May I interrupt this newsletter with a message from our sponsor – well, not actually a sponsor but a company you should be aware of in your gardening and birding adventures. It’s Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm. Over the past 10 or 15 years, I have dealt with numerous pet stores and worm companies as I always supplement my bluebirds’ diets with meal worms, especially at nesting time. My … [Read more...]
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