Nancy and I were watching some mindless movie on Netflix last week and I happened to be holding the remote in my hand when a loud “pop” startled us. It was like somebody set off a firecracker. Nancy thought I had clapped my hands, and I thought maybe it was from the TV. Then I felt the remote. It was as hot as fire. Something in the remote had somehow exploded and made that loud pop. We took the … [Read more...]
Flying Dragons
Sitting on the back patio last week, I saw four dragonflies buzzing across the lawn. Since then, I have noticed dragon flies seemingly everywhere. Maybe they’ve been there all along and I didn’t notice them, or maybe it’s just been a really good year for dragonflies. Whatever the reason, they are interesting creatures. I watched one dragonfly intently. He hovered like a tiny black drone, then … [Read more...]
Southern Fried Kale
I grew up with a jar for bacon grease beside the stove. Sometimes it was a Mason Jar, sometimes an aluminum pot with a strainer or sometimes just a bowl, but we always had bacon grease to use as seasoning and as an oil with which to fry. When we got married, I continued that tradition much to my wife Nancy’s concern. Her folks came from the north. They used Crisco, while cooking with bacon grease … [Read more...]
Red Rover, Red Rover
Let the clover come over. I have few bald spots in my yard. I’m sure the early summer drought and intense heat is largely responsible and now, fall, is the time to replant the grass. Except, I didn’t sow grass seed, I spread clover seeds on the bald spots. Many consider clover to be an intrusion, but I see it as vital in drawing pollinators, particularly honey bees. Since Nancy and I are … [Read more...]
Cooking tips: Brine Those Chops
This article will begin a new series in CvilleBuzz. I will offer some cooking tips that have helped me survive in the kitchen over the years. Many of these I have picked up from other chefs, while some I have stumbled onto on my own. I hope some of them will be useful to other would-be chefs. The first tip I offer is how to have juicier pork chops and there are two secrets. First, don’t … [Read more...]
Real Savings with Wines at Aldi’s
I confess. I am not a wine connoisseur, nor could I even carry on a conversation with a sommelier. I used to drink Boone’s Farm when we were poor as church mice. It wasn’t bad if you got it cold enough and it was 89c a bottle. So, I’m definitely not qualified to write reviews on wines, except that I know what I like, and I really like some of the wines offered at Aldi’s. They taste good and … [Read more...]
King Macs, Spanish and Blues
The group pictured above found tons of Spanish and blues around the islands at the CBBT, plus a keeper King Mackerel. The big Kings are beginning to patrol the waters off Virginia Beach and ribbonfish are their favorite meal. Elsewhere, bull red drum are active around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel pilings and shoals, while smaller puppy drum and speckled … [Read more...]
Sting-Ray’s Restaurant: Hanging in There
Each time I return to a restaurant I have enjoyed in the past, I hold my breath and hope for the best. So often, after years of great food and great service, a restaurant loses its touch. The original owners are gone, and what was once a great dining experience can turn into disaster. Last weekend, my family stopped by Sting-Ray’s Restaurant on the Eastern Shore near Cape Charles. We have been … [Read more...]
Neat Stuff: Sea-Bands
By Nancy Brewer Years ago, when we were newlyweds, Jim took me deep sea fishing, and I got a good case of sea sickness. The captain felt sorry for me and said he could drop me off on a tiny island out in the ocean and pick me up when they were through fishing. I didn’t know he was teasing and I begged him to do just that. We were far off shore and of course there was no island or land … [Read more...]
Success At Last
It’s been a sub-par year for Farmer Jim. My spring onions and early lettuce crops fared well, but my cucumber vines got caught in the heat and early drought as did my squash plants. I overfertilized and my lima bean plants produced massive bushes but few beans. My tomatoes are finally producing firm, unblemished fruits but they took their sweet time. However. About 3 weeks ago, I spread some … [Read more...]