Surely everyone is eager to hear about how my little lettuce garden is progressing? Even if they’re not, here goes. I am super delighted with my miniature lettuce farm. On a lark, I scattered some Black Simpson leaf lettuce in one of Nancy’s empty raised garden beds about 6 weeks ago. I did this because of my frustration with the cost of the shriveled and expensive heads of lettuce at the … [Read more...]
Signs of Our Times
Leaf Blowers and Jet Skis
Right before God kicked Satan out of heaven, the Devil said, “I’ll get even. Before I am confined to hell, I’ll make sure earth is a living hell. I’ll invent leaf blowers and jet skis.” And the Evil One did. It’s a beautiful fall afternoon. The maple trees are adorned in all their splendor, the humidity of summer is gone, and a gentle breeze makes for a perfect afternoon. Then, someone fires … [Read more...]
Sam’s Club Turkey Breast
I was making my periodic run to Sam’s Club to stock up on paper towels, napkins and toilet paper and stopped by the back counter with prepared hams and meats. I noticed a boneless, oven roasted turkey breast. Hmmm! A couple of great meals and piles of turkey sandwiches? It was about $18 and I squeezed it into my now-brimming cart. The instructions said to cover it with foil and heat it about … [Read more...]
Fish Window Cleaning: Simply the Best
By Nancy Brewer Having your windows cleaned is such a treat. I do a horrible job of cleaning our 19 windows, so I don’t do it. When we got to the point where we could no longer see out of them, I called the professionals, Fish Window Cleaning. I remembered what a wonderful job they had done for us two years ago. I called them on a Friday, and they came to our home on … [Read more...]
15-Bean and Smoked Turkey Wing Soup
Ever get into one of those “soupy” moods, where nothing but a big bowl of hot soup will do? Yeah, me too. I was in one of those soupy stages recently and saw a recipe that drew my interest. It was for a 15-bean and smoked turkey wing soup. I haven’t cooked soup or beans with a smoked turkey wings in ages, so I headed to the only store in town where I absolutely knew I could find some smoked … [Read more...]
Doe, A Deer, A Female Deer
I can remember when there were more UFO sightings than those of deer. Back in the 50s’, guys in a hunt club considered success as seeing a track on a trail. Every 5 year or so, somebody in the club would actually shoot a deer. Deer were in short supply. But hunting regulations started to work. I can also remember when the deer kill in Virginia topped 100,000. I thought the Game Department was … [Read more...]
Tautogs are Starting to Bite
Tautogs, a delicious fish on the dinner table, are starting to bite. A cold-water favorite, the togs are beginning to peck away at baits along the CBBT. It will only get better. Striped bass activity is picking up in the James and Elizabeth Rivers as temperatures fall. Speckled trout continue to provide plenty of action in the tidal tributaries, while bull red drum are making their seasonal … [Read more...]
Empty Lots and Football.
If it was fall, we played football. After school, we took an available-players inventory, gathered up any and all warm bodies, and headed for the vacant lot two doors from my house on Court Street, in Lewisburg, WV. Our neighbor, Paul Jones owned the lot and never had it developed. He delighted in seeing us enjoy it. I think every neighborhood should have at least one empty lot for kids to play … [Read more...]
Pepperoni Cheese Chips
Here’s a cooking tip. When you need a quick and easy appetizer for guests, whip up a batch of Pepperoni Cheese Chips. Everybody loves pepperoni, everybody loves cheddar cheese and every cook loves an easy recipe, so here it is. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add small dabs of grated cheddar cheese to the parchment lined baking sheet, making a … [Read more...]