We have birds that stay with us throughout the year, like the Cardinals and Finches. We have birds such as Cedar Waxwings and Eastern Towhees that just stop by to say hello and we have some seasonal birds. The Snowbirds, for example, come in late fall and leave in the spring. Our Hummingbirds, of course, are summer visitors and the Brown Thrashers leave in the fall and return in the spring. So … [Read more...]
Cliff View Inn
Cliff View Inn is a delightful lodge on the Jackson River, about 5 miles north of Covington. It offers 9 bedrooms and 9 baths, great views of the looming cliffs and is surrounded by an 18-hole golf course. My close group of friends who have been getting together on camping expeditions and trips for 41 years have been staying there, renting the entire inn for the past 15 years or so. … [Read more...]
Old Fashioned Rice Pudding
When I was growing up, it seemed we either had rice or potatoes every meal. Mom was a southern-style cook and we had lots of dishes with gravy, so naturally we needed one of those starches. When Mom cooked rice, she didn’t drop one of those Boil-in-Bags in the pot. She cooked a whole pack of rice. It was dirt cheap, like a quarter for a one-pound package and that makes a lot of rice. We … [Read more...]
Food Savers Really Save Money
I had a Food Saver years ago. I used it often and regularly. Then, one day, the sealer no longer worked, and a Food Saver is of no use if it can’t seal packages. I went without for a while, then saw a Brand-X Food Saver that was considerably less than the real thing. I bought it and it never worked. So for maybe 10 years I have done without and relied on Zip-Locks. Last Christmas, my … [Read more...]
Red Headed Woodpeckers
Jill Smith of Fluvanna County said that she has had a special visitor at her feeder for five days in a row – a Red-headed Woodpecker. That’s like seeing Elvis at the mall five trips in a row. Many confuse Red-headed Woodpeckers with the far more common, Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Red-bellied Woodpeckers indeed have a red head, but only partially. A Red-headed Woodpecker has a fire … [Read more...]
Burn, Baby, Burn!
There is a good reason why there are fewer whitetail deer in the National Forests west of the Blue Ridge. Fire, or the lack thereof. It’s the same reason California endures horrendous wildfires each year – it’s due to the lack of controlled burning. According to the biologists of Virginia Division of. Wildlife Resources, we’ve been conditioned to think of fire as solely a destructive force, … [Read more...]
Super Duper Mahi Action
Last Saturday was an exceptional day for boats patrolling the Gulf Stream out of Oregon Inlet. The Mahi Mahi fishing was on fire. One boat returned with 50 of these spectacular fighters. In addition to the dolphin catch, there were also yellowfin tuna, blackfin tuna, lots of king mackerel, wahoo and albacore gaffed and a sailfish release. At Nags Head, nearshore trips had catches of sea bass … [Read more...]
EGO Electric Lawnmower
My lawnmower was on its last leg, wheel, actually. The back right wheel was cracked and about to come loose and there was no way to repair it. It was a terrific Sears lawnmower. I had it for ten or 12 years. It cranked every time. But I needed a new one. My kids found out and chipped in to give me one for Christmas. It’s a EGO electric lawnmower. I used it yesterday for the first … [Read more...]
Back To School
Back to school? Kids today may never go back to school. It all depends on the generosity of the teachers’ union and the intestinal fortitude of our governor. But Boomers remember Back To School. It happened every September, even when the polio epidemic was in progress. Back to school was an event, almost a holiday. Going back to school meant a new wardrobe. For boys, that was … [Read more...]
Froggy Went’A Courting
We installed a small fishpond last year. Nancy had 8 goldfish that had outgrown their 35 gallon tank. The new pond, about 350 gallons, was perfect for the fish, but I really wanted it not because of the goldfish, but because I love frogs. Each year, I had either caught a tadpole or two or bought some and put them in the small pond. And each year, they became frogs and then left. I had hoped that … [Read more...]
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