I finished sowing my early garden just in time for a predicted rain. Unfortunately, it rained about as much as a fat guy sweating at the gym, meaning my seeds didn’t get much water and were late sprouting. They need moisture, you know. But everything is finally beginning to peek out of the ground and head in the direction of the sunshine. Peas, potatoes, lettuce, spring onions and collards. I’m … [Read more...]
Red and Black Drum
There are reports of black drum caught from the Eastern Shore. Blacks typically show before the reds, but some big red drum are also starting to tug on lines. The trout bite has not yet fully kicked in because of cold water, but togs are biting hard on most any structure. Flounder are starting to show up in the inlets and coastal bays on the Eastern Shore. Some anglers have already caught … [Read more...]
Smith Mountain Monsters
At a fishing tournament at Smith Mountain Lake last week, two anglers weighed in their catch of 5 bass totaling 36.88 pounds. That’s an average of over 7 pounds per fish. The big one went 9.49 pounds. Wow! Crappie are biting everywhere as they move shallow to spawn. Buggs, Gaston, Anna, Smith Mountain, and the Chick are all hotspots. The shad run is improving daily with warming weather and … [Read more...]
Ted Mack’s Amateur Hour
Before there was American Idol, before there was America’s Got Talent, before there was You Think You Can Dance, Boomers recall the original talent show – Ted Mack’s Amateur Hour. The Original Amateur Hour was a radio program, which aired from 1934 to 1945. Ted Mack brought the show to New York television in 1948. Mack would spin a wheel at the beginning of each broadcast to determine the order of … [Read more...]
Tips On Raising Chickens
By Sherman Shifflett (Intro by Jim Brewer: Raising chickens is becoming more and more popular, even in urban areas and subdivisions. The spiraling price of eggs has only increased interest and demand. Plus, chickens are fun to have around. Here are some notes from my old friend, the late Sherman Shifflett, about his experiences raising chickens.) Except when I was in college and in the Army … [Read more...]
Big Red Pot Recipes
I have a Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven that I call my Big Red Pot. It’s big, for sure, and it’s heavy. It weighs about as much as a pallet of cinder blocks, which is the main reason I don’t use it as often as I should. But when I do pull it out from the bottom cabinet, it always delivers great meals. Dutch Ovens are a lot like Slow Cookers, except they are faster. You can quickly … [Read more...]
Old Businesses of Charlottesville
Meadowbrook Hardware For 53 years, Meadowbrook Hardware kept Charlottesville do-it-yourselfers in nuts and bolts. Originally located in the Meadowbrook Shopping Center at the intersection of Emmett Street and Barracks Road, the store was founded by Ronnie Kite, an entrepreneur with no degrees and no experience in hardware. He did business the old-fashioned way and he did it well. It’s said … [Read more...]
A Blue Grosbeak Visitor
I saw a strange bird scratching below my feeder this week. It was a deep rich-brown color, larger than a sparrow but not as large as a thrasher and lacking long tail feathers. I had no clue until I scanned my bird guide. It was a female Blue Grosbeak. I saw her for two days, then no more. I have never seen a male Blue Grosbeak in my yard. Adult males are royal blue with a tiny black mask in … [Read more...]
My New Car
For the past 30 years, I have owned Jeeps; V-8s, gas guzzlers, big engines. Recently I bought a 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage – a Baby Hatchback. I don’t know what size engine it has, but it’s small. It fits in the glove compartment. It’s quite a change from my last several automobiles. The horn sounds like a little clown horn. People chuckle when I toot it. I think I’ll just get a seltzer bottle … [Read more...]
They’re on the Way
The commercial guys are like the canaries in goldmines. Their haul nets are the first signs of things to come. They are beginning to net spot and croakers, so they are on the way. It’ll be several more weeks before they bite on hook and lines, but it will happen soon. Flounder are also beginning to make their presence known off the Eastern Shore. The water temps are hovering around 50 degrees and … [Read more...]
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