After being a drab olive for six months, my male goldfinches are beginning to put on the Ritz, molting into a new suit of bright gold feathers. I always thought the birds’ feathers changed colors, but they don’t. Many birds grow new and entirely differently colored feathers. The goldfinch is the only one in its family to undergo a complete, not a partial molt. Even the females get a … [Read more...]
Pepperoni Pockets, Not Rolls
Pepperoni Rolls are a unique West Virginia creation, inspired from the lunch pails of coal miners. Relegated to the depths of the mines, a Pepperoni Roll for lunch was a welcomed respite for a hungry miner. First created in Marion County in the 1920s, the classic Pepperoni Roll consists of a soft white yeast bread roll with pepperoni baked in the middle. Since the pepperoni was cured, … [Read more...]
Weeds and Wildflowers
(Creasy greens growing wild beside the road) Last summer as I was driving north on Rt. 29, I saw a flowering weed beside the road so stunning that I went back to see it again. To the best of my weed-identification abilities, it was a butterfly weed – adorned in the most incredible orange I have ever seen. Since that time, I have been on the lookout for beautiful weeds and … [Read more...]
Remembering Bob Hope
Bob Hope lived to be 100. He died 15 years ago, but he will be remembered as a man who really made a difference, entertaining our troops on foreign soil for over 50 years. Below are some of Bob’s memorable one-liners. On his deathbed they asked him where he wanted to be buried. He replied: "Surprise me." On Turning 70 - "I still chase women, but only … [Read more...]
Playing Sanitary Golf
My golfing buddy, Greg Leffler, and I decided to take advantage of a pleasant Wednesday afternoon and tee it up. But we had to check around first. Two courses that I know of - Lake Monticello and Meadow Creek – are closed for the flu season. We checked with Old Trail and got a tee time with a few stipulations. First, it was cart path only – which had nothing to do with the virus but … [Read more...]
Game On for Speckled Trout
Speckled trout have been biting in Virginia rivers for a couple of weeks. Connie Barbour at Long Bay Pointe Bait & Tackle says they’re available inside Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets now. The mild winter should bring terrific trout fishing for the foreseeable future – plus an early arrival for most saltwater species. Tautog are already at the CBBT and on nearly all near-shore … [Read more...]
Haircuts and Coupons
A number of years ago, I discovered coupons. The grocery stores began putting the coupons in their ads and one day I cut out a few. It was like the first roll of dice to an addicted gambler in Las Vegas. I was hooked – saving 10 cents here and 20 cents there. Our limited shelf space became overloaded. “What are these three boxes of Meow Mix doing in the cabinet,” my wife, Nancy, asked. “I … [Read more...]
Broccoli Quiche
When I’m cooking, I get excited about the entrees and desserts, but vegetables? Not so much. Often, there’s nothing to get excited about. The other night I had bought some fresh broccoli, and it’s good steamed or baked, but since I had an extra pie crust in the freezer, why not Broccoli Quiche? So I did an Easy Broccoli Quiche. Took 10 minutes to put together and another 45 minutes or … [Read more...]
Where There’s a Will
The picture above illustrates emphatically that where is a will to survive, nature will find a way. As I mentioned last week, this has been an extraordinarily good year for jonquils. They have spread and they have flourished. Our front yard has produced a particularly bountiful crop this year. More jonquils than ever and they are ever spreading out. But this beats all. Nancy … [Read more...]
Bodo’s Open For Business
Where shall we eat out tonight? Well, nowhere. Nothing is open except for a handful of drive-throughs. Even Bo Do’s has resurrected their drive through windows after years of inside service only. When anyone - student or otherwise – returns to Charlottesville after an extended absence, their first stop is often Bodo’s. I know that my daughter, Laura, looks forward to a Bodo’s bagel … [Read more...]
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