I hadn’t seen my resident pair of titmice in several weeks – I even commented to my wife Nancy that they were missing in action. The very next evening while I was smoking a cigar on the back patio and watching my birds, they flew to the feeder. Two lovely, dainty titmice. They must have known I had missed them. The official name, Tufted Titmouse, is quite a mouthful for such a small … [Read more...]
Chicken & Avocado Patties
Chicken makes a diet-friendly entrée – except when you deep fry it with skin on and serve with mashed potatoes, rolls and gravy. That’s my favorite way to eat chicken, but a sure-fire weight gain. Therefore, I am always on the lookout for a chicken dish that’s not as dull as a doorknob, but a little healthier and one that tastes good. I recently saw a recipe for chicken and avocado … [Read more...]
Three In A Row
Buying an edible cantaloupe is like playing the lottery, only with worse odds. I had just about given up any hope in purchasing a tasty cantaloupe this year, no matter the store. I think they all buy them from the same farm in Mexico where they toss out any ripe, juicy cantaloupes and put only the half green, hard-as-bricks and totally tasteless ‘lopes on the trucks. But lo’ and … [Read more...]
I Speck’ It’s Time
With cooler weather settling in, anglers are targeting speckled trout and they haven’t been disappointed. It is speck time in both VA and NC. Look for specks inside Lynnhaven, Little Creek and Rudee inlets, in creeks on the Eastern Shore, around the Poquoson Flats and in the York, Nansemond and Elizabeth Rivers. Many fish are ranging 18- to 22-inches, with a few exceeding 24-inches. The … [Read more...]
The World Series
On October 8, 1956, I was in 7th grade. At the 2 PM bell, they let students out of their classrooms and those who were interested assembled on chairs in the auditorium. A television set was on. The picture was a little fuzzy, but it was Game 5 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium. The Dodgers and Yankees. Vin Scully and Mel Allen were the announcers. Babe Pinelli was the ump behind home plate … [Read more...]
Party On For Ducks
One of the best parties in Central Virginia is, and has been for years, the Jefferson’s Country Annual Banquet. On November 7 at the King Family Vineyard at 655o Roseland Farm in Crozet, it will happen again – an evening of fun, fellowship, great prizes and auction items and a chance to help insure the conservation and preservation of wetlands and our outdoor heritage for future … [Read more...]
Leaf Me Alone
They’re out there and they are falling. Leaves. What do we do with them? When I was a boy, Daddy would rake them to the edge of the curb and burn them. So did everybody else. October in Lewisburg carried the enchanting smell of burning leaves for much of the month. The question today is what to do with leaves. Namely, do you put them in a backyard garden – assuming you have a … [Read more...]
Be Still
I learned how to be still when I was 12-years old and set off in the hills of West Virginia to hunt squirrels, at first with no success. I stepped on twigs, I was in constant motion and anything but still. When it comes to being still – really still – squirrels are good teachers. If you turned your head when a squirrel was scratching in the leaves behind you - no squirrel. They scampered off. If … [Read more...]
My Friends: The Flickers
I saw a pair as I pulled in the driveway this week. They were Northern Flickers. I could tell by the white patches on their rumps as they flew away. Flickers are easily the most beautiful birds that grace my yard. Their plumage is complex and spectacular with a black “necklace” above their speckled breast, a red spot on the nape of the neck and a black moustache. A special few times they have … [Read more...]
Chicken Fried (Chuck) Steak
I had some really good Chicken Fried Steak at Mrs. Rowe’s in Staunton a few weeks back and thought I’d try my hand at it. In the past, I’ve attempted Chicken Fried Steaks with round steaks – pounded into oblivion – and they were still tough and chewy. Recently, I saw a cut called “Sizzling Steaks”. They were at Wal-Mart – 6 or 7 thinly sliced chuck steaks in a package. I knew chuck had a great … [Read more...]
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