The Tavern It was a dump, but it was our dump. It was widely known as the place where students, tourists and towns people would meet. It was fondly known as The Tavern. The Tavern, sometimes called Sarge’s though no one knows why, opened in1954. It was a place for cheap beer and hearty breakfasts known to cure even the most severe hangover. It was home to some of the fastest cockroaches in … [Read more...]
Suet Time
My suet feeders have been getting more and more attention since the weather got cold. They were quite popular this week with rain on the ground and nothing much to eat except for my feeders and the seeds I scattered. I saw nuthatches, downy woodpeckers, red bellied woodpeckers, sparrows, chickadees, titmice, and wrens squeezing in and out of the suet cages. Suet is an inexpensive way to feed … [Read more...]
Heavenly Cod
Fish is good and it’s good for you. My Daddy used to say that fish was “brain food” and if you ate it, you got smarter. But smarter or not, I have always loved eating fish. Unfortunately, I like eating fried fish. When we go to the beach it’s always a “Fried Seafood Platter”, maybe good for the brain, but not so much for the arteries. I had seen a recipe recently for Broiled Heavenly Halibut, … [Read more...]
Gas Station Food
Gas station food has come a long way. I remember on our travels to and from North Carolina when I was a kid, if you stopped at a Gulf Station to get gas (and hopefully a rest room break) if there was any food at all to be had, it was a pack of peanuts on the counter and a Coke from the machine. Slowly but surely gas stations recognized an unfilled market and began offering chips and nabs, maybe a … [Read more...]
Hobe’s Country Ham: Simply the Best
I frequently buy country ham, not whole hams, but biscuit slices and center-cut packs. Usually, the ham is good, but sometimes it can be tough and lack flavor. There is one brand name of ham, however, that is always good. It is Hobe’s Ham. Simply the best. I first ran across Hobe’s hams. at a Food Lion in Mooresville, NC. It was so good, I made a mental note of the name, and whenever I … [Read more...]
The First Seed Catalogue
It came in the mail on the last day of 2024. The first seed catalogue of the year. When the days grow short and the bitter wind nips at your face and the grass turns brown and everything seems dead, a seed catalogue will brighten up your day. It tells you that spring is coming, bringing new life and pleasant weather. I am especially eager for the hope of a seed catalogue because my kids gave me … [Read more...]
Winding Down
The saltwater scene is winding down in Virginia waters though boats just offshore are still finding a few king-sized bluefins. Tog fishing is good for cold weather enthusiast near most any bay structure and there are lots of stripers, but it’s catch and release. On the OBX, it’s dogfish (spiny sharks) and a handful of sea mullet from the piers and surf. Specks and pups continue to bite back in … [Read more...]
Downtown Hardware
When I first moved to Charlottesville, I quickly discovered that if there was anything you needed in the way of tools and hardware, Downtown Hardware was the place to go. What a neat store - with hardwood floors and chests and most any tool or doodad imaginable No matter what you needed, they had it and the experienced clerks had all been there since Teddy Roosevelt was president. I loved … [Read more...]
Ribeye Steak and Vegetable Soup
Nancy was under the weather and when she’s not up to snuff, she wants soup. I decided to make her some vegetable beef soup, but with a little variation. Instead of stew beef or chuck, I used ribeye steaks as the beef part. I’m not sure why stew beef is the universal choice for meat in vegetable beef soup. Maybe because it’s cheap. But it is always tough and chewy and has very little … [Read more...]
Save the Trees
Like the Lorax, I speak for the trees, and this Lorax says don’t waste your Christmas tree – recycle it! Christmas is over. It’s time to un-decorate the tree, drag it out to the curb and let the trash guys do their thing. But not so fast! A Christmas tree has many uses after the holiday season is over. For one, it makes ideal cover for small birds as they face the coming winter. On a … [Read more...]
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