For most American families, vacations – those once-a-year, major road trips – take place in late June through the middle of August. Other than being able to bake to a red crisp on a sandy beach along the coast, I can’t think of a worse time to take a road trip. Traffic is awful, gas prices mysteriously go up, the rates for cottages and motels are at their peak, the lines to restaurants are … [Read more...]
Birds of Prey
Everyone knows the long enemies list of nesting birds: Cats, snakes, raccoons, foxes, dogs, skunks, ants, and other varmints. But one of the biggest threats to little birds is a bigger bird. My uncle in Charlotte had a hummingbird feeder on the window of his kitchen nook. One summer, he noticed occasional dead birds on the ground near the feeder. He couldn’t figure out the cause of the avian … [Read more...]
A Trip to the Dairy Queen
I think they get $3 for a small ice cream cone at one of the local frozen custard franchises these days. Yet, there are usually folks standing in line, twenty dollar bills (or credit cards) in hand, waiting to place an order. It wasn’t always like that. When I was a young boy, one of the great pleasures in life was a trip to the Dairy Queen. An ice cream cone at the DQ was a nickel back then. … [Read more...]
Trout Update
Until two weeks ago, the brookie streams throughout the state were on fire. Now, not so much. The streams are getting a little “boney” said Tommy Lawhorne at South River Fly Shop. Water flows are down and the fish are spookier. There are, Tommy said, still some nice holdover trout through the downtown section of the South River. Tommy reports a good trico hatch around 8 am, and then it’s … [Read more...]
Drum Beat at Topsail
James Brewer, III went with his son, James, on a Topsail Sound excursion with Capt. Jim Crisco and had good results with red drum. They put four in the boat up to 29-inches; two were keepers. They also broke off a big black drum. Topsail Sound, a fairly shallow-water estuary, offers hot action for drum, flounder and specks. Just offshore, there is good fishing for blues, Spanish and sea bass. … [Read more...]
Kiptopeke State Park
I was tourist fishing. Tourist fishing means you pay no attention to the wind, tides or time of day. You just go fishing when it’s convenient, because you’re a tourist on vacation. As a rule, tourist fishing usually translates into empty stringers. You don’t catch much. But on a morning at Kiptopeke State Park on the Eastern Shore, it was pretty much a fish on every cast. I was tossing out bottom … [Read more...]
O’er The Beautiful Greene Hills
If you like beautiful, rolling hills at the foot of the Blue Ridge, you’ll love The Greene Hills Club in Stanardsville. One of central Virginia’s best kept secrets, Greene Hills is unmatched in the beauty of the surroundings and the friendliness of its members. Last week, my three golf amigos and I had a chance to tee it up at Greene Hills and use our VSGA cards. I think we paid about $30 each. … [Read more...]
Tick Tock: It’s Tick Time
I got nailed about three weeks ago. Still itches like the dickens. My wife, Nancy, has had two tick attachments so far this spring. The last one caused redness around the bite and resulted in antibiotics, just in case the little parasite was a Lyme disease carrier. Yes, it’s tick time, so be on the lookout. Not every tick bite results in disease, but many do. There is an average of 40,000 cases … [Read more...]
The Telephone Operator
“Come here, Mr. Watson. I want to see you.” Those were the immortal words of Alexander Graham Bell as he first demonstrated his new invention, the telephone, on March 10, 1876. Telephones have certainly come a long way since that fateful day, and Boomers have witnessed many amazing changes over the years. During the World War II, Western Electric shifted production strictly to war-related … [Read more...]
Roasted Radishes
Sometimes the easiest part of preparing a meal is the main course, or even the dessert. There are so many go-to dishes that an at-home chef has lots of choices. Side vegetables can be a little more difficult. Sometimes the plate needs a little color, sometimes a little pizzazz. My daughter, Laura, introduced me to a great dish that is easy to prepare, inexpensive, tasty beyond what’s expected and … [Read more...]
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