Recently, during a rare downpour, I saw “Wren-field” pecking away on the window ledge. He had found a juicy spider. Wren-field is the name I have given to my resident Carolina Wren. He, or one of his ancestors, has called our yard home every year we’ve been living at 214 Brentwood Road. While we’ve only lived in one house for the last 50 years or so, Wren-field has had many houses – sometimes … [Read more...]
Cast Iron Seasoning
We were at the Crozet Arts and Crafts Show recently and ran across an interesting product – a Cast Iron Seasoning Compound made by BCW. Everybody knows you’re supposed to “season” cast iron cookware, but few know exactly how. This 100% natural product is made from grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, and natural beeswax, Simply apply a thin layer to the entire skillet, then wipe off the excess. Put … [Read more...]
The Spaniards Are Hungry
Spaniards. Spanish Mackerel. They’re well up into Bay waters and if they see a Clarke Spoon, they’ll eat it. I can remember about 30 years ago when Spanish first began to poke their snouts up into the Chesapeake Bay. Before that, they stayed in the ocean – mostly to our south. Today, the mackerel make an early appearance in the Bay and head well past Deltaville and Sting Ray … [Read more...]
Dragnet: Just the Facts, Ma’am
Unless you were a product of the Fifties, it’s impossible to understand the complete infatuation our generation had with television. We were able to watch technology unfold to the extent that - with the aid of an aerial on the roof, and 21-inch picture box within a huge console - images and sounds actually appeared in our own living rooms. It was television and whatever was on, we watched. On a … [Read more...]
Country Fried Goodness
We went to Texas Roadhouse for one of those last-minute dinner decisions as our Grandson, James, had come to visit. Their Burgers are great, and their Ribeye Steaks are easily the best in town, but I decided on something different – something I wouldn’t normally get at home. I ordered their Country Fried Sirloin Steak, and it was delicious. The choices are with white gravy, with brown grave … [Read more...]
Signs of Our Times
Squirrely Squash
The squirrels had planted a mysterious plant in one on Nancy’s flower beds and we decided to watch it grow and see what it was. As I regularly toss out cantaloupe and melon seeds for the pesky rodents, I figured a melon, but it turned out to be an ordinary yellow squash plant. At first, I couldn’t imagine how they got hold of squash seeds – I never throw them out when we have squash. Then I … [Read more...]
That First “Mater” Sandwich
It’s a day I await – a celebration, in fact. The “First “Mater Sandwich of the Year” day. I rank it right up there with New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July. The actual day varies from year to year - depending on when that first plump tomato is picked from the vine. We have had cherry tomatoes and some smaller slicer tomatoes for a couple weeks, but on Monday, July 7th, one of my Better Boy … [Read more...]
Neat Stuff: Patio Fans
Nancy and I are blessed with a sprawling, tree-shaded patio in our backyard. Since the grass wouldn’t grow among all the tree roots, we poured concrete and created a nice outdoor room, which we thoroughly enjoy. But! It’s summer with 90-degree-plus weather, which makes sitting outside – even in the shade – not so enjoyable. Nancy, however, had the good sense to put an outdoor fan on a … [Read more...]
The Moocher and the Mother
I have two catbirds that visit me when I go out on the patio with a bowl of wiggly meal worms. One is the Moocher and the other is the Mother. Though both birds are identical in appearance, I can easily tell the mother bird. When I toss a few meal worms her way, she puts each one carefully in her beak (her best score is 10 mealworms in one mouthful) then flies around the side of the house and … [Read more...]
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