As I pulled in the driveway one day last week, I saw a flock of unfamiliar birds splashing in and drinking water from our goldfish pond. There were 16 or 18 cardinal-sized birds, and I noticed flashes of yellow. Then I knew. It was a flock of Cedar Waxwings. I see these lovely birds once or twice a year as they pass through. Unfortunately, I don’t have any plants or trees in my yard from which … [Read more...]
A Dear Deer
It’s shaping up to be a bountiful deer harvest and the Wildlife folks are encouraged. The weather has been cooperative, the rut is o and lots of deer are being checked in. Since, there are fewer and fewer hunters, and the deer are as fertile as ever, the existing hunters have their work cut out for them. My visiting granddaughter, Virginia, pitched in. On the day before Thanksgiving, Virginia … [Read more...]
Hot and Cold Fishing
Some fishing improves as the waters warm while some fishing gets better when it cools. Right now, the speckled trout and puppy drum is scorching hot, with great reports coming from the Rappahannock River down to the Rudee Inlet and Lynnhaven areas. Peak action often ramps up after sundown, when these feisty fighters prowl the shallows under cover of darkness—ideal for those who don’t mind trading … [Read more...]
Ava Meets a Gnome
I finally have complete copies of my first attempt at writing a children’s book. I had to go to a local printer, Bailey Printing, to complete the job since the first publisher I tried totally blew it. My advice to anyone considering self-publishing is to write your book, hire an illustrator, an editor, a graphic designer, a local book printer and market the book yourself. But I now have a … [Read more...]
Bleeding Madras
It was an upcoming Christmas in 1962 and there was only one thing on my wish list – a genuine bleeding madras shirt. Madras had popped up on the fashion scene as “the fabric to wear”, especially for wanna-be preppies. Madras referred to a city in India by that name where it had been traditionally worn for many years. Madras was a lightweight, cotton fabric generally woven into colorful plaid … [Read more...]
Bob Hope Quote
"A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don’t need it." Bob Hope … [Read more...]
Same Old, Same Old
I have been a serious birder for about 20 years – ever since bluebirds first showed up and started nesting in my yard. I keep multiple feeders and water sources in the yard to attract as many birds as possible, but one thing that I have discovered – I get the same mix of birds every year. This past week, for example, the snowbirds showed up right on schedule and they will leave my yard in March. … [Read more...]
Spicy Ham Quiche
Smoked hams represent one of the great values in a grocery store and when they are on sale, you can stretch your grocery budget from here to Bermuda. Last week - in advance of Thanksgiving I assume - Food Lion had Smoked Butt Section Hams on sale. I bought a 7-pounder for about $10. That’s enough to feed me and Nancy for three weeks. In the next few days, we had roasted ham for dinner, slices for … [Read more...]
Catching Blue Cats in Tidal Waters
The Game Department (they now call themselves the Division of Wildlife Resources, but I still call them the Game Department) did a piece recently on catching blue catfish in Virginia’s tidal waters. In the article, they said that anglers should target blue catfish, first, because they are delicious to eat and, second, they are an invasive species and need their populations reduced. It is … [Read more...]
Good Fishing Continues
Even though it’s getting colder, there is still some very good fishing to be had in Virginia’s saltwater. November brings some of the best striped bass action of the year. Big migratory fish are beginning to surge into the lower Chesapeake Bay, holding along channel edges, river mouths, and especially around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Successful anglers are casting or trolling spoons, … [Read more...]
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