It takes a tough son-of-a-gun or a lifelong Canadian to brave the weather we’ve had and go fishing, but the few that did have had some exciting catches. Big bluefins, for example. Off the coast of Virginia and North Carolina, the giant bluefin tuna continue to attract lots of attention. The ocean temperature around the Chesapeake Light Tower is currently in the low 40s, presenting a unique … [Read more...]
Old Businesses of Charlottesville
The Spudnut Coffee Shop The Spudnut Coffee Shop was a Charlottesville institution, at least as famous as Monticello. People of all walks of life flocked to the small cinderblock building on Avon Street each morning to satisfy a craving which only a Spudnut could satisfy. Not long after I moved to Charlottesville, I noticed the new shop and the interesting name. What’s a Spudnut? I … [Read more...]
Blue Jays: My Nut-Aholics
I was out and about last week, stocking up on birdseed with 3-inches of snow and ice still clinging to the grass in my yard. I always have sunflower hearts and premium birdseed from Sam’s Club, but I bought a 5-pound bag of nuts and berries as a special treat for my mockingbirds, woodpeckers, titmice, and blue jays. I have a small gang of blue jays, maybe 5 or 6 birds, and they know somehow … [Read more...]
Signs of Our Times
Timberwood Grill
It’s been a while since we last ate at Timberwood Grill at Hollymead. There are so many restaurant choices these days that it takes a while to make the rounds, but a group of us decided to spend last Saturday night at Timberwood’s. I was most disappointed. The server was marginal at best and the food not up to snuff. It may have been partly my fault, because I usually order a sandwich or a … [Read more...]
Toys of My Life
Toy Soldiers One of the great toys of my life was a set of toy soldiers my Daddy gave me when I was about 7 or 8. Daddy was an FBI agent and was often away from home, usually just 2 or 3 days, but on one occasion he was gone for a couple of weeks. I was thrilled to see him when he finally came home, but he brought me a special present, a set of lead WWII toy soldiers. There were about a … [Read more...]
Slow Cooker Spareribs
“Daddy! You’ve got to try this recipe. We used short ribs and they were the best I’ve ever tasted!” That was an email I got from my daughter, Angelin, after she and her husband Brent had just wolfed down every morsel from this Slow Cooker Ribs recipe out of Taste of Home. I think what makes them so good is both the tenderness from slow cooking and the sauce made with a … [Read more...]
Black Sea Bass
Over the years, I had caught a number of black sea bass, but nothing larger than 7 or 8-inches, most smaller. They were bait stealers as far as I was concerned. When we fished for flounder at Chincoteague, the little black devils were quick to steal a prime, live minnow. My opinions of black sea bass changed dramatically on an offshore trip out of Topsail, NC when our guide put us on a school … [Read more...]
Cereal Boxes and Prizes
I poured myself a bowl of cereal the other day and immediately turned the box around to read the back cover. Instead of a puzzle, a game, or the adventures of some cartoon character, I read only about fiber, saturated fats, calories, various vitamins, niacins, calciums and sugar content. According to the backs of modern boxes, cereals today are heart-healthy, gluten free, whole grain, nutrient … [Read more...]
Old Businesses of Charlottesville
Anderson’s Seafood They were some of the nicest people in the world. The Anderson family, and they brought fresh seafood to Charlottesville. I remember way back, when Mr. and Mrs. Anderson and occasionally a few of their children would set up a tent on a Friday afternoon beside what was Hardy’s at the intersection of Rt. 29 and Rio Road. I often stopped by to poke around in one of his … [Read more...]
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