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...]
Garlic/Ranch Pretzels
Pretzels are good, but Garlic/Ranch Pretzels are better. In fact, they are addictive. We received a gift box of theses scrumptious snacks for Christmas, and they were so good I decided to try my hand at a batch. I knocked it out of the park. As a snack, pretzels are a far better choice than chips with fewer calories and far less saturated fat. Homemade pretzels are a real treat, but I decided … [Read more...]
A Pine Warbler
Hal Hurka, a friend and fellow birder, emailed that he had seen a pine warbler in his yard. Hal lives in the Cherry Avenue area of Charlottesville and says that behind his house are woods that are 400 feet deep with large poplars and some pines. As the warbler visited his feeders, he was able to get the picture above. Interestingly, my wife gave me a bird feeder with a camera that will also … [Read more...]
Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots
Looking back at some great toys, one that stands out was Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots. They were introduced after my childhood, so I didn’t get to play with them as a kid. But I sure did as an adult. My kids got sets for Christmas and when they did, I was down on the floor, duking it out with Angelin and Jimmie. It was a 2-person game, and the object was to “knock his block off.” The toy … [Read more...]
Reid’s Calls it Quits
Reid’s made a serious effort at saving their business as creditors closed in, and they really succeeded by mostly refilling the shelves against great odds. But ultimately, the value of their real estate on Preston Avenue was too great to ignore, and they sold their land to Twice as Nice, a used clothing boutique. I think Reid’s had the best chicken and the best pork in town. Don’t know their … [Read more...]
Spiny Dogfish
They are not very glamorous fish, in fact most anglers consider a Spiny Dogfish to be a “trash’ fish. But if you’re heading to the coast of Virginia or the Outer Banks between now and March 1, they are likely to be one of the few fish you can catch from a pier or the surf. They have many names - dogfish, dog sharks, or spiny dogfish and they love cold water. They are carnivorous and … [Read more...]
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