If you can’t go to the Outer Banks, bring the Outer Banks to you. That’s what we did a year ago. After a great four-day getaway, we stopped by Outer Banks Driftwood in Kill Devil Hills on our way back home and bought three pieces of beautiful driftwood. One is now overlooking our goldfish pond. It’s a classic cypress stump that washed up on shores of the Outer Banks, no telling how many … [Read more...]

I know we’re supposed to “social distance” and all that mask stuff, but when it comes to birds, I want to draw a crowd. The more the merrier, bring ‘em on. The best way, I have found to attract lots of birds is to – first – provide fresh water – and second, provide multiple food sources. If you put up a feeder with sunflower and basic seeds, you’ll certainly attract birds, but a limited … [Read more...]

  I had a Food Saver years ago. I used it often and regularly. Then, one day, the sealer no longer worked, and a Food Saver is of no use if it can’t seal packages. I went without for a while, then saw a Brand-X Food Saver that was considerably less than the real thing. I bought it and it never worked. So for maybe 10 years I have done without and relied on Zip-Locks. Last Christmas, my … [Read more...]

  Sam’s Club never ceases to amaze me. They are always bringing in new and exciting products - most recently Kobe Beef hamburger. Well, it’s really not Kobe (Japanese) hamburger. It’s the American version of Kobe beef - Wagyu Beef, and it’s just as good. When we go to Bonefish Grill, if I don’t order Fish N Chips, I’ll order the Wagyu Burger – it is scrumptious. Sam’s Club now … [Read more...]

One of the most useful pieces of clothing or footwear I own is what I call my hog slopping boots. They are plain, they are black, they are easy to get on or off and they are perfect for going out in the snow and sleet we’ve been enduring for the past few weeks. A few years back, I tired of having to put on my Rocky Boots and lace them up each time I went outside in the snow. Rocky’s are great … [Read more...]

  Every Christmas my son spoils me with a few hand-selected cigars from a high quality shop in Atlanta. These aren’t like my two-bit stogies, they are really good cigars. Each one is an experience to itself. Jimmie’s friend, the Cigar Meister, carefully selects a half dozen or so of some of his finest smokes and tucks them neatly in a wooden cigar box sprinkled with a few cigar leaves … [Read more...]

Americans spend a lot of money to pay a butcher to slice and package meats – especially chickens. Why not save some of that money and slice and butcher the meat yourself? Case in point. I felt like barbequing some chicken and thought that a couple leg quarters would be perfect for the two of us – plus, I like dark meat best when push comes to shove. The butchers at Kroger’s were not very … [Read more...]

Every product I’ve ever tried from Trader Joe’s has been first-rate. It is a great grocery store. But I hate going there. First of all, I hate Stonefield Shopping Center. It’s the devil to get in and out of and the parking is screwy. Apparently, others agree with my assessment and many of the storefronts are vacant and a number of restaurants there have failed. Trader Joe’s, a smaller store … [Read more...]