A pretty weekend day in October? What to do and where to go? How about getting lost – lost as in a corn maze and Liberty Mills Farm in Somerset has a good one. Last year, we took our two Atlanta grandkids to Liberty Farm and bought tickets to a difficult maze. If I had not dropped shiny white pebbles behind me (a la Hansel and Gretel) we’d still be out there. This year, they say, it’s an even … [Read more...]

A ringneck pheasant always cackles when he goes airborne. I guess it’s his way of saying, “Okay, just me and you now. Let’s see how good a shot you are.” We used to have a few wild ringnecks in Virginia, but they went the way of bobwhite quail when fescue overwhelmed our meadows and drove many ground feeding birds into near extinction. There are lots of good preserves in Virginia that offer … [Read more...]

It’s that time of the year when fish in small lakes and ponds move close to the shore and will swat most anything that comes their way. If a nearby fisherman is around, and has a cooler or a stringer, there will be some seriously good eating in that person’s future. So our road trip of the week is directed to a nearby pond. I was fortunate to visit a local lake recently and put a dozen or so … [Read more...]

I had the opportunity to take a road trip over Labor Day to Lake Norman, just north of Charlotte, NC. The reservoir happens to be the largest man-made body of fresh water in the Tarheel state. Along its 520 miles of shoreline are many magnificent homes and one spectacular golf course – The Trump National Golf Club of Charlotte. I would be playing golf there for two days with my brothers, Charlie, … [Read more...]

“We’ve got to stop at Deerfield and get a hot dog,” I informed my hunting partners, Guy Cohen and Courtney Craft. Somewhat puzzled at the urgency of my request, they agreed and we soon pulled into the Deerfield Country Store on Rt. 629 in west Augusta County on our way to Hunter’s Paradise for a chukar hunt. There were two reasons I wanted to stop at the Deerfield Store two years ago. First, … [Read more...]

The Northern Neck of Virginia is a special place, rich in tradition and teeming with resources, most especially those from the Chesapeake Bay and the tidal rivers like the Rappahannock. A no-brainer Road Trip is a visit to the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula with a boat in tow or just for a scenic tour. What could be even better than a Road Trip to this special part of Virginia? What if the … [Read more...]

What better “Road Trip” could there be than one with super good music and super good barbeque – all at the same time. There is such a Road Trip, and a convenient one to those in Central Virginia. How about a Wednesday evening visit to the Lazy Parrot Grill in Charlottesville, where the chefs stoke the hardwood in their big barbeque grill for some great ‘cue. And entertaining guests as they order … [Read more...]

We have now twice vacationed at High Rock Lake in Denton, North Carolina. About 15 miles east of Lexington (the Barbeque Capital of the World), it’s a great spot for a family vacation. There are all the water sports, naturally, and the fishing is good, too. Even in the hot summer, we were able to catch lots of catfish and bluegills. High Rock Lake is like a blue collar version of Smith Mountain … [Read more...]

Last week, we found ourselves in Virginia Beach for a short getaway. We had planned to stay someplace in Norfolk since a visit to Norfolk Botanical Gardens was at the top of our agenda. But we had actually dared to drive to the beach without reservations. It was a Sunday, so how busy could they be down there? Plenty busy, it turns out. Many hotels were booked and the ones that weren’t seemed to be … [Read more...]

Last weekend, Nancy and I decided to take a quickie vacation, a two-day job, and visit Virginia Beach. Before we left, she instructed me that we would be going to Norfolk Botanical Garden, so that was settled in advance. Actually, I didn’t mind a bit. Though I would prefer ventures with fishing rods involved, I had been informed that the Norfolk Garden had a Butterfly House and that sealed the … [Read more...]