Two of my favorite birds like to trade places. Just about the time my little flock of snowbirds head north, my usual two pair of catbirds arrive in my yard – like clockwork, and this spring it happened again. I hate to see the little juncos leave, but I welcome my catbirds. Catbirds, of course, are so named because of their ability to mimic the meow of a cat. Their genus name, Ailuroedus, is … [Read more...]
Southern Fried Bluegills
I was raised on Southern Fried Bluegills. My native state of North Carolina has more farm ponds per acre than any other state in the union and each and every one had a bountiful population of bluegills, or “brim’ as they are called in the South. Most every Friday night, my Carolina relatives feasted on Fried Bluegills, Fried Cornbread, sweet Cole Slaw, a skillet full of Fried Potatoes and Onions. … [Read more...]
Morel Time
I had never eaten a morel until my old friend Carl Oakes asked if I wanted a few. Not wanting to offend, I said, “Sure,” but I had no idea what they were or what to do with the strange looking spores. Later I found out that morels, wild mushrooms, were mountain delicacies and highly desirable. On several occasions since then, I have taken to the hills and picked them myself. Morels, though, can … [Read more...]
El Agave Restaurant
Cinco de Mayo is coming soon. That’s when people that don’t even like Mexican food pretend that they do and wash it down with a Margarita. I like Mexican food, mostly, and I always like a good Margarita. When I think good Mexican food, I think El Agave in Ruckersville. I’m not the greatest one to write a review about Mexican restaurants. When we go, my wife Nancy often has to … [Read more...]
The Blacks are Back
Black Drum are now prowling along the Eastern Shore with nice catches reported. Red drum will be close behind. Fresh clam or crabs will draw the attention of both the Blacks and Reds. Puppy drum and speckled trout catches have been excellent, especially in the Piankatank River. Flounder have been biting well on the east side of the bay and sheepshead are now showing up near the … [Read more...]
Hybrid Stripers in Anna
The largest Hybrid Striper ever caught in Lake Anna was weighed in last week at 14+ pounds. A hybrid striped bass, also known as a Whiterock bass or a Wiper, is created by cross breeding a white bass and striped bass. Hybrids look similar to the two-parent species but are generally shorter than Stripers and not as deep-bodied as White Bass. The hybrid striped bass has horizontal … [Read more...]
Blowin’ In The Wind
We were driving from Lewisburg, WV to enroll at UNC in Chapel Hill on a September day in 1962 when I first heard the group. The song was “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” sung by a group called Peter, Paul and Mary. Boomers grew up with this trio, pioneers in folk music, which gained steam in the 1960s. To many, folk music meant protests and flower children. To me, it meant some of … [Read more...]
Killer Pork Loin Chops
About once a month, most grocery stores will offer a huge sale on whole pork loins. Sometimes, less than two-bucks a pound. Dollar for dollar, you can’t beat the price as it is all meat and little waste. Trouble is that pork loins and pork loin chops can be dry and tasteless because there is little or no fat. I usually don’t buy loins because of that. But there is a way to take … [Read more...]
Signs of Our Times
Newlyweds in San Francisco Looking For Nice One-Bedroom, Zero Bath Starter Tent … [Read more...]
Tomatoes and Eggs
Doesn’t sound very appetizing, does it? That’s because you don’t necessarily eat eggs with tomatoes, you put the eggshells in and on the ground when you plant tomatoes. If you do, you’ll grow more and larger tomatoes and eliminate or reduce those black spots on the first fruits. I didn’t do well in chemistry, but I know that calcium, especially calcium carbonate, is a great additive to the … [Read more...]
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