The clock is ticking. It’s the time of the year for Lyme disease and it’s nasty. Some sturdies report close to 300,000 new cases of the disease each year and many cases go unreported because they were not properly diagnosed. Lyme disease is transmitted from infected ticks. Deer are most responsible as carrying hosts, but other mammals such as bears, mice and other small animals may … [Read more...]
Squirrel Plantings
Maybe I should let the squirrels plant my garden. They seem to do a better job. Every spring, stuff pops up in our yard and garden beds that we didn’t plant. We find dozens of baby sunflower plants and if I didn’t mow my grass, my backyard would be a cornfield. If I toss out a hundred corn kernels for the squirrels, they will eat 10 and bury 90. One year we had a mysterious plant in one … [Read more...]
Texas Roadhouse: Our New Go-To Place
Years ago, when Outback was still in Albemarle Square, it was our go-to restaurant. Frequently, at the last minute, we went to Outback, pulled up two stools at the bar and enjoyed a meal out. When Outback moved to Seminole Square and expanded, it was never as good – still good, mind you, but not the same. Now, our last minute go-to place is the Texas Roadhouse. It is consistently … [Read more...]
Flags Are Flying
The flags are flying. Billfish flags, that is. When a charter lands and/or releases a blue or white marlin, a sailfish, a spearfish or swordfish, they proudly run a flag up the pole. We are now in prime time for catching billfish as well as Mahi, Wahoo, and tuna. They are out there, and they are biting. Inshore, outstanding cobia catches are reported throughout the lower bay. Some … [Read more...]
Remembering the Milkman
You could hear him coming a block away - the engine chugging on the old, white truck and hundreds of glass bottles clinking inside. He was the milkman. Believe it or not, there was a time when you didn’t go to the store to buy milk. Rather, the milk came to you in the milkman’s truck. In the 1950’s and 60’s, most families engaged the services of the local milkman. With a note left in … [Read more...]
Rhett’s Bar & Grill: As Good as Ever
Rhett’s Bar & Grill was one of our go-to restaurants for a Friday night out. It was certainly convenient, about a mile from our house and the food was always spot on. Then Rhett Craddock loaded up his cloth napkins, pots, pans, and cookbooks and moved to Louisa, at Zion Crossroads. Lots of friends – some who live in Spring Creek – have since been often and rave about it. Last … [Read more...]
Seeds: I Should Pay More Attention
I do it every year and I ought to know better. I either buy seeds or young plants and don’t read the fine print, or I’ll plant something, throw away the pack and then can’t remember what it is I planted. Then I don’t know what to buy or not to buy the next year. This happens with tomatoes a lot. Some varieties don’t produce well, and some do. Some have lots of flavor, some don’t. But … [Read more...]
Meatballs: Southern Style
Go to any church picnic, family reunion or funeral in the South and there will be meatballs. Beef meatballs swimming in a rich sauce. But when you leave the affair, there will be no more meatballs. They vanish like roaches when the light turns on. Meatballs are simply a southern tradition, a staple. They are often reserved for appetizers, but a big helping over some egg noodles makes a killer … [Read more...]
Attracting Amphibians and Reptiles to Your Yard
Why? Why would anyone want to attract amphibians such as frogs and lizards or reptiles such as snakes and turtles to their yard? Simple. Because these critters eat tons of insects and rodents. According to Virginia’s DNR, amphibians and reptiles are a vital part of the natural world, but urban development and landscaping have caused their habitats to be lost or degraded. By making … [Read more...]
A Butcher, a Baker…
Yep, and a candlestick maker. The three main characters in an old nursery rhyme. Butchers, however, seem to be a dying breed, especially at the major grocery store chains. Kroger’s, for example, no longer has butchers. They have “Putter Outers” – folks that “put out” the prepackaged meats on the counters. It is much more efficient to have meats trimmed and butchered at a central … [Read more...]
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