I went into Aldi’s Grocery store on the way home to pick up some lettuce for that night’s salad and saw a cluster of vine ripened tomatoes for two bucks and change. They looked good and I bought them, not really knowing what I would do with the little red fellows. I decided to roast them. Sometimes we cooks overlook the simplest of recipes. Always struggling with what to prepare for side dishes … [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. … [Read more...]
Buttercups
Another beautiful “weed” now growing in my back yard is the common buttercup. This variety, sometimes called the creeping buttercup, has stubborn roots and can be the devil to get rid of, but the flowers are certainly delicate and lovely. Buttercups are generally perennials, but unlike many wildflowers, they are poisonous. Livestock that grazes in a field overrun with buttercups can get … [Read more...]
That’s What Friends are For
Black walnuts. That’s what friends are for. A few weeks back I was chatting with my long-time friend, John Williamson, when the subject of black walnuts arose in the conversation. I remember cracking with a hammer, or trying to crack walnuts on a log in the backyard of a neighbor’s house, who happened to have a black walnut tree. Breaking the shells of these tough devils is like … [Read more...]
What’s Your Residential Lighting Design Style
By Nancy B Back in the day (just a few years ago) styles such as Contemporary and Traditional were the lighting choices that were offered. Now, many styles with new names have surfaced. Following is a guide for these new styles offered by a couple of my vendors: Crystorama and Maxim. Before tackling a major home renovation, it’s important to understand your interior … [Read more...]
Spring Gobbler Update
By Bruce Ingram Virginia’s spring gobbler enthusiasts have two weekends in their sights right now with the Youth and Apprentice Weekend on April 2 and 3 and the season opener kicking off on Saturday, April 9. Katie Martin, the deer, bear, and turkey biologist for the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), gives insight on what kind of action we can expect. “The best news … [Read more...]
Puppy Drum Bonanza
Got a note from Capt. Reece Stecher with Beachbumfishing this week. Reese said that a recent party had the best sight-cast fishing for Red Drum that he had ever seen in March. They caught fish up to 30-inches. There were huge schools. The sound, apparently, is full of fish. Up in Virginia waters, boats are already finding nice pups in the lower tidal rivers and all the inlets. This … [Read more...]
Spring Break
There was a time when America’s young people took advantage of a thing called Spring Break and headed, en masse, to Florida, namely Ft. Lauderdale. The movie and song, Where the Boys Are, captured that experience. As a sophomore at the University of North Carolina, I also headed to Florida on spring break, but not to Ft. Lauderdale. Rather, my roommate, Bob Payet, and I headed for Indian Lake … [Read more...]
Burton’s Delicious, Expensive
I had not eaten at Burton’s Grill & Bar. Friends advised that it was good, but expensive. They were right. The food was delicious, but their prices were at the very top of Charlottesville’s food chain. We met friends there last Saturday night and the place was packed – a good sign. The service was a bit slow, but to be expected on a busy night. I ordered a Maker’s Mark and Ginger Ale, … [Read more...]
Birds of a Feather
A male bluebird lit on our window feeder recently and he was simply stunning. There is no blue on the finest artist’s pallet that could begin to duplicate his color. This is the time of year when birds strut their stuff. An early spring molt leads to spectacular colors which male birds use to attract females. The feathers don’t change colors, but new, brighter feathers take their place. Even … [Read more...]
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