They say - whoever “they” is – that if you have black snakes around, you won’t have copperheads. They are natural enemies. Better to have a harmless black snake or two than a nest of poisonous copperheads. Recently, I heard just the opposite, that copperheads and black snakes co-exist. This source said that the black snake/copperhead myth was just that – an old wives’ tale. So which is it? My … [Read more...]
When There Were Manners
My wife and I went out to eat recently at a fairly nice restaurant and as we sat waiting for the server, I noticed that about half the men in the restaurant were wearing hats, mostly baseball caps, and half of them were on backwards. There was a time when wearing a hat indoors was strictly off limits and wearing one at the dining table was unthinkable. What ever happened to good … [Read more...]
Star Kist White Albacore Tuna Salad
Tuna salad is always a great lunch option – tasty, very healthy and diet friendly. On a recent visit at Wal-Mart I looked for some tuna, preferably packed in oil, which delivers more flavor, and I found what I was looking for - Solid White Albacore Star Kist Tuna packed in Vegetable Oil. I bought 2 large cans for about four-bucks each. I have found – by the way – if you pay more for … [Read more...]
Argentine Shrimp
I don’t shop often at Harris Teeter. It’s a little out of the way and I find it pricey, but when I do, I look for their Argentine Shrimp. They make the trip worthwhile. Harris Teeter is one of the few stores that regularly stocks Argentine Shrimp. As advertised, these shrimp are wild-caught off the coast of Patagonia, in Argentina. They are also known as Wild Red Shrimp and Patagonian … [Read more...]
Plagued by Grackles
Egyptians had their locusts. I am plagued with grackles. As a bird watcher and avid bird feeder, I despise grackles. They show up in mid-March and stay till mid-June, all the while eating me out of house and home. It wouldn’t be so bad if there were just a half dozen or so, but they come in swarms, up to 50 and more and they pound my feeders with sunflower hearts and my hanging Peanut Suet Logs … [Read more...]
Scales Don’t Lie
You can’t fool a pair of bathroom scales. Even if you rationalize that one handful of peanuts won’t hurt, they don’t lie. Even if the bag of Fritos is “almost empty” and you’re just finishing them off, they don’t lie. Bathroom scales won’t let you eat more than a tiny bit of pasta or a whole baked potato with sour cream or a slice of birthday cake with ice cream – even if you‘re just … [Read more...]
Swannanoa is Open
Earlier this year, I saw “Temporarily Closed” on the Swannanoa Golf Course web-site. That’s not a good sign. I was worried that the course had closed for good. Then, for the past month or more I have called them and no response. Finally, I asked a friend, a fellow golfer, and he said they were open. So on his word, I took my granddaughter Berkley to the top of Afton mountain to play her … [Read more...]
“Mah-yoww!”
Ever been fussed at by a catbird? You’ll know if it happens. Since my catbirds arrived, I have been treating them with Peanut Suet Log – a product that I discovered last year and one that catbirds find irresistible. The logs last 2 to 3 days before they’re totally pecked away. The other afternoon after work, I walked outside to the patio to enjoy an adult beverage and I heard this … [Read more...]
The Fever is Gone
(This is the 4th of a 5-part short story by Jim Brewer, “Let Down Your Nets.” The water was boiling with fish in the surface, vast schools of sardines, Simon cast his net to one side and Nathan to the other. Each hauled in a seine filled with the small, silvery fish. The other boat with Abner and Boaz was having the same luck. Within an hour, both boats had filled their … [Read more...]
Smallmouth vs Flatheads
(DWR photo of a 60-pound flathead) Smallmouth Guide Brian Bodine posted a short video on Facebook that got my attention. Brian had caught a 20 pound flathead catfish on the James River with the tailfin of a smallmouth bass extending from its gullet. Despite mighty objections from the live catfish, Brian extracted the partially digested smallmouth. Brain measured and it was a 19-inch … [Read more...]
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