I was fortunate to have filled up my tank exactly one day before the mini-gasoline panic we had a week or so ago. I had no idea how long the shortage would last, but I well-remembered the Jimmy Carter Days when odd numbered license plates could buy gas on certain days and only a limited number of gallons, then it was even numbered tags the next day. So for the next few days, I … [Read more...]
Really Bad Bird Behavior
My article on BBB (Bad Bird Behavior) last week, describing birds banging into windows and car mirrors, drew a response from my friend Hal Hurka. According to his report, he may have witnessed the all-time low for bird behavior. Hal writes: “Your case of ‘BBB’ reminded me of a time my construction company was called to investigate a woodpecker destroying a large picture window in the … [Read more...]
Reusable Grocery Bags
I used to see a lady at Kroger’s from time to time that brought in her own grocery bags, but I haven’t seen her in a while. I’ve come to the conclusion that I may be the only shopper in town to bring my own reusable shopping bags – totes, really. My understanding is that stores are either going to begin taxing the use of those god-awful plastic grocery bags or do away with them … [Read more...]
Pea Picking
Tennessee Ernie Ford had a catchphrase: “Bless your pea-picking heart.” This week I was a genuine pea picker. I started not to sow peas in my garden this year. They seem like a lot of work and garden space for not very much return, but peas are one of just a few vegetables you can plant in March and when rotated, that space can yield two crops in a small garden. I also … [Read more...]
Let Down Your Nets
I have written a short story: Let Down Your Nets. Like the first such story I wrote – While Shepherds Watched – it is based on a Biblical account, but with fictional characters – my thoughts on how it might have been at that time. I will print each of the five chapters in CvilleBuzz, beginning this week. I hope you enjoy it. Nathan: A Young … [Read more...]
Looks Like Cobia Time
What a year we had for cobia in 2020! From the looks of things, we’ll have another spectacular summer of cobia fishing. Even though the creel season doesn’t begin until June 15th, anglers are already sight fishing for what some call “lemon fish” on a catch and release basis. Virginia’s summer fishing season is really picking up. The water temperature along the oceanfront is up to 69 degrees and … [Read more...]
Drug Stores and Soda Fountains
There was a time in America when drug stores didn’t occupy an entire city block. They weren’t part of corporate empires. There was a time when Boomers knew the local pharmacist to be a family friend and a trusted adviser on most things medical. If a youngster in the family was running a high fever, the pharmacist would often meet a distressed mom or dad after closing hours to fill an … [Read more...]
Bellair Market: Worth the Wait
My sister Johanna was in town to visit this week and when Wanch (family nickname) comes to Charlottesville, there are two places she eats lunch – Jack’n Jill and Bellair Market on Ivy Road. When our Mom was recuperating at Morningside Assisted Living, both Wanch and I would stop by Bellair Market before our visits. Mom loved their homemade brownies and cookies as well as their unique … [Read more...]
Delicious Sweet Apple Marinade
I was picking up a few last-minute items from Food Lion in Ruckersville and saw an end-counter display of marinades. I am always looking for good marinades and one caught my eye – it was a Sweet Apple Marinade made by Taste of Inspirations. Sweet apple? That sealed the deal. I was having a pork tenderloin cooked on the grill and apples and pork go together like Robinson and … [Read more...]
A Case of BBB
Many in the avian community are concerned about the recent spread of a condition known as BBB – “Bad Bird Behavior”, and it seems to be spreading. My daughter, Laura, recently moved from Durham into a house near downtown Charlottesville. Soon after she had settled in, she heard a “thump” at the back window. She went to investigate and discovered that it was a robin who was and continued to … [Read more...]
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