Chicken livers is one of those dishes you either love or hate. There is no middle ground. Nobody ever says, “They’re okay.” It’s either: “I’d rather chase a flock of buzzards off a gut pile than eat chicken livers” or “Let’s have them again tonight!” Put me in the latter group. Funny, but as much as I enjoy chicken livers, we seldom have them. On a recent tour through … [Read more...]
A Worthwhile Drive to Eltzroth & Thompson
I made a drive down to Eltzroth & Thompson last Sunday because I figured they were the only nursey in town that carried Abraham Lincoln Tomatoes. I was right. They had ‘em and I bought ‘em. This variety is unbelievably productive, beginning in mid-summer and continuing till the first frost. Three or four plants will keep you in fresh tomatoes for up to four months. Eltzroth & … [Read more...]
Babies On the Way
“Hello? Fluker Farms? This is the guy in Virginia who buys all those meal worms from you and I’m going to need more. I have bluebirds, cardinals and robins nesting in my yard!” My bluebirds were on the nest early this year – at the end of March. I look for the babies to hatch this weekend and it’s important to keep mealworms on hand for maximum chick survival. As I mentioned, I buy … [Read more...]
Lake Orange Open For Business
Lake Orange, one of Virginia’s most productive lakes, is now open for business. Actually, the lake is always open throughout the year, but the marina, Angler’s Landing, opened their doors for the spring season last weekend and fish are starting to bite. Angler’s Landing sells lures, live bait and snacks and rents 14-foot jon boats and electric trolling motors, giving anglers access to … [Read more...]
That First Best Friend
His name was Freddie Arnold. He was sent by heaven to save a young Boomer from a life dominated by girls. He was my first, best friend. The summer before I would start third grade in Beckley, WV, my family moved across town. I would be in a new school and in a new neighborhood. The day the movers were unloading our furniture, a bolt of lightning hit the refrigerator one of the men was … [Read more...]
Bodo’s Comes Through Again
It is no accident that Bodo’s is a leader in their field. They have not only survived any and all competition, they have prospered. And here is one clear example why. Last Sunday, Nancy and I were meeting our daughter Laura in Farmville to pick up a new laptop for Nancy that Laura was helping program. Since we knew that Laura loves Bodo’s we stopped by the Emmet Street store before we … [Read more...]
(Almost) Gold Finches
After being a drab olive for six months, my male goldfinches are beginning to put on the Ritz, molting into a new suit of bright gold feathers. I always thought the birds’ feathers changed colors, but they don’t. Many birds grow new and entirely differently colored feathers. The goldfinch is the only one in its family to undergo a complete, not a partial molt. Even the females get a … [Read more...]
Pepperoni Pockets, Not Rolls
Pepperoni Rolls are a unique West Virginia creation, inspired from the lunch pails of coal miners. Relegated to the depths of the mines, a Pepperoni Roll for lunch was a welcomed respite for a hungry miner. First created in Marion County in the 1920s, the classic Pepperoni Roll consists of a soft white yeast bread roll with pepperoni baked in the middle. Since the pepperoni was cured, … [Read more...]
Weeds and Wildflowers
(Creasy greens growing wild beside the road) Last summer as I was driving north on Rt. 29, I saw a flowering weed beside the road so stunning that I went back to see it again. To the best of my weed-identification abilities, it was a butterfly weed – adorned in the most incredible orange I have ever seen. Since that time, I have been on the lookout for beautiful weeds and … [Read more...]
Remembering Bob Hope
Bob Hope lived to be 100. He died 15 years ago, but he will be remembered as a man who really made a difference, entertaining our troops on foreign soil for over 50 years. Below are some of Bob’s memorable one-liners. On his deathbed they asked him where he wanted to be buried. He replied: "Surprise me." On Turning 70 - "I still chase women, but only … [Read more...]
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