Last week I ran an article on water snakes written byJ.D. Kleopfer, an expert in snake-ology. Basically, he said there are no cottonmouth moccasins in Central Virginia. They all live near the coast. Yet, everyday someone will see a water snake and swear it was a cottonmouth. Black snakes are another species that are misunderstood. We once had a small cottage on a lake in Greene … [Read more...]
Drum and Grits
By James Friend Dickerson During a recent trip to Manteo, NC, we got skunked on a Cobia fishing trip due to using a small craft during high winds. All was not lost! A friend stopped by the house and gifted us a couple of Puppy Drum - some call it a Drum, Red Fish or Channel Bass, depending on size and location. We call it delicious, whether for breakfast with fried potatoes or for dinner with … [Read more...]
A Drive to Graves Mountain Lodge
Sometimes it’s worth going to a restaurant for the scenery alone. If the food is good, that’s a bonus. Such is the case at Graves Mountain Lodge where the scenery is breathtaking and the food fabulous. Graves Mountain has a storied history. Captain Thomas Graves sailed the “Mary and Margaret” to Jamestown in 1608, and served as a representative in the Virginia Assembly at Jamestown in 1619. In … [Read more...]
A Super Rib Sauce
I had a hankering for ribs over Memorial Day weekend, but I didn’t want to use my typical Carolina BBQ Sauce. I wanted something with a little kick, but I can’t abide the Kraft-type sweet sauces. No matter which one you pick, which brand, they all taste the same - sickeningly sweet and gooey. I had picked out a beautiful rack of baby back ribs when I stumbled on an idea for a sauce. … [Read more...]
A Patient Planter
I always plant my little backyard garden too early. After a long winter – and desperate for the coming spring – I put my unsuspecting seeds and seedlings into the cold soil – and nothing happens. Many of my experienced garden friends don’t make a move until May 1. This year, I did better. I managed to get some spring onions, lettuce and beets in the ground in mid-March, then waited … [Read more...]
Drum Roll
Red and black drum numbers are very good throughout the lower bay. Anglers have had a lot of success with reds on the shoals near Smith Island. Black drum are also feeding near the Eastern shore, both seaside and bayside. Another good location is near the islands of the CBBT. Large schools of Cobia have been cruising the surface along the oceanfront and in the lower bay. Anglers have been sight … [Read more...]
First Place Goes To….
I once won a Blue Ribbon in a West Virginia Garden Club Flower Show. Therefore, in spite of what my golf buddies may say, I do have certain skills. This is how it all happened. My mother, Frances, was always involved with Garden Clubs and Flower Shows. She served as President in both the State and the National Garden Club. She judged shows across the country and was frequently called on as a … [Read more...]
Flat Iron Steak in a Mustard Blue Cheese Sauce
A few weeks ago I ordered Beef Tips at a restaurant that came with a mustard sauce. It was excellent. Not having the recipe and wanting to make it myself, I decided to wing it. Some of my “wing its” turn out well, and some don’t. This “wing it” really did. I went to the store thinking maybe I’d try a skirt steak with the mustard sauce but they didn’t have any. They did have some nice-looking … [Read more...]
Birth Announcements
I now have grand birds – lots of grand birds. In the last two weeks we have had three nests of cardinals to fledge, a nest of bluebirds, 2 nests of robins, a nest of sparrows and I don’t know how many batches of house finches. There are baby birds flying in all directions and fluttering their wings as they beg for food. Naturally, as a good grandparent, I am readily supplying my feathered … [Read more...]
Grocery Store Grrrrs
I enjoy going grocery shopping. I like to poke around and see what looks good, what motivates me to cook a particular dish and I especially like to run across good deals. But recently, my trips to the grocery store have stimulated more than a few “Grrrs”. They are starting to tick me off. One of the biggest gripes I now have is that with all the people calling in their orders, the aisles … [Read more...]
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