For our 50thwedding anniversary on March 3 last year, Nancy and I went on a cruise to Hawaii. It was magnificent. This year, we stayed a little closer to home since we only had two days to get away. Nancy said, “Surprise me.” It had to be near water, since we are both enchanted with those water views. We love Nags Head, the Eastern Shore and anyplace with the smell of salt water in … [Read more...]
About Smith Mountain Lake
Smith Mountain Lake is a 20,600-acre lake in the Roanoke Region of Virginia, located southeast of the City of Roanoke and southwest of Lynchburg. The lake was created in 1963 by the Smith Mountain Dam impounding the Roanoke River. The lake has become a popular recreation spot and has also experienced significant development in the last decade. It is the third largest lake in Virginia, … [Read more...]
Where to Stay?
Some of the best places to stay at Smith Mountain Lake are the homes and condos on the Airbnb site. I saw dozens and dozens of wonderful places at very attractive rates, but I was making reservations just a few days before our trip and would be arriving after business hours, so I decided to go through a real estate management company where I could ask questions, get directions and … [Read more...]
Fishing Smith Mountain
Smith Mountain is a striper lake, pure and simple. There are lots of other fish to be caught, but the lake’s main attraction is the striped bass. Each spring, the stripers in the lake try to spawn, but are unable. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) helps out with generous stockings each year from their Brookneal Hatchery. VDGIF says that stripers are … [Read more...]
Tee it Up at Smith Mountain
If you get tired of fishing and water skiing at Smith Mountain Lake, there’s always golf, and there are a couple nice courses open to the public. Mariner’s Landing, for example, is an 18-hole layout designed by Robert Trent Jones. It’s a semi-private course with practice facilities and a nice grill on site. Another opportunity exists at the Westlake Golf & Country Club. I had the … [Read more...]
Eatin’ Out: Napoli Cowboy
Believe it or not, there is a restaurant at Smith Mountain Lake named Napoli Cowboy. Really! As weird as it sounds, it’s a great place to eat. Nancy and I were searching for a nice restaurant for our anniversary dinner and were disappointed that the Blackwater Cafe was closed on Sundays. We had never eaten there, but it came highly recommended. But we came across a place called Napoli … [Read more...]
Par for the Course of Life: Part II
(Part II of a sermon preached by the Rev. James A. Rhone on July 27, 1986.) The problem we face as disciples of Jesus are not unlike that of the golfer who needs to improve, to become better. We know that the trouble is not with the design of the course of life, it is not that the teachings of Jesus are unrealistic, they make perfect sense. The trouble is with us, the … [Read more...]
When Music Was Instrumental
Music without words. Is that possible anymore? Today’s music consists mainly of light rock, heavy metal and rap. It would be hard to do rat-a-tat rap music without words like “Ho’s in the hood” or rock music without a pounding beat and an echo chamber for the soloist. But Boomers remember when there was great music, and no words whatsoever. We called them … [Read more...]
Smell Like a Man
It was television that triggered the explosion in sales of men’s fragrances. Before TV, there were a handful of scents on the market – Mennen, Pinaud Clubman, Williams After Shave and a couple of others. But in the late 50s and 60s, people – especially men people – would buy most anything that was advertised. And we Boomers bought a pile of fragrances. Let’s go back and see. Old … [Read more...]
Unexpected Company
During the brief snow storm last week, I distributed an extra-large amount of seeds across over the back yard. Naturally, I had lots of visitors. I counted 20 different varieties of birds during the day, but I had a little unexpected company. Around mid-morning, a pair of beautiful Pileated Woodpeckers flew into the yard, attached themselves to the trunk of an old cherry tree and began … [Read more...]
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