I’ve had some surprise visitors in my back yard this spring – a flock of cedar waxwings and then a pair of male Indigo Buntings. Sue Overton in Waynesboro one-upped me with a pair of Blue Grosbeaks that hung around her yard for a couple days. Blue Grosbeak sightings are usually few and far between. I have had Rose Breasted Grosbeaks pay my yard a visit on occasion, but never their blue … [Read more...]
Muddy Waters
Just as fishing was turning on, the heavens opened this week, turning rivers into chocolate. Before the rains, here’s what was happening. Rappahannock River Like all rivers in Northern Virginia, high and muddy water is on the menu for the weekend. Big blue catfish have been taking cut shad fished on the bottom and the outside bends of the river. Creek channels are also holding lots … [Read more...]
Virginia Saltwater
Many of our spring species have found their way to the Chesapeake Bay and our coastal waters. The tautog action is still good and should remain so through the close of the season. The Tog season closes from May 16 thru June 30. Red and black drum are here in numbers and fishing for them should continue to improve over the next few weeks. Fishing fresh crabs, clams or live bait produces the best … [Read more...]
Phone A Friend
(This is the sixth in a series of growing up in Lewisburg, West Virginia, perhaps the greatest town and in the best time to grow up that a young man could ever ask for.) Not long after we moved into our house on Court Street in Lewisburg, WV, the phone man arrived and set up our line. Remember, this was 1955, before cell phones and apps, before touch-tone phones, even before … [Read more...]
Lemon Roasted Chicken
Some of the best recipes are simple, not only simple to prepare but simple in ingredients. Lemon Roasted Chicken is such a dish. The prep time is about five minutes and the cooking time is less than an hour, so how simple can it be? And it’s delicious. There are a number of variations to this recipe but the best results come when the bird is cooked quickly in a relatively hot oven. Here’s … [Read more...]
Tee It Up at Tanyard
My brother Charlie was in town over the weekend and we chose The Greens at Tanyard for a Saturday afternoon golf outing. I picked Tanyard for several reasons – it plays quickly, there’s rarely a wait, it’s a fun course and you can almost always get a tee time after 1 PM. When we arrived, there was quite a bit of revelry out on the course, as several foursomes from a wedding party were obviously … [Read more...]
Coppersmith’s Food and Spirits
There is a new restaurant in town. Well, it’s not exactly in town – it’s south of Ruckersville - and it’s not exactly new – it’s about 5 months old. It’s Coppersmith’s Food and Spirits. We ate there last week and I was delighted with my experience. The restaurant is located off Rt. 29 North, about halfway between Forest Lakes and Ruckersville, in the small shopping center with Dunkin’ … [Read more...]
Saltwater Regulations
(Amberjacks must be at least 32-inches to keep) You almost need a law degree to understand the nuances of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Regulations, and sometimes they change things in mid-season. Regardless, as many of us prepare our spring and summer vacations to the coast, the regs printed below might be of some help. Each species is listed with minimum size and the daily creel … [Read more...]
Strawberry Fest at Liberty Farms
It’s almost time to pick strawberries in Virginia, and Liberty Farms is getting ready with fields full of dark green strawberry plants filled with white blossoms. In a few weeks, they will open their farm to willing strawberry pickers, a chance to pluck delicious, red-ripe strawberries straight from the vines. On Saturday, May 26, Liberty Farms will host their annual Strawberry Fest. … [Read more...]
Beautiful Indigo Buntings
“Come quick! There is a new bird at the feeder!” When my wife Nancy spoke those words, I came-a runnin’. For us birders, there is nothing more exciting than to see a visitor in your back yard. Picking sunflower hearts from the feeder were two beautiful Indigo Buntings, the first I can ever remember seeing in our yard. They stayed for a while, then left, and I haven’t seen them since. I … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 322
- 323
- 324
- 325
- 326
- …
- 456
- Next Page »