Author Archive

Five O’Clock Friday: Irish Chili

By From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Apr 4th, 2025 • Category: Blog Entries.Local

Alright, I’ll admit it—I let the Five O’Clock Friday humor posts slip through the cracks. But they’re making a comeback! I’ll try to keep the laughs to start the weekend coming from here on out.What better way to start than with a bit of Irish humor?IY…



Afternoon Indulgence: Cake, Coffee, and a Cigar

By From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Apr 2nd, 2025 • Category: Blog Entries.Local

It was a lazy afternoon — but in my defense, there was cake. Colleen had made an absolutely delectable Coconut Pistachio Layer Cake when our son and daughter-in-law visited last weekend. She set aside a couple of slices for us before sending the leftov…



A Taste of Spring: Southern Draw Firethorn and Bulleit Bottled in Bond

By From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Mar 29th, 2025 • Category: Blog Entries.Local

With the forecast predicting warm weather for the weekend, I was looking forward to enjoying a relaxing cigar and whiskey on the screen porch Friday evening. I’m allowing myself only limited moments with these pleasures as I continue healing from surge…



A Porchside Tradition: Cigars, Seasons, and the Vase That Knows

By From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Mar 26th, 2025 • Category: Blog Entries.Local

I’ve been tossing cigar bands into this flower vase for a while now. It gets filled, emptied, and filled again, time after time. I’m not entirely sure why I started, but it does add a touch of cigar-themed décor to the porch.When I retired last May, I …



A Birthday in Lent: Quiet Moments and Simple Pleasures

By From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Mar 22nd, 2025 • Category: Blog Entries.Local

My birthday each year falls somewhere within the season of Lent. That means any celebrations are typically subdued, with the occasion often more notably marked after Easter. This year, the day landed on a Friday in Lent, and combined with my ongoing re…



Irish Cheer at Home: Cocktails, Comfort Food, and Classic Cinema

By From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Mar 18th, 2025 • Category: Blog Entries.Local

As I continue to recover from back surgery, the days have started blending together. But the Feast of St. Patrick provided a welcome break from the routine. Even the simple act of getting a ride to the barbershop in the morning felt like a treat! Howev…



Sláinte to St. Patrick (and No, It’s Not ‘St. Patty’)

By From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Mar 17th, 2025 • Category: Blog Entries.Local

Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhaoibh!

It’s that time of the year when a Saint revered by many, especially in the Irish-Catholic community, is embraced by people of all backgrounds. As a Catholic of Irish decent, I can find little fault with people bettering…



Raise a Glass: Study Finds Alcohol May Boost Good Cholesterol

By From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Mar 13th, 2025 • Category: Blog Entries.Local

These days, we could all use some uplifting news. A recently published study by Harvard University researchers suggests that alcohol consumption may have a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels.The study tracked a cohort of 57,691 individuals undergo…



The Spirited Origins of Instagram

By From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Mar 7th, 2025 • Category: Blog Entries.Local

I ran across this fun tidbit recently — Instagram’s roots are soaked in whiskey!Back in 2010, Kevin Systrom, a Stanford University graduate and self-proclaimed whiskey lover, launched an iPhone app called Burbn. The app was designed to let users check …



Post-Surgery Reflections: Pain, Progress, and Gratitude

By From http://www.musingsoverabarrel.com/ • Mar 5th, 2025 • Category: Blog Entries.Local

It’s now been a week since my back surgery, so I figured it was time for another update — part catharsis, part progress report. The best news of all, by every measure, the surgery was a success. I’m still dealing with plenty of post-surgical pain, and …