We recently escaped the daily routine around the house for an extended weekend in the southern reaches of Virginia. We found a small cabin rental near Galax, Virginia, located next to a charming stream. The cabin sat at the end of a long, gravel single…

A year ago I celebrated my first “Chinese Virus” birthday. In what would quickly evolve into a political agenda, we were just beginning the “two weeks to flatten the curve.” This past weekend, a full year later, another birthday has come and gone,…

Sláinte!It’s that time of the year when a Saint revered by many, especially in the Irish-Catholic community, is adopted by people of all descent. As a Catholic of Irish decent, I can find little fault with people bettering themselves. :-)I don’t drink …

Sunday afternoon was sunny and the spring allergies were tingling, but the temperature still needed “tweaking” to enjoy the outdoors. We decided to “de-winterize” the fire pit with the first fire of 2021. After clearing out some leaves, I got a fire go…

As we begin the second year of “two weeks to flatten the curve,” life can seem a bit repetitive. How many times have you thought, “What day is it?” But sometimes more of the same, isn’t necessarily a bad thing.After doing a bit (a very small bit) …

For just the second time this year, I was able to hit the range and enjoy a fun IDPA match. I opted to shoot the Compact SIG P320 in the Compact Carry Pistol (CCP) division at the monthly match held at the Cavalier Rifle and Pistol Club. I’ve only shot…

Today, February 27, is the Feast Day of St. Gabriel Possenti.Legend holds that Gabriel Possenti was a Catholic seminarian in Isola del Gran Sasso, Italy. In 1860 he is said to have used his skills with the pistol to drive off a band of marauding soldie…

After several weeks of cold weather and seemingly endless winter precipitation, we were treated to a couple days of warmer weather this week. Of course, I took advantage of that tease of spring to sit outside on the deck.On the first day of the brief w…

An Irishman moves into a tiny hamlet in County Kerry, walks into the pub and promptly orders three beers.The bartender raises his eyebrows, but serves the man three beers, which he drinks quietly at a table, alone.An hour later, the man has finished th…

We had a brief respite from the cold mid-week when the temperatures hit 50° in the afternoon. I decided enjoy an after dinner smoke on the deck. Even though the temperature dropped while I smoked, it was still an unseasonably temperate setting, though …