Author: Vic Socotra

Raptors

There is nothing particularly interesting about cleaning out the garage. I mean, maybe fascinating to me, but a lack of general interest. Sorry. I don’t have to sign up for health Care today- or at least I don’t think so- and will suspend concern until we see what happens in the New Year. I am […]

Disconnected

  (The Arlington Methodist Tree at home in Culpeper with cheery lights). It is 72 degrees and quite unseasonable for the first day of Winter at Refuge Farm. I feel merry enough, but quite disconnected from the season. Was just last weekend I was chipping ice off the porch, concerned I might slip and rocket […]

5 Days Before Christmas

Old Jim called me as I was trying to get topics outlined for some uplifting pre-holiday thoughts. The phone was buried in my back-back, and I had to burrow around for a while before I got to it, just in the nick of time before it rolled over to “missed call.” “Yes, Jim,” I said. […]

Big Yellow Taxi

“You don’t know what you got, till it’s gone.” – – Joni Mitchell, “Big Yellow Taxi.” You know, if you miss a news cycle these days, you may as well be sorting through the rubbish heap of ancient times. I was coming back from a get-together with some former colleagues out in the still-sprouting exurbs […]

Elves are Real

(Elf Tiffany holds court at World of Beer. Photo Socotra). OK- trust me, I am not going to try to understand even the Executive Summary of the recommendations of the Presidential Panel on reviewing what is happening at NSA. Can’t do it, not with all the elves running around. There is something equally strange in […]

The Devil’s Own Deviled Eggs

I was going to write about deviled eggs this morning and do sort of a pre-holiday public service for all those celebrations we are going to have. I sat down at the computer about five hours ago, and have gotten exactly nowhere. I am not quite sure how things got out of control. Is it […]

Amen Corner Christmas

(L-R: Vic, The Lovely Bea (TLB) , Old Jim, Jon-without, and Chanteuse Mary at the feast thrown by TLB. Photo un-Plaic Jamie.) Sure, there are some daunting problems confronting us this holiday season. Whatever that health thing is, a stagnant economy, sustained underemployment, out of control spending, implacable enemies overseas and all that stuff. Plus […]

Power Ball

(Navy takes advantage of a Black Knight miscue. Photo AP) I left the lottery ticket in the visor on the Panzer, which was tucked safely in the garage after a partially successful foray to watch the clash between Army and Navy up in Philly. It was for the PowerBall jackpot- not a huge one, since […]

Eggs Ackley

(Overhead Image of Farm Fresh Croftburn Farms Dawn Farm eggs simmering in the skillet with Country Sausage with sage, sautéed Mexican red pepper and onion to start the morning at Refuge Farm. Photo NASA.) I got what I needed to get at the Farm, and am cautiously watching the weather on doppler radar as bands […]