Some photographs from a recent summer fishing adventure on the Nation's River, between Seneca Breaks and Riverbend Park -- that is, between Montgomery County on the Maryland side, Fairfax County on the Virginia side. Sunrise just downstream of Pennyfield Lock in Potomac, Maryland. So much of the Potomac looks like this, wide and flat and … Continue reading Photo Gallery: Potomac River Vistas
Afishionado: A ‘large minnow’ that builds and shares a spawning bed
It’s always the first example of an oxymoronic phrase — jumbo shrimp. Here’s a new one — large minnow. Yes, there is such a thing. It’s called a fallfish, a silvery species that swims in rivers of the U.S. Northeast and Canada. It’s a chub of the family Cyprinidae, and the largest minnow species native … Continue reading Afishionado: A ‘large minnow’ that builds and shares a spawning bed
For taste of Ukraine, try this simple, good potato dish
There are many ways to show solidarity with Ukraine in its fight for survival against the homicidal maniac in Moscow — fly a Ukrainian flag, send money to support organizations, write to your congressional representative. You might consider buying a Ukrainian product, despite Trump’s tariffs on imports from that country. I purchased a bottle of … Continue reading For taste of Ukraine, try this simple, good potato dish
The August Wilson Celebration continues in Baltimore theaters
A reminder that the Baltimore August Wilson Celebration continues in September with Everyman Theatre’s staging of “The Piano Lesson.” That production will mark the fourth of the 10 Wilson plays that 10 Baltimore theater companies agreed to stage over three years, giving a whole new generation of theatergoers multiple opportunities to see live performances of … Continue reading The August Wilson Celebration continues in Baltimore theaters
The Susquehanna Swarm
It might seem like a freak of nature, a bizarre phenomenon set off by the latent effects of the Three Mile Island nuclear accident 50 miles (and more than 46 years) upstream. But it’s actually a natural phenomenon and a sign of environmental health. Workers at Conowingo Dam, on the Susquehanna River, were recently awed … Continue reading The Susquehanna Swarm
On immigration, a shocking poll result that should not have been shocking
I saw something in the recent Gallup Poll on immigration that shocked me: “Support for allowing undocumented immigrants to become U.S. citizens has risen to 78%, up from 70% last year. This is also back to the level of support seen in 2019 (81%) while slightly lower than in 2016 (84%). Approval is higher still, … Continue reading On immigration, a shocking poll result that should not have been shocking
In praise of San Marzano
Our San Marzano tomatoes, the Champagne of plum tomatoes, are starting to come in, though apparently it’s a violation of European Union rules to call them San Marzano tomatoes when they are grown in a Baltimore backyard or anywhere other than in the Sarno Valley of Italy. The Italians will dispatch consiglieres and Carbiniere if … Continue reading In praise of San Marzano
Nothing funny about climate change denial
I noticed several laughing emojis in a Facebook post last week about climate change, stormwater runoff and flash floods. Some people — almost all white males, many of them clearly Trumpies — apparently still mock the fact that a warming planet is causing more extreme weather, and that 100-year storms are happening more frequently. I’ve … Continue reading Nothing funny about climate change denial
A little nostalgia with your coffee
I decided to extract this blue coffee pot from a closet and give it a try again. It’s been a long time. I brew coffee by multiple methods but have avoided percolation primarily because it takes too long and, with a gas stovetop, too much energy. But the other day, Bastille Day, I thought the … Continue reading A little nostalgia with your coffee
The McGraw Mausoleum
McGraw John McGraw, Baseball Hall of Fame player and manager, resting here. . . . New Cathedral Cemetery, a sprawling, hilly burial ground on the southwestern side of Baltimore, has the distinction of being the final resting place of four Hall of Fame baseball players. This photo, taken in early spring, is of the mausoleum … Continue reading The McGraw Mausoleum
Dan Rodricks 