In Game: at Dayton

[raptorcat]

Superior Court judges in North Carolina spend most of their time holding court in counties other than their own because our constitution requires us to "ride the circuit." While some of my colleagues chafed at this requirement, I grew to like it. The vast bulk of my out-of-county weeks were spent in adjacent counties so that I could be back home for supper in a reasonable time, and I was less interrupted by well-wishers and burdened with administrative duties than if I were in my home county. (Just as importantly, I could still get to Belk Arena in time for tip-off during basketball season.)

When holding court on the road, it was easy to fall into a routine; Mrs. Raptorcat prepared my lunches and I relished the fewer interruptions and visitors during the lunch break. I often took my fly-tying vise and some basic materials with me and tied up a few trout flies during recesses. One time, I was holding court in Winston-Salem. It was a civil session and involved mostly motions. In one particular case, the attorneys didn't request the matter be heard with a court reporter so I suggested we could hear the matter in chambers. I was using the office of Ron Spivey, one of the resident Winston-Salem judges who, like me was holding court in some county other than his own. I had been working on a fly and it was still in the vise, so while the attorneys made their legal arguments to me, I resumed my work at the vise.

The arguments ran their course, and as I finished up my fly, I made my ruling. I told the winning attorney to draw up an order that reflected my decision. I then took the finished fly, a size 14 parachute Adams, off the vise, gave it to the losing attorney, and said, "Here's your consolation prize." The winning attorney then said, "Heck, Judge, if I'd known the loser got a fly, I wouldn't have argued so hard."

Because I was back in Winston-Salem the following week, I left my fly-tying materials scattered all over Judge Spivey's desk. He stopped by his office late that Friday to get his mail and look through his phone messages. He told me he was mildly surprised to see his desk strewn with chicken feathers, fur, and assorted tools but knew I'd be back to hold court again and that I'd tidy up in due course. The cleaning lady came in to empty the trash, saw the mess, and after exchanging pleasantries with Judge Spivey, remarked, "Judge, can I ask you something? Is you trying to build a bird in here?"

GO CATS!

[DC69Wildcat]

It is so refreshing to see a fly tying story on this board. I was beginning to think it would never happen. Maybe you could post some of your favorite fly recipes?

[raptorcat]

I can see the eye-rolling and hear the groans from here. Maybe a PM is in order ...

[MrMac]

And I thought I'd never see the phrase "favorite fly recipie," on this board, or anywhere.

[Dr. Bliss]

This one worked today on some previously un-catchable fish on the Davidson river.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcF37TRn3OE

[stevelee]

And I thought I'd never see the phrase "favorite fly recipie," on this board, or anywhere.

I used to make grasshopper pie.

[JCDC]

ESPN says 9.5 underdogs

[MrMac]

And I thought I'd never see the phrase "favorite fly recipie," on this board, or anywhere.

I used to make grasshopper pie.

Anything like the drink?

[stevelee]

I used to make grasshopper pie.

Anything like the drink?

I used the recipe from the cookbook published by the Pirates’ House in Savannah. It is a lot of work to make, but gives impressive results in terms of flavor and appearance. You make a chocolate cookie crumb crust and chill that. Then you cook a custard. You divide the custard and put unsweetened chocolate and I guess sugar into one part. That becomes the next layer. To the other part you add crème de menthe and crème de cacao (as in the drink) and probably something else. Then you beat egg whites and gently fold them into the green mixture, so you wind up with a very tall chiffon layer. Of course then you chill the pie. Later, you whip cream and add it to the top and sprinkle on shavings of chocolate.

There are simpler recipes one could find, but the original is still the greatest. For an additional challenge, prepare Julia Child’s recipe for boeuf Bourguignon at the same time. I did that, maybe more than once.

I eventually realized that after I decided not to major in chemistry, a couple of my hobbies took the place of that interest in my life. I was serious about photography, used a darkroom on campus, and then set up a darkroom in my dorm room at SMU, even doing some color. In Albemarle in the 1970s I enjoyed cooking for a bunch of friends and still occasionally fed small crowds from time to time. Around 2000 I fed at least 75 people after church, with serving starting by 12:15. I had preached at two churches that morning. I had four meats, a variety of vegetables, using Julia’s pot au feu recipe. It’s a matter of organization.

These days I’ll fix something to take to a party. At home for myself, my main recipe is to punch holes in a plastic cover and heat in the microwave. I find cooking fun just when there is an audience. My most frequent chemical reaction I cause is from opening a can of soda pop. (Extra credit to the reader for knowing that reaction.)

[Dr. Bliss]

I used to make grasshopper pie.

Anything like the drink?

I used the recipe from the cookbook published by the Pirates’ House in Savannah. It is a lot of work to make, but gives impressive results in terms of flavor and appearance. You make a chocolate cookie crumb crust and chill that. Then you cook a custard. You divide the custard and put unsweetened chocolate and I guess sugar into one part. That becomes the next layer. To the other part you add crème de menthe and crème de cacao (as in the drink) and probably something else. Then you beat egg whites and gently fold them into the green mixture, so you wind up with a very tall chiffon layer. Of course then you chill the pie. Later, you whip cream and add it to the top and sprinkle on shavings of chocolate.

There are simpler recipes one could find, but the original is still the greatest. For an additional challenge, prepare Julia Child’s recipe for boeuf Bourguignon at the same time. I did that, maybe more than once.

I eventually realized that after I decided not to major in chemistry, a couple of my hobbies took the place of that interest in my life. I was serious about photography, used a darkroom on campus, and then set up a darkroom in my dorm room at SMU, even doing some color. In Albemarle in the 1970s I enjoyed cooking for a bunch of friends and still occasionally fed small crowds from time to time. Around 2000 I fed at least 75 people after church, with serving starting by 12:15. I had preached at two churches that morning. I had four meats, a variety of vegetables, using Julia’s pot au feu recipe. It’s a matter of organization.

These days I’ll fix something to take to a party. At home for myself, my main recipe is to punch holes in a plastic cover and heat in the microwave. I find cooking fun just when there is an audience. My most frequent chemical reaction I cause is from opening a can of soda pop. (Extra credit to the reader for knowing that reaction.)

I guess it would be turning a liquid into a gas, but I can do that with any food substance.

[stevelee]

[DC69Wildcat]

Effervescence.

[DC69Wildcat]

And I thought I'd never see the phrase "favorite fly recipie," on this board, or anywhere.

I used to make grasshopper pie.

Here is the recipe for the Whitlock Hopper.
https://flysandguides.com/fly-tying/how ... ck-hopper/

[stevelee]

I guess it would be turning a liquid into a gas, but I can do that with any food substance.

Cattle can do that especially well, so they contribute to greenhouse gases. But they are unable to open cans of soda pop.

So yes, liquid and gas, but which ones? Think of the chemical equation.

[stevelee]

H₂CO₃ —> H₂O + CO₂