Boxelder Beetles to Beat the Band

Dateline: Summer 2026. Here’s another backlog blog item that is getting posted today as part of my obsession with chronicling the goings-on of the Roediger House. This past summer brought a new pest to my yard, and to my awareness: boxelder beetles.

I don’t need to know where these have been all my life but once they started invading the space, they quickly grew into teeming hordes. (We also had a brief invasion of kudzu beetles—also a novelty for me—but that proved more short-lived.)

Once I did my internet research about these boxelder beetles, I first tackled them with the insecticide that I had handy. After that I went with a more natural beetle deterrent, and for quite a few weeks it was my regular mission to stomp them everywhere they were spotted.

That went on for a while, mind you, although after my initial full-frontal attack on them, the pesky remnants who thought they’d be allowed to live quickly learned of a different reality. By late summer, they gave all indications to make me believe we’d achieved full eradication, but I’m sure I’m just fooling myself.

Guess Who Lost the Rat Race

Dateline: Sat 06 June. As the first full week of June was drawing to a close, there was quite a bit of excitement happening. Let’s start with a first-time accomplishment by the house imp, Scarlett: she managed to pounce on and eliminate a yard rat.

Then, no more than 40 minutes later, I’ll be darned if she didn’t slay a second larger rat. That girl must’ve wanted to get in my good graces something fierce.

The next day, there was a third rat slaying by this girl. Not only did I have no idea we had such a rat problem, I had no clue that she was such a rat problem solver.

You go, Scarlett Impia!

But wait! There is more! When I was getting that Saturday morning started in the kitchen, the number and speeding intensity of a convoy of Winston-Salem police cars piqued my curiosity enough to tune into the scanner on Broadcastify.

Once the communications exchanges made clear there was a complete shutdown of Salem Parkway and US 421 just down from the house, I thought I’d stroll to see what was afoot. From the Peters Creek Parkway bridge over the highway I snapped these shots.

Eventually the local news had the fuller story: this was the conclusion of a vehicle chase that left one WSPD unit flipped onto its roof and another slightly smashed into a small SUV.

Meal No. 4119: Pork Chops and Two Sides

The final day of May occurred a week ago Sunday, and it was a standard meal of a meat and two sides. I took advantage of the sous vide immersion circulator to bring to perfect temp a trio of prepped pork chops from a Costco value-pak. I added in canned green beans and some stovetop stuffing, and I think the diners were happy enough with the results.

It was another lovely day in downtown Winston-Salem, with good yard time with the pups. Sumner was happy to soak up sun, as is his bent, and it also gave me a chance to spy the earliest blooms on the amazing astra blue balloon flowers that grow on either side of the front steps.

Meal No. 4116: Fried Chicken Fingers

With a mix of ideas in my head and not enough sense to follow somebody else's recipe, I made chicken fingers on the final Thursday evening of May. The weather had turned nice and I was in a picnic mindset, maybe, but I dipped and breaded and fried thin slices of chicken breast and also whipped up a quick batch of cabbage slaw to go with it. I also made both a honey-mustard sauce and a fast-food-style barbecue-enhanced version of the same. The dipping sauces were on point, the breading was not as pronounced as I'd hoped on the chicken, and the slaw was a faithful side ride.

Sumner took up his favorite spot beneath our guest's feet, as he is sweetly contented to do.

But his preference earlier in the day was to splay out on the driveway in order to soak up as much as he could of the welcome sunshine on a dazzling late spring day.

And that morning's appearance of the first daylily bloom at the back door seemed earlier than past years. But no less lovely!

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"5 Minute Honey Mustard Sauce," by Lindsay of PinchofYum.com. [Published 22 July 2015]

Groundhog Vanquishing No. 1

Oh, gentle readers: this post comes with a warning if you are on the more skittish side of the natural world's cruelty line. But the RoHo blog favors full documentation of all things Roediger House, and last Monday offered up a new encounter with wildlife for the resident pooches.

It proved distracting, while sitting at the kitchen table in deep conversation with visiting friends and colleagues Donna and Ebbie, to see a groundhog traipsing across the neighboring gravel lot. But when it came back over to the backyard here, it brought back to mind the trouble caused by the one that took up residence in the crawl space right beneath us. Initially all I could do was corner it under my Camry.

I summoned for backup in the form of two eager household hunters and they were more than equal to the task. As that potentially pesky invader and destructive digger tried to bolt from under the car, Sumner was on him in a flash, and Scarlett was close behind. And yes: I was a proud papa punching up the camera app on his phone to document the battle royale. The rascal put up a good fight but he was not equal to the double-teaming of our yard guards. I will spare you the final photo of him but you may depend on the fact that he is now a 6-feet-under-ground-hog.

Groundhog sightings ain't the most regular part of life on this cozy quarter acre, but they have occurred from time to time (in 2022 and 2024). With the tag-team duo to dominate him, this particular groundhog will not be making camp under my house like one of his relations.

Meal No. 4087: Grilled Chicken Caesar Wraps

Oh my goodness: Sunday a week ago the main meal of the day appeared at lunchtime, and it was a delicious doozy, if I may say so. Something I scrolled past on Instagram planted the idea to make grilled chicken Caesar wraps with the final two burrito shells still hanging out in the fridge. I prepped and seasoned some flattened chicken breast and grilled it to a perfect juicy conclusion. I pulled the last of the latest batch of creamy Caesar dressing out of the fridge. I shaved fresh Parmesan from a block I had on hand. I chopped Romaine. When the chicken was cooked and properly diced, I piled it all high and then inexpertly rolled it all into a bulging wrap. These went onto the grill for a sealing sear and to melt the shaved parmesan down a bit. In the end, these were pretty stupendous, for such a simple concoction. I kept thinking about those wraps for a good portion of my drive to Richmond once I was packed up and able to head off for a week of work in Virginia.

At least I'd gotten the grass cut before leaving town for the week!

Meal No. 4059: Chicken Katsu (A Japanese Fried Chicken Street Food)

It's been almost a decade since I made a much-loved recipe for chicken katsu, also known as Japanese fried chicken and often thought of as "street food." In the middle of the 2010s, it showed up here quite a few times, regularly accompanied by vinegar sushi rice and a soy-mirin-onion sauce. That was the direction I went this past Thursday night. Well-satisfied and happy to have time to bask in dinner's afterglow with ongoing conversation at the table, the testament to simple pleasure in good company was pronounced and convincing.

That warmth of fellowship seemed all the more fitting given how winter so pointedly reasserted itself that morning. After an exceptionally warm multi-day teaser of springtime, in rolled a bold front of cold and a turbulent upheaval of conflicted air masses, and then a protracted deluge of downpours followed the choppy winds of change. Ominous rolls of thunder came on forcefully enough that morning to rumble the sturdy timbers of this grand old manse, but still and steady was my most excellent Sumner as he cozied close and comfy along and across my outstretched legs.

Safely sequestered inside, the morning coffee was consumed and a decent start on my next Allende novel was achieved, but by late morning I had to switch over to PowerPoint presentation preparation thanks to an impending session in Richmond that I had high hopes for. Given the 20-degree tumble of temps from wake-up to yogurt snack, a little slideshow distraction was a useful occupation to avoid discomfiting awareness of meteorological misery.

Once the clouds moved out, we were graced with stunning sunshine and fully blue skies, and cruel harsh winds to counteract what might otherwise have been a glorious Winston-Salem afternoon. Still: the brilliant blooms on the lone surviving cherry tree were stunning against the fully blue heavens later that afternoon.

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"Japanese Fried Chicken," from Cuisine at Home, Issue 98, March/April 2013, p. 44-45.

"Vinegar Sushi Rice," from Cuisine at Home, Issue 98, March/April 2013, p. 45.

A Record-Breaking False Spring

The false spring that's played out over the last week was record-breaking on a couple of days, and as it came to its triumphant end on Wednesday before temps plunged down closer to normal, it at least tied the 1967 record of 86°F, at Piedmont Triad International Airport.

Sumner and Scarlett found it to be exceptionally pleasing for some front yard hang time, which means a couchant perch to watch for Sumner, and plenty of sniff and startle for Scarlett.

Here at the Roediger House, I only saw it get to 85°F, and the breezes were strong and it was delightful. The Bradford pear's short-lived blossoms are already being pushed aside by the emerging green leafing, and the lone surviving nearby cherry tree is in full strut.

A couple of the camellia bushes are also busting out in bloom, out behind the house, so I snagged a couple of photos to memorialize this stage of our seasonal progress.

Because I planted a staggered row of these bushes between two evergreen trees, I am once more testifying to poor landscape planning, and they will either have to be moved or I'll just have to dig 'em up and do away with them.

But for now, I appreciate their earnest coloring and gorgeous display as I peer out the kitchen window when I'm working at the sink.

Meal No. 4056: Grilled Pork Kebabs with BBQ Glaze

After an almost-full week of work down in southeast Georgia, it was pretty nice to be back in place at home this past Friday. A neighbor was here for supper, and it was a perfect evening for grilling. So we had pork kebabs with a sweet barbecue glaze, a pot of roasted garlic quinoa gave good grains, and an abundance of herbed roasted asparagus rounded out the plate.

We reveled in a high temp in record territory that fine Friday in Winston-Salem, hitting 83°F at the local weather station and 84°F on the Roediger House Tempest.

Lots of sunshine (but gentle breezes to moderate the sun's bake) meant plenty of good time on the driveway with the pups and with our dinner guest when he arrived.

And the next sign of spring was emerging on the Bradford pear tree, with a few early blossoms and plenty of ready-to-burst buds. I am so glad that the end of winter is nearly here, and I welcomed the time change over the weekend that lets me indulge these pleasant evenings even longer!

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"Grilled Pork Kebabs with Barbecue Glaze," by Andrea Geary. Recipe was an online extra from Cook's Illustrated and based on "The Best Way to Grill Pork Tenderloin," Issue No. 134, May & June 2015, p. 6.

Meal No. 4051: Cheddar-Crust Chicken Pot Pie

As we approach the almost exact 40-year mark of knowing one another, my good friend and fellow UNC alum Kelly found his way back over to the house for a dinner visit last Tuesday night. Bearing a couple of fine gifts, the absolute best of which was his presence, Kelly joined us at the table for a supper of cheddar crust chicken pot pie and roasted herbed whole green beans. We were on the second of a couple of frigid-feeling days after the previous week's welcome warm-up, and I was absolutely committed to something that would be fully comforting. In this, there was success.

Tuesday morning brought welcome signs of our crocus resurrection, and I shall giddily celebrate Spring’s arrival especially after a January of winter’s enduring onslaught and about a thousand dollars sent to Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas to cover it.

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"Chicken Potpie with Cheddar Crust," from Food Network Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 8 (October 2011), p. 132-133.

Meal No. 4049: Egg Drop Soup

Rather recently, but for only the second time, I made egg drop soup. It was good that night earlier in the month, but I was anxious to try again soon. That occurred last Sunday evening, as our temps took another massive dip into below-freezing territory, and harsh brutal gusts shook and jangled even the things that appeared nailed down. Soup felt right, and it was enhanced with the recent addition of wide chow mein noodles to mix in for a bit of crunch.

But let me tell you how glorious to me were the earliest manifestations of the approaching spring season, as that morning I spied the emerging shoots of tulips having suddenly made generous progress out of their bulbed dormancy.

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"Egg Drop Soup," by Bill Leung of The Woks of Life: A Culinary Genealogy. [Published November 2015 / Updated 16 April 2025]

A Sheetload of Ice

The grand sleet event of late January that offered us an accumulation of close to maybe three inches of mostly sleet, which compacted down into a 1.5-2 inch sheet of ice all over every ground surface (yard and driveway and steps and sidewalks!), had a lasting impact because temperatures remained very much below normal. Schools were out the whole week and I was lucky that I'd had no scheduled work trips. I thought I'd let a standalone blog post capture a piece of this story...or should I say a kazillion pieces?

After initially carving a path to walk more safely from the street to the back door, and clearing off the front steps and sidewalk as well, I wanted to get as much of the driveway cleared as I could.

The bright sunshine of last week helped even while it was still too cold for my efforts to get boosted by any rapid melting. Instead, I had to rely on gradually chipping away with a flatblade shovel, wedging underneath where I could, and hoping that a large enough section would break up or lift up. The wheelbarrow helped but unfortunately the tire isn't holding air for very long.

Digging in the front edge, pushing in gently, lifting a bit, waiting for the rewarding sound of cracking ice, and either happily grabbing up a huge chunk or aggressively shoveling the bits and fragments...

I mean: I did finally get the car out, and I reckon not quite half of the parking lot was freed of its icing.

One of four massive piles of these ice slabs is pictured here, tucked behind a dead cherry tree but easily accessed from the upper lot area. Another sizable pile of this icy debris sits in the kitchen herb garden; a couple of smaller piles are nearby. At the street, on one side of the driveway entrance is a similar pile of these chunks and on the lower side is a pile twice as big. Here's a shot of that taken once the snow had begun last Saturday morning: