Saturday, July 19, 2008

It's Hot!!

Sometimes you can just tell when a day is going to be a scorcher. It really is no warmer now than it was this time yesterday morning, but the humidity has burgeoned and somehow the heat from the sun feels much more fierce. Steve, of course, is out in all of it, installing pipes on the dock, eventially to have running water out there. (To clean the boat, you know. No sense schlepping buckets from the house.) At least he's able to stand in the water as he works, so that's a bit cooling. (But he has to wear long pants in the water to fend off the jellyfish. Delightful. Nothing like the feeling of clinging, wet denim.)

We've taken our early-morning boat ride to check the crabs. Quite a few big ones caught since yesterday morning, but as the water temperature rises there will be fewer and fewer of the critters. Since all the water around here is so shallow--even Rehoboth Bay doesn't get any deeper than 6 feet--its temperature very closely approximates what we feel on land. Yesterday afternoon the water temperature at the end of our dock was 90 degrees, somewhere in the 30s C. Crabs head for very deep, cooler water when it gets that hot, so these dog days may well see a drop in our catch. That's OK with me, because the worst part of the whole crabbing experience is picking them. I already know how my Sunday morning is mapped out. The finished product is so worth it, though.

I hope your weekend is rolling out as nicely as ours.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had to work today but off tomorrow and love reading about my old stomping grounds. We used to catch a bunch of soft shell crabs, there where you are, and also around the Marinas in Deal, MD and some trips to Annapolis were good for crabing. Those soft shell crabs are delicious. Do you get those where you are?

Ralph said...

Sorry you had to work today, Z&M, but I hope it ends up in a little cash....

Much as I love soft shelled crabs, they are a blind spot for me as far as catching and cleaning them. I do know how to cook them but I never do. You're right, they are caught around here and are sold out of trucks on the side of the road, but since Steve doesn't like them I don't bother with any just for me. Soft shells are a restaurant treat for me.

Anonymous said...

You may not get this in time but we decided to do your fried chicken recipe this afternoon for dinner. Was reading over it and there isn't anyway to drizzle two tablespoons, is there? Load the two in the drizzle bottle? I'm thinking eye ball it.

Ralph said...

You're right, Z&M, eyeball it. Sometimes when yuou're writing down a recipe you know by heart I've discovered you have to improvise and approximate. Try it this way: the juice of half a lemon.

I'll be interested in the report!

Anonymous said...

Loved the chicken, all family give you two thumbs up. I took a picture, will send next week, golden brown, delicious. Everything consumed cept one leg which I will mix in to a lunch tomorrow. Check out Cat, you might get a laugh at Australian hostess getting all confused about the real Mr Gay. Click to enlarge so you can read the funny report. Z&Me

Mim said...

Ralph
Thanks for stopping by yesterday;
this morning I somehow accidentally deleted the post and all the comments,so rather than trying to recreate it I am just saying thank for your comment.
Yes it was a nice try to camp, but this heat wave it's better to stay inside. Hope you are having fun on the water.
Mim

Ralph said...

Thanks, Mim. I got your reply on your post--don't know waht happened. we're back now, in the luxurious lap of central air! The grass is heat-stressed, wo I don't ahve to mow it. Small favors!