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I was a bit concerned that we might have difficulty find good Mexican food so far from the Southwest. Santa Fe Mexican Grill has now far exceeded our expectations both with Carne Asada Tacos and Chicken Fajitas. I notice many dishes on the menu that I have never seen before. I am aware that many Mexican restaurants in the Southwest reflect Sonoran traditions. I wonder if we may be seeing more dishes from other states?
Sitting at the Foot of the Mountain:
Thank you, dear readers, for your patience. I like to be consistent in my postings, but having moved cross country from Idaho to Tennessee, it's been a challenge!
It's interesting to move to a place where the evidence of Christianity is everywhere. Just like in Idaho, there are numerous churches. In Idaho, it was the LDS church that made its presence greatly felt; here in Tennessee, you find a plethora of Baptist churches.
People are polite here. They smile, call you "honey" and have a friendliness that is very endearing. Idaho used to be like that. When we first moved there 25 years ago from northern California, it was refreshingly nice. People looked you in the eye, smiled and said, "hello." I felt we had died and gone to heaven.
Change is inevitable, to be sure, but it's the kind of change that can be discouraging. Idaho experienced a boom in population that I have never seen before. After Covid, our state was flooded by people who were disgusted with how their governments handled the epidemic. For some, it was the final straw.
We came to Idaho after 9/11 caused my husband to lose his job in telecommunications. HP in Boise offered him a job and we are forever grateful to God for opening up that door to us.
Around 2020, we saw a shift. People no longer looked you in the eye or smiled; they didn't say, "hello" and seemed almost offended if you did. The drivers became more aggressive, bullying you by tailgating and some used the interstate to race other like-minded individuals.
As noted in the previous post, the Feast Day of Pope Saint Pius X was celebrated on August 21. I’ve had several Pius X cigars from Regina Cigars in the humidor since spring, and recently smoked a couple on consecutive days.
The cigar is a 6 × 52 Toro and sports a dark, oily maduro wrapper. The specifics of the blend are not disclosed by Regina, other than to say the cigars are blended by Noel Rojas and produced at his factory in Nicaragua. Rojas also produces the popular Rojas Street Tacos line of cigars.
The cigar band features a picture of Pius X and includes a prayer from the saint on the inside.
I had debated my beverage choice for the pairing, initially thinking that something with an Italian lean would be appropriate. To that end, the first of the cigars I smoked was enjoyed with a classic Negroni. I shared one of the Pius X cigars with a friend while we enjoyed our aperitif before meeting a group of friends at a local restaurant for an Italian meal, appropriately enough.
Regina Cigars describes the profile of the cigar simply as having “rich flavors of cocoa & coffee with gentle spice tones.” With no leaf specifics, there are few presumptions to guide my expectations.
Upon lighting the cigar, I was treated to the promised mix of bitter cocoa and espresso, with just a touch of pepper. The cigar was medium-to-full in body, with ample smoke and a consistent burn throughout. I did initially wonder how the cigar’s dark, roasted character would play with the Negroni’s bitter-sweet profile.
As it turned out, the bitterness from the Campari combined with the vermouth’s sweetness provided enough contrast to bring out a pleasing sweetness in the Pius X. Rather than competing with the cigar, the Negroni acted almost as a foil for it. It seemed to reveal a sweeter side of the cigar that wasn’t immediately apparent on its own.
After the afternoon spent enjoying the Negroni and Pius X combination, I was looking forward to trying the cigar with a bolder pairing. On the next evening, I did just that. For an after-dinner smoke, I poured a bit of Old Elk Cigar Cut Bourbon to sip with the cigar.
Old Elk Cigar Cut is a wonderful blend of bourbons finished in Sherry, Armagnac, Port, and Cognac casks. On the nose, there is an inviting aroma of caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, and spiced fruit. Sipping brings out layers of dark chocolate, toffee, and baking spices, while subtle notes of tobacco and dark fruit linger on the finish.
In this combination, the cigar retained the dark cocoa, and espresso notes I had noticed previously. However, the sweetness highlighted by the Negroni was nearly absent. Rather than the contrast noted previously, the bourbon’s oak, richness, and darker flavors reinforced the cigar’s roasted and creamy characteristics, bringing those notes further forward.
The two different beverages enjoyed with the Pius X provided an interesting study in contrasts. The Negroni seemed to reveal something in the cigar, while the Old Elk amplified something already there. The Negroni brought the cigar’s sweetness forward, while the bourbon emphasized its darker cocoa and espresso character.
I wouldn’t necessarily call one pairing better than the other. They simply offered two very different perspectives on the same cigar. That’s one of the things I enjoy most about exploring cigar and beverage pairings. The experience isn’t simply about identifying particular flavors in a cigar, but about discovering how another beverage can change the way those flavors are perceived.
In this case, the Pius X proved to be an excellent example: the Negroni revealed, the bourbon reinforced, and both made for an enjoyable cigar.
Cheers!
Quote of the Day Why does monogamy work for some people but not for others? Research suggests that it might have something to do with the way our brains are ‘wired.’ Consider a study in which 20 heterosexual men underwent … Continue reading →
According to the San Antonio Police Department, the man was involved in a physical altercation with his sister when he pulled out a weapon.
The 35-year-old man was actively hitting the other person when the woman's 25-year-old boyfriend intervened, retrieved a handgun and shot him in the torso.
He was taken to University Hospital in critical condition but later died from his injuries.
Around 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20, deputies said a shooting happened on Mays Drive in the Edgemoor area. The Chester County Sheriff’s Office said there was between altercation over a vaping device which led to the shooting.
The sheriff’s office said Brandon Tavon Cassidy shot the first person multiple times and died.
Deputies said a second person returned returned fire in self-defense and Cassidy exchanged gunfire and he was struck and died.
Tasty 1965 Pontiac GTO. Standard engine was the 389 with a single 4bbl carb, with a Tri-Power 389 optional.
Photographed with a Nikon Zfc and a Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens.
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I’m rarely in a Walmart and every time I am, I’m surprised anew by their archaic checkout. I mean, I literally used Apple Pay to buy an obsidian knife from the flint knapper in Pioneer Village at the Indiana State Fair the other day.
“What do you mean I gotta actually take my card out of my wallet and stick it in the machine with my hands like it’s 2015 up in here? I used my wristwatch to pay a guy in bib overalls for a stone knife last Wednesday, for heaven's sake!”
“What do you mean I gotta actually take my card out of my wallet and stick it in the machine with my hands like it’s 2015 up in here? I used my wristwatch to pay a guy in bib overalls for a stone knife last Wednesday, for heaven's sake!”
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| Resin-filled cholla hilt and gold sheen obsidian blade. |
Well, Wally World is finally saying they're going to bring touchless payments, including Apple Pay, to their stores by the end of this year. Better late than never, I reckon.
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Ruger 77/22 Accuracy Test With Six SK Loads Does spending more money on .22 LR ammunition actually buy you more accuracy? That was the question behind my recent ELEY ammunition test here at Dayattherange. Using this same heavily modified Ruger 77/22, I tested ELEY ammunition from the more affordable Target load all the way up […]
The post RUGER 77/22 vs SIX SK AMMUNITION LOADS first appeared on Day At The Range.8/22/26 The Hill reports on scromiting, a cute expression formed from screaming and vomiting. Isn't that adorable? The formal description is:
Cannabis (or cannabinoid) hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is as serious as it sounds. The condition, which can cause excessive vomiting with recurring bouts of severe stomach pain and nausea, was first detected in Australia two decades ago. Some have referred to a combination of CHS symptoms – screaming, due to the intense pain, and vomiting – as “scromiting.”
Heavy marijuana use. It does wonders.
I just installed the new game camera Thursday. Between then and this morning this is whats taken place on that one camera: Why so busy????? When I was up there Thursday I noticed a weird smell near the cargo container … Continue reading →
Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome back to TFB’s Silencer Saturday, brought to you by Yankee Hill Machine, manufacturer of the new Victra 20-gauge shotgun suppressor . While things are still up in the air with the NFA Court ruling, the market has already changed. People are buying silencers, SBRs, and SBSs on a 4473, but not everyone. Assuming this all works out, and that becomes the new normal, what changes and trends could we expect in the silencer world?
Updated: 8/22/26 I taught my Sociology of Guns seminar at Wake Forest for ten years in a row, from 2015 to 2024. In year ten, I still enjoyed it but was not quite as excited as I was in year one. So, I took 2025 off. This fall I’m back teaching the course for the […]
Dieudonne Saive at Fabrique Nationale began developing the FAL to submit for the British post-war program to adopt new small arms. He built the first example in the German 8x33mm Kurz cartridge, as this was [...]
The post The Very First FAL Prototype (in 8mm Kurz) first appeared on Forgotten Weapons.
Quote of the Day A federal appeals court threw out on Friday a lawsuit by California and the Giffords gun control advocacy group claiming that a Biden administration-era rule to curtail the production of illegal, largely untraceable “ghost guns” was … Continue reading →
Most of my recreational reading is history and biography. One of my favorite writers is Tom Clavin. I just read his new book “Vengeance: the Last Stands of Custer, Crazy Horse, and Sitting Bull.” I had been reading about Custer’s Last Stand since I was a little boy, and this book taught me a few […]BSO's Crime Scene and Homicide units also responded to the scene for the investigation. According to detectives, the preliminary investigation showed the man, who was identified as Maurice Wright Jr., and the shooter, an adult woman, were known to each other.
The BSO said that the woman told detectives that she needed to defend herself from a physical attack during the incident, and said the shooting was in self-defense.
The wolfettes went mad, barking. I looked out the front window and there was a majestic doe on the front lawn. Lillie was saying, "Please let me out! You won't need to feed me for a week!"
Having recently pointed out the rapidly expanding authoritarianism of the State of Colorado, we at TPOL now turn our attention to their de-facto ally to the south. The State of New Mexico is yet another example of how history, culture, … Continue reading →
The British L85 is one of the more unusual stories in modern military small arms. Conceived during a period when Britain was attempting to develop a new generation of infantry weapons around a domestically designed intermediate cartridge, the project eventually produced the L85 rifle. This advanced but deeply troubled weapon would later become one of the most extensively reworked service rifles of its generation.
TFB’s Photo Of The Day goes in blue and red lights. Polícia Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro officers stand at attention in the darkness, berets crisp and squared, radiating exactly the kind of disciplined presence the force projects when it wants the streets to know it is there. These images capture something real about modern Brazilian law enforcement: formidable posture, hard equipment, and the weight of a city on their shoulders.
I presume the naysayers’ idea was that hipsters are urbanized young adults who reject mainstream culture and like niche equipment to pursue their interests—fixie bikes, old record players, and so on. I think naysayers also believe hipsters don’t have the physique to handle higher-power rounds.
We are in the mid-August heat wave. It hasn't rained in a couple of weeks and the sun is a constant tormentor. The grass is "crunchy", dry and coarse. In short, it is hot. Humidity is only at 36%, but the heat feels like a blanket.
There is a chance of a passing thunderstorm tonight, but it is well under 50%. Any rain would help but I'm not holding out for a deluge.
Fierce Firearms has released the Wingman SBR, a short-barreled precision rifle chambered in 22, 25, and 6.5 Creedmoor, built on the company's CT Mini Rogue platform and priced at $2,995 MSRP. The rifle ships with a titanium action, 12.5-inch carbon-fiber barrel, and a base weight of 5.3 pounds without an optic, mount, or accessories. Let’s take a closer look!
I confess that because this was a Christmas gift from a progressive relative, I had some misgivings. It does seem to take a traditional view of what happened: too many people who could not afford to buy stocks using margin accounts, which when prices fell caused widespread margin calls, which caused immediate selling pressure, which caused a feedback loop of margin calls and more panic selling. While catastrophic for ordinary people in over their heads (like Winston Churchill) and some speculators who lost millions more than they had, what really sank the economy was the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930.
Where the book is weak is money supply discussion. The Austrian school argument about N.Y. Fed Chair Strong inflating the money supply 1920-28 to bail out the Bank of England is not examined although he acknowledges that inflation in the 1920s played a part in creating the bubble.
Where it is strong is describing the people involved in the disaster: their quirks, their weaknesses, their greed and sometimes their well-intentioned efforts to prevent the disaster and then to alleviate it. That many of the speculators and political figures who created the Federal Reserve System were Democrats who tried to blame Hoover as a distraction from their roles in this is not subtly mentioned. Hoover comes across as a well-meaning person who got stuck with a mess properly blamed on Coolidge, Harding, and a lot of greedy, shortsighted speculators.
I am about halfway through.
On p. 321, he quotes FDR that the gold standard would be "unflinching maintained."
SOG Knives is marking its 40th anniversary with a limited-edition release of the Fat Guard Bowie, restricted to 500 individually serialized knives numbered one through 500. The knife arrives at $399.95 MSRP and is available now through SOGKnives.com .
So, went up to the Beta Site after work to check out the new cargo container. They did a good job and even levelled it as best they could. However, I still need to jack it up and get some … Continue reading →
Admiral Collingwood was Nelson's second in command at Trafalgar, and led the second division of ships of the line on HMS Royal Sovereign. Because this was the Age of Sail and because the wind was so light, HMS Sovereign was under fire for an hour as it approached the French/Spanish battle line. But the day ended as Collingwood had predicted to his officers earlier. Now, gentlemen, let us do something today which the world may talk of hereafter.
As we are today.
The news is that the Union Jack flag flown from the Royal Sovereign was purchased at auction last year by a foreign buyer and was set to leave the country. As one of only three surviving flags from the battle, historic preservation laws were invoked by the UK Ministry of Culture and the export was suspended to allow local UK organizations to match the purchase price.
Well, that has been done, and the flag will be displayed at the Discovery Museum at Newcastle-on-Tyne, Collingwood's home town*.
Bravo Zulu to the donors for preserving part of Britain's Royal Navy heritage.
* And not just Collingwood - many of Royal Sovereign's crew came from Newcastle as well.
Barbara Baird and Jackie Richardson impressed their families with recipes from the newly released cookbook, “Eat Wild: Cooking at Home with the Seafood of Alaska.” Find out more about this book, presented by Wild Alaskan Company.
O’Connor granted Defense Distributed and SAF summary judgment on their Second and Fifth Amendment claims while siding with the government on three Administrative Procedure Act claims.
Quote of the Day Purchasing a firearm should be exactly the same as purchasing a set of kitchen cutlery. You should be able to order a full auto Ma Deuce through Amazon and have it same day shipped to your … Continue reading →
During this election cycle we have become aware of candidates who purport to be Democratic Socialists.
Go to their website, or even listen to them and they will tell you what they want. Abolish the Senate, change the President into a Prime Minister, expand or abolish the Supreme Court. That is Article I, II, and III.
Yet, they are seeking election to the US House, which requires an Oath of Office.
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.”
A Democratic Socialist cannot take that oath without a purpose of evasion. They cannot bear true faith and allegiance.
I'm just saying.
Police said officers detained the shooter, whom they identified as a uniformed security guard contracted by QuikTrip.
Investigators say the man who was shot pulled a gun during a confrontation, and the guard fired in response.
The guard was later released, and the man who died has not been identified as the investigation continues.
Lodestar Technology today announced the appointment of USA Carry to its Independent Advisory Board, with founder and publisher Luke McCoy serving as the organization's Field-Testing Advisor.
EPD says both victims stated they did not know who had shot them, or why. Officers say the victim who had been shot in the chest did admit to shooting back as they were being shot at. Both victims’ injuries are listed as non-life threatening.
Today, August 21, is the Feast Day of Pope Saint Pius X.
Born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto on June 2, 1835, in Riese, Venetia, then part of the Austrian Empire (now in Italy), he served as pope from 1903 until his death in 1914. Pius X is remembered for his pastoral care, firm leadership, and unwavering defense of Catholic doctrine.
As pope, he enacted reforms that left a lasting mark on the Church. He promoted the use of Gregorian chant in worship and became known as the “Pope of the Eucharist” for his fervent encouragement of frequent Communion, which he described as “the shortest and safest way to get to heaven.” Notably, he lowered the age for reception of Holy Communion from twelve to seven, a decision still in place today.
Pius also took a firm stand against theological Modernism, which he considered “the synthesis of all heresies.” He resisted the movement of Christian Democracy when it veered into overt political activism, seeking instead to keep Catholic social work grounded in religious rather than partisan aims.
While the Church venerates him for his sanctity and his spiritual reforms, I like to think of Pope Saint Pius X as something else as well — the unofficial Patron Saint of Cigar Smokers.
Several years ago, I wondered whether any saint officially served as the patron of cigar smokers. My search uncovered a handful of saints with connections to tobacco. For example, Saint Titus Brandsma is recognized as the patron saint of tobacconists. Yet there appears to be no widely recognized patron devoted specifically to cigar smokers.
Then I came across a humorous anecdote attributed to Pope Saint Pius X, preserved in a reader’s letter published by Cigar Aficionado. Whether historically accurate or not, it perfectly captures the pope’s reputed attitude toward cigars.
Reading of his [Pius X] defense of cigars as not being a vice, I was reminded of a story that a cigar smoking priest of the Diocese of Tulsa, who is now in training for the Vatican diplomatic corps, told me. When he was a seminarian in Rome, he learned that Pius X, who was the pope from 1903 to 1914, called a bishop onto the carpet to reprimand him for his scandalous misbehavior with wine, women and song, and to correct his wrongs patiently.The pope offered the errant bishop a cigar from the papal humidor on his desk. The bishop declined the offer with the protestation, “I do not have that vice, Your Holiness,” to which His Holiness replied, “If cigars were a vice, I would not offer you one, for you have quite enough vices already.”
There’s no way to know if the exchange truly happened or if it’s simply an ecclesiastical folklore. Still, we do know that Pius X kept a humidor in his papal office. It is also said that he broke with the long-standing tradition of popes dining alone by inviting friends to join him at table. It’s easy to imagine that more than one of those dinners concluded with the pleasant aroma of cigar smoke lingering in the Vatican rooms.
I’ve long believed that a fine cigar, enjoyed thoughtfully and in moderation, is less about indulgence than about creating a space for conversation, gratitude, and quiet reflection. Whether shared among friends or savored alone after a busy day, a cigar invites us to slow down for an hour and appreciate the blessings we’ve been given. That seems entirely compatible with a life of faith.
His enjoyment of cigars certainly didn’t prevent his canonization in 1954 — perhaps a gentle reminder that the Church has never regarded the moderate enjoyment of life’s good gifts as incompatible with holiness. I’d like to think those quiet moments with a cigar occasionally offered Pope Saint Pius X a chance to gather his thoughts before returning to the immense responsibilities of the papacy. For that reason, at least in my own book, he remains the unofficial Patron Saint of Cigar Smokers.
Regina Cigars produces a cigar honoring Saint Pius X, and I have several waiting in my humidor. This evening seems like an appropriate occasion to light one, perhaps accompanied by a glass of Italian wine, while offering a prayer of thanks for the witness of this remarkable saint.
Cheers!
I started the Weekend Knowledge Dump series in March of 2012. This is installment number 750. That’s right. Seven hundred fifty straight weeks without missing a single installment in more than 14 years. I’ve published this Knowledge Dump every week from the United States as well as from more than 40 other countries. I haven’t […]
Someone took out a Flock camera in Lumpkin County Georgia. Not crying about it. But the Sheriff, in a screed on Facebook said the following: Sheriff Stacy Jarrard said the license plate reader was being used as a public safety tool, including to help alert authorities when registered sex offenders entered the park. … Jarrard […]
Still weeks from the end of August, most American schoolchildren are now again confined to these government-run, tax-funded institutions for another school year. This graphic was and is intended for christians, but it is just as true for lovers of … Continue reading →
Rhonda saw a buck in velvet as she descended the driveway and Lillie is definitely more wolfette than Canis familiaris.
We currently live in a renaissance period for optics and especially red dots. Everywhere you turn, someone is making a decent red dot for recreational shooting or duty work. Expensive, quality red dots are easy to come by (you expend a lot of money on a product, it better be good quality). The more intriguing end of the product spectrum is the affordable or cheap end. How affordably-priced can something be while still being incredibly reliable and worth purchasing? We might have found that threshold in the new Vortex Optics Crossfire II Solar 2 MOA Red Dot . So, today we are going to review this lil’ guy to see how it performs and just how good it is. Let’s dive in!
Photo Of The Day: The Heckler & Koch G95 A1 has become the backbone of the Bundeswehr's small arms arsenal, and the rifle's procurement narrative took another significant turn very recently. Germany's federal procurement authority, the BAAINBw, has now fully executed the framework contract for 250,000 G95A1/KA1 rifles, representing a complete call-off of the agreement between the Defense Ministry and H&K. There are rumors that they want 250,000 more.
Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week we took a look at how less truly can be more and how keeping it simple can sometimes have more benefits than installing a ton of accessories on your handgun. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I wanted to take a look at some of the keys that allow you to be successful when it comes to carrying a concealed handgun.