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Living a Village-ish Life in Suburban California

Critters You Want

Information about all sorts of useful creatures for a healthy and abundant garden, and how to make sure they come to your yard.

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Greek mom and yiayia (grandma), living the suburban life with my family in the heart of California like it’s a Greek village!

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The original version of this dish was prepared by one of our wonderful ladies at church for our annual Greek food festival. Thankfully she was not one of those possessive types that wouldn't share her recipe, and gladly handed it over to me when I asked. I have since modified it a little to use other ingredients that I knew would work well, but not because there was anything wrong with the original in any way. This chicken dish is filled with so much flavor from garlic, artichoke hearts, and Greek pepperoncini, and it's all swimming in a sea of delicious broth that is perfect for bread or poured over pasta (which is how it was served at church). Sadly the lady that inspired this dish has recently passed on, but I am so grateful to have shared many laughs and good memories (and wonderful meals) with her while she was here. My version of this recipe is on my blog, so come on over for a visit and let's remember our loved ones together! Memory eternal, dear Billie, you are greatly missed!💙

I am absolutely in love with the deep burgundy color of this David Austin rose ( @david_austin_roses ). This one is Munstead Wood and the color of the flowers change with the seasons. During our hot summers the petals will have a lighter red color than the cooler seasons. As the temperatures drop, they take on this deep color that is incomparable to any other rose I've seen. The scent is also stronger and it has that classic Old Rose fragrance to me. One more reason for me to love fall!

If you have made your own Greek yogurt or cheese, you know that you are left with a large anount of liquid whey after all is said and done. There is a lot of goodness floating around in that liquid, but most of the time it is likely just poured down the drain. I would usually use mine in the garden, but I often wondered if there was something else that I could turn it into to get as much "bang for my buck" as possible. After some searching online, I found out that with just a little effort I could turn that sour whey into a confection-like treat that tastes so good with a little dollop of jam on a piece of toast or cracker. I consider this a major win! The product is similar to a Norwegian treat known as brunost and I prepare it in the same manner, but the end texture is more like a thick fudge rsther than the cheese-like texture of a true brunost. I have the recipe ready to go, so come on over and try something new!

The time of year has finally come when hot beverages actually make sense. I mean, hot coffee always makes sense, but I'm referring to the types of drinks we consume for pleasure, not necessity! 😁 We have always looked forward to the cooler months because it gives us the excuse to make treats like this hot, mulled apple cider. It's a nice way to warm up after a day of working outside in the cold, and has always been our reward for jobs well done. Making it is so simple and worthwhile, so come on over for a visit to get the recipe, and let's enjoy a hot drink to warm up together!

Sadly, I had to say goodbye to both this beautiful view, as well as to my medium boy. It was a short but sweet visit with grandparents included, but now time to head back home. Hope you had a good weekend, too!

These may not look like anthing particularly fancy, but this is actually the kind of sweet treat typically reserved for guests and special occasions. These are baby figs that have been preserved in a spiced syrup, and cooked down until the figs have become saturated with the sweet liquid. The figs used are actually unripe, the last ones on the tree when cool temperatures prevent them from properly ripening. Never let it be said that Greeks are wasteful or not resourceful! They are served in the same way as traditional Greek spoon sweets, on little plates sitting in a pool of syrup. Often a cup of Greek coffee and a glass of water will be served alongside. The best part is that these are easy to make and last a very long time so you can have a nice treat ready at a moment's notice! This is the time of year to find the figs just right for these preserves so come on over for the recipe!

If you're looking for a hearty yet easy meal to fill you up on these rapidly cooling evenings, look no further than this dish here. The is macaronia me kima, or pasta with meat sauce. It's a thick, Greek meat sauce made with a hefty dose of carrots, tomatoes, onions, garlic, red wine, and seasoned with cinnamon for a unique flavor that is beyond comparison. It's cooked down, then served on a pile of pasta and topped with grated cheese, like parmesan. My family swoons whenever they smell the aroma of this dish, and I don't have to ask twice for them to come to the table to eat! The recipe is waiting, so come on over for a visit!

This is only the 2nd time that I can say for certain that I've seen a Monarch butterfly in my garden. This first was around this time last year. There's plenty of food for them, but the milkweed that I have growing dies back in the winter so I don't think it will work for supporting the caterpillars. I'm not sure if they'll lay any eggs this time of year, anyway. This poor thing somehow got trapped under the bird netting of one of our garden beds. Luckily we happened to be out and saw it in time to set it free. I have growing information about the type of milkweed I have in our garden on my blog, so come on over to learn more about it, and maybe someday I'll see some Monarch caterpillars on it enjoying a good meal!

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