Where Have I Been?

Posted on by Dorie

Oh, that’s a good question. I’ve been here. Sort of. I suspect many of you can relate.

Our annual “going to the snow” trip. I’ve heard this is very much a California phrase. The Medium Boy and his Little Bro get pretty excited about their sledding skills.

I’ve gone back and forth several times about how much of my personal life to share on a blog whose focus was to be about living a “Greekish” life in California. Cooking and gardening and other domestic pursuits bring me a lot of comfort, joy, and sense of accomplishment, and I wanted to share that with others. But life has this nasty habit of handing people situations that make it so hard to find joy in anything. If I were to do the Marie Kondo approach to my home and life, there’d be nothing left.

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Eggplant (Solanum melongena)

Posted on by Dorie

If you had told me when I was a kid that I would be growing eggplant in my garden by my own free will, I likely would have walked away from you in utter disgust. Clearly, you wouldn’t have known me well.

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Golden Currant (Ribes aureum)

Posted on by Dorie

I’m generally not a huge fan of yellow flowers, especially the very bright, lemon-yellow kind. However, the petit blossoms of Golden Current have become a much anticipated exception to this each spring.

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Lady of Shalott (Rosa ‘Lady of Shalott’ or Rosa ‘Ausnyson’)

Posted on by Dorie

To say that I like roses would be a bit of an understatement. There are over 30 different varieties of roses currently growing in our garden, and we are always on the lookout for more. I see nothing wrong with this.

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Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum)

Posted on by Dorie

If a recipe calls for 1-2 cloves of garlic, I will automatically add three or four (or five, maybe 6). Because garlic. Garlic chives provide another way to enjoy that awesome garlic flavor with a plant that also offers beauty along with function.

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Citrus (Citrus Genus)

Posted on by Dorie

If you live in California, especially in any of the numerous valleys, chances are good you have a citrus tree. If you don’t, probably a neighbor does. If you are Greek, you for sure do (and if you don’t, what the heck???).

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Pomegranate Molasses & Syrup (Grenadine)

Posted on by Dorie

Perhaps you already know the Greek mythological story of how the goddess Persephone was tricked into staying in the underworld by the god Hades by being tempted with pomegranate. Honestly, I can’t blame her.

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Daffodils (Narcissus Genus)

Posted on by Dorie

Since moving into our home in 2007, we have systematically removed nearly every tree, plant, and lawn that was originally here. Our daffodils are one of the few surviving remnants planted at some point by one of the many prior owners of our home.

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Homestead Sweet Homestead (Well… Sort of)

Posted on by Dorie

I have avoided doing any posts dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and all the other turmoil happening these days (or as we like to say in California speak “all this s&%t going on”). This story will be no different… kind of.

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“Everett’s Choice” California Fuchsia (Epilobium canum var. latifolium)

Posted on by Dorie

Let’s face it, plants that bloom in spring and summer get the lion’s share of attention in nursery’s and gardens. Soooo… what’s happening in your garden in the fall?

Continue reading “Everett’s Choice” California Fuchsia (Epilobium canum var. latifolium)