Latest Posts in After Orange County

WAGING WAR ON WILDLIFE – 1 GREENHOUSE AT A TIME

Guess what I got for Christmas? I’ll give you 10 guesses. If you can guess, you are way smarter than me because, in a million years, I would have never guessed what my son, Nathan, and his wife Louisa were giving me for Christmas. Granted, it was something that I have wanted for a long […]

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A VISIT WITH A 389 YEAR OLD BONSAI TREE

On our recent trip to Washington, DC for Christmas, the ancient art of Bonsai horticulture managed to infiltrate our holiday.  Whoda thunk?  It all started when, in early December, we asked our son, Taylor, what he would like for Christmas.  In response he sent the following group email to the entire family: Hi All, I […]

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A CAPITAL CHRISTMAS – CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN WASHINGTON, DC

A CAPITAL CHRISTMAS – CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN WASHINGTON, DC HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Did you have a wild and crazy New Year’s Eve?   I spent mine on an airplane. We just returned from Washington, DC where we celebrated Christmas at my son & daughter-in-law’s home.  They wanted to host Christmas for the very first time […]

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SHEPHERD’S PIE – COMFORT FOOD EXTRAORDINAIRE

SHEPHERD’S PIE – COMFORT FOOD EXTRAORDINAIRE Baby, it’s cold outside up here in these here hills! So, on these cold winter nights, I like to cook up something warm and comforting. Toward that end, there is simply nothing more comforting than Shepherd’s Pie. I believe the first time I experienced the wonderfulness of Shepherd’s Pie […]

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CHRISTMAS SPANISH STYLE – HOW TO MAKE PAELLA

Hola! Feliz Navidad! In case you don’t speak Spanish, that means Merry Christmas.  Right about this time of year I start thinking in Spanish, the tongue of my ancestors.  And my tongue starts dreaming of the Paella I am going to eat at my annual Paella Christmas Party. I love a good Paella.  But getting […]

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A WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS

Twenty two years ago, when my oldest son Nathan was 7 years old, we took him to Washington, DC for the first time.  It was my first trip to DC too!  Back then, I would have never guessed that one day my son would move to Washington, DC for college, get an internship at The […]

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A CHRISTMAS TEA

Hi there!  Thanks for stopping by the blog during this busy holiday season!  It seems like no matter my best intentions, I am usually slightly overwhelmed this time of year, trying to accomplish a mountain of a to-do list.  I am a bit of a perfectionist and always try to do more than is probably […]

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LEMON PARMESAN ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS – AN EASY & DELICIOUS APPETIZER

Hello there! If you’re like me, you will be attending Holiday parties this time of year that may require you to bring along an appetizer.  Well, have I got a great appetizer recipe for you! These are my super delicious, super attractive, and super easy to make, Lemon Parmesan Artichoke Bottoms.  When I lived in […]

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