Author Archives: maryangelis

Quince fruit (Cydonia oblonga) was a welcome new discovery, one that to more knowledgeable cooks is not new at all. This month two co-workers and one neighbor all shared their harvest supplies of quince, so it was time to study … Continue reading →

The neighbors have a medlar tree. It’s not my tree, the neighbors don’t know me, and it’s too early in the year for harvest. But after days of hard wind and rain, some medlar fruits fell off the tree and … Continue reading →

The Big Disclaimer: Knowing me, I’ll be polishing this post over and over for days. You might want to turn in a week from now for best results. Meanwhile, here it is. Here’s a friendly doodlecrumpet from our apartment complex. … Continue reading →

“Extreme Heat Warning” is the headline for today, Monday. It’s been five days of Heat Advisory with a high alert for wildfires and no measurable rain since June. The rest of the world is soldiering on under far worse conditions … Continue reading →

(Blanket Flowers down the street, a random picture irrelevant to this whole junket.) Concluding idea: Maybe that scope procedure showed my doctor some things about part of me. But writing down this experience was like a different scope into my … Continue reading →

Not a real parsnip, and not something to touch or burn or compost. If the plant oil gets on the skin, and if the skin is exposed to natural daylight, the oil causes phytodermatitis — a skin burn. The weed … Continue reading →

Every evening before sunset it’s time to head out for purified water, toting a jug and coins and a rosary or my Orthodox prayer book in liturgical Greek, to memorize and chant a few new words along the way. It’s … Continue reading →

“Thank you!” he greeted me joyfully. “Say, I’m from Florida. I just arrived in town. Tell me — how come people in this city are so unfriendly to the homeless?” “They probably don’t mean to be,” I told him. “They … Continue reading →