Getting the Gardens ready for winter. Well planting time’s over and this was a so so year. Sure had a ton of Tomatoes and green bell peppers. But the Cantaloupe and Watermelon not so good. Cucumbers were also so so. Garlic and onions were awesome. But now it’s time to get the gardens ready for next year.
I’m going with only two gardens plus sharing another. My first garden will be something new for me. It’s my tree, garlic, onion, and berry garden. I’m going with a Lemon, Orange, Peach, Plum, and Nectarine trees.
This garden will be the shared garden. Tomatoes, Watermelon, and Cantaloupe.
And finally my world famous ghetto garden. This year I’m changing the name to the Fred Sanford Garden. This will be strictly a vegetable garden. Last year I went with heirloom seeds. Next year we do the plants.
We love our black accent pieces. We tend to use black chairs and tables in our decorations. Some of the pieces are seasonal and some are year round. I can’t take credit. My wife usually picks out the items and we will then either restore them or change them all together.
Some of the pieces are Antiques, some Vintage, and some are just cheap pieces of furniture that add that special touch.
The ugliest piece we ever bought. Paid $3.00. I couldn’t do anything with it.
When you add the ingredients of a delicious pizza with the heavenly cream cheese, you get this amazing hot pizza dip! Caution: don’t serve this unless you want friends and family to ask you to make it over and over!
Hot Pizza Dip Recipe
Ingredients you will need:
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 8oz. can pizza sauce
2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced onion
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mini-pepperoni
Breadsticks, crackers, or tortilla chips (for dipping)
Chop 2 tablespoons green peppers. Thinly slice 2 tablespoons onions.
In a bowl, mix 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
Spread mixed cream cheese across bottom of 9″ pie pan.
Combine 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese in bowl.
Sprinkle half of the cheese across the top of the cream cheese in the pan.
Pour 1 8 oz. can pizza sauce over the top of cheese mixture.
Spread the sauce evenly.
Put remaining cheese on top of pizza sauce.
Spread chopped green peppers and onions across cheese.
Place 1/4 cup mini-pepperoni across the top. Place in microwave and heat on high for 3 or 4 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Remove from microwave. Let sit for 2 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars | Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake Treat. Brace yourself; this Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bar is so delicious it will knock you out of this world! Just make sure to grab yourself a piece early, because once your friends and family taste them, they’ll be gone in a flash! Pick up some apples and get out the baking pans! It’s time to make dessert!
Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars Recipe
Ingredients you will need:
1 (1 lb 1.5 oz) package oatmeal cookie mix
3 Granny Smith or Gala apples
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1/4 cup chopped pecans of walnuts
2 eggs
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, pour 1 package oatmeal cookie mix. Add 1/2 cup butter.
Combine butter with cookie mix. Try using the Rada Food Chopper, a useful tool that makes this an easy task.
Set aside half of the crumb and butter mixture for later.
Place the other half in a 9 x 13″ pan. With most pans you should line with foil and grease lightly. With the Rada Rectangular Baker, no foil or grease is necessary. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
While the mixture is baking, combine 2 packages cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Beat until smooth.
Core and slice 3 apples. Try using the Rada Vegetable Peeler to peel and the Heavy Duty Paring Knife to slice.
With a large knife, finely chop the apples. The Rada French Chef Knife is ideal for this. In a bowl, combine apples, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Mix well.
When cookie mixture is done baking, remove from oven and spread cream cheese mixture evenly across the top.
Sprinkle cream cheese mixture with apple mixture.
Chop 1/4 cup pecans or walnuts.
Add remaining cookie mixture to top. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts. Drizzle with caramel ice cream topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until topping has set.
Be the hit of the next party with these quick and easy pepperoni pizza puffs. These appetizers are great at any number of different events. They are easy to make and in no time at all you will have a great snack. Even better, kids love them!
How to Make Pepperoni Pizza Puffs:
Ingredients you will need:
3/4 C. flour
1 (3 oz.) pkg. pepperoni
3/4 t. baking powder
1 C. shredded Italian cheese blend
3/4 C. milk
1/4 C. grated Romano cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 C. pizza sauce
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grab the pepperoni and chop it into smaller slices. Kristy used the Rada Cook’s Utility knife. Set aside.
Be the hit of the next party with these quick and easy pepperoni pizza puffs. These appetizers are great at any number of different events. They are easy to make and in no time at all you will have a great snack. Even better, kids love them!
Prep Time15minutesmins
Cook Time20minutesmins
Total Time35minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Servings: 28puffs
Ingredients
3/4C.flour
1(3 oz.) pkg. pepperoni slices, chopped
3/4t.baking powder
1 T.Italian Seasoning
1C.shredded Italian cheese blend
3/4C.milk
1/4C.grated Romano cheese
1egg, beaten
1/2C.pizza sauce
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°. Spray 28 mini muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and Italian seasoning.
Whisk in milk and egg.
Stir in chopped pepperoni, Italian cheese blend and Romano cheese; let stand about 15 minutes, then stir again.
Divide mixture evenly among greased mini muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
‘NCIS’ fans get to head to the southern hemisphere this fall.
CBS revealed the trailer for their first-ever international edition of NCIS on Wednesday, teasing fans for what’s to come on the upcoming NCIS: Sydney.
“What was once the far side of the world is now the most contested patch of water on the planet,” a voice says in the trailer.
“Our two nations — NCIS, AFB (Australian Federal Police) — stand shoulder to shoulder to ensure this vast swathe of ocean remains peaceful,” the voice continues.
“With rising international tensions in the Indo-Pacific, a brilliant and eclectic team of U.S. NCIS agents and the AFP are grafted into a multinational taskforce to keep naval crimes in check in the most contested patch of ocean on the planet,” the show’s press release reads.
NCIS: Sydney is the fifth series to join the NCIS franchise, joining NCIS, NCIS: Hawaii, NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans.
“NCIS is one of the most popular series in the world and we’re thrilled to expand this franchise with a uniquely Australian twist,” Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment, said via press release. “Featuring the stunning backdrop of Australia, the new series will incorporate the high-stakes intrigue, humor and camaraderie that have kept fans captivated by the NCIS teams for over two decades.”
The series will star Olivia Swann as NCIS Special Agent Michelle Mackey and Todd Lasance asher 2IC AFP counterpart, Sergeant Jim “JD” Dempsey. The protagonists are joined by Sean Sagar as NCIS Special Agent DeShawn Jackson; Tuuli Narkle as AFP liaison officer Constable Evie Cooper; Mavournee Hazel as AFP forensic scientist Bluebird “Blue” Gleeson and William McInnes as AFP forensic pathologist Dr Roy Penrose.
NCIS: Sydney will premiere on Nov. 13 on CBS, airing just after the original NCIS.
Mix crushed vanilla wafers, melted butter and 2/3 cup of the crushed peanuts. Put in a 9×13” pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
SECOND LAYER: Mix cream cheese, peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in 2 cups whipped topping.
Spread over first layer.
THIRD LAYER: Mix chocolate pudding and milk. Chill to set. Spread over second layer.
FOURTH LAYER: Spread 2 cups whipped topping over third layer.
Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the chopped peanuts over top. Grate chocolate bar (Rada Cutlery Vegetable Peeler shown above) and sprinkle over top. Chill overnight.
Wow your guests and enjoy rave reviews with this recipe for Drumstick Bars!
Course: Dessert
Ingredients
2cupsvanilla wafers, crushed
1/2cupbutter or margarine, melted
1cupcrushed salted peanuts
1(8 oz.) pkg.cream cheese, softened
1/3cuppeanut butter
1cuppowdered sugar
4cupswhipped topping
2small pkgs.instant chocolate pudding
3cupsmilk
1largechocolate bar
Instructions
FIRST LAYER: Mix crushed vanilla wafers, melted butter and 2/3 cup of the crushed peauts. Put in a 9 x 13″ pan. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.
SECOND LAYER: Mix cream cheese, peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in 2 cups whipped topping. Spread over first layer.
THIRD LAYER: Mix chocolate pudding and milk. Chill to set. Spread over second layer.
FOURTH LAYER: Spread 2 cups whipped topping over third layer. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the chopped peanuts over top. Grate chocolate bar and sprinkle over top. Chill overnight.
Play any song that has something to do with the weekend. It can be about the weekend, have weekend in the song or the title. Also it can be about Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
Since we have a holiday Monday, Mondays included. So, this should be an easy one.
California’s El Segundo is bringing home the Little League World Series championship title after a 6-5 victory over the team from Willemstad, Curaçao, on Sunday.
The thrilling game ended with a walk-off home run from Louis Lappe, who was given a perfect setup from the booth by ESPN broadcaster Karl Ravech.
With the score tied in the sixth inning, Lappe stepped to the plate.
“Curaçao has not allowed a home run at the World Series,” Ravech said in an announcer jinx for the ages. Almost instantly, Lappe, the series’ home run leader, sent one flying for the win.
California has been in the championship game 24 times and now has its eighth title. The region has the most victories by any U.S. team but hadn’t won since 2011.
The team had some of the best bats in the tournament, including Lappe and Brody Brooks. En route to the U.S. title on Saturday, Lappe had five RBIs, including a three-run homer as California beat Texas 6-1.
But Curaçao didn’t go down without a fight. Having appeared in the LLWS championship four times, the team was hoping for its first win since 2004 — its only title. Last year, the team made it to the championship game and lost to Hawaii 13-3. Five of its players returned from last year’s disappointment, the most in the tournament.
Down 5-1 in the top of the fifth, Nasir El-Ossais showed the grit of a seasoned veteran. With two outs, he tied the game 5-5 on a dramatic grand slam to right field off Max Baker.
“I am sweating right now, and not from the heat,” El-Ossais’ dad said after the play, adding that emotions were at an all-time high.
Curaçao overcame a big deficit thanks to El-Ossais, but California’s pitching strength and defense won it. Brooks, a shortstop and strong pitcher, tied the World Series record by scoring 13 runs. On Sunday, he had a single and finished the tournament with 12 hits and three home runs.
In a tear-filled postgame interview, El Segundo manager Danny Boehle said he told his team “the game’s not over.” He was surprised Curaçao pitched to Lappe, who said he was close with the Curaçao players and offered kind words after hitting the winning home run.
There was plenty of sportsmanship all over the stadium in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. “Great job, keep your head up,” Lappe recalled telling the opposing team.
California also posed for photos with Japan after the victory:
This 20-minute Big Mac salad recipe (or simply cheeseburger salad) will convince you to skip the drive-through! This dish captures the satisfying taste of a cheeseburger with all the crisp freshness of a salad. It also gets a classic McDonald’s upgrade with copycat Big Mac sauce — just like the casserole version of this burger.
The inspiration for a hamburger salad came from my childhood memories of rare stops at McDonald’s after gymnastics practice. We seldom ate out when I was growing up (my parents much preferring home cooked meals), so even though I loved my mom’s food, those unexpected stops for fast food were such a treat. Now I try to avoid all those processed ingredients myself, and with this keto Big Mac salad recipe, I can enjoy the same flavors at home, all the time — and so can you!
Let’s be real — the key to this cheeseburger salad is the Big Mac salad dressing! The sauce at the fast food joint is loaded with sugar, but I sweeten mine with Besti powdered instead. It’s just as sweet and has no aftertaste, but has 0 net carbs, 0 calories, and unlike most sweeteners, dissolves easily for a smooth texture. Try it out and see for yourself!
INGREDIENTS & SUBSTITUTIONS
This section explains how to choose the best Big mac salad ingredients, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
CHEESEBURGER SALAD:
The main ingredients for this salad are very similar to what you’d find in a Big Mac:
Ground Beef – Use hamburger for classic flavor (I usually use 85/15 lean ground beef), but if you like, you can use ground turkey or ground chicken instead.
Sea Salt& Black Pepper
Romaine Lettuce – Chopped iceberg lettuce, arugula, or spinach leaves would also work.
Tomatoes – I used chopped Roma tomatoes, but you could use cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes if you prefer. You can also omit them if you want to, as a traditional Big Mac doesn’t have any.
Cheddar Cheese – The Big Mac sandwich traditionally includes a slice of processed cheese, but we’re using shredded cheddar. You can omit to make the salad dairy-free and paleo-friendly if needed.
Pickles – Dice up some dill pickles and add them to the salad for a delightful crunch and an extra layer of flavor. You can also add diced or sliced red onions for even more crunch!
Sesame Seeds – Instead of a sesame seed bun, garnish with sesame seeds for the same flavor!
Mayonnaise – I used my own homemade avocado oil mayonnaise, but store-bought would work as well (this is my favorite store-bought brand when I don’t have time to make my own).
Pickles – Use dill pickles and dice finely for the special sauce. You can also use sweet pickle relish instead, but beware that this will have added sugar or corn syrup.
Mustard – I used classic yellow mustard, but you could use Dijon instead, or even keto honey mustard if you like extra sweetness.
Vinegar – Adds tang to the dressing. I used white vinegar, but apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or rice vinegar can all work instead.
Smoked Paprika – Adds a subtle smokiness to the dressing, and is responsible for its signature color. Regular sweet paprika would also work.
Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – I used this instead of ketchup to add natural sweetness to the dressing, as it dissolves better than other sugar substitutes. You could also use zero sugar honey or sugar free ketchup. Regular powdered sugar works from a recipe standpoint, but I can’t recommend it because the whole point of this Big Mac salad is to make it healthier!
HOW TO MAKE BIG MAC SALAD
This section shows how to make cheeseburger salad, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Brown the meat. Add the ground beef to a large skillet. Break apart with a spatula and season with salt and pepper. Cook until no longer pink.
Blend the Big Mac salad dressing. Combine the mayo, pickles, mustard, vinegar, smoked paprika, and powdered Besti in a blender. Puree until smooth. Adjust sweetener to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
TIP: Need thinner sauce?
If the dressing is thicker than you like, you can thin it out with water or oil and puree again.
Plate the cheeseburger salad. Add lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and pickles to a salad bowl.
Add the beef and dressing. Top with ground beef crumbles, then drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.
Garnish. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS
Store: Keep leftover Big Mac Salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days, with the dressing stored in a separate container. If you already added the dressing, it will only be good for 1 day.
Meal prep: Chop the pickles, tomatoes, and lettuce, precook the ground beef, and make the sauce. Store in separate containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Assemble just before eating.
Make this fresh 7-Layer Greek Dip recipe for a tasty appetizer everyone will love! This healthy dip recipe features an array of fresh ingredients perfectly layered for an out-of-this-world flavor. Just be sure to make enough for everyone!
8 oz. hummus
1 C. fat free Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 t. fresh dill, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 t. red onion, minced
1 C. English cucumber, 1/2-inch dice
1 C. Roma tomato, seeded, 1/2-inch dice
1/4 C. feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 C. Kalamata olives, sliced
In a bowl, combine Greek yogurt, garlic, chopped dill, lemon juice, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
Make this fresh 7-Layer Greek Dip recipe for a tasty appetizer everyone will love! This healthy dip recipe features an array of fresh ingredients perfectly layered for an out-of-this-world flavor. Just be sure to make enough for everyone! 7-Layer Greek Dip Recipe
Ingredients
8oz.hummus
1C.fat free Greek yogurt
1clovegarlic, finely minced
1t.fresh dill, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Pinchsalt
Freshly ground black pepper
2t.red onion, minced
1C.English cucumber, 1/2-inch dice
1C.Roma tomato, seeded, 1/2-inch dice
1/4C.feta cheese, crumbled
1/4C.Kalamata olives, sliced
Instructions
In a bowl, combine Greek yogurt, garlic, chopped dill, lemon juice, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
Let’s catch up on the gardens. I should have done this back in June. But better late than never. This year we had 16 gardens. I started out with six, but ended up with my two what I call ghetto gardens.
We had a large variety of vegetables and this year I have some fruit trees. Peach, Orange, Cherry, Nectarine, Fig, Plum, and Lemon. My Cucumbers, Cantaloupes, Watermelons are not doing well. Garlic, Zucchini, Peppers, and Tomatoes are doing very well. I tried buying plants from the Amish this year. Next year all my plants will be from the Amish.
We had a gentleman who moved here from the South. Here’s a few plants he’s trying.
Did you guess Cotton? He’s actually growing a few cotton plants in Ohio. And below the one gardener planted four watermelon plants. This is back in June.
Rachel Nafis, waist-deep in corncockles, cut the blush-colored flowers growing in her neighbor’s yard as her eyes wandered to the front door.
“I hope Tom comes outside to say hello,” she said as she placed the cut stems in a bucket of water.
Soon, a smile crept across her face as Tom Weaver opened the door and wheeled himself onto the porch.
“It’s so wonderful to see flowers growing outside my window,” he said from his wheelchair. “I love seeing them. They smell so good.”
For three years, Nafis, a one-woman florist, has grown sunflowers, dahlias and corncockles outside Weaver’s home, one of eight neighbors who have donated their yards to Psalter Farm Flowers, a loose collective of cutting gardens that is a draw with San Diego flower shops, event florists and bouquet lovers.
Not surprisingly, the flowers burst out of yards in various states of bloom due to the seasons. Around the corner from her home base, across the street from Webster Elementary School in City Heights, yellow and pink strawflowers and delicate blue scabiosa pincushions grow tall in raised beds.
A quarter mile in the other direction, pink bellflowers and the conclusion of fragrant sweet peas grow in neat rows behind the rental home of Sophie Thompson.
“All of my gardens are in places where people cannot care for their yards the way they would like,” said Nafis, 36. She also cultivated the alley behind her 800-square-foot home. “I feel I’m adding value to their homes and our neighborhood.”
Thompson agreed. “I don’t know much about farming itself, but I’m impressed how Rachel has increased the biodiversity,” she said of the neighborhood, which is among San Diego County’s poorest. “There is less infrastructure and greenery, fewer markets and more liquor stores here. But she’s taught us that all neighborhoods can be beautiful.”
Mindful of trends but not beholden to them, Nafis prefers growing seasonal flowers that speak to her. “I like fragrant flowers like roses, sweet peas and scented geraniums,” she said of the flowers blooming in her front yard and backyard. Right now, the cool season flowers — snapdragons, strawflowers, sweet peas and poppies — are transitioning to ranunculus and anemones and summer annuals like dahlias, zinnias and cosmos. “I try to grow things that don’t ship well,” she said. “Most florists are getting things imported from out of the country. I like to grow things that would get damaged in shipping or not last that long and florists would like to source locally.”
To passersby, the colorful cutting gardens stand out against the lawns, many of which have turned brown after California was asked to cut back on water during the drought.
Conserving water is important to Nafis, who subsidizes many of her neighbors’ water bills. “We have everything on a drip system and timers,” she said. “I also use a lot of mulch, which helps to retain water and take care of my soil.”
Although she likes working alone, Nafis’ quiet presence resonates throughout the neighborhood. Shortly before Weaver’s brother, Don, died in 2021, the family moved his hospital bed next to the window so that he could watch Nafis working in the garden.
“It’s extraordinary to be present and so deeply a part of the neighborhood,” she said of the neighbors, dog walkers and parents who greet her as she walks from house to house with her flower buckets and shears.
“These have been meaningful life relationships. We’ve had two people pass away since I started this,” she said, her voice breaking. “When you open yourself up to relationships, it can be messy, but I think you can also be amazed by the good things that can happen. My business model is very fragile but not as fragile as you might think. I’m not leasing land with a farm with a five-year commitment. I think that would be ideal, but that’s not a possibility. We couldn’t afford it, but we are grateful to own our house and be able to make a living through this creative shared-land model.”
“All the neighbors know who she is,” said Kristen Kellogg, a nurse practitioner who donated her yard. “We have five sisters in the neighborhood who live in three houses, and when their mother passed away, Rachel was able to make arrangements for them. They knew the flowers were from Rachel, which meant a lot to them.”
At a time when many people feel isolated and alone, Nafis dropped a written request in Thompson’s mailbox, asking if she could use her yard. “She has become a good friend,” Thompson said. “I have been in and out of some hard transitions, and I have texted her late at night and even asked her if she could come over and help me move a king-sized mattress.”
Nafis, a mother of three young boys, grew up in western Michigan and worked as an ER nurse for 13 years before leaving the profession during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was tough,” she said of working as an emergency room charge nurse during the pandemic. “My kids were all home and my husband’s workload increased. The hospital was asking me for more hours. I was burned out. We both worked multiple jobs for many years and decided we couldn’t do it anymore. Changing careers was challenging and such an identity shift from nursing to farming. It was like low-wage manual labor at times. But I couldn’t have imagined doing anything else when we were at a breaking point. I enjoy what I’m doing now.”
Given her small-business success — she’s doubled the farm’s annual revenue every year since its inception in 2019 — Nafis notes that she and her husband, Chris, a pastor, failed miserably in their previous attempts at farming a small community-supported agriculture farm on a vacant lot in Lemon Grove in 2012 and a 45-acre ranch in Jamul in 2013.
“Everything was eaten by rodents in Jamul,” she said. “We lived in a trailer and were both working our day jobs. Anything that was a success was eaten. Even though it was difficult, I think it has been a part of my success.”
In 2014, the couple purchased their home in City Heights and, when not working, tended to a vegetable garden and chickens (that were leftovers from the Jamul ranch). When she planted a row of dahlia tubers in her vegetable garden, she fell in love with the gorgeous ball-shaped blooms, which when cut, would last a week in water. Soon, she decided to experiment with traditional farming, turn her backyard into a cutting garden, and use her neighbors’ yards as satellite farms.
“The model I have created is very relational-based,” she said. “Every house is different based on my relationships with my neighbors.”
Walking through the neighborhood, the flowers are a touchstone that connects her to neighbors and elevates her mood. “I often experience euphoria working with beautiful flowers all day,” Nafis said. “I also appreciate that flowers are appropriate to mark every occasion, from grief and loss to heart-bursting celebration, to long difficult days that drag on forever.”
Nafis thinks her business model resonates with her clients because they care about the environment. “I don’t use any chemicals,” she said. She also utilizes a no-till method that conserves water, feeds the soil and creates a natural habitat for birds and beneficial insects. “Sustainability matters to people,” she added.
The other allure of buying locally grown flowers is the exceptional quality of freshly picked flowers. “There is a real vibrancy when flowers are picked 12 to 24 hours before purchase,” Nafis said. To illustrate this, she collected a chocolate-scented geranium and invited a sniff. “That’s what flowers lose in shipping,” she said.
Nafis also can grow flowers her clients can’t easily find anywhere else. “You can only get corncockle at a local farm,” she said. Other rarities include Iceland poppies, garden roses, foxgloves and lisianthus.
In September when the summer season ends, Nafis will take a break and tend to the soil.
“It’s hard for me to manage, even though I get better every year,” she said. “Plants are living things, and so many different variables are involved: losses to insects and rodents, succession planting. The cutting of flowers is labor-intensive because they need to be cut twice a week, and that never ends. Even when I’m not selling, I need to deadhead the flowers so they don’t go to seed.”
The hard work has taught her to create boundaries for herself such as inviting her subscription clients to pick up their bouquets on her front porch instead of driving all over San Diego to deliver them herself. But for her neighbors, the close bonds remain.
“She has made such an impact on the neighborhood,” Kellogg said. Flowers may be transient, but friendships can last a lifetime.
“Yes, she’s a florist,” she said. “But it’s about a lot more than just flowers.”
22 named to inaugural class of the National High School Football Hall of Fame.
Last week we shared a list of 50 legends of the game that were eligible to be inducted into the inaugural National High School Football Hall of Fame class. Today the names of 22 of them were chosen to be enshrined.
1. RB Jim Brown: Manhasset High School Class of 1953
2. Coach Paul Brown: Massillon Washington High School Class of 1925
3. QB Bernie Kosar: Boardman High School Class of 1981
4. QB Archie Payton: Drew High School Drew Class of 1967
5. QB Peyton Manning: Isidore Newman High School Class of 1994
6. QB Eli Manning: Isidore Newman High School Class of 1998
7. QB Cooper Manning: Isidore Newman High School Class of 1992
8. RB Mike Doss: Canton McKinley High School Class of 1998
9. LB Chris Speillman: Massillon Canton, Ohio Class of 1983
10. Coach Thom McDaniels: Canton McKinley High School, Ohio
11. RB Kevin Mack: Kings Mountain High School Class of 1981
12. DB Ray Freeman: Warrensville Hts High School Class of 1981
13. RB Marcus Dupree: Philadelphia High School Class of 1981
14. RB Archie Griffin: Eastmoor High School Class of 1971
15. RB Greg Cameron: University High School Class of 1980
16. RB/LB Jerry Ball: Position West Brock High School Class of 1983
17. DT Horace Sheffield: Cass Tech High School Class of 1972
18. Coach Ted Ginn, Sr. Coach at Glenville High School in Cleveland, Ohio
19. OT Lomas Brown: Miami Springs High School Class of 1983
20. ATH Greg Kampe: Defiance High School, Ohio Class of 1973
21. Coach Don Nehlen: Coach at Canton McKinley High School, Ohio
22. RB Marion Motley: Canton McKinley High Class of 1939
These individuals will be officially enshrined at the NHSFHOF in Canton, Ohio on Sunday, July 30th at the Timken Career Campus.
Childhood Dream Powers Opening of Mount Granita Storefront in Little Italy.
The owner of Mount Granita honors Little Italy’s history and his Sicilian heritage by renovating a new storefront for his business. By Katie McDaniel
Opening a storefront on Murray Hill Road in Little Italy was always in the back of Christopher Giancola’s mind. As a 12-year-old boy, he helped his great-grandparents paint the inside of their apartment building between tenants. He climbed up the ladder and began painting the walls. He lifted one of the tiles and saw a beautiful tin ceiling above.
“That’s when I knew, I’m going to do something with this one day, and here we are,” says Giancola, owner of Mount Granita.
Mount Granita opened its storefront on May 19, 2023, after three years of running the business from a street cart in front of the building. They serve authentic Sicilian granita inspired by Giancola’s family heritage. His great-grandparents immigrated from Sicily in 1955, and he remembers watching his great-grandmother Emilia Pinzone make granita.
“She used to make a granita very simply,” Giancola says. “It was the espresso flavor granita, which is just basically leftover espresso from the stovetop, mixed with some sugar and then put it in the freezer and mix it up after a little while. It was a good way of making something out of basically nothing.
Christopher experimented with many recipes and is dedicated to only using fresh fruit and no syrups. He took his inspiration from the traditional flavors and processes of granita made in Sicily.
All of Mount Granita’s flavors are made with natural ingredients. Step 1 in their process is to find good-quality, reliable, fresh fruit. Step 2 is to mix the perfect ratio of fruit to cane sugar to water. Then the mixture is put in a machine for a spin while it’s freezing, and the end product is a smooth, refreshing, cold and fruity treat.
Because no stabilizers or preservatives are used in the product, they hand blend every flavor each day to get it back to the fluffy smooth consistency before opening.
“Granita is something that reminds me of what my grandma would make, and it’s something that’s traditional to me and holds a very sentimental place in my heart,” he says.
The building has been in his family for more than 60 years when his great-grandfather bought the building after it was converted into an apartment. From 1914 to the early ’60s, the building housed several merchants and businesses.
“Many of the side streets in Little Italy used to have dozens of different niche stores,” Giancola says. “Our building was first a small grocery store. At one point, it was a barber shop, a diner, an ice cream shop, a shoe cobbler and an art studio.”
Before they renovated the building, two drop ceilings covered the original tin ceiling, plaster and drywall was crumbling off the original brick walls and several layers of flooring covered up the original maple floors.
With the help of family and friends, Giancola worked hard to restore and uncover the building to show off the craftsmanship, the building materials and the building quality that existed in the early 1900s.
When remodeling the building, Giancola wanted to keep the building’s traditional look. He wanted it to look like it belonged in the neighborhood, so he chose to install a striped awning reminiscent of storefronts he saw in old photographs of Little Italy.
It was important to Giancola that his storefront had a serving window to emulate the original street cart and to encourage a sidewalk presence, which, he believes, is the best way to meet people and to have a healthy neighborhood.
“Sometimes as you’re walking along the street, you don’t really want to go into a place, you just want to experience a place,” Giancola says. “The sidewalk part of it was important to us. It’s something for everybody, that includes our bubble machine. Even if you’re not coming to our shop, it’s just something that fills the air and brings up the spirit a little bit.”