Rice, beans & pastichio...

In The Fog

2011-12-15T12:18:00.000+02:00

Yesterday morning as I was getting the kids ready for school I noticed that there was a dull gray light seeping between the slats of the closed shutters- instead of the golden-pink glow that I've been enjoying for the last week or so. This could only mean one thing- and that's fog. I love fog. Some people find it dreary and depressing but I find it tranquil and beautiful. After I dropped the kids off at school I had about a half hour to take some photos. I couldn't wait. Here are just a few photos that I took yesterday morning.

On the way to school...

Near the sea...

Here's a barrel left by fishermen, the coals still smoldering from earlier in the morning.

The red boat of which I've taken so many photos, now I have a photo of it in the fog.

At home...

A walk through our olive grove.

The field- normally we have a view of Mt. Olympus & the sea.

Tarzan looking out into a field of fog.

And finally of my favorites from this shoot, a spiderweb made visible by the moisture in the air. I would love a macro lens for days like this, I can only imagine how beautiful this would be if the droplets were apparent.

Autumn Leaves

2011-11-15T09:24:00.001+02:00

"The leaves fall patiently

Nothing remembers or grieves

The river takes to the sea

The yellow drift of leaves."

- Sara Teasdale

***

All of these photos were taken around my home~ the colors are beautiful & rich, I love it.

***

Flavors of Autumn

2011-11-08T13:41:00.000+02:00

Peppers & tomatoes at the end of their growing season.

Chestnuts are available at the laiki.

Our pomegranates are so sweet and juicy, mice have eaten most of them before we could pick any.

Mr. George gave us beautiful grapes from his vineyard.

My neighbor is growing pumpkins.

Apple-Cinnamon muffins...the children's new favorite treat.

Persimmons...so sweet and beautiful.

The best dessert I've has this autumn...κυδώνι με χαλβά (baked quince with halva). Absolutely dreamy. I can't wait to recreate this dish.

Nicosia, Cyprus

2011-06-05T22:02:00.003+03:00

Since early last fall I've been granted an amazing opportunity- I've been writing and editing for Cyprus "PULSE" Magazine, a new lifestyle magazine on the island published by Pericles Nicolaides. I've written editorials and a few articles about various topics and I have to say that I'm flattered by the opportunity to take part in something so new and exciting. A few months ago I had the opportunity to travel to Cyprus to experience the island for myself, to meet the people and taste the flavors. Cyprus is really a paradise.

I was received by our friends, Phivos and Popi Nicolaides, they are the two of the most gracious hosts I've ever visited!

On the first day of my visit we walked through old Nicosia and I fell in love with the character & charm of the old neighborhood and its buildings. Nicosia has been the capital of Cyprus since the 10th century.

A narrow street in old Nicosia.

This is the door on the House of Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios. This was originally a Venetian Building and it's probably one of the most important 18th century buildings in Nicosia.

House of Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios

Phivos & Popi pose in front of the magnificent door of the House of Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios.

A deteriorated balcony. I can only imagine how beautiful this once was.

These metal plaques are on the street. If you follow them, they will direct you to the city walls.

Very quaint & welcoming.

I love taking photos of doorways and windows. It was fairly difficult to take photos of some of the doorways because the streets are so narrow and there isn't much space to work with but I love how quaint the neighborhood is. This entrance is beautiful.

Here's the Famagusta Gate. It's the only one of Nicosia's three old gates within the southern sector. Now it's the Lefkosia Municipal Cultural Centre where it hosts various exhibitions and performances.

I've read about the Famagusta Gate before and it was almost surreal for me to actually stand in front of it. A great experience.

Archbishop Kyprianos bust and the Agios Ioannis Cathedral.

Another narrow street.

Eleftheria (Liberty) Monument in Nicosia constructed a few weeks before the Turkish invasion in 1974 and not yet inaugurated, for obvious reasons.

Hamam Omerye...I didn't have time to experience their services, but one day I will make the time.

Inside Hamam Omerye

A cafe near the Hamam.

Inside Agios Antonios church in the old city of Nicosia. Popi is glad to explain details about the church to some English tourists. I was lucky to have the best tour guides as my hosts. Listening and learning from their personal experiences was intriguing and I learned a lot from them.

A cat in the garden just outside of Agios Antonios church.

Walking along the city streets we found a really cool motorcycle, a perfect photo opportunity!

I can imagine this is a fun place...

Ledra Street off of Eleftheria Square links the old Nicosia with the modern city.

Phivos made a new acquaintance while waiting to cross the Green Line. Another great photo opportunity!

Later, we crossed the Green Line into the Turkish occupied side of Nicosia. There is a noticeable difference walking from one side to the other. On the Cypriot side there are elegant, modern shops and just beyond checkpoint on the Turkish occupied side is a marketplace.

Silk cocoons for sale.

In the courtyard of the Great Inn. This is a beautiful structure with an intriguing history is considered to be one of the finest buildings on the island.

A view of the Selimiye mosque, originally the Roman Catholic cathedral of Agia Sofia, is the oldest, and one of the finest examples of Gothic art in Cyprus, the work of the French masons who accompanied the Crusades.

As we walked back to Ledra Street in Nicosia we stopped to chat with a friend of Popi & Phivos.

Myself with Molly Zoeller(she graced the first cover of Cyprus Pulse), her fiancée Alkis, Marios and his lovely wife, Efi.

We walked a lot that morning and after enjoying a nice lunch with new friends, we rested and then packed up and drove to Paphos for the weekend.

While visiting, I was lucky enough to spend some time with the wonderful-sweet dog Buddy.

I had a wonderful time in Nicosia, I have nothing but fond memories and throughly enjoyed my experience. I consider it an honor to have such warm and generous friends.

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Mother's Day

2011-05-08T11:40:00.000+03:00

A few beautiful images for Mother's Day...

Personally, I think that there's nothing greater than being a mother. I'm always busy and it seems that I'm always tired- but at the end of each day I'm smothered with little hugs and kisses, and that feeling is incomparable.

~Happy Mother's Day~

One of my Mother's day surprises.

Signs of Spring

2011-03-22T11:17:00.000+02:00

Spring has officially begun and even if it arrived with cold temperatures and rain, it's a welcome sight after a long winter. And, although the calendar tells us it's spring I still love to rely on nature's cues. I love all of the spring flowers and blossoming trees. I try to get outside as much as possible to take in the awakening of my surroundings.

Here are a few photos that I've taken recently that capture some signs of spring...

Tiny daisies blanket the landscape at a park...

These are my zoumboulies. They smell amazing!

Almond blossoms

Almond tree

Apricot blossoms

And finally, my littlest blossom loves to pick spring flowers for me.

***

Happy Spring!

Apokries 2011~ Clean Monday

2011-03-10T11:50:00.002+02:00

Cute isn't she? This was the first of many hats and masks that she would bring home from school during Apokries/carnival season, which has kept us busy for the last few weeks.

My little bird says, "Chiou, chiou."

I'm on the PTA/syllogo at Alexandra's school and we made soutzoukakia sandwiches for the children on Tsiknopempti or "Charred Thursday." Tskinopempti is the beginning of Apokries/Carnival in Greece. Each sandwich consisted of 2 small soutzoukakia and fries. We served the children at around 11:00am because many of them are finished with their day by noon. Alexandra is always thrilled when I'm at school helping with these events. What's really cute is that a lot of the children refer to me as "Ms. Alexandra" because they don't know my name but they know that I'm her mother.

She had a wonderful time.

One week later we had a costume party to attend. The kids were so excited and I have to say that shopping for new costumes this year was a lot of fun. Alexandra was an angel, Foti a ninja, Izabella was Hannah Montana(again), and I wore a festive hat that Alexandra selected especially for me.

At the party.

There was a clown that entertained the children for a few hours. Here's Alexandra with her "weiner."

By the end of the night, the balloons lost their cool shapes...somehow.

So the costume party was over and we had the weekend ahead. This year we didn't go to Kozani or anywhere to see a parade. The weather forecast for the weekend was cold and snowy so we decided to stay close to home.

And the forecast for Clean Monday/Katheri Deftera was even less promising.

The morning was dreary and gray. I started cooking the traditional bean soup, fasolada, early so that it would be ready and warm when we returned from flying our kites. It's tradition to fly kites on Clean Monday and you can usually look up and see kites in the air everywhere throughout the day-which wasn't the case in our area this year. Since we didn't fly kites last year because of the snow and cold we experienced in Kozani, we promised the kids that nothing would keep us from going out this year.

As soon as we left the house to fly our kites it started to rain, then snow and then it rained again. But it didn't matter, we were going to stick with our plans. So, we drove to a beach nearby and found a nice open area, which was easy since there was only one other family at that location braving the cold weather, it was very quiet. I have to admit that this was the first time in my life that I flew a kite on a beach over the water. Very cool, except when you see your kite going down! Luckily, we were able to maneuver our kites away from the sea a few times and I'm happy to report that none of them took a dive.

Alexandra flying her kite.

It's the first time she managed to keep one up on her own.

Foti is always totally into it. I bought him a new kite this year and he couldn't wait to fly it.

Although we managed to keep this one up in the air for a bit, we were mostly disappointed by its performance.

His old- but trusty Spider-man kite flew much better.

Foti flying his Spider-man kite.

Here's a shot of Izabella flying her Dora kite. She's had this one since she was two years old. It's still flying strong, even in the rain & snow.

Izabella taking a break from the wind and snow.

It did get very cold and after about an hour of fun we were frozen so we packed up and went home where I immediately served hot chocolate and coffee, a perfect way to warm up. And since everyone was hungry it was time for lunch.

I served lagana, which is traditionally served on only one day each year...Clean Monday.

Here's the fasolada I made. I've used Maria's recipe for the last few years and the kids love it. It's just as delicious as it looks.

We also had olives and a side of "paprika" to spread on our lagana.

And finally, Makedonikos Halvas.

Izabella dips her lagana into her fasolada.

After lunch we lit a fire and relaxed- watching the wicked weather outside while staying cozy and warm inside. This was one of the the quietest Apokries seasons that we've had since living in Greece and it was wonderful. Kali Sarakosti.

***

~Kyra Sarakosti~

Alexandra's Kyra Sarakosti ~with no mouth which represents fasting, her hands are crossed in prayer and she has seven feet to represent the seven weeks of Lent. A foot is removed after each Saturday that passes until Easter.

***

Frost

2011-02-09T13:25:00.003+02:00

Winter has been mild this year but most mornings everything is covered in frost. Sometimes everything is so white that the kids try to convince me that it had snowed during the night. I say the same thing with every frost, "Looks like Jack Frost has been busy"...and then I explain the difference between snow and frost and they're still thrilled. One by one they make trails in the frosty grass- the same way that they would in snow.

I knelt down on my knees to take these photos while Foti stood patiently watching. The kids are very patient with me and my camera. The most wonderful part of my obsession with photography is that they're learning by watching. From uploading to editing and then posting on my blog- one (or all of them) is always near. When I started this post Foti was anxious for his turn on the computer. After he saw me upload the photos of the frosty leaves and blades of grass he asked if they were from the morning that he stood by my side. When I told him that they were, he wanted to look closer, enlarging them so that he could inspect the frozen images of the frost. As soon as I finished showing him the photos, I talked about Jack Frost and read a few poems to him.

Here's one classic that he enjoyed listening to me read.

***

Jack Frost Poem

~ Hannah F. Gould~

The Frost looked forth one still, clear night,

And whispered, “Now I shall be out of sight;

So, through the valley, and over the height,

In silence I’ll take my way.

I will not go on like that blustering train,

The wind and the snow, the hail and the rain,

That make such a bustle and noise in vain,

But I’ll be as busy as they!”

So he flew to the mountain, and powdered its crest;

He lit on the trees, and their boughs he drest

With diamonds and pearls; and over the breast

Of the quivering lake he spread

A coat of mail, that it need not fear

The downward point of many a spear

That he hung on its margin, far and near,

Where a rock could rear its head.

He went to the windows of those who slept,

And over each pane, like a fairy, crept;

Wherever he breathed, wherever he stepped,

By the light of the morn were seen

Most beautiful things; there were flowers and trees;

There were bevies of birds and swarms of bees;

There were cities with temples and towers; and these

All pictured in silvery sheen!

But he did one thing that was hardly fair–

He peeped in the cupboard, and finding there

That all had forgotten for him to prepare–

“Now, just to set them a-thinking,

I’ll bite this basket of fruit,” said he,

“This costly pitcher I’ll burst in three;

And the glass of water they’ve left for me

Shall ‘tchick’ to tell them I’m drinking!”

***

Thursday Sunset

2011-01-26T13:45:00.001+02:00

Last Thursday heavy clouds loomed above and it seemed as if it was going to rain all day- but luckily it didn't - the rain held out until later that night. The day seemed pretty damp and dreary-not particularly enjoyable nor was it overly uncomfortable. After having been in the car almost all day I couldn't wait to get home. As I drove toward the sea I noticed spectacular colors and stopped to take a few photos.

Off on a secluded corner of the beach I could see one man fishing. The water was calm, the beach was clean. He turned to look at me a few times. I know that I probably interrupted his concentration as I took some shots. I felt like walking on my tiptoes, since I'd disrupted the rhythm of the sea faintly lapping the shoreline.

After about five minutes I packed my camera away and got into the car, I could still see the man. He watched intently as I drove away, probably thankful that he would have the last few minutes of the sunset to himself.

Know where to find the sunrise and sunset times and note how the sky looks at those times, at least once.

~Marilyn vos Savant~

Happy New Year ~ Καλή Xρονιά

2011-01-01T13:24:00.195+02:00

Happy New Year, Καλή χρονιά...

This holiday season has been extremely busy for me and I have so many photos I've taken of the things that the kids have enjoyed, I think I'll just start with yesterday...New Year's Eve. Our children don't wait for Santa Claus to arrive on Christmas eve, instead they anticipate the arrival of Agios Vassilis on New Year's eve. What's really great about where we live is that each year, a small town nearby, the town of Nea Michaniona, holds an extra special event for the local children. Agios Vassilis arrives on a boat bearing gifts for all of the children eagerly waiting. We've only attended this event once so far, in 2009, since last year we didn't know what time it started and arrived an hour late. This year, a friend of mine that lives there provided me with the correct time that Agios Vassilis was expected and we were early- which meant that we had plenty of time to indulge in the cotton candy that was being sold.

Alexandra waits for her cotton candy, with her money in hand. Funny thing is that she walked off with the cotton candy without paying in the end. I didn't notice as I was working with Foti and his cotton candy, I think it's amazing how fast kids manage to get sticky. The vendor kindly pointed out that she owed him money, so I made sure that she paid him.

The kids are always amazed when they watch the cotton candy being made.

Foti takes his cotton candy seriously.

They were so thrilled. Did you notice that Alexandra's cotton candy is almost bigger than she is?

(...and that this post is almost turning into one about cotton candy?)

Just as they finished their fun with the cotton candy and washed their hands, Agios Vassilis could be seen off in the distance, waving red flares. Definitely exciting.

Young scouts row the boat the brings Agios Vassilis to the shore.

The children are so excited to see him.

A glimpse of Agios Vassilis handing out gifts.

After our visit, we went home to bake White Chip Chocolate Cookies so that we had something leave out for Agios Vassilis. Iza helped me bake this batch and was very proud to pose for a photo, since she measured the ingredients and rolled most of the dough into balls before they went in the oven.

So Agios Vassilis has come and gone, my children are quietly enjoying their new gifts while I sip on my coffee and put together this post. I don't make resolutions, so I don't have one. What I do have is hope that 2011 will be a great one, a year to remember.

I wish all of you a Happy New Year!
Καλή Xρονιά!

Snow Day

2010-12-17T10:52:00.000+02:00

Freezing temperatures and snow on Thursday meant school was closed. I wasn't aware of it until I attempted to drop the kids off, a lot of us parents were surprised. Given that I grew up in the state of Wisconsin, this wasn't a lot of snow in my opinion. But, it doesn't snow here very often and the roads were very icy so I understand why things had to be shut down. Before going home I took the kids for a scenic drive in our warm & toasty car because I had to take photos, you know.

Enjoy.

~~~

Have a nice weekend.

Καλό Σαββατοκύριακο!

Spectacular View on a Saturday Morning

2010-12-08T12:38:00.000+02:00

Recently, I was on my way to the vet to have Gigi's hair cut when I had to stop and take some photos of our view. It was just about 9:00am on a Saturday morning. What's unique here is that the sun was shining so bright over parts Mt. Olympus that we could actually see the contour of the mountains. Normally, we can only see a silhouette. Just beautiful.

~~~

Thanksgiving~No Turkey But Lots of Drumsticks

2010-12-02T01:35:00.002+02:00

Izabella made me a special sign without any help so she didn't realize Thanksgiving is one word~she's so incredibly sweet. Lucky, lucky me.

~~~

Thanksgiving has come and gone once again and I suppose I can now call this an annual post since many of you are interested in how we've celebrated our holiday and I'm always happy to share. It's our third Thanksgiving in Greece and I think I've finally figured it out. I don't get stressed about it anymore, not like I did the first year that we were here. I was searching for a turkey off & on for a few weeks, a frozen turkey that is.(for my new readers- Greeks typically only eat turkey around Xmas, therefore it's not widely available or easy to find anytime before December ) I could've probably ordered a fresh one but I can't even begin to imagine how much that might have cost-since I've inquired before. Last year I think my local butcher said that a fresh turkey would cost about 70 euro for 7 kilos- not what I want to spend for a busy weeknight celebration. Now, if I was planning to have guests I'd probably pay whatever I had to, but that wasn't the case. So I searched for a few weeks, but didn't really go out of my way since I knew that a local grocery store always carries turkey drumsticks and I'd be perfectly happy roasting those if there was no frozen turkey to be had, which at the end of the day was the case. Before I purchased the drumsticks I bought a chicken as plan B- but alas, there were enough drumsticks to roast for my family of five. I bought the last six in the butcher's case.

Just out of the oven...

Since I only had drumsticks to roast without a whole turkey to stuff, I placed the drumsticks on top of the stuffing and everything turned out absolutely delicious. And with these six drumsticks I had enough turkey drippings to make gravy that lasted through Friday's leftovers.

You can see here how the drumsticks were so tender that they fell apart as I removed them from the pan.

Along with the turkey and stuffing I made mashed potatoes and corn with dinner rolls on the side. I decided to skip salad altogether because we eat salad almost every day and I thought since there was so much food no one would eat it. But I was wrong, my salad eating little man, Foti, asked where the salad was as fixed his plate. Next year there'll be salad. And not having salad wasn't the only hitch, Alexandra wouldn't try any of the food except for the turkey and the rolls- she said, " take that other stuff off my plate." I was shocked by her demand but I suppose it's only natural for these foods to be foreign to her since she was only 10 months old when we moved here and I only make mashed potatoes & stuffing twice a year. OK, I might make mashed potatoes four times a year, but it's not enough for her to become accustomed to the flavors and textures of these foods. She didn't even like the corn, which was hard for me to believe. Most kids like corn, right? Again, it's not something we eat regularly and she's only 4 years old so I guess I can't blame her for being put off by food that she's not used to. Maybe she'll want to try something new on Christmas.

For dessert I made an apple pie which I served with vanilla ice cream. The kids loved the apple pie so that was a winning choice. Izabella is my photographer and we laughed so hard when we saw this first photo of me holding the pie and Gigi begging for some. This is a Gigi photobomb- we have many of these.

So Izabella insisted in taking another photo, without Gigi's little paws and here is our second attempt. My pie isn't picture perfect, let me remind you that I'm much better at cooking than baking and although my pie looks deflated, it was 100% delicious.

We also enjoyed some cookies and cinnamon rolls that a friend of mine made. She insisted that I swing by to pick these up on my way home from the school. She didn't have to twist my arm. She's extremely thoughtful, I'm thankful for that.

Our weather has been incredibly mild and my rose bushes are flourishing- so I was lucky enough to have beautiful roses from my own garden for our Thanksgiving table. Love my roses!

Here's a photo of Gigi looking impatiently at me, waiting for her share of turkey. I know you can't see her eyes here, but trust me... it's the look.

One last photo before dinner...a new favorite of mine.

So as you can see we had a nice, quiet Thanksgiving dinner. I was organized in preparing this year and everything rolled along just as I had planned. We watched the Macy's Day parade via live feed online, made a few phone calls to friends and family, did homework and went to bed on time since the kids had school the next morning.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and I miss celebrating with my family and friends in the U.S. because although I have started my own family tradition here in Greece, it doesn't compare to the beautiful chaos of spending time with my immediate family or being spoiled by my mother's lemon meringue pie. (she normally makes one just for me! ) I'm hoping that my kids will have fond memories of Thanksgiving and if we're still in Greece when they're older- I hope that they continue this important tradition. Now, on with the rest of the holiday season...ENJOY!

Colors of the Sunrise

2010-11-12T14:04:00.000+02:00

Sunrise shots taken from the same place but on two different mornings.

I love the contrast of colors.

This photo was taken at sunrise on November 2, 2010. I love the rose & pink hues.

This photo was taken at sunrise on November 9, 2010. Beautiful.

At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear. It is those we live with and love and should know who elude us. You can love completely without completely understanding.

quote from A River Runs Through It

“

Fisherman's Wharf

2010-10-21T11:47:00.000+03:00

~At the fisherman's wharf on a cloudy day~

Rain

2010-10-19T11:53:00.001+03:00

For the more than a week we've experienced our fair share of rain. It has rained so much, everything is drenched and muddy. It's just messy and our roads turn into rivers, literally. Just Saturday night I went out with a friend and she offered to pick me up at home, and I had to politely refuse that she did because our roads are such a mess. It was much easier for me to drive out than it would have been for her to drive in. I don't want to subject anyone to these waterways unless it's absolutely necessary.

Yesterday there was a break in the rain just before it was time to pick the kids up from school but it was a challenge getting to my car without getting my feet and the bottom of pants completely soaked. By the time we got home there was a little concrete left above water so that we could get into our gate. The kids love when our road turns into a river, they like to throw small objects like sticks and leaves into the stream so that they can watch them get carried off into the field. They were very excited to pose for a picture with all of this water yesterday. (pretend you don't see the junk food!)

About 20 minutes after we were home the water rushed down and took over the whole road. It's a good thing that we got home when we did because it would've been extra messy if we all had to wade through this to get to our gate.

And, when I say the whole road was a river, I mean it. It took about 4 hours for the water to clear.

The kids ran inside to put on their rain boots so that they could splash around a bit. It was very exciting for them. I don't know how exciting it will be at the end of winter, but it is now.

Here's Izabella showing me how much water accumulated in the wheelbarrow-again. This amount of water is from yesterday. It seems we've emptied it almost every day.

And here's a picture of some pomegranates in the rain. Today the sun is shining and it's fairly warm-a welcome change.

What a difference a day makes.

***

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.~Maya Angelou

1st Greek Food Bloggers Camp

2010-10-16T11:36:00.001+03:00

Good morning...the 1st Greek Food Bloggers Camp is taking place right now. You can watch it here...

Watch live streaming video from greekfoodblogs at livestream.com

To be a part of this diverse and distinguished group of bloggers is an honor.

Street Musician I

2010-10-11T02:04:00.002+03:00

Walking along Wabash Ave. in Chicago I came across several street musicians. I took photos of most of the musicians I encountered, but this man was one of my favorites - he was an amazing saxophone player.

~~~

Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music
~Sergi Rachmaninov

~~~

Captivated by the Sunset

2010-10-06T01:40:00.006+03:00

It was just another busy evening. The children were outside chasing toads- letting out sharp squeals whenever one slipped away. Then I heard the word "lizard"- which lead to more squeals of delight. Inside, I was trying to tidy up and finish some chores I had neglected earlier. I had a headache. I walked out on the balcony to collect laundry I had hung to dry early that morning...it had to be dry. I looked out toward the sea when I was intrigued by the sunset. I left the laundry, took a deep breath and leaned over the rail a bit so that I could capture some fresh air breezing by. It was a wonderful moment, I was captivated by the sun as I patiently watched it disappear behind the hills across the sea. Was it 10 minutes? I'm not sure, but it was enough and although my headache hadn't subsided, it was less intense and I felt a sense of calm.

Last Day at the Beach

2010-09-27T10:06:00.000+03:00

I believe we've spent our last our last day at the beach. Last Sunday the weather was absolutely beautiful so we took advantage of the opportunity to squeeze in another swim as well as quiet time exploring our nearly deserted beach.

Cat Nap

2010-09-24T12:51:00.001+03:00

I love cats, always have. In fact, most of my friends still can't believe that I have three dogs and not a single cat in my life. Living in Greece provides me with ample opportunity to photograph cats and I've photographed hundreds but I haven't posted any on this blog. I'm not sure why.

One of my favorite coffee table books is The Mediterranean Cat by Hans Silvester. I've had this book for years and to this day, I find myself flipping through the pages, admiring his beautiful photos of cats...many similar to some I've taken. Cats are great subjects and usually cooperative in front of the lens.

Alexandra & I met this cat while were were taking a walk the other day and she suggested that I take some photos of it. He was napping under a table at a seaside taverna, it was midday (μεσημέρι) and very few people were out taking walks. No one was at the taverna and it was open. A perfect opportunity and place for this cat to have a nap.

Sunday Lunch

2010-09-15T10:41:00.000+03:00

Sunday lunch: Sea bass, salad, fried peppers and fried zucchini accented by the seeds from the slice of lemon I squeezed so generously over my fish. Yes, it was delicious.

Seaside

2010-09-03T14:26:00.000+03:00

A few photos I took on the way home from running errands the other day...

Mt. Olympus

Mt. Olympus is becoming visible daily again as the weather cools. We lose its view with the hot, hazy days of summer.

Have a nice weekend!

Καλό Σαββατοκύριακο!

! Buen fin de semana!

Alexandra's 4th Birthday & Name Day

2010-08-30T02:16:00.000+03:00

Today is our little Alexandra's 4th birthday and Name Day. We celebrated her birthday at home on Saturday night, she had a wonderful time.

Alexandra chose this cake. Originally, she wanted something with unicorns & monkeys...and grass on it. I'm really glad she took the time to look through the catalog and settle for the Dalmatians.

When came time to blow out the candles she went for the challenge and tried to blow out the sparklers!

What was on the table this year?

Tiropita

Spanikopita

Loukanopita

Olives

Melanzanosalata

Greek Potato Salad

Tomato-Basil Bruschetta

Feta cheese squares...

Peanut butter & Jelly minis for the kids...

Sausage, crackers, Kalamata olive tampanade

and my favorite this year-tomato/basil/mozzarella hor d'oeuvres. I couldn't stop eating these!

We had a lot of leftovers so I didn't have to cook on Sunday which was fantastic since we were away all morning having coffee with very special visitors.

It was a wonderful weekend full of celebration that we shared with our very special friends and family.

Happy Birthday & Happy Name Day my sweet Alexandra!

χρόνια πολλά!

Buckingham Fountain

2010-08-22T01:38:00.000+03:00

I've been away from the blog for one month, probably my longest absence ever. I've been extremely busy this summer and I've also had the chance to travel to the U.S. to visit my friends and family. It's been an amazing summer, to say the least. Before I get back to my regular posting I'd like to share a few photos of one of my absolute favorite fountains located in my absolute favorite city in the world...the Buckingham Fountain in Chicago, IL. Whenever I visit downtown Chicago, I always make time to stop there.

I really love this place, could sit there for hours...

Enjoy what remains of summer!

Ten things that make me happy...

2010-07-21T02:23:00.001+03:00

My friend, Christie, at My Comfy Escape has tagged me to list my Ten things that make me happy. She tagged me well over a month ago, but it seems that everything I do is late these days. Well, let's just say later than my usual late self, I'm always late. I was born almost a month later than my mother's given due date so I have a great excuse. And then I married a Greek... so any chance of me being on time anywhere was lost. Although, I have to brag about arriving almost 1/2 hour early to a baptism recently. We didn't know what to do with ourselves, we walked at a casual pace and stood around waiting for the baptism to begin, definitely out of our element.

So, let's get to this list. I have just recently listed 10 things that make me happy for an award that I received - so I'll add photos to this post to make it a bit different.

~~~

1. My friends & family ~~ VITAL to my being and appreciated more than I can express in mere words...the unconditional love and support that I receive daily makes me thrive. The emails... phone messages & texts and blog comments --I'm always eager to see who has checked in. I'm surrounded by so much love & support, I can only say "Thank YOU"...all of you!! You're always on the top of my list!

One of my favorite photos of Christie & I. Yes, it was really funny...

2. Chocolate. I think this one is self explanatory if there are chocoholics like myself reading this.

My chocolaty-chocolate birthday cake.

3. Photography. I've been inspired by so many photographers past & present. Some of my favorites include Gordon Parks .

and Ansel Adams.

4. Music. I love almost all genres of music. Music is life, I can't imagine a day without music.

Music is what feelings sound like. ~Author unknown

5. Coffee. What kind of coffee do I like? Most of it. Although I'd give anything for a Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha (grande) I'm very happy with my own cappuccino. My cappuccino maker was away for about a month and I was lost without it. And, I love frappé. I have at least one frappé per day ...shaken not

blended. Oh and Γλυκό με γάλα παρακαλώ ...(Sweet with milk please...)

(Alexandra sneaks a sip of my cappuccino, the kids already love coffee too...shhhh!)

6. Art. Having said that I'll introduce you to a budding artist, my Izabella. Not a day passes that she doesn't create.

7. Food/Cooking. I love exploring new cuisine and trying new recipes. I also enjoy letting my kids help me in the kitchen. I find that letting them help prepare a meal ensures that they'll eat what we're making, most of the time.

Yes...I made everything in these photos...

8. The spa. Recently spoiled by a whole afternoon at the spa courtesy of one of my bests friends (wink, wink)-that would be the one who tagged me for this list.

9. Flowers/gardening- I find gardening therapeutic although I'm overwhelmed by the amount of work that it takes to maintain our garden these days.

A rose & my garden a month ago...doesn't look so well kept now...

10. Our pets. (well, most of the time...)

Tarzan & Alexandra

Myself & Gigi

"Torlitza" & Iza

Tarzan again...with Lobo

Thank you for tagging me Christie!

I miss you! :)

Little Feet...

2010-07-15T01:32:00.000+03:00

We attended a baptism recently & I captured these little feet just after being handed into the arms of their new Nonos/Νονός. (Godfather)

The Quintessential Donkey

2010-07-10T02:50:00.000+03:00

To carry his load without resting, not to be bothered by heat or cold and always be content: these three things we can learn from a donkey.

~Indian Proverb~

Early Summer...

2010-06-29T02:06:00.003+03:00

Early summer images...

Silly smiles

Quiet beaches

My pink flowers

Sailboats full of swimmers

Pomegranate blossoms

Summer is a promissory note signed in June, its long days spent and gone before you know it, and due to be repaid next January.

~Hal Borland~

Flamouri Harvest

2010-06-18T00:33:00.001+03:00

Flamouri Flowers

The flamouri (φλαμούρι) trees have blossomed and are passed their peak. For nearly two weeks we've enjoyed the sweet and light floral fragrance breezing through the air. The scent of our trees was enjoyed throughout the property as well as inside our home, given that we've had our windows open for nearly a month now. I anticipate the blooming of these trees and this year they were just a little late due to cooler temperatures and a string of rainy days.

One day last week I was talking to myself, which is fairly normal. I mentioned that I didn't know when I would have time to harvest any given the horrible weather and our social commitments. Funny enough, Izabella was actually listening. When she came home from school the next day she went to outside to play with Foti and a while later they came in and asked for two large bowls. I asked them what their intent was...how what they needed them for and they told me that I've been so busy that they would help me pick flamouri. I melted...just melted. Does this mean my children are finally old enough to really help me outside? And on their own? I see things getting a bit easier around the garden.

So, they set out to pick the flowers. When I went out to show them how they should be picked I was pleasantly surprised that Izabella remembered from last year. See? They're getting so self sufficient!

Izabella removes the larger leaves not used for making tea.

Alexandra concentrates on her task.

Foti presenting me with his bowl of flowers & leaves. I was on the balcony lifted it up for me to see. Nice work!

Flamouri tea is also known as Tilio ( Τίλιο )

in Greek and Linden in English. Flamouri tea has many health benefits and has been used as an herbal remedy for centuries.

Some of the common uses for flamouri tea include treating a cold or a cough and other related symptoms. I find it helpful because it helps clear up my nasal passages whenever I have a stuffy nose and provides relief when I have a sore throat. The tea has a calming effect and it is often suggested that one should drink a cup to relieve any stress & anxiety that's affecting the body.

The fragrance is so light and floral, it's also used in making soaps or used in skin care. Last weekend I gifted some of the tea to friends that were visiting from the U.S. and they were impressed by the fragrance that permeated the plastic bag I had packed it in. I'm sure the inside of their luggage probably smelled pleasant once they were home.

I've been suffering from a sore throat for a few days and I boiled some of my already dried flamouri. It's always so comforting. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend that you do and hopefully you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

Dried flamouri, just about ready for storage.

References: About.com: Greek Food - Linden Tea

Health Benefits of Linden Flowers and Linden Flower Tea

A Trip to the Market

2010-06-04T01:11:00.000+03:00

One of my favorite things about living in Greece is that open markets are a part of everyday life, unlike my other neighborhood in Milwaukee, where we have to wait for summer and warmer weather before an open or "green" market becomes available on a regular basis. Although, I have to admit that I shop at the open market aka "laiki" more often in the spring and summer months since it always seems to rain on the day of our local laiki during the winter.

The kids also love the experience of the market, especially since they always leave with wonderful treats. The photos I've posted are from recent visits.

Foti & Alexandra posing at the market.

Alexandra has a small bag of assorted candy in her grasp, she chose her favorites, of course.

My favorite olives, stuffed with red peppers. I use these when I make arroz con gandules. Although, I have to say it's arroz SIN gandules since I have run out of them a few months ago. Now I use red beans/frijoles rojos instead.

It's also cherry season. I absolutely have to go to the market for these every week until they're gone. My girls love to taste a few before we buy any.

Leaving the market with treats in hand.

Notice how the kids are paying close attention to their surroundings. They enjoy going to the market not only to absorb the sights and smells; but also because now that we are regulars, many of the vendors take special care of them and often treat them with candy and smiles. That alone takes the monotony out of shopping for fruits and veggies.

Afternoon Adventure

2010-05-31T00:40:00.001+03:00

Here's a structure that we drive by quite frequently. I've been told that it's an old monastery that has burned down. I don't know what it was officially though. Each time we drive by the kids ask about it and want to stop to take a look around. So, one afternoon last month we had time to explore what remains of the monastery.

This photo was taken from what I believe was the interior of the building.

Toward the back of the structure.

The field outside of the monastery.

Alexandra on the road in front of the monastery.

Inside of the structure.

Alexandra's shoe fell off...

Her favorite gold shoes. It's great that Izabella is already a photographer and was able to document the moment! She's very attentive.

Pretty purple wildflowers.

Chamomile

More wild flowers. I don't know what these are, unfortunately.

There's a small shrine (εκκλησάκι) on the property which captured the curiosity of my little ones.

There's a fig tree toward the back of the structure. A friend of mine told me that she takes here children there in the summer gather figs.

Here, I'm in the field near the monastery. I didn't take too many photos from the inside because the weeds were so thick and high. One week prior to this adventure we walked through the overgrown weeds and a tick hitched a ride on my forehead, (only to be discovered as I was driving home!) so this time I didn't want to risk anymore hitchhikers on myself or the kids.

~Have a nice week~

~Καλή εβδομάδα~

A Whole Lot of Nothing...

2010-05-23T03:02:00.000+03:00

I realize it's been a while since my last post, almost 3 weeks. Sometimes there's so much going on that it seems overwhelming which leaves me feeling like there's nothing to say, but then again, there's a whole lot of nothing. May is always a busy month for our family. We start with a BBQ on May 1st to celebrate "Protomagia". Usually I take a few days to prepare for that and a few days to recover. Mix in national holidays, general strikes (teachers included), my birthday, Kosta's name day, weekend outings and a few illnesses--(ok, basically just life)-- and I'm pretty much exhausted by the time I have the urge to write, leaving me with just enough energy to do some mandatory online socializing and read some news, that is, if I haven't fallen asleep first.

So this week I have a whole lot of nothing coming up. But before I start bringing you up to speed, I'll share a big happy smile from our newest resident, Lobo. He's settled in nicely and I think he's pretty happy with us, he hasn't attempted to flee yet!

Enjoy the remainder of the weekend!

Timing is everything...

2010-05-04T15:04:00.001+03:00

For a few weeks I drove passed this field, admiring the colors each time. Looking forward to passing each morning I kept in mind that I wanted to stop and take a photo one day, so finally, I did. (obviously) I'm glad that I didn't wait another day because the morning after I took the photo I noticed that the field was barren, it had been cleared for planting. Timing is everything.

Early morning, my view...

2010-05-02T21:00:00.000+03:00

Early one morning I saw a flock of seagulls along the beach so I stopped to take some photos.

This is what they were so excited about.

It was noisy and exciting near the shore, I ended up spontaneously taking a great walk.

~Enjoy the week ahead~

Beautiful Chamomile

2010-04-30T12:23:00.001+03:00

The chamomile is growing freely and it smells absolutely wonderful...

I've been gathering and drying bunches for tea. This year I started earlier because I didn't gather enough last year. Izabella is making sure that I don't pick flowers that have been run over by cars or slept on (or worse) by dogs. It's so funny. "Don't pick those, dogs walk here!" I wonder where she learns it.

Have nice weekend!

Poppies Against an Overcast Sky...

2010-04-28T01:42:00.004+03:00

Through the dancing poppies stole a breeze most softly lulling to my soul.

John Keats

Coffee on a Wednesday Afternoon

2010-04-25T04:45:00.002+03:00

Spring has been so enjoyable and the weather has been perfectly spring-like. One our favorite things to do in spring is to a enjoy cup of coffee, or two, alfresco. It's always fun to visit different cafes and change our view. Plus, the kids alway enjoy getting away from home a little. Here's a series of shots taken one beautiful, spring Wednesday afternoon. The temperature was about 65 F/18C. Just perfect.

A covered carousel, the children wondered when it would be working.

Alexandra running along the port.

Foti is always impressed by the fishing vessels.

Izabella looks for fish.

It's great that there's a park near the cafe so that the children could play while we enjoyed our coffee.

A friendly dog receives a lot of attention from the customers.

Cappuccino!

I love the simple blue & white furniture here. Invigorating!

We had coffee in Nea Michaniona

View Larger Map

Lobo

2010-04-20T11:43:00.001+03:00

Lobo on one of his first nights in the compound. He was still a little nervous.

I'd like to introduce you to our newest resident, "Lobo". Lobo is a stray that was hanging around outside of our gate for nearly a week. He grew so comfortable with us that whenever we opened the gate to leave, he would run in and we couldn't get him out.

I fed him and I rubbed his head and now he's definitely not planning on going anywhere anytime soon. He's wearing a collar so I assume he's lost. I've been to the vet to report that we have him. Lobo is welcome to stay until we find his owners (hopefully).

We decided to name him yesterday because we were calling him "the dog" for more than a week.

The kids think that he looks like a wolf to them so they decided to call him "Lobo" which means "wolf" in Spanish.

I believe that he's a Belgian Shepard, he's gorgeous and still quite young. He has a bad habit of jumping on me when he sees me but since I've been working with him, he's not jumping as much. (although it's still irritating...

he's a big dog!)

He's adorable, gentle and already very good to the children. As you can see, he's relaxed a lot since we've taken him in. Although I don't mind keeping him, I hope to find his rightful owners as he's probably missed. If any of my readers know of anyone missing a dog please leave a comment or show them this post. He could be from the areas of Mixaniona, Epanomi or Mesimeri. In the meantime, he's getting a lot of love & hugs from us.

Yes! The sun is shining...

2010-04-16T02:04:00.000+03:00

Sunshine Blog Award!

Jessica at Propsero's Cellphone passed this award on to me a while ago and I am once again, humbled and grateful. I appreciate that she enjoys my blog and is willing to share it with her blog friends.

Not only does she bring sunshine into my life through her blog, but she shines bright for me every day on other social networking sites and is a true friend that I appreciate and admire. I'm incredibly lucky that Jessica has entered my life and I hope to make a trip to Corfu to meet her one day!

***

Now there are rules with this award, naturally.

The rules are as follows:

Forward it on-Nominate 12 bloggers.

Put the logo onto your sidebar or withing a post.

Link the nominees within your post.

Let the nominees know they've received this award by commenting on their blog.

Share the love and link the sidebar logo to the person from whom you've received this award.

So, here we go...

John Palmer & Ryan Lindsay - John Ross Palmer's Blog

Joy - Joy and the YamDaisy

Angela - The F.A.B. Files

Mel- Mel's Diner

Christie- My Comfy Escape

Bhavesh - chaukhat.com BLOG

Phivos - Travelling-ταξίδια

Maria- Organically Cooked

Liz - The making of cupcakes.gr

Eric - Eric Rivera's Cooking Blog

Peter - Kalofagas.ca GREEK FOOD AND BEYOND

Mariana - History of Greek Food

My list includes many of my long-time favorites as well as a few newcomers; blogs that I've only recently started to enjoy. It's hard to choose only 12 bloggers!

Thank you Jessica!!

And now a gratuitous photo of a very personal source of sunshine...

Beach in Spring...

2010-04-12T00:00:00.001+03:00

There are days when we have time to kill and our favorite place to pass the time is the beach, no matter the season. One afternoon we had about an hour to spare before it was time to pick Foti up from school, so the girls and I enjoyed some fresh air at a local beach.

As we approached the beach we spotted a dog sleeping. At first we thought it was dead, as it's not uncommon to come across dead dogs here. I know it sounds grim, but it's reality. This one woke up a few minutes later and we were relieved. He was extremely friendly and lovable.

Exploring...

We saw some brave swimmers. The temperature this day was about 60 F/ 15.5 C...so not technically warm enough for most people to take a dip. I applaud this couple for their enthusiasm because I won't go in yet.

A strange find on the beach...

Alexandra fell and Izabella was taking photos...

and caught the moment when I went to help her up. She was using my camera, she's already great at photography, especially given she's only 7 yrs old. She won't be satisfied with a point & shoot, I'm afraid.

Izabella posing on the life guard station.

Alexandra loves the sand...just loves it.

That's how we kill time. I love living near the sea.

Have a nice week!

A Look at our Easter

2010-04-10T12:03:00.002+03:00

Chocolate bunnies & traditional red Easter eggs given to the children by our neighbors.

Easter was a week ago and I've finally got my act together so that I could post some photos from our celebration. It's been quite a busy week given the kids are home from school.

Our Easter was very quiet this year. Friends that have spent the last two Easters with us moved back to the U.S. two weeks ago and another family that we invited informed us, on Friday, that they would be going away to a spa resort for the weekend instead. I ordered the lamb on Thursday. So, we had a much bigger lamb than we needed but everything always works out in the end.

Enjoy the photos...

The coffee table ready for Easter.

Here's a photo of Alexandra before church on Saturday night. The lambatha(candle) she was holding was decorated by her with her Yia Yia & Thia's help. The kids received many lambadas this year, typically they are given to children by their God parents/oi noni.

A quick family photo before church. Foti is missing because he was sleeping. He was so tired and we didn't want to wake him up. Last year he went to church tired and he was so difficult that we learned to just let him sleep.

Here's Izabella with her lambatha and the pretty dress that her Nono/God father bought for her.

After the church service Alexandra is holding the Holy Light and ready to play tsougrisma. Izabella's egg cracked last so she'll have good luck for the year.

Outside of the church after midnight- everyone is leaving with their lambathas to bring home the Holy Light.

The children decorated their eggs with Yia Yia and Thia, they were so proud. Izabella's is the one with the face, Foti's with the ribbon and Alexandra's with the flowers.

Early in the morning on Easter Foti helped Kosta clean and prepare the lamb for the souvla/spit.

Ready to go... sharing a proud "guy" moment.

Myself with my proud little man. A proud "mom" moment.

Foti enjoys snacking on tyropita near the lamb. Gigi wants a piece but we don't allow her to eat our food. Poor Gigi.

Izabella spent a lot of time with her tortoise on Easter.

Homemade Restina given to us by our neighbor. Actually, it's mine. No one enjoys it more than me!

Pouring myself a glass of Retsina.

The lamb is ready! Time to eat...finally.

A quick shot of the table. I was in a hurry to eat so I snapped this very fast because I was hungry!

Finally, here's a shot of a pear blossom. We roasted the lamb near our pear trees that were in full bloom and thoroughly enjoyed their blossoms. Later in the evening we had friends stop by for coffee and dessert which was a nice way to end the day.

Related Links:

Easter in Greece-Greek Customs

Preparing for Easter

A Little More Easter

First Poppy for Mama

2010-03-31T03:46:00.004+03:00

I have to be the luckiest mother on the planet, I'm convinced. Last Sunday my kids took a walk with Kosta to visit neighbors. I have to admit, I almost pushed them out the door, I couldn't wait for some time alone, if only for an hour. I spent a whole hour by myself basking in silence while enjoying a coffee outside and checking my email without little people asking me how long it would be before they could have their turn at my laptop. When they wait for their turn, they hover and count the minutes.

"Mom, you said five minutes."

"Mom, you said five minutes ten hours ago!"

"Mom, you're not being fair, you'll never finish!"

As the hour of my temporary freedom came to a close I could hear the giggles and squeals of my kids running home. The little voices drew near and by the time they reached our gate all I could hear was "Mama, Mama...come here!" My first thought was that they must have found another animal along the way.

I opened the door, walked down the steps and Izabella was running up the walkway with a small bunch of flowers in her grip. She said, "Mama look! The first red poppy, we found our first red poppy of spring and picked it for you, I know you love poppies mom." She's right, I do love poppies.

I immediately put the flowers into a vase and on the coffee table. I looked at the sweet little bunch of flowers and naturally, had to take a picture. Foti watched carefully as I snapped the pictures and then tapped me on the shoulder. "Mama, can I hold the vase? I want to hold it so you can take a picture of me with the flowers...so you can remember that we picked them for you." You know what this does to a mother's heart, don't you? It melts it. My heart just melted. Of course my little monkey can hold the flowers.

He was so proud to have helped gather flowers for me. After I took a few pictures he wanted to have a look ( digital photography is the best thing that's happened to me and children's college funds!) and the one above is the one he has approved for posting. Izabella & Alexandra had already taken the two laptops available while I was busy so they weren't interested in the flowers anymore. It's the little moments like these that remind me of just how lucky I am and also how wonderful my kids are. I am definitely the luckiest mother on the planet.

Related Post:

Looking for a Poppy

Tractor Traffic

2010-03-28T11:27:00.001+03:00

μία από τα ίδια...

I'm always running late and I'm ALWAYS behind a tractor!

I know, my traffic problems could be worse so I won't complain too much. Tractors, city buses and trucks(or tractors) hauling boats seem to be the source of my stress when I'm driving. They're slow and I can't ever get around them. I won't even mention having to wait for sheep to clear the road. I'll take it any day over gridlock though.

Spring...My Favorite Season

2010-03-21T03:22:00.000+02:00

Spring is my absolute favorite season. It means that my birthday is near, days will be longer, the weather is getting warmer, I spend more time outside and I can start planting my garden. Most of all, I love how colors- greens, yellows, purples and pinks emerge from beneath the brown and grey hues of winter.

Even flowers that some may consider weeds are beautiful and vibrant.

Our property turns into a spring wonderland that our children love exploring. Butterflies, hawk-moths and tadpoles keep them intrigued as they spend hours outside looking for them.

Even cold, cloud covered days offer rich green views.

The children love their independence- free of the cold, damp winter and not having to bundle up every day.

As I look up through the blossoming trees the sky seems much brighter and a bit more blue.

Purple is my favorite color...

especially when it blankets the fields near our home.

Wishing everyone in the northern hemisphere a beautiful Spring!

Almond Blossoms II

2010-03-12T10:47:00.000+02:00

Almond blossom, sent to teach us

That the spring days soon will reach us.

~ Sir Edwin Arnold~

Have a nice weekend...

Wintry Monday

2010-03-08T11:22:00.002+02:00

I had another almond blossom photo lined up for this morning but we woke up to cold wind and a mix of snow and rain. I took these photos on our big snow day and decided to post them in honor of our wintry weather today. However, this much snow hasn't fallen, thankfully.

And WINTER by Tori Amos is one of my favorite songs...

Have a nice week!

~~~

Καλή εβδομάδα!

Almond Blossoms I

2010-03-05T01:16:00.003+02:00

Blossom of the almond trees,

April's gift to April's bees.

~ Sir Edwin Arnold~

Have a nice weekend...

Early Morning Walk at the Marina

2010-03-02T17:11:00.000+02:00

One thing I haven't done in a while is post photos that I've taken on the same day as the actual post. I started this morning and I'm motivated to have this up before I go to bed only because today's weather is so spectacular and I want to share just how beautiful of a morning we had.

Shortly after dropping Izabella off at school I was ready to turn the car around, go to the bakery and then head home. Given the fact that we've been stuck in the house for two days with another nasty virus and that the weather was so beautiful, I decided to take a ride instead. Foti and Alexandra were with me. Foti's school was closed for conferences today and Alexandra doesn't go to school yet.

So, we drove to a local marina to take a walk. It was around 8:30 am and the sea was calm...

The sky was so blue.

The kids loved to look at the geese & ducks that live at the marina.

Fishermen cleaning their nets. As they tossed the fish & other creatures from their nets the seagulls were there waiting to collect.

Alexandra posing on a rock, squinting in the bright sunlight.

A look off of the pier, the water was is so clear.

I almost missed this as we walked along the pier...

I had to go back to look at it. Someone's boat has sunk! I feel bad for the owner. We've had a boat sink once and it's difficult to recover and repair a sunken boat.

Naturally, we were approached by a stray dog. This one was absolutely adorable and luckily I had some doggy treats in the car. This pup worked hard for a treat. It was so sweet and playful.

The dog loved the attention from the kids.

Beautiful purple flowers against the natural blue backdrop of the sea.

And here's a very pleased Foti. He was so happy that he was able to see boats, fishermen, ducks, geese and so much more this morning. He thought we were only going to drop his sister off at school and return home, hence his outfit! I told him to get dressed and it's what her threw together for the car ride and I didn't have time to find him anything else. Besides, it just doesn't matter.

I hope that you've enjoyed the photos from our walk. It was so beautiful and quiet. I plan on taking more morning walks now that spring is here.

Puppies at the Supermarket

2010-03-01T13:21:00.000+02:00

Last week we as were leaving a supermarket, we spotted these two adorable puppies sitting near our car. They seemed apprehensive about our presence as they ran to hide as we approached. I could see their heads peeking from the other side of another parked car. Since we just bought dog food and treats I decided to share some with these sweet little faces. They were very hungry, so much so that they were shaking as I put the food down. Fed and happy I earned their trust and was able to get a few great photos of them.

How can anyone not love this face?

Hoping for more food.

As I look at these photos I sense sadness in their expressions. Maybe it's just me, but that's what I see.

After the food, we also gave them treats. Foti enjoyed treating these puppies and asked if we could take them home. I wish that we could as I do really hate seeing so many stray dogs here but we can't. I do hope someone takes these puppies in.

Have a nice week and since it's already March...a great month!

~καλό μήνα kai καλή εβδομάδα~

Related Posts:

Scruffy Puppies

Tortalitza the Tortoise

2010-02-26T09:34:00.001+02:00

Tortalitza out of hibernation.

The weather is getting warmer and signs of spring are abundant. Almond trees are blossoming and my daffodils have bloomed. Another sign that it's getting warmer is that we can now find our tortoise "Tortalitza" roaming around the garden. She's come out of hibernation and is now ready to eat my lettuces once again. Whenever I plant any variety of lettuce she prefers it to the other green plants or weeds that I'm not growing to eat. Izabella is so happy spending time with her tortoise and by now it seems the tortoise is happy to see her. Foti has a tortoise named "Skorouli" but he's a little more evasive and difficult to find. Maybe he's still hibernating, hopefully we'll find him soon because the property needs to be tilled.

Izabella took her to visit the neighbors & she peeks from her temporary confines. I do think she's adorable.

Tortalitza is a Spur-thighed/Greek tortoise. You can find tortoises wandering the countryside and often stopping traffic. We don't take special care of her since we let her live in a natural environment in our garden. Although, we do make sure that there's always water available and that she's locked safely in her portion of the garden. If she wanders away from her enclosed space, Tarzan gets a hold of her and chews on her shell as well as tosses her around like a ball. We found Tarzan with her last year and he seriously damaged her shell. You can see the damage that he incurred in the first photo. She's healed well and again, we need to keep her out of his reach.

Izabellae enjoys Tortalitza's company

Our weather forecast for the weekend is fantastic (15 C/59 F) and we're planning to spend most of our time outside and Izabella will most definitely be enjoying the company of her tortoise. There's a lot to look forward to.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Related Posts:

"Tortalitza" the tortoise

Happy 101 Award

2010-02-22T11:49:00.010+02:00

I can't think of a better way to start my week than sharing an award that I received from one of my blog friends, Bhavesh Chhatbar.His blog is called chaukat.com Blog. Bhavesh is an avid photographer as well as a fantastic blogger. His photos are amazing! Recently he has started a new site where his photographs are available for purchase. I think it's a wonderful idea and I wish him the best of luck with his new venture! And there's more, if you love his photos you can subscribe to Wednesday Wallpapers. Subscribers will receive one free wallpaper every Wednesday. Another excellent idea! Thank you for this award Bhavesh, you're an inspiration and I'm humbled by your gesture.

Now on to the formalities of accepting this award...

There are some rules with the award:

1. Copy the award image into a post.

2. List 10 things that make you happy.

3. Tag 10 bloggers who brighten your day.

4. Link to their blogs.

5. Notify the award recipients.

6. Award recipients link back to sender's blog.

10 things that make me happy

1. My family & friends-a given. My family is my life & I can't imagine it without friends.
2. Photography-I feel like I can't breathe if my camera isn't with me. Seriously.
3. My pets-my 2 dogs!!
4. Traveling-love new people, places & experiences.
5. Gardening-love growing my own food & enjoying my flowers.
6. Music- would do anything for a live mariachi band right now.
7. Food-my favorite is Mexican!
8. The Arts-all arts!~ Especially the theater.
9. The sea-a day on a quiet beach is so therapeutic.
10. Blogging-without blogging I wouldn't have met so many remarkable people or made such wonderfully, fantastic friends!

10 Bloggers That Brighten My Day

1. Jes- Prospero's Cellphone
2. Liz- The making of cupcakes.gr
3. Jude- Caridad in Crete
4. Maria- Organically Cooked
5. Tobias- tobias cooks!
6. Spuds- Carrying a Cat by the Tail
7. Gingeyginge- The Adventures of Gingeyginge
8. Krisno- My Life, My Sharing
9. Ivy- Kopiaste.. to Greek Hospitality
10. Phivos-Travelling-ταξίδια & Phivos Nicolaides

I wish I could have chosen more than 10!

Finally, here's the link to the post in which Bhavesh passed on the award-
Chaukhat.com Blog: Happy 101 Award

Thank you Bhavesh!

Kozani Apokries/Carnival 2010- part 2

2010-02-20T03:09:00.001+02:00

Our carnival adventures on Saturday were fantastic and the weather wasn't uncomfortable. For some reason, the weather forecast wasn't discussed before our trip and nothing was said on Saturday, which isn't normal. We're always talking about the weather and what to anticipate. I think that we were so wrapped up in the event and keeping the kids entertained that we forgot about the weather. The photo above was taken early Sunday as I was taking Gigi for her morning walk. The streets were quiet, clean and nearly empty. The weather was mild.

I returned from our walk and sat down with a cup of coffee and the next thing that I noticed was that it was snowing. Fantastic! The kids love snow and so do I!

As the time passed and the parade was about to begin we were a little concerned only because none of us had the proper shoes for this kind of snow. It was coming down fast and it was a very wet snow, everything was getting wet. We didn't change our plans but we were worried about just how long we would last.

This is what it looked like as we ventured out to watch the parade. What a difference a few hours can make! It's the same street that I had photographed early that morning.

Snow-covered carnival decorations.

Nearing the center.

A "big wig" enjoying souvlaki as he walks in the snow.

In the center just before parade time.

A balloon vendor seeks relief from the snow.

The first parade float...a giant cigar-smoking cupid.

Children dressed as Christmas trees. The snow was a great prop for this costume.

Cute costume!

Despite the wet snow the dancing continued.

These women were having so much fun. They would run out into the street and dance during the parade. Their enthusiasm was infectious!

The man in the pink wig is the last of the very few photos that I took at the parade because we didn't stay long since we were all soaked and my camera was getting wet. We left the parade early to go home and change our clothes and watch the remainder of the parade on TV.

Having dried off, we ate a great dinner and napped so that we would be ready to visit the Fanoi later that night.

Fanos!

A man drinking wine that was offered at the fanos. He was one of many that led the dancing & singing around the fire.

A little snow doesn't bother me and I still enjoyed dancing around the fire.

The band at a fanos.

Enjoying a complimentary tiropita while taking a break from dancing. See the man with the plate behind me? He was offering the pies.

After dancing at three separate fanoi, we stopped for some souvlaki.

While we waited for our souvlaki, I heard a "Ho Ho Ho" in my ear and received a nudge on my shoulder. Why, it was Santa Claus offering free wine. Thank you Santa, you are too kind!

Finished with our souvlaki, we tucked into a local bar filled with familiar faces for a few more beverages. Our coats and hats were wet and we were still shivering but we managed to enjoy a few more hours of carnival before we headed home to change into warm, dry clothes and finally, get some rest. Despite the snow we had a wonderful time.

***

Watch this video to see how much fun it is to dance around a fanos!

***

Leaving Kozani ,we had a beautiful view of snow-sprinkled mountains.

Related Links:

Weekend Carnival Celebration

A little more of last weekend

Carnival/Apokrias 2009

More Apokrias/Carnival

Carnival/Apokries Party

Kozani Apokries/Carnival 2010-part 1

2010-02-16T18:06:00.003+02:00

Last Friday, if you were to ask me what we were doing over the weekend I would have told you that I was resting, recovering from the flu. I wasn't going anywhere and I probably didn't want to see anyone. I had a fever, made myself soup and took refuge under my covers, no plans of emerging for a few days. But...it was the final weekend of Apokries/carnival and my kids wanted to go to visit their yia yia and enjoy the festivities in Kozani as is our family tradition. So, Saturday morning I woke up feeling better and let the kids know I would be willing to go out of town for the weekend. I packed our bags and we headed out.

Typically, I take hundreds of photos and it's hard for me to choose which ones to share. Because of this I've decided that I'll start this post with what we experienced on Saturday and will post the events of Sunday separately. So here's a bit of what happened Saturday (Feb. 13)...

Shortly after we arrived we went out shopping. Izabella still didn't have a wig and we knew we'd find one in Kozani. We were met by the first of many travelling bands accompanied by dancing men. I love this! These bands have been parading through Kozani for the entire week, from morning until night.

The streets are full of costume shops and all of them have funky mannequins modeling carnival accessories. I think I'll use the above photo as a profile picture in the future. Sleek...

A shot inside one shop. We did find a wig for Izabella and she was thrilled.

Before she wore her wig she had to try on my mask.

Here she is, our little Hannah Montana.

And naturally, all of us had to try on the wig. In fact, it caused a bit of a problem...Alexandra HAD to have one. So, my sister-in-law set out with her to find the same one. Unfortunately, we bought the last one of its kind and Alexandra didn't want anything else. After two trips to the costume shop, we found our little doll a wig that was suitable for her...

and here she is. She loves this wig and wouldn't take it off for two days. She even embraced the wig as she slept. I think it's hilarious.

Back to the carnival...
Fanoi were lit on Saturday and of course there was live music and dancing around the fire.

This guy delived a fanos and free tiropitas (cheese pie). It's traditional for tiropita to be offered at each fanos. I was told that this is the fourth year that there was a travelling fanos, bringing the fire to different neighborhoods. What a great idea!

My favorite part of carnival every year is watching dancers in traditional costumes. I love the festive atmosphere.

A crowd gathers in the center to enjoy the live entertainment.

I call this Izabella's paparazzi shot. She looks like a celebrity ducking the camera!

There was a giant green gummy bear. If you don't know this annoying gummy bear by now, here's a link to a video. The kids love this bear and can play the gummy bear song for hours. It's torture.

Cotton candy & lollipops.

Who doesn't love cotton candy?

Myself with my little blondes!

We were out for a few hours but decided to stay in for the remainder of the night because we wanted to rest for the parade and other parties on Sunday. Although, we didn't get much sleep since my in-laws live right in the center and the music didn't stop until sunrise. Live bands, bars, party goers, fireworks and horns all night. Even if I didn't sleep, I didn't mind since I'm finally used to it and it's part of the experience.

Here's my little Jedi on Sunday morning. Things started to get messy!

To be continued...

Related Links:

Weekend Carnival Celebration

A little more of last weekend

Carnival/Apokrias 2009

More Apokrias/Carnival...

Carnival/Apokries Party