Just Another Dog Day for Gigi

Anyone that doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog. ~ Franklin P. Jones

Gigi had a bath yesterday and yes, I tasted soap! Afterward, I took photos because I think that she's absolutely adorable when she's wet, although she treats me as if I've somehow betrayed her or hurt her feelings. She doesn't enjoy baths at all!  I thought that this particular photo was funny.

Have a nice week!

Καλή εβδομάδα!

Related Links:

Dog Days for Gigi

Gigi's Christmas

Gigi Sniffs Out a Hummingbird Hawk- moth

Gigi's Reveal

Pomegranates Used As Skin Care

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about pomegranates. As I was searching for more information about the jewel of autumn, I learned that pomegranate juice can be excellent for skin care. It is said that using pomegranates on the skin can prevent skin cancer from forming as well as reduce the signs of aging.  So with these benefits in mind, I decided to try for myself.

For almost 2 weeks I've been ending my nightly cleansing ritual by applying pomegranate juice to my face. I just soaked a cotton round with the juice and applied. The first time that I applied the juice it was sticky and my face seemed a bit more pink so I rinsed it off after 20 minutes or so. On the second night that I applied the juice, I fell asleep before I could rinse it off. When I woke I didn't feel sticky at all since my face had plenty of time to absorb the juice. So, on the third night I decided that I wouldn't wash my face again until the morning in order for the juice to be fully absorbed by my skin once again. I have to say that the appearance of my skin has improved. My husband has even noticed the difference.

What's the difference?

 Well, my skin appears more radiant and firm. The crows feet that are forming around my eyes seem less dramatic and my skin feels much softer. I'm definitely impressed and will continue this ritual as long as pomegranates are available.

A Breakdown of the Steps:

- I picked one pomegranate from a tree and dug out my hand juicer. It's a lot like this one:

-I cut  the pomegranate in half and squeezed about 1/4 cup from it. It was probably a little less that 1/4 cup, I'm estimating.

-Finally, I simply poured a little juice on a cotton round and  applied it liberally to my face. That's it!

I stored the remainder of the  juice in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. Applying the cold juice to my face was refreshing! This amount of juice that I squeezed lasted me for nearly 2 weeks. So, if you want to add it to your skin care regimen I highly recommend it. It's so incredibly simple!

**If you do try feel free to let me know, I'm interested in hearing your results!**

Related Links: 

Pomegranates

Pomegranate Skin Benefits: Can This Amazing Fruit Prevent Skin Aging? 

Thessaloniki Zoo

Last Sunday we spent a few hours at the zoo in Thessaloniki. It's located on "Kedrinos Lofos" at the top of the city. The weather was so mild and beautiful that we had to get out and enjoy it. I remembered to wear appropriate shoes this time as well. The first time that I visited the zoo last spring, I wore boots with heels and suffered because this zoo is located on a hill and there are steep pathways and stairs throughout.  .

The kids love the zoo because of its many paths and bridges.

We enjoyed watching ducks swim in ponds.

There are open green spaces that the kids loved to run through.

I love the stone walkways that wind through the zoo. Very pretty.

Alexandra was enthralled by the sight of deer.

Izabella always talks to the animals.

"Don't Feed the Animals"

Although these signs are present, very few zoo visitors pay attention to them. I saw people feeding animals popcorn, bread and chocolate filled croissants. What a shame.

A wolf. The fencing made it a bit difficult to get a good photo.

The girls interacting with a rooster.

This zoo is really a gorgeous park. We love all of the creeks that run through it.

Looking down at one of the bridges.

A family enjoying the view of a duck pond.

There are two bears at the zoo...here's one.

Again, Izabella loves animals. She was letting this deer lick her hands.

On our way out...

 we were really hungry and a little tired from walking up and down the hill for well over an hour.

Outside of the zoo they have amusements and toys for sale, like anywhere that attracts families. We managed to get away without spending money on any of these frills. It wasn't easy but we did!

After the leaving the zoo, we went out for pizza. It was the perfect way to end our outing.

Curiosity

Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only the cat died nobly.~Arnold Edinborough

Sunrise

Thursday afternoon Maria posted a photo of the snow covered mountains above Hania. I mentioned that, ironically, I had taken a photo of Mt. Olympus at sunrise for the same reason, the snow.  She said that she would like to see it, so here are some photos that I snapped at sunrise Thursday morning.

Sunrise 

The early morning glow reveals Mt. Olympus and all of her snow covered glory. This morning the kids squealed with excitement when they noticed the snow. 

The moon on her way out for the day.

Green

There's a lot of green in my files...

Green olives

Praying mantis

Green chairs

Green lemons

Foti wearing a green shirt holding a strange green bug.

Green bottle

And finally, a gratuitous shot of Gigi with the green praying mantis.

Halloween

Happy Halloween!

Today we had a full day of celebration. The kids were so excited to get dressed in their costumes that from the minute they finished their breakfast they wore costumes them in anticipation of the Halloween party that we were going to.

At the party we were offered spooky cupcakes...

Alexandra chose this one.

There were princesses and fairies...

and games were played.

At home the kids played trick or treat with me, knocking on the door for candy.

And then, I hid candy throughout the yard for our annual Halloween candy hunt since trick or treating at your own door can get boring.

Halloween baskets full of candy and happy, tired children.

We ended our day by watching Halloween movies and coloring pumpkin pictures since we didn't find any to carve this year. We had a wonderful Halloween!

Two days of Random Photos

This post has been inspired by a childhood friend of mine. I was lucky enough to talk to her for the first time in probably 5 years earlier tonight. She had mentioned how exciting and interesting my life seems. I thanked her and thought, yes...my life is a little less ordinary...I suppose. At least it's nothing like the life that I left behind, the life that everyone back home is so familiar with. I've left the cul-de-sac of my childhood and now I live at the end of a dirt road with a view of the Aegean Sea and Mt. Olympus. As a child, I wouldn't have imagined I'd end up living in Greece or even in Europe, for that matter.  So, after I finished my conversation with her I started to upload photos that were taken within the last two days. Here are some random photos that I've chosen to share with everyone. This is what I see, what I've done or where I've been...this is part of my everyday life. It's interesting to others and I realize that I'm fortunate. Thank you for the inspiration Lisa. 

A boat full of men dressed in camouflage.

Alexandra & Foti posing at the base of a tower.

Kosta, Foti & Izabella

Boats docked at the marina.

Izabella posing for the camera.

An outdoor cafe, empty because it was extremely windy.

Alexandra having fun at a playground.

The front of a taverna.

Myself with Alexandra

The sunset- from our balcony  on Wednesday night.

Mt. Olympus- from our balcony at sunset on Wednesday night. 

A herd of sheep passes in front of our house early Thursday morning.  

Have a nice weekend...

Oxi Day

I took this photo of Foti last Friday after he came home from school wearing this soldier hat that he made in class. They've spent the last week preparing to celebrate Oxi Day, which is today.  Shortly after our little photo shoot Foti went to play in the yard, still wearing the hat. It wasn't long before he came stomping in the door shouting, "let Tarzan loose on the street! Let the dog lady get him! I don't want him anymore!"

I asked, "Why? Why would you say those things about your dog?"

He answered, "because he took the hat off of my head and ate it!"

I'm glad that we took the photos right away.

Oxi Day

Oxi Day, which is celebrated on the 28th of October in Greece, Cyprus and Greek communities worldwide, observes Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxa's  refusal to accept the ultimatum made by Italian dictator  Benito Mussolini on October 28, 1940.

Emanuele Grazzi, the Italian ambassador in Greece, presented the ultimatum to Metaxa at dawn on October 28, 1940 demanding that Greece allow Axis forces to enter Greek territory and occupy nonspecific "strategic locations" or face war. It's alleged that Metaxa answered with a single word: oxi (no). After his refusal, Italian troops stationed in Albania, along with an Italian protectorate, attacked the Greek border.

Metaxa's "oxi" marked the beginning of Greece's participation in World War II. The same morning, Greeks took to the streets shouting "oxi!"

 Since 1942, it's been celebrated as "Oxi Day."

For more detailed information about Oxi Day, have a look at these links...

The significance of "Oxi Day" on October 28 in Greece

The Pride of OXI DAY -October 28

Ohi Day- Wikipedia

The Story of OXI Day

or you can watch this documentary...

Heroes fight like Greeks

Pomegranates

It's autumn and the pomegranates are ripe. They're beautiful, luscious and incredibly sweet. We have two pomegranate trees that are heavy with fruit. It's time to give. We're lucky enough to receive from our over generous neighbors & friends throughout the year so I love when it's our turn to reciprocate...

~~~~

Adriane & I 

Friends Never Leave Empty Handed...
Early last Sunday morning I was lucky enough to have a visit from one of my very best friends, Adriane. She lives in the city and it's hard for us to spend time together, so when she said that would stop by I was ecstatic.

We spent a few hours sipping coffee and talking when we decided to take a walk around. The first thing that she did was grab a pomegranate from one of our trees. She said, "I hope you don't mind". Seriously? Of course I didn't mind, she's one of my best friends and I have way more pomegranates than I know what to do with. So, there we under the tree enjoying pomegranates. I clipped a bagful for her to take home.
I think that she said that she had planned on using some pomegranate in a salad later that afternoon, delicious.

Adriane presents a sumptuous pomegranate. 

As we enjoyed pomegranates we discussed their many health benefits and also how wonderfully delicious they were. I also told her that I made a pomegranate liqueur last year and offered her a bit, but she declined since it was so early in the day. I used Iosifina's recipe last year. I need to try it again because although mine turned out beautifully, there's room for improvement.  I'm making more so I can make it even better!

Adriane enjoying a few pomegranates. 

Alexandra eating a pomegranate.

 Our children love snacking on the fresh fruit from our trees.

Often, I juice the pomegranates for the kids since they love it. I add sugar from time to time, depending  on the sweetness of the fruit  that I juiced. Sometimes they can taste bitter and tart.

I know that there many different ways to use pomegranates in cooking and I'm ready to explore. I'm also going to start applying the juice to my skin after cleansing my face as I've recently discovered that it could reduce the signs of aging as well as prevent skin cancer.    This year I'm really enjoying our bounty, can't you tell?

Health Benefits of Pomegranates

-Fights Breast Cancer

-Lowers Blood Pressure

-Lung Cancer Prevention

-Slows Prostate Cancer

-Keeps PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) Levels Stable

-Protects Neonatal Brain

-Protects Arteries

-Alzheimer's Disease Prevention

-Lowers Cholesterol

-May prevent development of dental plaque

-Prevention of Osteoarthritis

-May reduce the formation of skin cancer

-Stimulates production of collagen & prevents breakdown of collagen fibers

~~~~

Sources: Eat This! 11 Health Benefits of Pomegranate Juice

              Pomegranate Skin Benefits: Can This Amazing Fruit Prevent Skin Aging?

              Pomegranates: The New Super Food

              Pomegranate-Wikipedia

Maria

It was midsummer  when she told me that she would be travelling to Thessaloniki and since it's near my home, we agreed that we would meet. It was a must, since we'd been blog friends for about a year. I was anxious to meet her as I find her an inspiration. She's an amazing writer and I find myself consumed by her posts. I prefer to read them in the morning as I sip my coffee since they're usually entertaining, informative and as I've already said, inspiring. 
I've tried her recipes and many of them have become favorites and staples on my table. I join her in solidarity as a mother of young children and an expat that's trying to teach our good eating habits by offering healthy choices and homemade meals on a daily basis. I've learned so much about the natural foods available at my footsteps, foods l probably would have never considered eating as I thought they were only weeds that I needed to get rid of. She's someone I can send an email that consists of a mere sentence or less...and she knows exactly what I'm talking about. She's funny, intelligent, thoughtful and adorable. She's Maria Verivaki, the Mediterranean Kiwi of Organically Cooked. 

Maria on my balcony.

Early in September, Maria and her family embarked on a vacation that was quite different for them. They  took a ferry boat from Crete to mainland Greece so that they would have the opportunity to explore the hidden treasures of Greece at their own pace. We expected her to be in our area the during first weekend of September. The two of us explored different places to meet and we had originally settled on meeting at the mall in our area. On the day that we had planned our visit, she and her family were set out for Halkidiki. So, I thought about it a little more and then I thought about the children. Sure, we could meet someplace neutral it would be nice, but what about he kids? If we were to meet at the mall my kids would start wandering off or begging for something 10 minutes after we had arrived, it's inevitable. Then, I thought about her kids. They have been in a car off and on for a few days and were probably tired. So, I decided to invite them to our home for coffee as it's on the way back to the city, where they were staying. After I made my suggestion, she agreed that it would be a nice change.

I met Maria and her family in the center of my town since it's usually much easier for us to have first-time visitors follow us to our, given we don't have an address. Naturally, I recognized her immediately. She was standing beside her car so I parked behind hers, hopped out and gave her a great big hug. Next, I was introduced to her husband Dimitri and then her children. The children were having a spat in the backseat of the car and she looked at me and asked, "would you mind taking the kids in your car"?  Of course I didn't mind and besides, I knew they'd love to watch a little bit of a movie on the DVD player. They were thrilled with DVD player but it's such a short drive to my home that they only got to watch the previews before the actual movie began. Nevertheless, they were instantly happy.

When we arrived at my home Gigi greeted the family at our gate and then our kids, followed by Kosta. Our kids were so excited to have visitors because they rarely have others to play with at home since we virtually have no neighbors. Well we do, but most of them are chickens and dogs.
So, the children became acquainted quickly and off they went. We didn't see or hear much of them for the entire evening. Our husbands sat together on the balcony and discussed...well...who knows what- for hours. Everyone got along so well, it was wonderful.
 Over coffee we  had so much to talk about, it seemed as if we'd known each other for much more than only a year. We laughed a lot and every now and then we would stop our conversation because we'd hear something drop upstairs. We'd stop talking long enough to make sure that the kids were fine and then continue right where we left off.

Maria enjoys Gigi's  & Alexandra's company...

I had a peek in Foti's room from the balcony and found two young warriors...

The children exhausted after playing for hours. They watched a movie to wind down. 



Maria's husband, Dimitri, with Kosta

All of us had such a nice time but then it started to get late and everyone, especially the children seemed to be pretty tired. It was bittersweet to see them leave, we wished that they could have stayed for days! We've already discussed what we'll do the next time we meet here, unless we end up in Crete first, you never know!

Here's a nice photo of myself with Maria...


~~~~~


Maria's Gigandes

The aroma of gigandes baking is enticing...


I've been making gigandes for years and they were good. All of my friends in the U.S. loved when I made them and my sister used request that I make them. I used to make gigandes based on a recipe from one of my favorite cook books and although they were good, for me, they were never quite right.
Since I love Maria's recipes I decided to try her version of gigandes.  What she adds in hers, that I had never put in mine, is tomato paste. I had never used it in mine and it makes a huge difference in the consistency of the sauce by adding richness and more flavor.  Also, she adds sausages to her beans. So far, I haven't used sausages but I can imagine that the beans with the sausages combined are delicious. But my family loves her recipe! I make these at least once every few weeks. Thank you Maria!

Maria's Gigandes Recipe is here .


-More favorite recipes from Organically Cooked-


Avgolemono
Fasolada
Falsolakia
Lemon cake

...well... just to name a few .There are so many!

Visit Maria's other marvelous blog :
One Day in Hania

Seaside in Autumn...

On Tuesday,  the winds changed and made a mess of everything. Signs of winter are present. I was the only one on the beach and  loved it. I love listening to the sound of the waves and the wind blowing in my hair. I was wearing sandals.

~~~~~

On Wednesday, the winds ceased and granted us a beautiful silhouette of Mount Olympus. The sun was shining and the air crisp. I had to wear socks out of the house for the first time since spring. Last night, we fired up the furnace.  I love autumn.

~~~~