 |
| A charming house, near the main church of St. Nicholas. |
As early as third grade, I can recall sitting in the
school library, dreaming about little white houses
with blue shutters and lots and lots of flowers.
 |
| Mountain range views from my terrace |
Up to that point, I had visited Greece only once, but
had no recollection of it, (aside from a few snapshots),
had no recollection of it, (aside from a few snapshots),
 |
| St. Nicholas Church, our village's main church |
since I was only six months old at my baptism,
which took place on the island of Tinos.
which took place on the island of Tinos.
 |
| On the path towards the village, one encounters St. George's Church. |
Perhaps, the fact that I was born in Canada,
but christened here, was a sign that, one day,
Greece would become my second home.
but christened here, was a sign that, one day,
Greece would become my second home.
 | ||||
| What I see, while waiting for the bus. As an expat, I am constantly comparing my adopted country to my country of birth. For example, wouldn't you agree that designated bus stops are pretty darn delightful, here in the Cretan countryside, where the only line ups are those of fruit bearing trees, and vines?
|
Don't get me wrong: as far as social and economic
infrastructure goes, for me, there's no place like Canada!
 |
| Containers filled with frilly flowers soften the surface of roughly laid cement. |
But, my heart melts every time I step outside my door,
to explore the microcosm of a village that is my home,
in a country that is collapsing from economic woes,
which, once upon a time, seemed only to soar.
Thanks for visiting and
have a wonderful week!
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The Art of Home-Making Monday, Inspire Me Monday, Sunday Showcase
which, once upon a time, seemed only to soar.
Thanks for visiting and
have a wonderful week!
Sharing at:
Mosaic Monday, Say G'Day Saturday, Saturday Sparks,
Simple & Sweet Fridays, Show & Tell Friday,
Flaunt it Friday, Friendship Friday, Fabulously Creative Friday,
Feathered Nest Friday, Friday's Five Features, Home Sweet Home,
Home & Garden Thursday, Create It Thursday, Inspiration Gallery,
Artsy Corner, Wow Us Wednesdays, Worthwhile Wednesdays,
Tweak It Tuesday, The Scoop, Tuesdays at Our Home,
Treasure Box Tuesday, Brag About It, Inspire Me Tuesday,
Be Inspired Features & Link Party, A Return to Loveliness,
Make it Pretty Monday, Inspiration Monday, Amaze Me Monday,
The Art of Home-Making Monday, Inspire Me Monday, Sunday Showcase
When I read or hear something on the news about your country, of course my thought is of you. And I know your heart is divided into two countries. But your body must reside in one.
ReplyDeleteBrenda
Coach, how your words wander into my thoughts and leave their mark on my soul!
Deletexx
I have never been to Greece, but enjoy visiting courtesy of you, my friend. I love it when you tour us around! Someday I'll make it there. And hopefully the economy will strengthen. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead! Cheers from DC, L
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures as always...I think we all have some sort of bittersweet view of things around us. Basically we should all realize the abundance that we have - we should all feel rich with what we have. don't you think.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post, sharing your second home. I have always wanted to visit Greece ever since I was a child..Your photos and views are just stunning.. I do wish Greece was doing better economically, maybe it will change for the better soon. Have a happy new week!
ReplyDeletePoppy,
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine the sorrow you are feeling as you watch such economic downfall of your beloved Greece.
It is so gorgeous there and I can hear how grateful you are to be blessed to bask in it's beauty.
This is such a lovely post, and it so echoes how I feel about Puerto Rico. I love it but it breaks my heart to see it decline. Thank you for the beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteYou were indeed destined to call Greece home, where white houses with beautiful blue shutters abound.
ReplyDeleteLife brings us gifts, and sometimes those gifts are unseen to the eye, and sometimes they are abundantly clear. Such is the gift Crete brings to you and all its inhabitants. Such beauty, it defies description!
xxx
My heart would soar with all that beauty around me all the time, too!
ReplyDeleteIf I ever come to Greece, I'd happily wait at your bus stop and hope that the bus is late ;) Such a beautiful country, with everything bright, white and sparkling!! You find such pretty details on your walks around your village. Don't despair over the economy, life is too short to worry about things you may not ever be able to change so enjoy what you have now. Wendy x
ReplyDeleteYour views are stunning, even that cloud floating over the mountains is just gorgeous. I am sorry your country is having economic difficulties. The landscape does not convey such troubles. It is so beautiful to look at...I hope things turn around.
ReplyDeleteEconomic woes will come and go but the fig trees will keep bearing fruit and the sturdy houses with the weathered blue shutters will continue to stand. Isn't it so easy to focus on what is wrong around us and how much we need a reminder to appreciate all that has endured and flourished no matter what scrapes we mortals get us all into? You are surrounded by beauty!
ReplyDeleteIt is so beautiful to look at I can see why your heart lies where it does! xx
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful there yet I know you are often torn missing your family in Canada as well
ReplyDeletePoppy, even if the bus won't turn up, I would still be waiting at that bus stop till I run out of daylight. How epic is that view! You were meant to soak the most beautiful Cretan sunshine.
ReplyDeleteMust be heart-wrenching to see the effect of your country's economic downfall. But let us pray that one day Greece will rise again.
Thank your for visiting my blog. You are so sweet and so kind. I hope you are having a good week.
Hugs,
Aida
Hello Poppy
ReplyDeleteI can understand your love for Crete and the feeling of calmness. Quite a contrast from downtown Toronto and the Danforth. Beautiful beautiful but with different charm
Hope your week is special
helenxx
Yes, the photo from the bus stop had me calling to Joel, "You must look at Poppy's photos!!" What a stunning tour you gave us today. . .I needed to be reminded of Greece's beauty and you provided and you provided it! xxxJ.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy for you. It must be wonderful to be able to live in the place that makes your heart glad.
ReplyDeleteyou never
ReplyDeleteever
disappoint.
i come here and it begins with the pictures in the title. i hate the word header. an ugly word
for such exquisite beauty.
i stand on your terrace and breathe the island air. and try to listen for the sea . . .
and then i find more delight as i scroll.
to live with such beauty each day simply is unimaginable to me.
and to know how much you love it and appreciate it only makes you all the more special. xo♥
Isn't it wonderful though in this day and time we can live in one country and travel to another quite easily. (if you can afford it..lol) One day I will travel and maybe I can stand at that beautiful bus stop of yours. I'm learning to enjoy each day as it comes and celebrate the small stuff. Looking at your photos always brings me joy. Love and hugs to you Poppy!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a contrast!! you are actually getting the best of both the worlds... natural beauty and man-made infrastructures. I'd love to be in Greece someday and witness all the awesomeness.
ReplyDelete-Tanya
http://tanyaanurag.blogspot.com/
Gorgeous photos as usual.
ReplyDeleteMy son was in Turkey for 2 weeks. He wants us to rent a house in Bodrum for a month next summer and then take short jaunts to Greece and Northern Africa. I know I would LOVE Greece.
Stopping by from Worthwhile Wednesdays. Your pictures and views are stunning. What a lovely place. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Shari
I'm sure it is a difficult time there. Thank you for sharing your beautiful views.
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear Greece mentioned on the news, or in books, I think of you, Poppy, and I wonder how things really are for you all. I wonder sometimes if Canada shouldn't take some lessons from the example of the Greek economy.
ReplyDeleteThat blue door is wonderful. Blue and white with everything sparkling bright.
how blessed you are dear Poppy. To see beauty and appreciate it, inspite of uncertainty is truely an art.
ReplyDeleteMy heart melts every time I see the pictures on your blog!
ReplyDeleteThis 150th post not only shows us the beauty all around you--and it takes our breath away--but this post truly shows us your lovely heart that calls both countries home. Thankfully, you are wise enough to love and appreciate both of them as they are both entirely worth it.
ReplyDeleteHi Poppy, I think you've got the best of two worlds. The scenery in your area in Greece is just gorgeous. I'm a country girl and could totally live there.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to imagine how bad the economic crises is in Greece, when looking at wonderful pictures like yours and remembering fantastic holidays, but I know the situation is serious. My heart goes out to you, especially as part of your heart is also in Canada.
ReplyDeleteMay the dreadful downturn be soon on the road to recovery.
So beautiful and lovely pictures, I like all the jars with flowers,, lovely,,
ReplyDeleteNice summer day.
I do hope the economic situation in your second home improves, Poppy. Such hardship for so many would be difficult to bear.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos Poppy - and your post resonated with my deeply because Quebec is going through hardships itself - this province that was once the economic capitol of Canada has fallen due to language issues - heart breaking
ReplyDeletexoxoxo
Such a beautiful place to live! I do think many of us live somewhere between perfect and bittersweet.
ReplyDeleteI was only a little older than you were when I, too, started dreaming of white houses, only mine were in Spain. Although I knew no one who had traveled overseas, other than fathers who had been in WWII, and knew no one who spoke a second language, I started studying Spanish as soon as it was offered in school. I did finally visit and spend a summer studying at a university in Spain and have visited again, but I never managed that move. What is it, I wonder, that captures the imagination of a child so young? There was no chance in my case that some errant memory persisted from a prior visit. Perhaps I'd seen pictures during in a book from the library?
ReplyDeleteHi Linda,
DeleteThank you for stopping by and relating your own dreamy aspirations of the ' little white house'! Hope you read this, as I don't have an email for you.
Have a wonderful week!
Poppy
Poppy thanks so much for sharing all those beautiful and clear photos of your neighborhood with us. I just love the building and the lovely flowers. Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteJulie
How interesting that you landed back where you started... Thanks for sharing the lovely photos with such thoughtful sentiments...
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking up with the Art of Home-Making Monday this week~~ Please join us again next week...
Poppy, I've not traveled to Greece, but the white stucco with the blue shudders calls to me. '-)
ReplyDeleteAll the best to you!
What a beautiful place to explore. I am very jealous. Some day I hope to have the chance to get to Greece, its one of my favorite places (and I haven't even been there).
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous post...that blue door is divine! What a colour! Thanks for sharing this at the #saygdayparty. I just pinned this to the Say G'day Saturday board.
ReplyDeleteThe party is in full swing now so if you haven't had a chance to visit some the links please do stop by and have a look!
Best wishes for a wonderful week,
Natasha in Oz
Your home in Greece is like a piece of heaven Poppy. The view as you wait for the bus is enviable, better than lots of traffic and vehicle fumes.
ReplyDeleteHello dear Poppy
ReplyDeleteGreece looks idyllic - the sky always seems to be azure blue!
I loved reading your story.... about a little girl day dreaming about white houses with blue shutters and lots and lots of flowers.
It's what I see every time I visit your beautiful blog!
It's a magical spot.
Hugs
Shane
I love the way your posts always allow me to step outside of my world for a moment and be totally transported to such a beautiful place!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful place. I hope it sees a resurgence in the economy soon.
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful Poppy. Thank you for sharing the love of your home at Home Sweet Home!
ReplyDeleteSherry