Updating, Celebrating and Recuperating!

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The pic above

 is pure storybook, is it not:

cute, candy coloured cottages 

nestled between the deep, blue sea 

and hilly, gorgeous, greenery? 

Ah, and to add some mystery, 

what hides, we wonder, behind

all that rough and rocky scenery?

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Of course, every story needs a leading lady,

and this one, set in the fjords of Norway,

 features my darling daughter, Liberty,

who, by the way, is celebrating

 her 28th birthday today! Yay!

Happy Birthday, my love!

 Helping Libby get ready for her

5 month work and leisure holiday

is what kept me super busy 

(gathering documents, issuing a passport, 

shopping, writing recipes, packing),

until April 30th, when she 

spread her wings and flew away.

Luckily, my nephew, Christian, and his girlfriend, Erica,

were flying in from Canada within a week, so I needed to

get the house ready for their visit. It was a blessing, since

all the preparation for them kept me busy, again.

Spending 5 days together, (their first visit to Greece!),

was fun; I always enjoy introducing Crete to our guests.

The kids and I hiked to the village of Agios Myronas 
(St. Myron), which is about a 45 minute trek uphill, 
but the gleaming glory of the young grapevines, 
along the way, kept us steady and on track.

The village is home to the church that bears its name. 
Initially, an Early Christian basilica, Agios Myronas was 
converted into a four-pillard, cross-in-square domed
church in the 11th-12th century. It was the seat of an
Orthodox Diocese from the Early Byzantine era 
to period of the Venetian rule.

The chapel of Agios Myronas.

The church is home to the tomb of St. Myron, where the saint

 lived as a monk, and which now serves as a chapel. There, an

 icon of the saint, which dates back to possibly the 16th century,

 and thus considered miraculous, can be viewed.

At Koules, or "Castello a Mare" (1540), 
Heraklion's Venetian fortress, 
 Christian claims his Greek roots! 

Stunning Santorini! Paradise on the planet! The kids snapped 

a sample of the signature architecture of this idyllic island

just north of us, soon after they arrived there.

Talk about a room with a view! Unbelievably beautiful, isn't it?

A cheery and charming bunch of beauties welcome visitors at a house near the entrance of the village

And finally, on this 18th day of May, 2017, I am also celebrating Poppy View's 5th year anniversary! I would shout with joy, but I've been battling a bout of laryngitis.It's been a pleasure getting to know each and every one of you. Thanks so much for your visits and comments and friendship. This little blog has been my creative outlet and my connection to so many wonderful people across the globe. I am grateful for your readership and for your sweet emails; 

they mean the world to me.

Red and pink pretties playfully adorn the perimeters of another home's balcony

 What's been keeping you busy, lately?

  Thanks for visiting!
xo
Poppy

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Make it Pretty Monday
Mosaic Monday
The Art of Home-Making Mondays