Plaka: Engraved in Stone

Fireballs of bougainvillea, 

ablaze in a tangle of magenta flames,

show off their beaming beauty,

putting their partner in green to shame.

 Around the corner, slabs of stone,

in tones of grey and brown and gold,

 

outshine new planks of bold, bright blue
despite being cracked and chipped and old.

After all, the sea and sand and fields

nearby, boast a harmony of these hues,

while a seaside restaurant chooses them

 to allure passersby with appetizing views.

In the distance, the island of Spinalonga, the Venetian fortress that subsequently became a leper colony in 1903.

 Plaka, named for all the stone 

indigenous to this pebbly, coastal place,

 Translation:
'Today, mine. Tomorrow, another's', and although it does 

not appear here, the phrase continues, 'But never, no one's'.

has its history, engraved permanently,

into many a carved and chiselled space.

Thanks for visiting!

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Scenes of Stone & Stucco

While waiting for the new sofa, which is suddenly out of stock(!), I thought we'd take a sneak peek at my aunt's beautiful stone house, back home, in the village. I was saving these photos for a new fireplace reveal, but things are slow and snowy here in Toronto and the only thing that keeps tweaking is the weather! 

But back on the island, my husband is working on installing my aunt's new fireplace in the living room. It will be finished in stucco and topped with local marble, destined to be the coziest  corner of this already warm and inviting space.

The original house, built around 1920, was uninhabited, with no interior bathroom or staircase, when purchased, around ten years ago.

After extensive renovations, which included stonework, a new kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, new wooden beams and floors, wainscoting, plastering, interior and exterior stairs and balconies, it is now a precious gem, nestled in a valley of vineyards and olive groves.

 

A gorgeous garden in the back provides delicious harvests of winter oranges and clementines, while the neighbour's plump pomegranates droop heavily over the patio, like glittery Christmas ornaments bending tips of fragrant firs.

And sometimes, somewhere between the beige-y tones of creamy stones and stucco, a cat in camouflage mode strikes a portrait pose for this camera crazed blogger!

Thanks for visiting!

Poppy

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