SPENDING SPRING IN THE AUTUMN ROOM

Hello all,

I've been back on the island for almost a month now and I must admit, it's been a little tricky getting used to things here again after a three month stay in Toronto.

From waking up each day to a full house of bustling breakfast rituals, lots of laughter, and long and leisurely chats with my mum, sister and daughter, to greeting the sunny, but chilly Cretan mornings in silence, except for strong, howling winds that haven't subsided for weeks, adjusting hasn't been easy.

And even with the arrival of spring, I've been spending most of my time keeping warm in the 'autumn room', as it is the sunniest and coziest place to be, due to its French doors, which stay shut to retain the heat from my trusty, electric space heater. 

After a few weeks of heavy duty cleaning and re-organizing, my days are mostly spent doing a little cooking, reading, blogging, and catching up with friends, who are kind enough to visit their one time 'city rat', presently 'country mouse' mate!

It's officially spring, but the fickle season can't decide whether it wants to stay or go.  Even here, in the Mediterranean, where temperatures are fluctuating faster than the snow flurries morphed into mountains in Toronto, it has not shown its true face!

I've had two tastes of winter this year, and I'm full, thank you. I'm craving spring and all its earthy delicacies: food for the body -sprouting vegetables and leafy vines, and the soul- fresh and fragrant floral wonders, that magically awaken the senses from their deep, snowy slumber. Time to wake up and welcome the season of new beginnings, hopes and dreams!

So, here I sit, in my autumn room, surrounded by all things spring. Tulip covered couches, floral painted plates, and mossy coloured walls are inspiring, but just don't cut it. 

I want the real deal and this sassy season sure knows how to drive a hard bargain! Inevitably, before we can enjoy peonies and picnics in the park, we will have to be patient with this feisty, poker faced player!

Happy Spring!

Thanks for visiting,

Poppy

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HAPPY WOMEN'S DAY!

WOMEN: WE MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE!

To all my gal pals across the globe (and in the blogosphere),

Happy International Women's Day!

Lots of love,

Poppy xo

A SNOWY SEND OFF AND A SPRING WELCOME

Greetings from Crete! 

Back on the island, after an exhausting, anxiety-fueled  trip that originally consisted of three connecting flights (Toronto-Munich-Athens-Crete), but due to some snowy, ice covered  airplane wings and busy runways, was grounded for one and a half hours!

Thus, I knew I had missed my connecting flights even before we took off, which, in the end, forced me to scramble to find new flights upon my arrival in Munich. In actuality, we landed fifteen minutes too late, but enough time to cause a chaotic chase for new connections back to Crete. A race against the clock was on to avoid an overnight layover and further frenzy!

To make a long story (and even longer journey), short, Rome was added on to the agenda, an unplanned, but precious destination, since it was the only available and remaining route to Athens that day, and ultimately to Crete. And so, after setting foot, or rather, frantically fumbling about in four (!) airports in one day, (too many, even for the snazziest of jet-setters!), and lugging around a twenty-two pound carry-on bag, I finally set foot on Cretan soil - sans my suitcase-of course! Because my flight to Rome was leaving, literally, in twenty minutes after having flown in from Toronto, my suitcase didn't make it on board. Instead, it spent the night, stranded in Munich, but arrived early the next day, thanks to a very skilled and sweet claims officer, here on Crete.

And that, my friends, is my own Odyssean adventure of modern air travel; a mode of mobility, more safe, than sound, in my case!

Thanks for visiting and hope to catch up soon.

Poppy

(all images: Google)

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Valentine Vows

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All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.

-Charles M. Schulz

No, it doesn't. Hurt, that is. In fact, chocolate actually helps to alleviate pain. And, in my case, all kinds of pain. You name it: knee pain (from fighting over the last piece in the house), headache (more like migranes, from mulling over the stuff!), toothache (let's face it: if you have a sweet tooth, salt just doesn't cut it), heck, even imagined pain (cravings are real; don't let anyone tell you otherwise!). But, the hardest pain to endure is that of the heart, which pounds and pangs over unrequited love, or agonizes and aches because of a break up, whether it be sudden or anticipated. In any event, chocolate is there to soothe your sadness, sending merry messages to your mind and feel-good pheromones to your being! So, do not despair; this cocoa concoction is really all you need. But a little love now and then doesn't hurt either (haha).

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Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.

-Aristotle

And two beds. I'm no rocket scientist, but, the latest love stats claim that even some soulmates choose to snooze solo.  Apparently, 25 percent of American couples are saying, 'So long and sweet dreams' in the hallway, and heading to different bedrooms for a night of uninterrupted sleep.  Several suspects accused in the stealing of slumber include nasty noises like the roaring of snoring, tactile traumas, consisting of cold feet and kicking, while disturbances due to hot flashes and night sweats exhaust even the heaviest of nocturnal nemeses. Peace and quiet, covers that stay put, and  no tantrums over temps, lead to lullaby luxury, when the only thing inhabiting one's body is rest! Relaxing, revitalizing, replenishing, rest. Thus, back to our equation: 2 separate sleeping souls = 1 very happy close couple!

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Age does not protect you from love. 

But love, to some extent, protects you from age.

-Anais Nin

It's so true. When you are in love, love and are loved, even if it's platonic love, or sibling love, you feel alive! All your senses are finely tuned, even heightened, so that the world, in general, is a bright, blissful and beautiful place to be. Isn't that how children see the world? It's a joyful and inspiring playground, so much to discover and share. There is definitely a pinch  of childhood innocence and a dash of whimsy inherent in the ingredients of love. Have you taken (and given) your daily dose of this wonder drug today? Careful, it must be taken every day for the best results! So, give your loved one a hug, kiss your sweetie hello, and before you know it, you'll be young forever!

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Happy Valentine's Day!

xo

Poppy

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HOME IS WHERE THE SUN IS

(This post was written last January, in Toronto)

I love Canada. I was born in Toronto, (where I am presently visiting), one of the greatest cities in the world, in my humble opinion. I have sweet memories of my life here, as a little girl, and of course, as a young woman. 

A loving and funny family of fifty plus, (I'm Greek - there's no such thing as extended family!), devoted friends, (some from as far back as highschool), beautiful neighbourhoods  and an effective infrastructure are the things I miss most when I'm not here, which is most of the time, as I live far away; both a sea and an ocean separate me from the first twenty-two years of my life.

As many of you know, I have lived on the island of Crete for the last twenty-five years, shortly after I met my husband, who was born there. I fell in love with the obvious attractions at first: the sandy beaches and crystal clear waters, the five thousand years of history, the friendly people and of course the food, which is simple, fresh and flavourful. 

But, aside from all of these wonderful aspects of this ancient land, it was the adventure of discovering its earthy and mysterious treasures that attracted me to it. 

So much so, that I left my close knit clan and Canadian comforts and began a new life, and in essence, a new identity, in a country whose blood ran in my veins, but was a stranger to my heart.

Much like the photo above, where tropical trees and snow cone peaks share the same surreal stage, Crete is a continuous source of contradictions. Venetian architecture, Turkish delicacies and French fashion, among other influences, have infused the Cretan carriage, creating subtle contours in its traditionally rooted character.  

But, amid all the flurry of foreign fluctuation, economic erosion and crippling austerity, one thing is always certain: the Cretan sun shows up on my doorstep day after day, to brighten my mood with the brush of its rays.

And so, I await its arrival, promising peace and colour and life!

 High in the hills, the flowers stir in the breeze and the waves rock to and fro below. Soothing, enriching and pure, it warms my face, my heart and soul. 

I miss the sunny skies at home! Until we meet again...

Hope you are blessed with the beauty and tranquility

 of natural sunlight wherever you are!

Thanks for visiting.

Poppy

(All images of Crete:  www.facebook.com/Olivabio) 

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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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A Snowy Town Square Up in the Air!

www.facebook.com/lovecrete

This post was written last January, during the holidays,

while I was visiting my family in Toronto, Canada. 

 Hello Everyone,

Hard to believe, but there is actually more snow on this Mediterranean island presently, than here in Toronto! Above, is the village square in Anogeia, which can be found at an altitude of 700 metres in the mountains of central Crete. Its name literally means, 'high place' and it is known for its hospitality, as well as its historical relevance for resisting its Turkish and German conquerors. 

Today, it has been invaded by heavy, dense snow, something the Cretans are not accustomed to. Thus, they remain indoors, weary of treading through the thickly packed precipitation of cold, colliding crystals. Just the thought of it makes the locals freeze with fear! That's not to say that they don't marvel at the frosty mass. In fact, some actually brave the chilly temps and take to the hills for a day of skiing and snow angels!

When my daughter was a child, my husband, Cretan born and bred, would drive us through the narrowest of risky roads, clinging to cliffs that dropped hundreds of metres down to rocky ground. And all of this, in the hope of making contact with this precious powder! 

The promise of snowflakes from the heavens, floating onto expecting tongues, or entangling themselves into a fence of luscious little lashes, only to disappear within seconds of their otherwise, smooth landing, was certainly a sight to see!

But when left untouched, a wonderland of white puffy cakes, 'baked' on the premises, sit still on tiers of chilled iron, in this icy bistro, in a snowy square, high up, in the air. 

Thanks for visiting
and Happy New Year!

xo

Poppy

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