A Sweetheart from West Sussex

On Sunday, my sweet friend, Maria, and her lovely family,

 came to visit all the way from West Sussex, England.

At our first meeting, my dear friend surprised me with a stay

 at a five star luxury hotel, for some serious girlfriend tête-à-tête time,

which included cocktails by the pool, a soothing spa treatment, 

al fresco dining, live jazz, and loads of laughs.

Days later, I joined Maria and family for an excursion
 to Archanes, while Sunday was spent here, in the village, 
for our annual BBQ lunch, now a family tradition.

Among the usual fired up fare and summery sides, the meal
 always includes my coconut cream pie -her only request!

My only request was that she not bring a thing.

Is that too much to ask for,

 especially after spoiling me with that gorgeous getaway?!

But no... she had to cater to her friend's sweet tooth,

and showed up with an assortment of petite pastries, too pretty to eat,

along with some other precious parcels, 
to be presented in an upcoming post!

What can I say? She's a kind and generous gal.

I love her dearly; she is my soul sister and I will miss her terribly!

In a snap (!)  - her short, but sweet visit came to a close.
Back in Britain, she is revitalized and ready for her English routine.

And so, in between cooking, cleaning and car pooling,
 she can be found ringing up yours truly,
 ready to rampantly reminisce for hours!

Thanks for visiting!

And, to Brenda, at Cozy Little House, 
thanks for the shout out, 'Coach'!

Poppy

All images: www.poppyview.blogspot.com

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Archanes: Ancient and Alive with Colour

Archanes, ancient and haunting, is one of the prettiest and most

picturesque towns I've ever visited on the island of Crete.

The town has been inhabited

for over 5000 years!

The Minoan culture

thrived in this fertile land,

put down roots, and settled here,

among a valley of olive groves and vineyards.

From  the peak of Mount Yiouchtas,

 Zeus' final resting place, the countryside of Archanes 
is a quilt of prosperity.

Here, the Monastery of Afendis Christos (Lord Christ),

completed in 1443, still stands today.

This week, on a recent visit with my dear friend, Maria, and her family,

Archanes was, as always, alive with colour,

enchanting, with past and present profiles,

earthy and weathered textures,

 charming courtyards covered in blooms,

an outdoor cinema, (a favourite summer activity)

and of course, a variety of wonderful restaurants,

cafes and quaint little shops.

Hanging out in Archanes with my sweet friends,

we strolled around its many scenic wonders,

and wished the day would never end.

Thanks for visiting!

xo
Poppy

All images: poppyview.blogspot.com

Summer Harmony

In the summer of 2006,

a little trio by the name of

Moonlight Garden,

made its debut 

at one of the island's 

most luxurious hotels.

Creta Maris Beach Resort, 
a five star hotel 
in the harbour town 
of Hersonissos, Crete,
was the breathtaking venue
for a much anticipated,
three month engagement.

The bright and beautiful oasis above
is the Romantica Bar Terrace, 
where Anna Lisowski, Nicholas Tsachakis and I, 
took to the stage!

The romantic ambience 

of the Cochlias Restaurant
provided the perfect setting 
for recording our repertoire of songs, 
one of which, you can listen to below.
(Click on the title/link)

Don't Know Why
Written by Jesse Harris
Piano: Anna Lisowski
Guitar: Nicholas Tsachakis
Vocals: Poppy

Been thinking about
 that sweet summer,
 when singing
 in front of a live audience,
made my blood flow,
and my heart skip -

as I soared 
high, 
into
notes of
 harmony,
 and
 happiness.

Thanks for visiting!

xx
Poppy

All images: Google

'WONDERING' AROUND IN THE GARDEN

Our garden is growing.

 Plump, imperfectly proportioned tomatoes 

don't last long in this bowl.

When they have magically morphed 

from a Granny Smith green

into a voluptuous, ripe red,

they are promptly 

picked, peeled, and prepped

for a smooth ragout.

Our green onions

stand strong, as they struggle

against windstorms,

but manage to stay put,

thanks to deep rooted bulbs - 

looking like anchors washed up

on a secluded, sandy shore.

Look at the pretty, 

purple petals

of  the flowering eggplant 

and its older sibling below it -

isn't all so amazingly miraculous?

It's unbelievable

that these orange

tree-top 'tulips'

will bloom

into robust, bordeaux beauties

bursting with a host

of health benefits.

What gorgeous goodies

are growing in your garden?

Thanks so much for visiting

and

Happy Fourth of July 

to all my American friends!

Poppy

All images: poppyview.blogspot.com

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