“I can calculate the motion of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people.” -Isaac Newton-English Mathematician, Theologian
«Μπορώ να υπολογίσω την κίνηση των ουράνιων σωμάτων, αλλά όχι την τρέλα των ανθρώπων».
“If you want to be loathsome to God, just run with the herd.”-Soren Kierkegaard-Danish Theologian
«Αν θέλεις να είσαι απεχθής στον Θεό, τρέξε με το κοπάδι».
In light of International Woman’s Day I decided to draw my feminine take on ‘The Thinker’ or ‘Thinking Man’ sculpture created by the famous French sculptor Auguste Rodin.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thinker
I drew the woman with military boots and jeans to show her tough, more ‘masculine’ side, but over all appearance is more feminie. As some are more masculine, while others are strongly feminie, and others have both sides.
I often wonder how different our world would be today if women were always empowered-since ancient times. If women played more roles in society other than that of mother or wife or slave or prostitute. If her voice mattered in society, were there have been less wars? Would humanity have been far less destructive and more compassionate and peace loving?
For more information: https://www.internationalwomensday.com/
“Only the dead have seen the end of war.” – Plato
“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.” – Sun Tzu
“Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.” – Ernest Hemingway
Whilst taking photographs of the hectares of burnt forest on the outskirts of Athens I came across this unusual decor. Red ribbon adorned a burnt tree and a lone red ornament hung on a branch.
My guess is that someone who probably lives in the area wanted to bring a little colour and joy by decorated the tree with Christmas decorations to mask ‘uplift’ the bleak surroundings.
And that’s what we all have to to in our own lives and in times like these. Find that joy, the light. Because we should not blanket ourselves in darkness.
“If you have not suffered grief, do not think that you have virtue. Because there is nothing that grows in comfort.”-St. Mark the ascetic
Ενώ έβγαζα φωτογραφίες από τα εκτάρια καμένου δάσους στα περίχωρα της Αθήνας, συνάντησα αυτό το ασυνήθιστο ντεκόρ. Κόκκινη κορδέλα στόλιζε ένα καμένο δέντρο και ένα μοναχικό κόκκινο στολίδι κρεμόταν σε ένα κλαδί.
Η εικασία μου είναι ότι κάποιος που, πιθανότατα ζει στην περιοχή, ήθελε να φέρει λίγο χρώμα και χαρά στολίζοντας το δέντρο με χριστουγεννιάτικα στολίδια για να «ανυψώσει» το ζοφερό περιβάλλον.
Και αυτό είναι που πρέπει να κάνουμε όλοι στη ζωή μας και σε καιρούς σαν κι αυτούς. Βρείτε αυτή τη χαρά, το φως. Γιατί δεν πρέπει να καλύπτουμε τους εαυτούς μας στο σκοτάδι.
“Εάν δεν υπέστης θλίψεις να μη νομίζεις ότι έχεις αρετήν. Διότι δεν είναι τίποτε ό,τι φύεται μέσα εις την άνεσιν.”-Όσιος Μάρκος ο ασκητής και Θαυματουργός
Last summer, Greece dealt with very devastating forest fires. One of the areas that was greatly affected is located on the outskirts of Athens. I took these photographs at Ippokrateios Politea. It’s an affluent area. A small town with a man-made lake with ducks.
I saw miles and miles of burnt forest. I was saddened by the devastion. Burnt trees everywhere. Fallen trees and ash-covered ground. So lifeless and not at all peaceful. A lot more needs to be done to protect our forests not only in Greece, but around the world.
Το περασμένο καλοκαίρι, η Ελλάδα αντιμετώπισε πολλές καταστροφικές δασικές πυρκαγιές. Μία από τις περιοχές που επλήγησαν πολύ βρίσκεται στα περίχωρα της Αθήνας. Τις φωτογραφίες αυτές τις τράβηξα στον Ιπποκράτειο Πολιτεία. Είναι μια εύπορη περιοχή. Μια μικρή πόλη με μια τεχνητή λίμνη με πάπιες.
Είδα χιλιόμετρα και χιλιόμετρα καμένο δάσος. Με στεναχώρησε η καταστροφή. Καμένα δέντρα παντού. Πεσμένα δέντρα και έδαφος καλυμμένο με τέφρα. Τόσο άψυχο και καθόλου γαλήνιο. Πρέπει να γίνουν πολλά περισσότερα για την προστασία των δασών μας όχι μόνο στην Ελλάδα, αλλά σε όλο τον κόσμο.
On the outskirts of Athens is a foresty area called Ippokrateios Politeia. It is a small affluent town. The lake that I photographed is a man-made lake called Beletsi lake. This was my first time I visited the area. I took more photographs of the forest which I will post in my next blog post. Unfortunately, much of the forest is burnt from last summers’ devastating fires.
Στα περίχωρα της Αθήνας βρίσκεται μια δασική περιοχή που ονομάζεται Ιπποκράτειος Πολιτεία. Είναι μια μικρή εύπορη πόλη. Η λίμνη που φωτογράφισα είναι μια τεχνητή λίμνη που ονομάζεται λίμνη Μπελέτσι. Αυτή ήταν η πρώτη μου φορά που επισκέφτηκα την περιοχή. Τράβηξα περισσότερες φωτογραφίες από το δάσος τις οποίες θα δημοσιεύσω στην επόμενη ανάρτησή μου στο blog. Δυστυχώς, μεγάλο μέρος του δάσους έχει καεί από τις καταστροφικές πυρκαγιές του περασμένου καλοκαιριού.
These are scary, and unsettling times, but exciting times as well.
We have so far witnessed many historical events and there may be many more to come.
Starting with the covid-19 nightmare and fiasco that spawned the ridiculous vaccinated vs. unvaccinated war. To worldwide extreme weather events, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
And now the global uprising of people who are tired of the restrictions imposed on them by their governments which in some countries like here in Greece, where the restrictions were the strictest in the world, are still in effect two years after the first covid-19 cases.
Two years of fear, panic, and paranoia and death. But, distant deaths as I don’t know of anyone who died of covid.
It is without a doubt that so called ‘democratic’ governments have abused their power and have become more authoritarian over these past few years. These elitist leaders come from wealthy families and are extremely out of touch with the working class people, which is the majority of the population!
In Canada, the truckers have taking over Ottawa demanding the end to the vaccine mandates. Prime minister Justin Trudeau called them a ‘fringe minority’ a highly inaccurate estimate. He disrespected their right to protest because anyone who disagrees with their leader is a an ‘extremist’ and the word ‘Nazi’ gets thrown around far to easily these days. A leader that is voted by the people should enter into a dialgogue with the people but an elitist snob would never!
And if all that wasn’t bad enough we have the looming threat of World War III. So much to look forward too! Any person would be naive to think that these governments are buying and making weapons of mass destruction just so they can gather dust and rust in the rain.
Humans will never learn so let the aliens invade, and take over. I’m sure they’ll do a better job of leading the way!
A few more photographs taken during the freak blizzard that hit Greece last week. The pictures were taken in low-light conditions because I was worried that if I waited for the strong Greek sun to come out then all of the snow would melt. Then I would have missed the opportunity to photograph the snow-covered plants. There was not much that can be done to brighten them in photoshop. So they’re not my best flower photographs to date.
The sudden snowstorm caught my garden by surprise. Luckily the snow melted the next day when the sun came out because aloe veras, cacti, and citrus trees cannot deal with frost.
With the broom to brush off the snow on the plants in one hand and the camera in the other, I am a great multi-tasker!
A few photographs of the worst snowfall I have ever seen in Athens! The historical and very rare snowstorm named ‘Elpis’ (Hope!) ravaged parts of Greece that were not accustomed to this kind of weather. There was certainly no hope for the drivers whose cars got stuck on the road.
The drivers had no choice but to leave their vehicles on the side of the road and to walk to their homes. Also, there was no hope for the drivers on the highway that were stuck for over 5 hours. Some remainded until the morning! The army had to come in to assist in the situation. Yikes! How embarrassing!
It just goes to show how powerless humans against mother nature’s wrath.
From the extreme heat in the summer to the extreme cold this winter the climate is very much bonkers! Having been accustomed to the cold as I grew up in Canada, I do prefer the cold to the heat here in Greece, but only when I am inside 😉
Μερικές φωτογραφίες από τη ΧΕΙΡΟΤΕΡΗ χιονόπτωση που έχω δει ποτέ στην Αθήνα! Η ιστορική και πολύ σπάνια χιονοθύελλα με το όνομα «Ελπίς» κατέστρεψε μέρη της Ελλάδας που δεν ήταν συνηθισμένα σε αυτό το είδος καιρού. Σίγουρα δεν υπήρχε ελπίδα για τους οδηγούς των οποίων τα αυτοκίνητα κόλλησαν στο δρόμο.
Οι οδηγοί δεν είχαν άλλη επιλογή από το να αφήσουν τα οχήματά τους στην άκρη του δρόμου και να περπατήσουν μέχρι τα σπίτια τους. Επίσης, δεν υπήρχε ‘ελπίδα’ για τους οδηγούς στην Αττικη Οδο που έμειναν καθηλωμένοι για πάνω από 5 ώρες. Κάποιοι έμειναν μέχρι το πρωί! Έπρεπε να μπει ο στρατός για να βοηθήσει στην κατάσταση!
Απλώς δείχνει πόσο ανίσχυροι είναι οι άνθρωποι ενάντια στην οργή της μητέρας φύσης.
Από την υπερβολική ζέστη του περασμένου καλοκαιριού μέχρι το ακραίο κρύο του φετινού χειμώνα, το κλίμα έχει τρελαθεί! Προτιμώ το κρύο από τη ζέστη εδώ στην Ελλάδα, αλλά μόνο όταν είμαι μέσα 😉
A view of Athens from a shop downtown.
Η θέα της Αθήνας από ένα μαγαζί στο κέντρο της πόλης.
An interesting contrast between classical building and some modern ones.
Μια ενδιαφέρουσα αντίθεση μεταξύ του κλασικού κτιρίου και ορισμένων σύγχρονων.
My Creative Wayz 