Photography

Dark World/Σκοτεινος Κοσμος

A few photographs of the strawberry moon and the lunar eclipse from last night. We had a lot of cloud coverage here in Athens and I didn’t catch the moon when it was clear on time. I thought that the dark clouds looked so ominous and a bit foreboding. I took it as a sign that what we are going to see a lot more things that we never thought we would see before. There is a lot of talk from prophets and astrologers a like so I think we are in for a wild ride. What we have seen before and experienced won’t even compare.

The match has been lit…

Passion Flower/Πασιφλόρα

My blue passion flower (passiflora) vine, that I planted last year, has bloomed this year. It is a flower that is native to Mexico, Central and South America.

There are medicinal benefits to the flower when the dried flowers is used as a tea. Research has show that the flower can help with anxiety and insomnia.

Το μπλε πασιφλορα, που φύτεψα πέρυσι, έχει ανθίσει φέτος. Είναι ένα λουλούδι που προέρχεται από το Μεξικό, την Κεντρική και τη Νότια Αμερική.

Υπάρχουν ιατρικά οφέλη για το λουλούδι όταν τα αποξηραμένα λουλούδια χρησιμοποιούνται ως τσάι. Η έρευνα έχει δείξει ότι το λουλούδι μπορεί να βοηθήσει με το άγχος και την αϋπνία.

Panoramic View/Πανοραμική θέα

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beekeeper

Bee Keeper in action

Mountain flowersWestern view

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Last week the quarantine restrictions were lifted here in Greece. This was my first time in nature since March or even longer than that. There is a joke that a lot of people say that everyone has become an athlete during the quarantine. I don’t think I have ever seen so many joggers and cyclists in Athens in all of my years here. :))

Την περασμένη εβδομάδα, οι περιορισμοί καραντίνας καταργήθηκαν εδώ στην Ελλάδα. Αυτή ήταν η πρώτη μου φορά στη φύση από τον Μάρτιο ή ακόμη και περισσότερο από αυτό. Υπάρχει ένα αστείο που πολλοί λένε ότι όλοι έχουν γίνει αθλητές κατά τη διάρκεια της καραντίνας. Δεν νομίζω ότι έχω δει τόσοι δρομείς και ποδηλάτες στην Αθήνα όλα αυτά τα χρόνια εδώ. :))

Life & Death/Ζωη και Θανατος

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A dead bee and living spider in a white calla lily in my garden.

Μια νεκρή μέλισσα και μια ζωντανή αράχνη σε έναν λευκό κρίνο στον κήπο μου.

“Let us so live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.”

-Mark Twain

“Death is the destination we all share, no one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be because death is very likely the single best invention of life. ”    

-Steve Jobs

Iris & Gladiola/Ίρις και Γλαδιόλα

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The colour purple is the colour that is associated with bravery, creativity, wealth, and royalty. I’ve grown to love this colour and I was happy to see the purple Iris and purple gladiolas in my garden again as they are perennials.

Το χρώμα μωβ είναι το χρώμα που σχετίζεται με την ανδρεία, τη δημιουργικότητα, τον πλούτο και τη βασιλεία. Έχω αγαπήσει αυτό το χρώμα και ήμουν ευτυχής οταν ειδα την εμφάνιση του όταν είδα την ίριδα και την γλαδιόλα στον κήπο μου ξανά καθώς είναι πολυετή φυτά.

ΚΑΛΟ ΠΑΣΧΑ!/Happy Easter!

Happyeaster!

Happy Easter to all Orthodox Christians. We celebrate Easter a week after the Catholic Easter. Greeks couldn’t move about this year, so they couldn’t leave for their villages to celebrate Easter as they would do every year.  This year, so they celebrated in Athens and the whole city is smoky and it smells like bbq! 🙂

“The reappearance of the light is the same as the survival of the soul.” Victor Hugo

“Blessed are those who have not seen and have yet believed.” John 20:29

“The Easter egg symbolizes our ability to break out of the hardened, protective shell we’ve surrounded ourselves with…”-Siobhan Shaw

Orange Delight/Πορτοκαλί απόλαυση

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I love the optimism of nature. So much joy can be found in the seemingly little things. I hope these photos lift your spirits in theses difficult times 🙂

Λατρεύω την αισιοδοξία της φύσης. Μπορείτε να βρείτε τόση χαρά στα μικρά πράγματα. Ελπίζω αυτές οι φωτογραφίες να ανεβάσουν το πνεύμα σας σε αυτές τις δύσκολες στιγμές:)

 

Stormy Days/Θυελλώδεις Μέρες

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Greece got another taste of winter this past week. There is snow on Parnitha mountain! Shockingly unusual weather for the month of April.  I believe it is God’s wrath. He is avenging the crazies who went to the beach in March during the quarantine. And now we all have to suffer and listen to the gale force-7 or 9 Beaufort winds.

I bet God said (while looking down at us) ‘If you don’t stay inside than I’ll mess with the weather so badly you will be forced to stay in. I’ll make it so windy that if you set foot -even one foot-outside you will be blown away!

This is an incredible inspiring video that helps put things into perspective. Our ancestors had it A LOT worse than us. Terrible things have happened before and the will happen again. It is crucial in times like these to remain calm and to be strong.

Quarantine/Καραντίνα

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My cat Angelo and I are breezing through the quarantine. No quarantine blues for us.  No whining about being bored. Keep your spirits up. There are million things to do. Think of those who are on the front lines helping to battle the contagion. Think of the people you once overlooked who are keeping society functioning.

Take a little nap in the sun -it’s good for you. And consider yourself lucky 🙂

“We’re born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we’re not alone.” -Orson Welles