Month: November 2015

Cruising for home

lisaponders3 Comments
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leaving Paros harbor

Time seems to be winding down so quickly.  It’s that time when I have started to realize there are only so many days to do things one more time.  I’m finishing off the food in my cupboard.  The second bed is getting piled with stuff to fit into the suitcase.  We only have this week of classes left.  Wow.  Keeping all that in mind, I decided I wanted to spend time on the Aegean.  After all, that is something I can’t do in Asheville.  So with a sunny forecast I bought a round trip ferry ticket to Santorini yesterday.  3 hours of sitting in sun watching the islands go by and then sailing into the Caldera one last time.  How bad can that be?  It was perfect.  Coming home the sun was somewhat obstructed by clouds, but still produced a lovely  sunset viewed from the warmth of the lounge chair.  Great Sunday! Continue reading “Cruising for home” →

Thanksgivings

lisaponders3 Comments
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view to Paros apogee

The last paragraph last week was about our weekly hike day.  Shortly after I wrote the blog, we headed to Lefkes in the center of the island and starting point for several of our hikes.  The end of the journey was to be a visit to the local olive mill press.  Vague descriptions such as “up and over Lefkes” “down through a valley” sounded quite pleasant.  Reality was totally different.  If you notice at the very top of the mountain there are 3 cell phone towers…guess who was level with them?!  2 1/2 hours straight up.  Then the promise that all was downhill from there.  Straight down a literal goat path.  I heard the bells around their frigging necks.  Then 10 minutes short of the promised land, my cheek met a local rock with a very resounding clunk.  10 miles of hiking and I end up at the clinic having a skull xray instead of sampling local olive oil.

Continue reading “Thanksgivings” →

Seasons

lisaponders2 Comments
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sunset at boat harbor

The weather is so unusually warm and delightful Jane took us outside painting today.  We were introduced to a new palette – the prismatic which uses the bright yellow, ultramarine blue, bright red, and white.  We were told to utilize impressionistic techniques and to spend most of our time mixing colors before putting anything on canvas.  I finally got to use my palette knife and flail away with color.  I’ll put in some highlights on this in the studio when it dries a bit, but this is what fell off my brush today. Continue reading “Seasons” →

Breaks and Strikes and plan B’s

lisaponders2 Comments
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Paros harbor

It never pays to think you have outsmarted fate.  A strike by dock workers was scheduled for 48 hours from Monday 6 AM to Wednesday 6 AM.  I had all of our reservations set for Santorini made back in August for Wednesday and it was going to work perfectly.  Hah!  They extended the strike another 48 hours until Friday at 6 AM, stranding our plans as well as the plans of thousands of others.  All of a sudden we had a stay-cation in Paros.  This is the windmill overlooking the harbor which was one morning’s expedition – or excuse to have tea and pastries somewhere outside my apartment. Continue reading “Breaks and Strikes and plan B’s” →

I love a parade

lisaponders2 Comments
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Parade on "no" day

Last week was a big celebration in Greece, “No” day.  It is the day Metaxes, the prime minister refused Mussolini the right to use Greek territory to invade Albania.  It marked the end of that coalition and Greece’s entry into the Allied front.  Ultimately, there was great loss of life and much horror – but they are very proud of doing the right thing.  There was a big church service and then the parade which featured the high school’s marching  band – all 6 drums and flag carrier.  Every student down to wee ones were lined up behind flags and marched the whole length of the port.  Every thing was closed down and all cheered the participants wildly.  What a joyful experience. Continue reading “I love a parade” →