Smell the roses

The update today has a more philosophical lean to it than has been common recently, mainly because I have kept forgetting to put this in however that has worked out for the best as this week I have dealt with the problem so I can talk about it positively rather than just complaining.

A day out

I've spent the last couple of weeks feeling progressively more and more frustrated and not really knowing why. I live in paradise, we have a wonderful life and don't have to do much that we don't want to. We obviously both work but not a full week (I do four days, A only does three) and I am lucky in that my work is quite flexible to heading outside for fresh air is generally possible whenever I feel like it. The thing is it hasn't even just been when I'm doing my paid work but has bled into other times. It hasn't been helped by the fact that work HAS been quite stressful recently and it was easy for me to conflate the two however I was pretty sure that wasn't the case.

On Monday I had to leg it into town to ekont to pick up the tomato masher thing I had bought to make processing blanched tomatoes easier and on the way back up I suddenly realised what was wrong; the only time we go to explore the beautiful place that we live is when we have visitors and it was ages since the last time myself and A had jumped in the car and driven around and explored and I was frustrated because by working so hard (both paid work and then, on days off, work around the property) I was once again living a deferred life and I had promised myself that I would not do this any more. Of course you have to invest for future pleasure but why do only that; why not take some pleasure now? My decision was made and I told A when I got back that I really wanted to go for a bit of a drive around straight away. She had just been given a file however shortly afterwards it was taken off her and so we were able to head out. This was the best decision I've made for a while.

Me with the puppies

One of the corner trees in the garden

The enclosed garden with the war memorial

We gathered the puppies together, jumped into Thomas, and headed out onto the road. I had a rough idea of a destination but really what I was hoping for was a serendipity time where we explored and stopped wherever the urge took us. I was still feeling nervous, wondering if this was the solution, but as we drove it was very quickly apparent that this was exactly what I needed, and A was really loving it as well. She spotted a signpost to a monument and suggested we go check it out and so off we headed, up the side road, until we saw it and got out. It was a lovely little memorial garden to Turkish wardead with tree and flowers and a cenotaph in the middle. It was so peaceful there and we spent a few minutes walking around and breathing deeply and when we left I felt 100% better.

Bridge porn, just for my dad

Louise scampering up from the stream

My favourite girls walking on ahead

Interesting rock formation

Shadow people

We had only driven a few minutes from the main road to this place so we decided to head back and continue towards my putative destination. Not much further along we started noticing some amazing stone features in the landscape all along the side of the road. It was spotting a lovely old bridge down a ravine that prompted me to pull over and stop, so I could get pictures of it for my dad. It was the perfect place for a quick walk , though, so after running back and snapping a picture of the bridge I joined A and the puppies on a short stroll up towards one of the stone shapes. As you can see from the photographs the weather was just glorious and while it is a little cooler now the sun was very warm and it was magical to be out there.

Sat on top of another rock formation

A much needed relax

Chasing each other across the rock

Glorious views across the valley

Two angles of puppies spotting cows

Detail of the lichen on the rock

"Stop taking pictures of me!"

Just up the path was another rock and this one we could reach and climb on. I went ahead with the puppies for the photo opportunity and then A joined me and we climbed over it, looked at the views, smiled and laughed and relaxed, and talked about why we were out and how good it was to be out again. The excellent weather we are having at the moment opens the opportunity up for us to explore like this, even though it was the end of November. To be sat in a t shirt with the sun beating down at this time of year and be in such a beautiful place; we're lucky people.

The sign that caught our eye from the road

Looking further up into the rock field

Exploring further on

After a lovely peaceful time spent there we jumped back into the car and headed on down the road but we didn't get far before another rock formation, this time with a notice on it, attracted our attention. At first I just jumped out of the car to take a picture of the sign but it said that there were rock pools ahead so I shouted to A to come along, she locked Thomas up, and we went exploring again. This was a far more extensive area of rock shapes than where we had stopped before and we spent a fair amount of time climbing around them.

A cave up one of the cliffs

We climbed into the cave

A coming back from Thomas

Clearly visible up one of the cliffs was a cave that it looked like you could climb up to. I scrambled up quickly and very easily reached the cave but the final ramp to the rock above was just too off camber for me to want to risk. I'm sure I could have done it but my mind wasn't willing. After spending a little while sat in there we decided to continue a bit further away from the road but we had left the window down on Thomas so A ran back to sort that out while I went on. I climbed around a bit looking for the rock pools and had worked out where they were when A got back.

Puppies splashing through the rock pools

Climbing down to the lower ledge

A wishing rock pool; never seen one before

So many rock formations

Louise rushing from one smell to another

What's down here?

Everything is exciting for them

Can you spot the frog in the pond?

It didn't take long to get up to where we'd seen, earlier, a ladder leading down to a ledge and just by where this was there were the rock pools as advertised. One of them in particular was being used as a kind of "wishing rock pool" and there was money in it, someone's pendant and randomly the leg from a crab. I climbed down onto the ledge to check it out and we spent some time strolling around and letting the puppies stretch their legs and sniff everything they could get their noses near. As we headed back down towards the car to carry on our exploration we walked past a pool with some small frogs in it, hopping out of the way as we approached. Can you spot it?

Looking back the way we went

Thelma having an inconvenient snooze

From here we drove down the road until we reached the random destination I had picked out, the old border crossing town near Greece. The currently ubiquitous new road building slowed us down some and, after stopping in town so A could hop out and get us a drink, we headed back home again stopping only so the puppies could go to the toilet as they were a bit unsettled. When we got back we were tired (or at least I was) but so happy to have gone out. We have worked out our next target for a day trip though when this will be we leave to serendipity.

Food

Other than that lovely trip out we haven't really done much this week; it has been a week of paid work and not much else. I've got a few more pictures and updates for your before I sign off though so here goes.

Traditional Sunday curry

Thelma drags Louise by her neck

First of all when I left you last time on Sunday I was waiting for our guest to arrive for dinner. A had cooked an absolutely amazing curry which we all enjoyed. It was a lovely evening and so good to see S (of SandS fame as th'other S had gone on a trip somewhere) and to treat him to food so he wasn't having to eat alone the whole week. He stayed a bit afterwards and we sat and chatted, stared at the fire, watched the puppies fighting (and I FINALLY got the picture of Thelma dragging Louise by the neck), talked about Christmas and other things and then he headed off to get back home. Hopefully it won't be long before we see them again.

Relaxing with a beer in our favourite restaurant

Stunningly flavoursome Lamb Kavarma

When we got back from our trip out I told A that I was also taking her out for a meal that night so we got ourselves ready and headed down to our favourite restaurant quite early in the evening. We didn't rush our orders in but relaxed and enjoyed ourselves but when the food came it was superb again. I ordered my favourite dish (Lamb Kavarma) and it was out of this world with it's richness of flavour. Just as we finished eating the normal musicians came in and we got a wave from them both. We sat drinking our beer and relaxing and were glad that we did as the first song they played was introduced, in English, to us. I got the camera our and shot a quick video for you. It's amazing to be so welcomed here. Lovely people.

More of the sky

It is a recurring theme on this blog, the pictures of the sky. This is because it is a recurring theme of my life to see the sky and go "wow" and want to take pictures of it. There were a few occasions so far this week to indulge this passion and here I share them with you.

Before the moon rose

Stars above the local town

First of all we go back to last Sunday after S had left. We were watching Sopranos when A headed onto the balcony and I joined her and as I was out there I saw the faintest glimmer above the mountains opposite. Keen to miss nothing I ran and got the tripod, camera, and various lenses and I spent the next twenty minutes or so stood on ice cold tiles bare foot playing with exposure settings and ISOs to get the best shot. I'm not incredibly pleased with the outcome as the pictures I took when the moon finally appeared, looking huge and amazing, didn't come out at all however these two, one of the glow when I first started snapping and the second a thirty second exposure of the stars above the town below, are lovely.

Amazingly clear evening sky

After we got back from our trip out, but before dinner, I headed onto the roof terrace to get pictures of the gorgeous clear evening we were enjoying. Since we have finally started getting some rain the air has cleared up dramatically and the distant mountains, many miles away, are so sharp it feels like you could reach out and touch them. Every morning I've been on the balcony looking that way and marveling at this clarity. The camera really doesn't do it justice.

A super firey sunrise on Tuesday morning

Yesterday wasn't a great day for me. I woke up with a headache which lingered all day and turned into the edges of a migraine. In the morning I was  kindly let to have a lie in by A who was up and about early. She was able to get onto the balcony to get this picture of the sunrise and then came to tell me so I also went out but my pictures didn't come out as well as this one. I think if any shepherds saw this they could not help but take it as a warning!

Other stuff

So it has, as I say, been a first half of the week dominated by one day and, other than that, we've really not done very much. Because of my headache yesterday I didn't get out to do anything around the house and obviously on Monday we were out so nothing could be done.

It stayed lit all night

First of all is a very simple picture that was quite exciting for me personally to get. At the moment we are making absolutely no effort to retain fires from one day to the next, simply because we do not need to. The temperatures are dropping, finally, but with the sun out it is still warm enough in Room 13, once the chill of the morning is dispelled by an hour or so of petchka, to just let it go out. We are still using the living room every evening but the fire can be lit in there just before we go to eat and it warms up so fast that is fine. On Tuesday morning, however, when I went to sweep out the grate in the living room I found a large ember glowing brightly which smoked as I carried it to Room 13 to use to light the fire in there. It didn't work totally well however this is the first time a fire had gone all through the night by being banked down when we went to bed.

Newly laid stones at the top of the drive

The old stones are bedding in well

Today was another working day however, without the headache, I was able to go out at lunch time to shovel some more stones off the orchard. I took several wheelbarrows full down onto the drive and spread them around. My concerns about putting large rocks on there have been alleviated now we've driven up and down the previously laid rocks a few times. They are breaking apart and bedding in and providing the secure base that we were hoping for quite well.

So, there it is. A is dishing up a fantastic Pork with Mushroom Sauce, peas and mashed potato as I type this, the fire is lit in the living room and Mozart is queued up on the record player. Cheers.

Planets and rumbles

Looking through the pictures there is a huge amount to write about last night even before I think about what has happened this morning. It was a very strange evening which I will tell you all about as per usual. Before I start the story I would like to say that last night there was no chasing of chickens required; the few days of catching them and putting them away in the coop has obviously worked as when we went to put them to bed KitKat were already inside and Ginger and Baker were stood right there and just let themselves be picked up with no fuss. Maybe this evening when we go they will all be inside. Success, and exactly what we were aiming for in forcing them to go in after introducing the coop as a new thing.

A sunset develops 

Walking with the girls

First of all after we ate A popped out with the girls and I legged it onto the roof to get a picture of the sunset which was suddenly looking very nice. I sat up there on my own for a fair while as she walked around the land with the puppies and it was actually quite nice to watch her walking and then turn and watch the sunset developing and just be quiet. I love living with A but these moments are also special.

Super view of the planets 

Slightly longer exposure

When A came up onto the roof to join me we sat for a bit together but for some reason I started feeling a little bit of vertigo or something so moved from sitting on the edge of the terrace to one of the chairs. The feeling didn't shift and then when we went downstairs Louise was also very unsettled and growling and fussing a lot. We went through to bed and put both of them in their cage but Louise continued to fuss and growl and whine. I thought maybe the fox was back in the garden and so went outside to check with the torch. It was a happy thing that I did this as well as I had forgotten completely that Venus and Jupiter were in conjunction and they were just amazing together on the western horizon. I dashed to get the tripod and other camera equipment so I could set up to take some pictures and after faffing for a bit these two are the best two of the night.

Bright moon in clear sky

The moon was also really bright last night, casting an amazing shadow, so before I went in I took the tripod round the other side and snapped another series on different settings. In the few minutes I had been outside A had fallen asleep with the girls jumped on the bed with her and calm so I packed things away, got them into their cage, and we both tried to go back to sleep. Almost immediately Louise started her noise again and this, combined with the feeling of unease which I still was not able to shake, really did for my sleepiness. We lay there discussing what to do and then decided that a quick check around the house was for the best. I got the torch and we all went downstairs.

Massive beetle

Now the workmen have opened one of the big windows in the kitchen and put a ramp up to it through which they have been loading out the spoil into their truck so there really is no way for the building to be secured however I went down to the garage door and locked it, then shut all the other windows that I could in the kitchen and corridor. This was more for psychological benefits than anything else. A had gone out onto the porch with Rambo and the girls while I did this and she shouted to me to come quickly with the camera. A HUGE horned beetle had landed on the floor of the porch and scared both her and Rambo. I put her lighter down to give an idea of size and got very close to get pictures expecting all the time for it to suddenly fly off and scare me. It didn't move and was still there when we decided to go back to bed.

When we got back up we found one single mouse dropping on the sheet on the bed. This had DEFINITELY not been there when we got out of bed as we'd sat up via that spot to get out of bed. This prompted a period of searching for more droppings (none) and any evidence of a mouse (none). Louise was now much calmer and so we decided that a mouse had been running around in the living room, been scared into the bedroom when we first went to bed, and left when we went downstairs. What with all the work going on we are almost certain to have disturbed mice nests and so they are probably looking for new places to be. After this we did manage eventually to drop off to sleep which was a relief and we slept through until the alarm went off and then past it for a little bit.

A was first up and she left me to lie in but after two minutes I also jumped up and went after her. I do love the morning routine of going out to let the chucks out and particularly wanted to be involved this morning to check on Ginger and Baker. They were fine and there was no evidence of them being pecked in the night which was our biggest concern with introducing two new chicks to the flock. We sat and watched them for a little bit then headed in for another brew. It was a really misty start to the day which gave me the hope that maybe the weather would be hot and clear like the forecast however this never really developed.

We were really focused on paid work today as today is A's Friday and tomorrow I'm going to have to be away most of the day, so there isn't much more really to say about the morning. The workmen didn't arrive at all today which was a shame as they made such good progress the first two days but this is how it is with workmen here.

Stuff to be burned

For days now we have had a load of rubbish piled up by the back door for burning and we had not got round to taking it up to the burning circle to get rid of it. Lunch time today we made the decision that we would definitely do it so we carried it out and set up a small bonfire up there. This circle was made last year on some bedrock which exploded and cracked during the first fire. We then used the broken stones to extend around the bedrock and now we have a really good sized safe location for big burns that can't be done in our burning drum.

My girls watching the fire

Thelma isn't bothered by the blaze

We got it burning after a little struggle due to the gusting breeze and then settled back to watch it burn. The girls were with us and kept getting a bit close to the flames for comfort so A grabbed them and sat them on her lap where they were happy to sit and watch for a bit before jumping off for their independence.

The fire starts to take hold

Blazing away fast

Nearly all gone

We sat together for a really nice time watching the fire, listening to the sound of silence, crickets, birds and more silence, and just appreciated once more the location and place where we are at. After about twenty minutes or so A had to go in to give them some water and I stayed out to watch the fire and ensure it stayed within bounds. It was another peaceful moment and I was disappointed when I decided I had to go in to get back to work.

And so the rest of the afternoon went past in working and listening as the thunder started to rumble in the distance. A had put some stew in the slow cooker for dinner and at the end of the day we were about to head out together to the shops when one last urgent file arrived so I had to go on my own. It was a short trip but when I was leaving I found that the gate was very loosely shut and the catch was not done how either of us would do it. I checked with A and she had definitely put the gate back properly last night after the workmen left so this re-ignited the discussion about the evening before. We now think that maybe the farmer came on to get his little yappy dog which has a habit of crawling through a gap and onto our drive. It does make me want a security camera down there just so I can see what things are going on if something unusual like this happens again.

Predator security

I got back and spent ages putting up another of the metal racks so tomorrow if we get time we can start to tidy the tool room. We have decided that, particularly with us wanting to get ducks, we don't want to be limited to forcing our birds into the coop over night so we would try to secure the whole building and then they can roost where they choose. I found myself a catch in a box from England brought last year and went to fit it. The chickens were happily together though KitKat stick together and Ginger/Baker are also a pair; it'll be interesting to see how long this dynamic stays like this.

Planting tomatoes the local way

This is a really cool tool

With this task done I actually started this blog but then after a few paragraphs I was called downstairs by A to bring my camera. The Little Lady had come over with a load more tomato plants to plant into the Hugelkultur. She brought over her little dibber implement which A is so in awe of and I got her to hold it while I took a picture. It is actually sheathed in metal so maybe you can buy one like it. We will have to keep our eyes open.

First tomato of the year

We then all went into the fenced garden where the Little Lady again proceeded to show us how it is done using her hoe and dibber to weed everything in super quick time. We're learning so much just by watching these people. Even she got excited, as she went through the tomato bed, to see a fruit is growing which is great! This is our first tomato of the year! We all got a little stuck in weeding (it's so hard to watch someone work) and when the whole of it was done she said goodbye and went off. What lovely people.

The three of them really get on well

I then headed upstairs to continue this, to the sound of much rumbling in the distance as the storm to our east didn't come close to us but just made lots of noise and kept going south. Dinner was outstanding but you'll read about that tomorrow whenever I get to do the blog depending on travel. For now I'll leave you with this picture of the three puppies coexisting really well.

I'm tired now; time to go water and lock the chickens up and then head to bed.