I've been thinking...

 

 

this is my new blog.

~ not sure where it'll take me;

I just needed a voice again!

 

xxx



and so it ends...

I've been thinking about it for a while now

and I guess there's no better way of saying it

other than simply say it:

this is the last post at

Shell and Bells, Flowers and Showers.

I can't be too sentimental about it,

though it feels very strange.

After three years of blogging,

I feel I have nothing more to share.

I still think from time to time ' this would make a great post'

but I don't find it in my heart to come here and write the post.

My reading list still gives me daily -almost-  pleasure

and I can't imagine life without the inspiration and pleasure I get from your blogs.

So I'll be here, reading and maybe dropping by.

Who knows, I may come back some time, sooner or later, with a fresh idea.

We'll see.

In the meantime, I'd really love to keep in touch with you. I've made some special

friends through this space.

If you don't have my home or e-mail address and you want to keep in touch,

please do say so in the comments and we can exchange info.

Take Care!!!

xxx

from the archives

hello there,  lovely people!

hope you're doing great.

right now, i'm trying to wake my son up so we can leave for my village- he's sleeping right next to me.

we'll be staying for about ten days;

lots of nature, of the blue and green variety, and ...

no camera.

that's right. my son's camera has broken down.

i'll have to see if i can borrow my old one - which now belongs to hubby and he uses it at work :(

wondering what i posted last year, i landed here. thought you might want to get some

life-loving inspiration.

have fun!

xxx



new gear!

~ loving our new picnic plates, bowls and cups

(draining on the rack after little one gave them a good wash-up)

~loving this flowery cooler bag, just big enough for a few sandwiches,

some summer sweet fruit and something to drink

~~ linking with Fiona for the 3rd green day ~~

have a great weekend!

i hope ours will involve some use of the above recently bought new picnic gear

(together with our fabulous hamper, of course!)

xxx

today...

...I discovered these in The Shell Seekers

(have no idea when I put them in there)

... I noticed one of my favourite colour combinations in my pan.

It's always the little things...

xxx

fabric + flowers

~~ two of the things i love

~~ one frantic afternoon trying to finish my son's teacher's gift on time

(do you like what I made for her?)

~~ one stress-free afternoon to make the mosaics

enjoy!

~~ hope you all have a fabulous week!

xxx

green is the colour

I've been meaning to tell you and show you what I've been up to lately,

but I have been too busy - and lazy- and I also seem to have become used to

silently enjoying your posts ; it's much easier to read than write, right?

Anyway, it was Fiona from Raindrops and Daisies with her wonderful idea of 'Green Day'

that got me out of my hiding place and into the world.

So here's (part of) how I spend my days, now that schools are closed for the summer.

For more green love pop over at Fiona's.

Have a great weekend.

Back soon. I promise!

xxx

honesty

me: do you like my new haircut?

son: yes, it's nice.

a few hours later...

me: i don't think i like my hair like this.

son: it looks like a helmet.

i used to be proud...

... for being greek;

now i have to turn to history

and past achievements

to ease the feeling of disappointment.

have moved down under

It's been so unbelievably cold these days,

it feels like October!

I had to take my tomato seedlings inside

 to protect them from the cold and the wind.

I started dreaming of dryers again.

I have so much  laundry to do and no idea where to dry it!

Just when you think you don't need socks anymore...

Anyway, it's Friday afternoon and we have the whole weekend ahead;

the weatherman said that we 'll get our spring back soon

so it's all good.

I'm making some cupcakes with my super fast cupcake maker

as soon as I go offline;

Friday afternoon = coffee + cake + crochet. Nice!

Weather permitting, I'm planning to spend some happy time

surrounded by pots, compost, flower seedlings and, of course,

my precious helper tomorrow!

I'm leaving you today

with my beautiful amaryllis, which is exactly as old as my son;

it is now two plants since I separated the two bulbs that were formed

and planted them again in autumn. Clever me!

Have a great weekend!

xxx

wishing you...

...

a fabulous weekend

and a wonderful Mother's Day with your kids.

xxx

till next year

Did you know I love asparagus?

A simple dish of boiled asparagus with olive oil and lemon

is heaven on earth for me.

Together with gridled mushrooms, it's one thing that hardly ever makes it to the table.

So I thought I'd make them last a little longer, by making this great asparagus tart, the 'Jamie way'.

They did last longer... a little longer ... a whole day.

Yes, I ate almost all of it on my own in just one day!

Why is the asparagus season so short?

words on a simple life

Are you familiar with this book?

I bought it a few days ago and was very glad to see

that the first quote of the collection was by a Greek writer.

How simple and frugal a thing is happiness:

a glass of wine, a roast chestnut, a wretched little brazier,

the sound of the sea....

All that is required to feel

that here and now is happiness

is a simple, frugal heart.

Nikos Kazantzakis

(1885-1957)

This hasn't been an easy day for me. A stomach-ache kept me up late

and woke me up several times during the night

and, at work... this day counts in my book as a very bad one; patience? what is that?

Then this amazing shower came and washed all the negativity away!

So invigorating!

I'm much better now -and so are my plants, which had a good wash from the city dust.

Happiness is indeed a simple thing!

Then I opened this book and a thought crossed my mind:

at these challenging times for my country,

it's good to remember that there have been people, Greeks, who led the way to many others. Who were inspiring; leaders in their own way,

who made my country famous.

I'm sure there will be more in the future.

keeping in touch

Hello lovely ladies!

How have you been doing lately?

Life has been pretty ordinary here. Ups and downs, laughter and tears,

and if you're not new here, you know I'm not the one to pretend that everything is sprinkled with sugar all the time but that every cloud does have a silver lining.

Now.

I've been trying to stay away from social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter,

to avoid further addiction to the internet.

But because I don't have enough time to blog properly, I've been missing the relaxation and connection to the world this cyber community has offered me.

So, though I still feel that Facebook is not right for me, I started a Twitter page. I'm taking baby steps with it, not planning to have it all sorted out in a day or two, but at least I can wave "hello' whenever I feel like it.
Could you please let me know if you have a twitter account I can follow?
You'll find me as flowers and showers (achyiot)  (how original!).

Take Care!
xxx

on my camera

~ loving my new purple mug, a free gift with cadbury's chocolate

(hubby drinks the chocolate, i use the mug)

~ noticing how the colours of the beetroot leaves and stalks match my colander

~ planting herbs - thyme, corriander and savoury

~making crafts and decorating the flat for easter

(which for us is this sunday the 15th)

have a happy week!

are you back to work/school today?

our 2-week easter break starts today!

xxx

spring!

My favourite season is here!

Not only because the calendar says so, but weatherwise as well.

Ah! I looooove spring!

The colours, the smells...

We're not fully into it yet, of course,

but when my son and I plant seeds and when we look for signs -and find many- I say, it's here alright!

Meanwhile, we've got one more week before the Easter school break and I can't wait to go to my village and see the green shoots from the bulbs I planted in November.

Take Care and have fun, my friends!

xxx

7

I don't think I've ever eaten birthday cake so early in the morning,

but it was the only time in the day we were all together!

Happy Birthday, sunshine!

life

lately, it feels like life is slipping through my fingers.

all we do around here is work and study.

no time to play or have fun on weekdays!

i still get excited when the time of year for spring bulbs arrives -

i'm a sucker for spring, don't forget-

and i'm over the moon when i get a parcel in the mail,

even if it's something i ordered.

and if you ask my little one, he won't complain for lack of

weekend activities - plays etc.

but a new reality has slowly set in.

i looked at my paperwhite today,

and thought that these should be the last plants i buy for a while.

i smile when i see my extremely cute, yet totally unnecessary, shabby-chic rabbit and mouse toys on my bedside table -yes, i really need to

stay away from etsy.

books and entertainment for my little guy

will be the last fortress to fall,

even if i have to eat pasta and rice every day.

- besides, i love pasta! ;)

oh, well! it's the weekend.

i'm sure i'll find something fun for us to do.

i wish i had more time to blog.

i feel better already.

take care!

xxx

big sigh of relief...

thank you all so much for praying along with me.

it means the world to me.

my son is fine now.
he's been operated on to remove a lump on his upper thigh.
we got the biopsy results last night and it's nothing to worry about.
the waiting was killing me!

he was so brave, through all the tests and the surgery!
he's at home now, recovering, enjoying his new toys!

thanks so much for being here!

(ps. what's wrong with blogger? I've written a long post explaining things and sharing feelings and it's all gone! no time to write it all again!)

when you try to pretend you're brave...

...when deep inside you're scared

... and you take all the pressure out

on the one person you shouldn't

... then you know it's high time you cried

and asked for some positive vibes sent your way.

please, hold my son in your thoughts and prayers...

sunday outing



we went to the mountains yesterday;

it was a good, family day

{ a rarity lately }

~~~~~

it's a school holiday today.

son and his friends are playing with his playmobil in his room.

i'm enjoying some me-time;

trying to decide if i pick up a book or a hook-

probably both - not simultaneously!

~~~~~

i've been reading your words, looking at your pictures
but haven't been commenting much
as blogging time is really limited.

~~~~~~
thanks for stopping by!

take care!
xxxx

Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite. Or waiting around for Friday night or waiting perhaps for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil or a better break or a string of pearls or a pair of pants or a wig with curls or another chance. Everyone is just waiting.

~Dr. Seuss

Why always "not yet"? Do flowers in spring say "not yet"?

 ~Norman Douglas

Happy New Year!

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

I've found myself with some priceless me-time this morning and decided

to look back to the year we've left behind.

May you all have Health and Joy in 2012!

xxx