MY CRETAN LIFE My life, my makes and everything else. Pleased to be back in Crete.
Hooray, today I came across my hexagon quilt top. Now I can get to work on finishing it. It's got to be a king size so I had better get cracking. This quilt is way over due now. Can't wait to get it on to my bed. How long do you think it will take me.
I planted some courgettes, squash, pumpkin, cucumber and tomatoes a while ago. They are now eagerly awaiting planted out into the garden.
These will need potting on before they are ready for the garden.
So I thought that I had better get to it. Not an easy task, the garden is on a slope. Climbing onto it is a uphill struggle.
This is what it was like this morning.
So some terracing was in order and as we have loads and loads of old roof tiles, I thought that I would put them to good use. We will have to build a retaining wall along the front, but this time with cement.
I think there had been a dry stone wall to retain the soil from washing down onto the stable roof. However I was quite surprised that the soil seems quite good. It turned over very easily. I thought that it would be rock hard.
I plan to put the squash and pumpkin at the front so I can grow them across the stable roof.
Here are some tomatoes that I am growing in pots and my very first tomato has just set. I can nearly taste it now.
You had better believe me when I say that I need a soak in a hot bath tonight and I think I have caught the sun. See what I can get done tomorrow.
It started raining on Sunday evening and it was still raining on Monday morning. In fact it rained all day yesterday and all night.
Today it was undecided as to what to do. So it rained a bit more. We do need it as the water levels are still rather low here.
My hubby has got himself a job at Subway too, so we had to go to Heraklion to sort out his health book. So off we set in the rain.
Heraklion is about an hours drive away. Some of the journey was in rain and some in sunshine. When we got to the office that we wanted we were very surprised that there was no one there, so we were in and out in 10 minutes. So that's him sorted.
I decided to take some photos of the capital to show you what it is like.
As you can see it was bumper to bumper. With double parking.
These are the old city walls.
This photo shows how these old walls were constructed. It reminds me of a patchwork quilt.
By this time it was throwing it down and it has rather spoilt the photos.
These ruins are not far from the port.
It was a shame that the rain spoilt our visit. I didn't get to go shopping or anything, it was so miserable. We just carried on home.
I do feel sorry for the holiday makers who are here this week as the weather has not been nice to them at all.
A bit of history about Heraklion.(Iraklion)
It was built in 824AD by the Arab Saracens and called Chandax
It was built where the old harbour of Knossos used to stand.
In the Byzantine period it was called Chandakas.
In the venetian period it was called Candia, even the whole island was called Candia.
The walls that we see now were built in 1462. Well that is when they started them and it took 100yrs to complete. These walls at some points are 60meters thick. There perimeter is 4.5km. and there are 12 bastions and forts all around. However these walls fell to the Turks in 1669, after a siege that had lasted 22 years. 30,000 Christians were dead and 120,000 Turks.The Turks occupied Crete until 1897.
Crete was an independent state from 1897 to 1913 and then it was reunited with Greece.
Crete seems to have had a very turbulent past and there is plenty of history and plenty of sites to go and see.
Today I started weeding our overgrown garden. I know this might sound funny, but we have to go up our outside steps then onto the roof of the stable to get to this piece of garden. The wall at the back is actually the road. Yes the house is lower than the garden as it is built on the side of a mountain and the back road is higher again. So far I have got 5 big bin bags full of weeds.
See I have managed to get to the wall/road. The lumps of wood we collected last year. It should be seasoned enough for our fire this winter.
At the right side of the picture you can see a creamy ball shaped object, this is a seed head of the artichoke plant there and right on the edge of the picture is an artichoke head. Might get to eat some this year. I have never tried them and I don't even know how to cook them.
Caught this butterfly warming himself in the afternoon sun.
These snails are what we collected last year from the garden. A Greek friend of ours took them to eat. Think I will just collect them and see if anybody wants them. I just don't fancy them. My hubby reckons they taste like chicken only more chewy.
Once the garden is cleared I am hoping to grow squash and courgettes through black plastic and anything else that will grow in such stony ground.
Any offers on digging it? I have a spare spade, and I make a good cup of tea. Ha ha.
Last year, I worked the summer season in Mad Malia!!
Well, this year I am going to do it again. I will be starting work in a couple of weeks time. Last year my hubby was doing a lot of work on our house, so he didn't look for a job. Well this summer he is going to work as-well. We are both going to work at the same place as i did last year.
This is me with a couple of girls from England that I met last year. So if your in Malia come to Subway and say Hi.
Yesterday we went with the gardening club to the aquarium. It was a
lovely experience.
Some of the photos didn't come out too good so I will show you the best.
This crabs pincers are what you can see they were held tight to it's body for protection.
Ohhh Sharks!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lobster.
This eel was showing off. Its mates were all hiding in the rocks.
A shy octopus.
Just look at the colours on this chap.
A five legged starfish. Now is it a leg or an arm or what?
The starfish in the background is a 9 legged one. I was told that if they lose a leg with a bit of the disc in the middle they will grow another. The dark one had lost half of its legs and was regrowing them. You can see the legs furthest away are a lot smaller that the ones at the front.
After our visit we went to a taverna and had a smashing meal. 10 euro each. Can't be bad.
I have just entered this giveaway. Hurry if you want to take part in it as the winner will be picked on the 3rd May. Just click on the button on my sidebar and like magic you will be transported there. Please tell Jenny that I sent you. Go on take a look.
A while ago I posted this photo of a plant that they eat here and asked if you knew what it was.
It is papoulis and it is eaten uncooked in vinegar and salt. Lovely. Sorry about this photo, its a bit blurry
This is my Zig-zag cushion finished.
And this is what it looks like sewn up
This is the back. I might put a small flower in the centre just to finish it off.
I decided to put this lovely crochet rose on the front.
Remember the walnut tree? If you look at the centre of the photo you can see the tiny walnuts forming. The lovely bronze tinge that the young leaves had is disappearing.
And this is a week on. Just look at the nuts growing. I do like walnuts but this tree is so big in our small garden.
See it's massive.
I like to take my camera with me when taking Lucky for her walks as you never know what you may come across. Like this beautiful flower. I have never seen one of these before, have you?
It turns out to be a member of the Muscari family (Grape Hyacinth)
This small Cyclamen was tucked away against a stone wall, I nearly missed it.
This Poppy, well look at the vivid colour, just lovely.
Then there is this Wisteria, just growing amongst another bush.
Not sure of the name of these. They close up in the evening and open again in the sunshine. So pretty.
These Figs are doing well. Have you ever tasted a fig straight off the tree. Gorgeous, but beware don't eat too many.
Same Fig tree but look what is growing amongst it. These Arum Lilies are so lovely.
And this lovely wild Dog Rose.
I find new things everyday. The locals must wonder what I am doing with a camera in my hand all the time but I am frightened that I miss something. Wouldn't you be?
I would also thank you all for dropping by my blog from time to time and leaving me your lovely comments. They are very much appreciated.
This morning had a lot of promise as been a good day
I even put out my washing!! Big mistake. We had very very heavy rain with thunder and lightening again. The weather has been quite unsettled these last few days.
However caught these two enjoying the early morning sun. I just happened to catch them in the act.
They have long snouts, don't know what they are though.
p.s You never guess they were still at it this morning.
