A GRIFFON VULTURE IN MY BACK YARD!

This short video is only part of the wonderful pictures I took today of KK8, an 18 month old vulture which was found grounded, and looked after by the Animal Welfare people of Malia, until strong enough to be released. It was duly allowed to fly away yesterday but seems to have got so used to human company, and fresh meat, that it came back for more. You will find a full report in the Animal Welfare newsletter.

KK8 flew away, but apparently did not go far. Later in the day she was found in the church yard and was picked up and transported to safety. If KK8 or any other vulture lands in your back yard, the advice is, please do not give food, and after a short while the bird should fly away. If there is any concern then telephone your nearest Animal Welfare organisation.

A TAVERNA IN THE HILLS!

Meet Michaelis, the young, bi-lingual and very professional owner of The Taverna Paradosiaki in Kounali. He told me that the premise was a present from his Grandfather. To honour his heritage, Michaelis, together with his mother and father, Alex and Maria have developed what used to be a small cafeneo, into a thriving taverna. With a menu of traditional Cretan food including meat and potatoes cooked in the big outside oven, no wonder that locals and tourists pack the place. Sunday lunch is a special 'eating out' day for all - why not head for the hills this Sunday and have a real Cretan experience? Take the back road out of Latsida, (a small village just out of Neapolis) and follow the sign for Agios Antonios.

WEATHER FORCAST!

Hard to believe we slept 72 nights in this little tent, February, March, April 1992.

It is mid October and very humid, sweaty weather, with lots of sand in the sky and south winds. It doesn't feel right to be wearing sun dresses, the light has gone, and it feels like Autumn, but too hot to wrap up. I keep forgetting that there are still tourists here, and they want the warm weather for sure. A shepherd grazing his flock on the mountain, assures me that rain is on its way for the weekend. I don't want to be a killjoy but I hope he is right. How wonderful it will be to wear woolies when I go to England at the end of the month! The Cretan winter is mild, except for a couple of really cold spells. It will rain in December, a bit, but it is olive picking time and plenty of clear days. January too has sunny days, but cooler nights. February through to April is the rainy season. Hm... I suppose it wasn't too bad in that tent, very cosy!

FIRE IN VRAHASSI!

There I was enjoying a nice cup of hot chocolate after my Saturday talk in Hersonissos, when all hell broke loose. Aspasia's car was on fire! Yiorgos Kiverniti came into the cafeneo to ask Yannis to called the fire engine, Georgia went for help. There were a couple of explosions. I was quite afraid that the church would be damaged, but before long there was a hosepipe dowsing the flames. The firebrigade arrived just as the fire was put out, but a trusty fireman hot footed it to the scene and using a hand extinquisher he sprayed all parts of the burnt out engine. The pictures I took of the car were too dark to be any good, but I can tell you the whole of the front of Aspasia's motor is a molten mess; she was next to tears but thank God nobody was hurt. Vrahassi life eh! Sweet dreams, Jane x

PLATANOS GETS A FACE LIFT!

Some streets are a bit of a mess at the moment. This weekend it is the turn of the area known as Platanos. It will look really good when its finished.

I hope all my readers can access the video pictures, if you are having trouble and would prefer stills, please leave a comment. I know that there is not much excitement in my life at the moment, but I think I had enough over the last few years to last me a while. Anyway I'm having to be a bit reclusive to do my writing, and learning to play the cello is quite demanding.

The rain seems to have passed over, better weather on the way but tonight we have lit our first fire of the winter, it's so cosy, I love it! Have a good weekend everyone. Love Jane x

SNAKES IN VRAHASSI!

I was just on my way to the shop, when I spotted this little fellow on the road. He has beautiful markings. I picked him up and put him at the side of the road, he didn't move much but when I returned he had gone. I hope he regained his strength, but I fear my neighbour may have scooped him up with her brush and put an end to him. You should see the way she slaughters her chickens with pruning shears!

THINK OF ME

When the lid of my box, outside the door,
Stands sentinel to my journeying soul,
And sunlight throws a prismic-cross across
The name plate of my chest, think then of the
Day we scrambled up the knoll through thicket
Only fit for a girded Prince to brave,
In attempt to raise his Sleeping Beauty.
And remember the apex of rock which
Gave us solitude;it was a place to
Sense parameters wider than the world.
We were drip-fed by threads of lurex-light,
Until so large had we become, and yet
So small, so much a part of the strata
That all below seemed, as from a magic
Carpet, to flow upstream, and we remained
Unseen observers perched on a warm rock.
Go there now, or top some other apogee,
And say goodbye, for I am already
Out of reach on Charon's ferry, and can
See your words unfurl like almond blossom
In the ether: soft whispered curls of sound
That becomes the hush-dance of the ocean.
And when you light a candle think of me,
Put a kiss on your fingertips and blow
It to the winds of Africa, for I
Am in each speck of the Sahara, my
Life but a memory that is flashing
Across the universe, a shooting star,
Death a mirror fractured by blinding light.

Jane Sharp
2010

FUNERAL IN VRAHASSI

Do you remember my ex friend, George? Well his brother, Manolis, sadly lost his life to cancer and the funeral was today at 4.00 p.m. I send my condolensces to all the family.