This week there is a mixture of scenic views and sunny smiles, plus a touch of culture.
Also, a spectacular array of empty bottles. Well, we have been on holiday!
Two weeks ago I was visiting the West Dean 'Apple Event', which was a tad short on actual apples.
I found this photo shortly afterwards of John and Sam 'enjoying' the Chili Weekend at West Dean, many years ago. I think it was on John's 12th or 13th birthday, and I was determined to take a picture of the two of them smiling together.
Not an easy undertaking....first they didn't even want to share the same bench. Anyway, they responded to the instructions 'Just act like you like each other!'
After an hour driving through the darkness, we saw our first fantastic sight in Corfu....the bar was still open!
It wasn't until the next morning we realised how wonderful our surroundings were, and that Albania
was just over the water. The sun was shining and we set out to find a place to lunch, one with squid on the menu. We decided not to eat at the first place we found, as they had taken the idea of a 'table with a sea view' a little too literally!
We did find a most beautiful Greek Taverna, all arty and blue inside, with naive paintings of fish.
It wasn't at all bad from the outside, either.
Mr Cooper and I had decided that we should keep our lunches light and healthy, and our evening meals too. So I ordered grilled squid and salad, to following my welcome cool beer. The waiter suggested that a Corfian speciality might fit the bill for Mr Cooper, so he ordered a spicy stew of rock salmon with chips. Why not have a few grilled sardines to share first?
Oh well, why not, we are on holiday. Better order a bottle of retsina, too!
The sardines were delicious!
After a couple of days of sunshine and squid, with the occasional tentacle of grilled octopus to ring the changes, the sun disappeared as rain took over. At first just slightly, then torrentially.
We were now having to lunch behind a plastic curtain, which was spattered with rain droplets.
We kept our spirits up, however, particularly when I was introduced to another way to enjoy retsina whilst on Corfu. Drink it with Sprite.........Wow!
After a couple of stormy days Mr cooper and I were glad to get out and about again, and we decided to turn right when leaving the hotel, and walk to the top right hand side of the island.
On the way we noticed that after the storms, some of the stones had migrated from the beach to form a decorative element on the beach umbrellas.
After walking for a couple of hours, we did indeed reach our destination, which was picture perfect.
There is Albania looking very beautiful and very close, on the horizon.
I did manage to keep a rain-soaked dead sheep out of the image, the poor animal providing a stark contrast to its surroundings.
The days flew by, being filled as they were with such a sense of purpose. For example, 'Where shall we wander to today?' 'Nearly finished this book now!' 'Where do you fancy eating tonight?' 'Would you pass the suntan lotion please' 'Are you sure you need another banana ice cream?' (The latter being a frequent comment from Mr Cooper to me, and the answer was always 'Yes, I'm on holiday!')
The Dolphin Taverna became our most favourite place to eat. We ate by the beach in the daytime, nearly by the beach behind the plastic curtain in the rainy daytime, and inside at night.
Here is Mr Cooper, waiting for his light, lunchtime snack (bread with garlic butter, beef cooked in red wine, and homemade chips) drinking his favourite aperitif, wearing a holiday T-shirt.
As I waited for my light snack, (garlic bread with tomato salad), I did my only artwork of the week. Even then, I was so relaxed I initially spelt retsina wrong.
It is not only me who looks happy in this photo...my dinosaur necklace is positively glowing!
Our light lunch became less so, as Nikki* brought our food to us, together with a big brimming bowl filled with a hearty stew of leeks, tomatoes and sweet potatoes, the food she had cooked for herself and her family for lunch that day.
Thanks Nikki, totally delicious, but after that, sleep was the order of the day! ( Or rather, the recovery time between our late lunch, and our final evening meal on Corfu.)
Refreshed by a couple of hours snoozing by the pool, without eating any banana ice cream,we made our way along the beach to visit our second most favourite place, the beautiful blue Taverna called Aphos, for our last evening meal.
We got there early to watch the sun go down in Corfu for the last time. Well, for us this year, but there is always next year to look forward to.
Beautiful sunset, crispy courgette balls, grilled gilt-head bream, garlic butter and Mr Cooper.
What more could I need for a perfect evening. Retsina, of course!
And for our very last day, and our very last lunch by the beach, we had to visit the Dolphin Taverna.
Mr Cooper sampled Corfian moussaka for the first time, and I ordered squid and salad for the 4th time. No huge bowls of stew were delivered with our order, but at the end, a huge and beautifully ripe Sharon fruit, from Nikki's garden. I love these, but never eat them in England as they have to be so ripe they are positively bursting with flavour, as this one was.
It was so sad to leave Corfu, and all that we had enjoyed there. Not only the sun, the sea, and the cuisine, but the friendliness. We said goodbye to Nikki and Nikos with huge hugs and kisses, and left holding a bottle of red wine they gave us, to drink at Christmas. We will, and we will raise a toast to Nikki, Nikos and Floyd. I might even sneak in some squid as a cheeky little pre-turkey starter.......
Back to England, and to pick up the reins of a lifestyle where work has its firm place.
To me, the word 'work'** means time spent creating art, like what I do in my shed (and in the kitchen, the dining room and the sitting room, says Mr Cooper resignedly.....)
Here is an older art work having reached it's destination at Homerton College in Cambridge last weekend.
It was unwrapped on a very appropriate day, and here is my beautiful niece Rowan, halfway through unwrapping the Basking Shark, on her birthday! Happy Birthday Rowan, and Happy Year Ahead!
Another creation is now fulfilling its function. I knitted these garments for Henry, starting them when he had arrived in the world this Spring. And here is Henry, now at 6 months old, looking absolutely gorgeous sporting autumn colours. Time to get some more wool for the next creation.
You look wonderful Henry, lots of love from your Nana Sue.
There is also lots of artwork to make, three projects to be completed asap. I love earning money through commissions, just not that good at starting them!
Here I am, the day after returning to Corfu, looking back at this year's significant art work, which was accepted for the Stride Exhibition at The Oxmarket, Chichester.
And I leave you now, looking forward to the work I have to do, and also to the big changes that me and Mr Cooper now have to make. New house, new garden, new shed!
I hope you are able to look forward to changes in your life too, with excitement. They always mean saying goodbye to something, which is sad.
But there is always that most positive word to use to greet the future, hello!
Looking forward to greeting you all again, in a week or so's time.
See you then, take care, just off to make some changes!
*It also means doing other things to earn money, mainly washing up at The Greyhound, and cleaning for friends.
Mr Cooper looks forward to the day when I clean our house! Managing to avoid that, so far........
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