Among the Wild Flowers

Symi's Acropolis Shining in the Sun

A Symi Cat

Wild Flowers in the Pedi Valley. 

The bees really enjoy themselves on days like this.

A Small Seasonal Spring in Chorio

It is a crisp winter’s day on the small island of Symi in the Dodecanese. The torrential rain of recent days has washed away the dust and all the rocks and stones on the mountain slopes are sparkling with running water. The colours of the houses gleam bright in the cold air. Shutters and doors are open to let in the winter sun and everyone is making the most of the dry weather.

One of the characteristics of the rainy season in Southern Greece is the wild fluctuations in the temperatures. We alternate between shivering around freezing point and basking in temperatures that the British would regard as good stuff for a summer’s day. This week looks fairly settled with temperatures ranging from 7 to 20 degrees centigrade and little rain likely. As the high pressure system means calm conditions we don’t have wind chill to contend with and the new season’s lambs can munch on happily among the wild flowers.

It is a month to Clean Monday and the shops are starting to pack out the Carnival costumes. Ghouls and cowboys, princesses and witches are sharing racks outside the corner clothes shop in Chorio. Down in the harbour plastic clubs for plastic cavemen are stacked up with the cans of spray foam and streamers. This morning when I stopped off to buy a bottle of water one of the local housewives was buying 15 kilos of assorted cheeses – getting ready for the epic baking of mountains of cheese pies that are characteristic of this time of the year.

Have a good week.

Regards,
Adriana