This is the time of year for reflecting on the busy summer season I’ve just had and looking forward to all the joys that the winter brings into my wonderful life.  I love the winters here on Crete as much as I do the summers.  It always seems as though summer finishes and winter begins in such a few short days.   The temperatures have dropped from the mid 30’s consistently through the summer months, to the now much more comfortable early 20’s. The heat saps your energy but now I’ve been feeling all my energy returning and I am enjoying making plans for all the amazing adventures I will have.

So here I am..sitting on my amazing balcony, writing up this post.  For me it is the perfect climate up here, calm and comfortably warm.  When you live in hot temperatures for so many months, you start to crave days like this.  And thank goodness we have them!  The change is utterly refreshing and more than welcome!  These temperatures are perfect for being outdoors.  I live amongst all the beautiful nature I could wish for and still after 15 years, I am always blown away with the sheer experience of it all.  I never forget how lucky I am…

The view from my balcony as I write up this post

I am thrilled to share that I’ve had yet another successful season of selling from my stall and display by Almyrida beach. Considering all the days I missed, I am more than pleased to have sold 139 Seashell Mosaic Collage Paintings to tourists and visitors to Crete.  This is more than enough for me now.. as I strengthen my resolve in continuing to create more balance in my life.  Less hours creating my artworks and more free time to travel and explore my awesome environment.  I simply can’t do this if I am working all winter.  Albeit such pleasant work… it’s time for a change.  However, I can’t ever forget that without my Art, I would never have experienced these wonderful 15 years.  Selling my Seashell Mosaic artworks has enabled me to live a simple yet most wonderful life here on Crete.

Tropical Goldfish in Seashell Mosaic Collage Painting – 20x20cms, sold from my beach stall in September

For the last two weeks the sea has been so rough that it again flooded the centre of Almyrida.  This coincided with my last couple of selling days.  Last week I set up at a different place further along the edge of the beach, for more shelter from the wind.  I noticed the seawater some distance away but didn’t imagine it would get any worse and it was far enough from me not to be a concern.  Or so I thought…  Within the space of two hours the water had reached my table and display boards.  I packed up as fast as I could and pitched up again in my usual spot.  I have never set up twice in one day!  But back where I felt comfortable – I sold well and instantly all the effort was worthwhile.

During these past weeks I have enjoyed some lovely days out with Debbie at Stavros, Kissamos and Skaleta.  These wonderful days were a mixture of beach relax, some seashell collecting and lots of exploring on foot.  We’d take our little low deckchairs, a parasol (if it wasn’t too windy to put up) and our rucksacks.  Late afternoon we’d go and find a nice taverna to eat and then round up the day with a long last walk on the nearest beach.  Perfect!

The far long beach at beautiful Stavros

This week I went on the first walk of the season with David’s group.  We walked all around the outskirts of Kournas village.  We were quite a large group of about 15 and so I was mostly chatting with people I’d not seen since last April.  We had a really nice lunch afterwards, at a traditional taverna in Kournas village.

I have really enjoyed some fun nights out with friends.  There have been the usual live music gigs at Vangeli’s and a party at Nikita’s.  I have also enjoyed spending time with my Norwegian friend Solveig, who joined us at some of the music nights in Vangeli’s, as well as keeping me company sometimes on my selling days, like Lisa does after work on Mondays.  Other people I know sometimes sit down to join me for a chat and it’s part of the socialising I do on my selling days .

With Lisa & Solveig on one of Vangeli’s live music nights at the end of September

I was also thrilled to meet up with a wonderful family I first met at least 12 years ago, through my Art.  They have been consistently good customers and have become special friends too.  It’s been at least three years since I’ve been able to meet Paul, Sheila, John and Adelle and so it was a delight to catch up with them again, over drinks on my balcony followed by lunch at Elpis in Plaka village.

I recently helped move Lisa to a new apartment in Neo Chorio.  The place is lovely but needed a deep and thorough clean before she could move in.  So I picked Debbie up one Saturday morning and Lisa collected Solveig and between the 4 of us we got her new home shipshape.  After working tirelessly for over 4 hours, we packed up and went straight to the large main taverna in Armenoi, for a much needed late lunch and refreshments. But from the moment she moved in, Lisa has had problems with the electricity supply.  It was cut off due to unpaid bills.  It’s a long story ..yet she is still without electricity – despite the bills having since been paid.  Poor Lisa… it’s not easy living here without electricity and she has all my sympathies.  Yesterday she stopped by mine for a cuppa after work and explained the latest about the situation.  Luckily I remembered my power pack.  The one I used to extend the life of my portable fan during the hot selling days by the beach.  It is perfect for extending the life of her iphone.  I am just pleased that I could help.

In the here and now, I am wrapping up this post so that I can continue my plans for another awesome winter on this beautiful Island of Crete.  I continue to live my life to the full… It brims over with all the things I love doing and I am never ever bored.  What a wonderful life!