When I look at your posts, I'm often tempted not to even read the text (not because it wouldn't be interesting) but the photos say it all. I love everything from a few blades of grass to the sea view. I am amazed at the abundance of fruit and the way the vegetables grow. There seems to be a water shortage, but it doesn't resemble the drought we have here. The vegetables look great, and the corn, which I know needs more water. I wonder if there are wild animals on the island that could destroy the garden so isolated and far from home.
The vegetation so abundant, the sloping ground... when I see them I would like to till the land there too, but I realize I couldn't, I wouldn't have the strength to do that even if in my imagination it seems easy.
I saw a documentary about some villages in Crete where carobs are harvested, and the seeds are processed... In your postings, I didn't see any reports about carobs. Do they not grow there or are they not profitable?
Hello @bluemoon, my greatest fan :)
Thank you very much for your kind words!
Yes there are. Field rats that may eat your fruits and vegetables and a local kind of badger that enjoys to dig holes and uproot small plants :) There is not much you can do about them. When there are a lot of gardens in the area the problem is not very big, they do a few damages to each one and that's ok. But if you try o make a vegetable garden in a part that has been abandoned for years and no-one around cultivates (like we have done more than once) then you are facing a major catastrophe!
Carob trees have a long, sad story, maybe I should write a post about them. They grow here, alright, but most of the trees have been turned into firewood. Wonderful, majestic trees that are considered useless by some morons. We do have a few carob trees but we only harvest a small part for our house. The truth is that if you don't have a large plantation, it doesn't worth it, to sell them.
I thank you for considering me your biggest fan (unless that's ironic). Yes, I'm a big fan, and I'll tell you why...
-Several years ago, when I commented on a post of yours and said I was a fan of Greece, you replied that you had a room in Athens where I could stay if I got there. I was impressed by your saying that to a stranger.
-I admire your photos, they are to my taste, and they are as I would like them to do. I know I can't, I am constrained by a lack of technical knowledge, experience, and lack of necessary equipment and I understand that, and I am glad to see what you put. I see that @traisto is following in your footsteps and getting very good shots. You have certainly taught her a thing or two.
-I admire the fact that you gave up your life in Athens, and I am convinced that the life of a photographer, even if not very materially rewarding, was very interesting. You did a hard thing by choosing to live in a village in Crete. I admire you for not giving up. I think (without having any proof) that there were some very hard times when you wanted to.
With all my admiration, I admit that I don't manage to read all your posts, for various reasons.
I understand how it is with these little animals. I guess it couldn't be any other way.
Yes, about the carob trees. I saw a documentary on TV. It was probably old, and I didn't even remember which part of the island it was filmed in. There was a mill there and a small factory that processed the carob seeds. They made flour from which they then made some paste and if I remember correctly, extracted a syrup. Some of them actually had large plantations where Pakistani workers worked. Not legally, i.e. not paying taxes to the owner. I think he paid 25 euros/day per worker (there were four) and the owner's daily income was 300 euros.
No irony at all. I am very glad that I have met you. I never thought when I start blogging that I will interact with actual, true people!
@traisto is a very good student indeed, she can easily overmatch her teacher :)
The hard times are more that anyone could think but something gives us the strength and the will to keep going (so far).
Carob syrup is an excellent sweetener and easy to make, all you need is a pot!
Thank you very much for giving some of your time to my posts, it is an honour!
I don't think you've received a reply after 7 days, @fotostef! My apologies.
Thank you so much for what you said. I'm so glad. I think if we couldn't make some friends here, even from a distance, it would have no charm and usefulness.
It's so nice to open Hive and look up what your friends are doing or saying, the few that exist.