Back home

I am now back home on Crete after a long and very enjoyable time in the UK. I am straight back into work. I am hoping to complete my watercolour study of Cretan dittany shortly and am working with Rosemary and a German University student Carl Barnick on species lists for various endangered habitats in the Aghios Nikolaos area. Tomorrow we are continuing our survey of the wetlands at Almyros which we started in November. It will be interesting to see what new plants are starting to appear as the winter has been very cold and wet and everything seems to be late this year.

Christmas quilt

Am in a small village just outside Lichfield with friends at the moment and I can gladly say that the Christmas quilt was much appreciated by my friend Judi. The weather here is lovely and we are going out to the sales this afternoon for my annual clothes shop. Really looking forward to it. Am going to spend some time this week working on the Albion House website www.albionhousecrete.com and on our listing on Holiday Lettings, in time for the New Year and the great holiday internet search.

Chronia Polla

Am all packed and ready for my flight to the UK tomorrow. I am staying for six weeks and hope to catch up with all the work I need to do for Flowers of Crete and my botanical art courses. I am also setting up a blog for Albion House and am updating the Flowers of Crete blog and my Art site too. So lots to keep me busy. I finally finished Judi's quilt and with my heart in my mouth I washed it this morning. I need not have worried as it looks lovely. I hope she is pleased with it. So I would like to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year.

Botanising

It's 2.00 a.m. and for some reason I can't sleep. Have just made a cup of tea and decided to check my e-mails, etc. I am meeting up with Rosemary later to continue our surveying of the wetlands at Almyros. We are planning to compile a species list for this precious habitat. This will take us twelve months and I am hoping to photograph each plant as it comes into flower. The list will be online at www.flowersofcrete.info and visitors to the site will be able to see how we progress over the coming months.

Quilt - almost finished

Why is it that cats ALWAYS have to settle down on the last thing you want them to? I had spread out the quilt to assess how it looked, turned my back and five minutes later Perry was comfortably asleep as you can see!

Course at Knossos

I received this information from the British School of Archaeology today

'We have a residential course here (22-28 April 2012) of an ecological Historical nature .. it is led by Oliver Rackham. It's theme is The Making of the Cretan Countryside.
There is room for 10 places.'

If anyone would like more information please contact me for prices and itinerary.

Quilting

I have been really busy for the last few weeks making a lap quilt for my friend's Christmas present. It will be finished tomorrow I hope and I will post a photo.