Snippets of life on a greek island

This is an example of cycladic art 'sculptured' many years ago by a friend of a friend.  It has suffered a fall as you can see but I still love this and it graces our entrance way (along with the plates in the wall).  This figurine is typical of those found in diggings dating from 3000BC on the islands of Naxos, Paros and Amorgos (islands in the cyclades).



I did a sharp u turn to take a photo if this.  It's a classic.  Once upon a time all menus had one or two hilarious translations (grilled lamps for lamb chops) but nowadays most tavernas have children who speak english or know how to google.  I wonder what is expected of the poor old tradisional cousin, an arme and a legg? I should not mock, my mistakes in greek are much worse.    'Cuisine' is a french word, maybe that's what bamboozled them.

On a second board they have taken another 'stab' at the word and come up with 'coysin'.




Goats.  These ones roam free all day but as the sun goes down they return to the pen all by themselves so their owner can milk them. 

 We have had a rogue herd around us for the last few months.  They come in the night and eat anything hanging over or poking through our fence.  They have ruined Vaso's olive trees, scrambling up the trunks and gnawing away all the lower branches. The bigger billy goats with huge horns a metre across have trampled all her dry walls, broken down fences and made her cholesterol soar sky high.  They have damaged our english neighbour's citrus trees and left droppings all over the terrace.  
Rumours are that another 'rogue' has penned them up.  Good on him if it is true.   He lives down near the sea where one day I almost ran into the leader of the goat-gang on the beach.  Even though he looks so fierce with his huge horns and long shaggy coat he was quite shy and had disappeared by the time I got out my camera.  






Cleaning the greens.  Three times they are dunked in fresh water or until the rinse water is clear with no dirt in the bottom of the bowl.  With the first rinse it is also best to add a little vinegar.  Some say the vinegar helps the dirt fall off the leaves, others that it kills any little bugs clinging on for dear life.  Whatever the reason it sounds to me like a good idea.