Saturday 24 November 2018

November Activities

November 
 a quote from Santa -
Calm down you little bastards
It's only November

But Santa, it's almost December!!


November has been different this year.  It is usually filled with olives, young wine, and a much slower pace of life.  There are few olives being picked this year.  The olive trees produce every two years and last year was a bumper crop.  Olives on most trees now are small and sparse.  Even elderly neighbour Vaso is not picking this year, except to preserve a few kilos for her table, and ours.



Preserved olives in vinegar and brine

Vaso lives simply.  She doesn't often wear her dentures either.  Fresh food is easy to gather, prepare and to eat.  She often says if she has nothing else then a dry rusk dipped in wine, a handful of olives and an onion will be fine for tea. There are plenty of greens out in the fields, especially now that it has rained heavily. The lemon and orange trees are shedding fruit faster than she can gather them and there's always, olives in the jar.

Some have opened their wine barrels.  Our son-in-law went to pick up his allowance from the family vine yards but it hasn't been tasted yet.  Vaso hasn't even sniffed the pungent aroma from her  barrels.  It won't be long,  though there is a saying that wine should not be tasted till after St Nikolas on December 6th and red should be left for New Year. Most dedicated wine makers and drinkers around here don't take much notice of that old wives' tale.


Tourists were around for much later this season but streets are finally freer of cars and bikes and favourite tables at cafeterias are normally free.  



Apples are really plentiful but not grown much around here.  The best come from further north, the city of Tripoli (greek Tripoli, not the capital of Libya) and the area called Zagori.

We buy our apples and other produce from the back of a truck which comes in once a week from Tripoli.  Apples red, apples green, apples big and small.

I have baked apple cake, apple pudding, apple pie and made apple sauce.   We're just about appled out.  A real treat was the one lonely pear which had fallen into our bag of apples last week.  I think it will be pears from now on.













19 comments:

  1. Nothing wrong with the simple life.
    Eating foods only in season is good for you
    Yes we did get a good couple of loads. But I think we are going to need much more
    The weather here has been cold and wet
    I’m hoping summer doesn’t just hit us with instant extreme heat

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    1. You've still got summer to come really. Our winter hasn't set in yet, some days are warm. But it's a comin!

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  2. I have plenty of preserves, and there are more than enough 'greens' in the garden. If snowed-in, I could probably survive for over a month.

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    1. I guess we could survive a while too though we haven't got your preserved. Pate for instance is missing from our shelves. You'd live extremely well

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  3. My stomach is doing gymnastics at the thought of Vaso's simple meal but, given her longevity and fitness, perhaps I should give it a go. I hope your new season wine is all that you could wish. No pudding on earth can compete with a good fresh apple, but with a surname like mine, I would say that. Elaine Appleby.

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    1. Bread and onion are not an uncommon combination here. I'd prefer cheese and onion, or cheese and one of those apples, Mrs Appleby

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  4. The olive tree here too is very poor in olives this year, less cleaning work at the front door.

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  5. I always thought Vaso was a man! All sounds pretty good. Live by the seasons.

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    1. She could be either in most of my photos, dresses in her husband's old clothes. When she dresses up she's extremely smart, high heels, earrings, necklace ... Looks almost aristocratic

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  6. It's best for us, to eat in season. Since we are all the products, of long ago humans, who _had_ to eat in season. ,-)

    If they didn't make it, we wouldn't be here. So why mess with what worked for eons?

    Why? Because we can! Get foods from around the world, in all seasons.

    But like so much of, what-we-can-do... It's not the best, just because we can. The "Granite Pit" having been dug, next door to me, is an example. -sigh-

    And I know, I know! Many are be-moaning the Yuletide Mood, creeping up, all around. -grinnnn- I know. I know.

    But really, my Yuletide Mood, has nothing to do with Santa Gifts or Gift Getting Hassle. I dislike that, as much as anyone.

    I just want to enjoy the "Sparkle"! :-)






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    1. Glad you're enjoying it all so much. Even I feel more positive about Xmas this year. Will start decorating next weekend probably. Have to get a little elf to get down all the boxes

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  7. Love the quote :)

    I meant to reply on the post about the teddies but time got away from me - anyhow here's a link to the pattern.

    https://stonehaventraumateddies.wordpress.com

    Because it's only small (about 9"/23cm) from top to toe it doesn't take long to knit. All in one - just fold over at the top of the head. Then pick up each side for the arms.
    It's the sewing up, stuffing and doing the face that takes the time.
    I'm sure if you 'thought about it' they could be enlarged but these are a good size
    Hope that helps
    Even though it will be here next week officially Summer seems to be away off for us yet - maybe winter will be a long time coming for you
    Cathy

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    1. Thanks for the link. It looks easy enough. It's still relatively warm here. Could be till January. We shall see. Hope you get some warmth too

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  8. Sounds good to me, I absolutely love olives - black ones especially, think I'd do well in Greece.

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    1. Black, green, large, tiny, wrinkled, salted, pickled, you name it, we've got it!

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