Now The Carnival Is Over …

 

Orthodox Easter falls on April 12^th, the first Sunday after the spring solstice first full moon, one week after the ‘Catholic Easter’ as they dub it here. We’ve been celebrating the pre-Lenten period with Carnival revelry and fun. Below the locals in the nearby village of Souroti celebrate ‘Clean Monday’ when the 40 days observance begins, running up to Easter.

 

There are specific gastronomic no-nos: meat, dairy produce, fish with backbone – no me, neither :{ - olive oil and wine. This means vegetables and sea food dominate the diet of observing families.

We joined friends for lunch at a local ouzeri and it seemed that ALL the permitted dishes were there: beans, salads, octopus, kalamari, prawns, crayfish, lobster – hardly smacking of abstinence at all as we emptied the plates, downing quantities of ouzo and wine! Then we came back to ours for coffee and a definitely non-kosher cheesecake! :o

As February wanes the weather hasn’t yet settled and can be cool, but the sun is slowly  warming and there are signs that spring is on its way.

The almond trees are flourishing and sleepy bees busy about the blooms. Prunus roots Z planted nearby have taken and are now in flower.

Last night our night sky was a definite ‘red sky at night’- the sailors’ delight!  The carnival is, indeed, over and we must say our last goodbyes to February. Looking forward to new days in a new month with hope.