GATHERING MEMORIES

Avythos Beach, Kefalonia

Ammes Beach, Kefalonia

Dedicated to those special people who have been removed from the "visitor" list to claim their rightful place in our list of friends... 

The mem'ries are time that you borrow
To spend when you get to tomorrow

Here comes the setting sun
The seasons are passing one by one
So gather moments while you may
Collect the dreams you dream today
Remember, will you remember
The times of your life?
("The Times of Your Life", Paul Anka)

Ammes Beach, Kefalonia

FOOTPRINTS AND SHADOWS

Paliolinos, Kefalonia

As the season winds down - not in a haste, admittedly - there are still moments to be captured, memories to be stored, friendships to be cherished.
Late September arrivals of friends from abroad are the perfect excuse to push the rewind button on a season that for most of us is over.
I've certainly had more than my share of opportunities to "rewind" the season.
Chance encounters from last year that evolved into "virtual" communication over the winter and have now become real life friendships...
A short drive to out of the way places, footprints on a tiny beach, snaps of departing shadows...

Skala, Kefalonia

IN A BLUE STATE OF MIND

Skala-Poros Coastline, Kefalonia

Southeastern coastline, Kefalonia

Sky blue...
Cobalt...
Azure...
Cyan...
Ultramarine...
Powder blue...
The palette is as varied as the emotions it evokes...
The hue range is as wide as the sea...
The tone range as endless as the sky...
Yes, I'm in a blue state of mind and not complaining at all!

SEPTEMBER'S WARM SUMMER SUN

Argostoli Bay with St. George's Fortress in the background

 The calm after the storm...
All "systems" are restored...

                 Warm summer sun,

    Shine kindly here,

Warm southern wind,

    Blow softly here.

Green sod above,

    Lie light, lie light.

Good night, dear heart,

    Good night, good night.

"Warm Summer Sun"
MARK TWAIN

SEPTEMBER RAIN.....

September rain, Kefalonia

Intrusive, yet welcome...
Inconvenient, yet rejuvenating...
Gloomy, yet refreshing...
Undesirable, yet long overdue...

September rain...
Don't fret, it's only a small interruption.
A small inconvenience, necessary to break up the unbearable streak of unusually high temperatures for the season. In a couple of days the sun will be back along with drier, lovely days of a long, Kefalonia-style Indian summer.

LINGERING SUMMER

It's mid September...
Penny has left Skala behind for the campus of Adelphi U, Nicole has said goodbye to her beach gear and is wrecking havoc in Long Island, Grace has traded her carefree Kefalonia days to reassume overlooking her home remodeling in NY, Andreas has given up the beach party scene and is back on classroom duty in Manhattan, Anastasia has put her sandals away to face orientation at Pace U.

They are all gone...
I have yet to organize the photos into folders, burn them to cd, and mail them out to them. Maybe because it still doesn't feel like summer is over. The days have gotten shorter and I've certainly put away my beach gear as well... But this summer has not yet given any serious indication that it wants to go away.
I think it knows that we're expecting new arrivals and is going out of its way to be gracious.

FROM HERE TO THERE AND BACK

If not for the brisk northwestern breeze blowing through the channel, the return journey from Ithaca to Kefalonia is uneventful. Midpoint through crossing the channel, the eye wanders undecided. Left behind is the ultimate destination of dreams, while ahead lies the overwhelming, massive floating rock that is home. And the boat keeps shearing the water at a speed that leaves no time for regret, tilting a bit as the sea gets choppy - as if to prepare you for the return to more familiar ground.

Ithaca outlined in the afternoon sky with Kefalonia lurking in the background

Sailboats gliding between Kefalonia and Ithaca

Returning to Kefalonia with a nortwestern breeze in the channel

And, without any undue guilt as I've mentioned when I started this blog, a mention of Captain Vangelis and his beautiful "Mythos" Glass Bottom Boat - the most gracious host on all my sea outings. Thank You Vangelis!

DON'T YOU LOVE HER MADLY? (PART III)

On the way to Kioni, Ithaca

The third leg of the journey is a visit to Kioni, the traditional seaside village tucked away in the northeastern shore of Ithaca. Windmills, small cottages, and tiny chapels come into view on rocky land intrusions into the gleaming sea. Kioni itself is not as "mood setting" as Vathy, but with an aura of its own.

Quayside at Kioni, Ithaca

Attention grabbing elements at Kioni, Ithaca

One last stop before leaving Ithaca...
One last dip in the enticing, blue waters of Filiatro Beach..

Filiatro Beach, Ithaca

To be continued......
Not the posts, THE JOURNEY....

DON'T YOU LOVE HER MADLY? (Part II)

Vathy, Ithaca

St. Andrew's chapel at Vathy, Ithaca

Sailboats at Vathy, Ithaca

Vathy Bay, Ithaca

The second leg of the journey is a stopover at Vathy, Ithaca's capital. The town is lazily spread along the semicircular inner section of the deep, fjord-like bay. A place to see and do alot, or, absolutely nothing. It all depends on one's mood* (which is the key word in describing Vathy, to begin with).

*note: I've been to Vathy at different times during the year and I find rainy spring or autumn days to be the most mood setting and inspirational. I concede though, that for most people, a sunny day would be preferable!

TO BE CONTINUED.....

DON'T YOU LOVE HER MADLY?

1st stop: Gidaki Beach

Gidaki Beach, Ithaca

The only thing that beats being aboard a boat crossing the serene waters separating Kefalonia from Ithaca on a sunny September Sunday, is being in Ithaca . Oh, how I had missed her!
So unpretentious, so soothing, so nostalgic, so vibrantly blue...

Testing the waters at Gidaki Beach

Diving from the deck at Gidaki Beach

Sailing from Gidaki Beach to Vathy, Ithaca

TO BE CONTINUED.....

IT AIN'T OVER YET

Fanari Beach, Kefalonia

September Blue: a bit more vivid and arrogant, a bit more defined...
The day is shrinking as the sun is getting a bit lazier and cutting back on the overtime...
Compensating for this cutback in quantity by quality..
Looking down from a different angle in the sky...
Bringing everything into sharper focus...
Summer lingers on...

(keeping my fingers crossed as I've "promised" late September blue seas and skies to Emma and Neal and Lynn and Andy)

SIMPLE PALATE PLEASERS

A traditional Kefalonian quick meal

It's pronounced REE-GhA-NA-DA and it's simple to prepare, delicious, and, nutritionally balanced. Nowadays it's featured as an appetizer or starter on restaurant and taverna menus. For locals though, it has always been a favorite light main meal in the summer.
All you need are a few simple ingredients: a sliced loaf of bread (preferably the previous day's), a few juicy tomatoes, crushed feta cheese (a must - no substitutes here), virgin olive oil and, oregano to sprinkle on top.
Please don't ask for instructions, it's not my thing... Look at the photo and improvise, you shouldn't have a problem.
ENJOY!

ILLUSION IS REALITY

Dias Islet, Kefalonia

While true to my fundamental principle of "uncut and unedited" photos, sometimes I like to play around with camera settings and software.
On this occasion, either the top photo has had its sunset orange cast removed, or, the bottom photo was "enriched" with saturated hues and taken with a polarizing lens. I won't tell, YOU DECIDE WHICH IS REAL! Or, better yet, CHOOSE the setting you'd prefer to be reality if you happened to be the one daydreaming at day's end at Avythos Beach....

Dias Islet, Kefalonia

Hint: if you are familiar with wind conditions, all you have to do is look at the cloud formations and the cresting wave... But, why take the fun out of it?

TO EVERY THING THERE IS A SEASON...

September Sunrise

September morn
We danced until the night became a brand new day...

There is a delusionary continuity that bridges August into September, Summer into Fall, carefree days into routine ladden weeks and months. There is nothing obvious about this transition, not in the temperature, the sky, nor the sea. Were it not for some subtle changes in the tale-telling horizon, September would creep up on us without further ado. But subtle as they may be, the signs are there...
Dawn is a bit more hazy, the sun rises crowned by undecisive clouds, and the sky takes on a warmer hue for the occasion...
No, summer is by no means over.
But Fall is here nevertheless...