Halloween!

Today I gave my pupils a taste of Halloween as it is a custom not followed in Greece!
And here is a story!
About ten years ago it was just after the Christmas holidays and I came back from a trip to London with the glasses and wand of Harry Potter. It was just when the first book was in fashion and all the kids loved to read it and the film followed.
So in my first lesson to my 6th graders I told them I had been to a Witches' Convention in London  and showed them the glasses and wand.The kids loved it!
The next day, one of my pupils' mother arrived at school accusing me that I adopt witchcraft and infuse the pupils with flase doctrines of black magic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After much explanation and apologies on BOTH sides the thing was over. But after that I never again mentioned witches or anything similar in my lessons.
So imagine my surprise when I found out that the new book by the Ministry of Education for the 3rd Graders is called The Magic Book.
Moreover imagine my HUGE surprise when following the instructions of the Paedagogical Institute on what to teach to my 1st and 2nd graders this week I read that I should teach them about Halloween and even better get dressed as a witch and go to school and play trick ot treat with them etc!!!!!!!!
No I didn't dress up as a witch!
I printed out all the flashcards the Ministry of Education said I should be teaching!

 Don't you love that pumpkin? I bought it years ago!

 Witches not allowed! I assure you the photo was not blurred by me!The witch does not want to show her face!

 Some of my summer house chrysanthemums and my pumpkin!
Some pupils thought we were going to act out Cinderella!

Singing butterflies.

 I love Paula Valentim's creations. Her otchipotchi shop is my favourite and her prices are so very reasonable so here is my latest purchase from her. A series of 17 butterflies in a thread. I put them over my bed and I love them,they look so beautiful contrasting with the fuchsia colour of the wall.
What really amazes me is the sound they make when you touch them and they bang on your fingers or on the wall, amazing porcelain sound!

The video has a buzz but I don't know how to take it off.Sorry!

NO-28th October (1940) 2011

Greece is celebrating today the big NO the Greeks said to the Italians in 1940...
today all over Greece another big NO was said to the politicians of Greece.The big NO of the simple every day people who are suffering of the various false policies followed for years in this country.
The big parade in Thessaloniki where the President of Greece was to attend was cancelled. People shouted for freedom, equality and justice. The President left and the rest of the parade took place with only the simple people attending it.We unfortunately overslept and were not there but watched everything on TV. At first the governement and the politicians were upset because the big parade of Thessaloniki was stopped like that . Then one by one all the cities and even small villages in Greece started reporting that all over Greece the parades were stopped, the politicians who were attending them were thrown out of the parade and people paraded and celebrated without them.
Here is our flag waving from our balcony and of which we are all so proud.

Here is what happened today given with figures of the shadow puppet theatre.
Karaghiozis the Greek,Prime Minister G. Papandreou,Minister of Education A. Diamantopoulou,Kopritis son of Karaghiozis,Alexander the Great,Minister of Finance E. Venizelos.

A beautiful day.....

.....inspite the "haircut" and all the financial problems of Greece we managed to spend a beautiful day by the sea.
Here it is a long weekend (in fact schools are closed for three days) because of the celebrations for the "No" the Greeks said to the Italians in World War II. I wish we could say a big "NO" to the Germans and other Europeans now but the whole thing that we are suffering now has been the result of very bad government policy for years. I hope things will get better. But as they say we will be in poverty for the next ten years!!!!
I don't know how long I will manage to keep my summer house. I bought it with a loan which I have to pay back every month for 25 years and I am only in the sixth. I give half of my salary for it every month. I hope things won't get worse and I will still be able to pay the monthly instalments. Otherwise.......no more summer house, no more beautiful sea, no more sea glass!
Our first impression of visiting the place was bad though because we found out that both our old bikes were stolen. The one was more than 25 years old and I was planning to turn it into a work of art,paint it and put some flowers in a basket on it. Well,so far for ideas....
Anyway the walk by the beach and the sea glassing did us good.
Here are photos for you to enjoy.
My neighbour's hibiscus still blooming!

 My garden filled with blooming chrysanthemums.

 My neighbour's too.

 What colour!

 What smell!

 Mine!

 My flox started blooming again!

 I don't know the name of this plant but love its grey snowy surface.

 My neighbour's. First time I see a white boughaenvilea.

 My yellow chrysanthemums.

 In the same plant yellow and pink flowers,how can that happen?

 The sea looked lovely!

 I collected some pomegranates and some acorns!

 Then went sea glassing and was welcomed by this little stone heart!

 And leaves covered in sand!

 I could swim,the water looked so delicious!

 Not much sea glass was found,but some was good!

 And some Russian or Bulgarian coins.

 Last but not least my favourite!

And some lovely pottery!

Enjoy the sound and view!

A shadow puppet theatre performance.

We tried to add the voice of the shadow puppets to those of the people who are suffering with all the financial problems here.

The kindness of people(2)

I met John and Juliana on the sea glass sites that I follow. They love Greece and visit here often. They happened to choose a village in Chalkidiki in their previous visit here and as they were near Thessaloniki we arranged to meet.
It was great meeting some more sea glass friends! We had lunch together and spent some time sea glassing but did not really find much. They were so kind to bring me sea glass and other gifts from Scotland and they also sent me a parcel recently to thank me for our meeting again! This is so very very kind.
Here is what the parcel included.

 A vintage little glass saucer with the symbol of Scotland on it,the thistle.

 A birthday notebook.

 With lovely pictures in it.

 A fantastic Antler bag in a ruby red colour which I have been using ever since at school as it is the right size and shape for my things.Lots of beautiful cards and bookmarks.

 I especially loved this card where sea glass and little shells are used for this mosaic.

 The parcel included some lovely sea glass in colours I don't find here like pink !

 I loved those pottery pieces which remind me of the four seasons!

 I adored the marbles as I never find them here!They are in great colours too!

 Lovely shells,too!

Thank you so very much dear friends. I hope we will meet again!