Bits and pieces.

I am so much behind with everything all the time. I am sure you are tired of hearing this.
So here I will just add random photos of things and events of ....November 2012. Yes they were taken back then but I forgot about them.
So in November....
I collected these from the sidewalk, thrown out from an old school.What am I going to do with them? Maybe something I saw in Jeanne Oliver's Creatively Made Home online course.
I won't use the photo from the course as I am not supposed to. But when and if I make this into something beautiful you will see it again.

Inspired by Alisa Burke's Create Daily Holiday Edition online course I painted  some owls on sea glass and sea tiles.

 And I made a painting and collage which I gave as a little gift.

And some painted stones I custom ordered to a friend colleague of mine for my friends around the world. Aren't they gorgeous?I wish I could paint like this.

Finally something I found in the street again after a demonstration. Some poor little kid must have lost it. But it's a keeper!

Life is full of happy moments and sad moments....

I know I haven't blogged for some time but as the title says life is like that, filled with all kinds of moments....
and I am starting with the most recent and unfortunately the saddest moment.
On Saturday my son was the witness of the death of a young man at a motorcycle accident at his dad's village. He and his friends were playing football when a motorcycle roared by and in a flash they heard the awful sound of the accident. They immediately ran to the spot and they saw the young man die on the street.
For a teenager to witness the death of a young person is shocking.I know he will never forget it in his life as I have never forgotten the deaths I have witnessed in mine. But that is how life is and maybe he will grow more mature through this.
Sorry I made you sad at the beginning of my blogpost today but I wanted to share this with all of you old and new readers and followers.
To happier things...
December, which came rushing in with sunshine, then torrential rain and then cold and sunshine (today), is leading us fast to Christmas and I am not ready, not ready at all.
I haven't decorated yet or cleaned up or put the carpets.
I haven't written Christmas cards or made parcels.
And I really don't know when I will as there are so many things happening here.
For example last Wednesday 28th hubby and I spent hours outside the courthouse supporting our friend teacher who was on trial unfairly accused for assault against the German delegate. Fortunately he and the co-accused where found innocent which made us really really happy!We were all crying outside the courthouse that day!
Here is a video of the short speech our friend made after the trial.
"...I fight for my children , my grandchild to be and my students..." he said in court and everyone applauded.

Edited on the same day: Unfortunately the three accused are going to be in court again for the same accusations as the Public Prosecutor of the area decided that the result of the trial was false!

On the other hand school goes on as usual with all the things we have to do before Christmas!!! Tests and grades and songs and lots more! I am ready with the tests and the grades,that's good!So I will be spending all the next weeks singing all kinds of Christmas songs at all levels!
It was hubby's birthday last week and at last I told him what my gift for him is. At first he was shocked because I told him "I will give you your present in six months although I got it three months ago!" I don't know why but he thought I was pregnant and wasn't happy at all.LOL! That wasn't intentional I assure you!
Well his gift is a painting he admired very much some time ago at an exhibition but could not buy as he thought it was rather expensive. I made a secret arrangement with the painter Konstantinos Kougioumtzis and the painting will be with us in six months after travelling around Greece and abroad to various exhibitions! Themis was absolutely thrilled with the news!
Here's a photo of the painting showing Karaghiozis as a soldier at the war for the liberation of Macedonia.

A couple of shadow puppet performances will be given by hubby this month to benefit various causes. It is this time around Christmas we do such things.
Finally an announcement....
We are rehearsing heavily to prepare for a performance with the Teachers' Association Drama Club to present our play Koutornithia at the State Theatre to benefit children with cancer and their society Lampsi.
So whoever from my local friends wants to attend and contribute  this will take place on December 16th at 11 in the morning at the State Theatre ( Θέατρο Εταιρείας Μακεδονικών Σπουδών) with a ticket of 7 euros, all procceeds go to Lampsi. We are so happy and proud with this collaboration!

A swan landed in my mail box!

Staying away from the computer and the Internet for a week was so good!
A couple of things that I wanted to tell you last week before leaving but did not have time then.
This was a surprise parcel from my dear sea glass friend Ian from England. He painted it himself and sent it to me. He knows me so well. I love swans and I really appreciate his thoughtfulness to send it to me.
This will be framed in the fall.

The sea glass on the corner is John and Juliana's from Scotland.
Something small I bought from a lady who came to sell her handmade jewelry at school a couple of days before we closed.

It is sitting on an otchipotchi lace stone.
Just before leaving I finished the part of my Balinese Dancer that I had aimed for. Now the whole head and flowers is finished. Isn't she gorgeous?
 I decided not to take this along to the summer house. It is too big and too complicated so I took along something smaller and summery! I will show you when it is finished.

These are the 17 books  I took with me. They are both in English and in Greek. Do you think I am too ambitious? Yes maybe I am. But I read really a lot in summer, in winter I stitch more!
The majority are from foreign authors and they were books I had in my library already, some I had bought at book bazaars and are second hand, very few are new purchases. I decided to take them all at the summer house to see how many I will manage to read. And I am going to read them in an alphabetical order of the author's surname. Some of them will be donated afterwards.

And here are the only two magazines I had bought this spring. My always favourite Marie Claire Idees which are the only affordable ones.

 Here are a couple of the ideas in them I liked. I admit I don't find them as interesting as I used to a couple of years ago. Maybe because the Internet gives you so many ideas that magazines haven't got much to add anymore.

I am now back from the summer house. I had a great time. You will see in the next post.Thank you for your summer wishes.