Wednesday, June 27, 2012

tiny fortune from the sea

With really sensitive finger tips I picked beautiful mini shells and molluscs about a meter from the water line.

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Leo and I are studying and analyzing them with the help of the book Seashells of Cyprus. We realized we need a good quality magnifying glass to see even more detail.
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It is perhaps a more fortunate destiny to have a taste for collecting shells than to be born a millionaire. 
- Robert Louis Stevenson

Anthea and Leo have started drawing the shells so we can eventually pair them with their names (family/genus) and some other data like where we found them, size and pattern/colour.

Not sure yet if and how I can store these fragile darlings. Perhaps photos, drawings and the knowledge we gain of them is enough?

re-beginner crochet necklace

Made Anthea this flower necklace, which I raveled about here. She wore it for a while during midsummer celebrations arranged by Swedish association in Cyprus, where we had went to see Swedes residing in Limassol.

Busy chasing our two years old there wasn't much time for chit chatting. Someone had made a cute midsummer maypole with gorgeous smelling flowers, and there was a table with typical Swedish midsummer food.
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Gorgeous adult version crochet necklaces (patterns): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

clam season

Met up with some of our favourite folks at the sea. It was one of those magic afternoons.

A perfect chill in the otherwise tropical weather. We where watching fishermen pushing their boats into the water and chit chatting with the old fishing men by the shore.

I had a first attempt clam digging, which was a lot of fun. We cooked the clams in wine and onion that evening and they where delicious.
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Something unrelated:
Have been admiring and curious how at swim-two-birds Renlide has crocheted these super cozy looking chair cushions. While googling, I stumbled upon another related "crochet" technique - latch hooking. Looks really fun, so now I just need to get myself a latch canvas in cotton, a latch hook and some yarn, or why not old cut t-shirts - oh so 70s.

another walk

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We like to walk in the older parts of Limassol, as you may have noticed. There seems to be so much to see and discover every time. Grand and small, posh and street, sometimes sad and mostly vitalizing.

We saw interesting door knocks perhaps from times long past. Safe doors with beautifully crafted trellis work or cleverly placed windows for the light to pass in. Craftsmen's shops. Even the kids where somehow quieter by all impressions.

a nearby zoo

The kids been longing to visit the Limassol Zoo ever since we moved here. It's in the municipal park where we often hang out, but the zoo area has been closed for renovations.

So on it's re-opening we where among the first eager visitors. Apart from being hit on my achilles tendon by a wheel chair (nothing serious), it was a really nice visit.

We saw a lot of animals, some which I didn't have time to figure out. But for sure we saw crocodiles, kangoroos, suricats, vultures, lamas, ostrichs to mention some.

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Unrelated:
Fabulous wooden sculptures by Bruno Walpoth - via 13threads.

Monday, June 18, 2012

zzzz...

I can't really tell the difference these days from being bored or really exhausted in the intense heat/moist weather.

Well, looking after kids or even doing the smallest chore in the current heatwave really is an effort. And obviously there are plenty of things also beyond the most basic chores which needs to be accomplished.

The beach is the only place where we can feel easy and the water is nice and warmish now. Or an evening stroll in old town is also quite nice.
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1. Eddie loves to make zalad almost every day for us (of course under supervision). Lovely chunky bites of local cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes.
2. New stairz in progress.
3. Beach stonez collection.
4. We went to That jazz place one afternoon. Great muzak and a green backyard.
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Monday, June 11, 2012

a little thingie for the daughter

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Happy daughter. I love the "tassels". Pattern detail here.