Kalamata Olive 🫒 Lemon 🍋 Orange 🍊Peach tree's have been delivered, waiting for us choose a perfect spot to thrive, grow, bear fruit. We have chosen mature tree's for their ability to produce fruit this summer. So excited to have these beauties as part of our landscape. There is nothing quite like biting into delicious, juicy, piece of fresh fruit.
I have purchased a beautiful hand woven basket made here in Ikaria, just for that purpose, hopefully too fill it with fresh fruits.
I would be lying if I didn't say our yard is overwhelming. Very few spots where we can dig, plant, flower gardens, tree's, due to rocky terrain. We'll have to come up with some pretty creative ideas for our landscaping. Most of our plants will be in Terracota pot's, strategically placed around terraces.
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Planted Citronella/lemon Grass & Lavender
Mosquito 🦟 repellent properties |
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Rustic Herb garden: Thyme, Parsley, Mint
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Saltillo Stone Tiles for our kitchen & Dining room have arrived from 🇮🇹 Italy, are installed. For me this is most exciting stressful part, making decisions on finish work. Kitchen is a blank canvas, we hope to achieve a functional, warm, inviting, rustic kitchen design.
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| Looking for Inspiration |
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Visions locally handmade farm table
For our Dining room |
The challenge we face living on a remote island of Greece, buying materials for renovations. Some things are readily available, but are choices very limited. Example of this, hardware for our cabinets, there may be only three styles to choose from on whole Island. Best option we have, online shopping. Downside, you can't evaluate color, quality till arrives on Island.
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| Aegean Ferry |
Imagine we bought a beautiful heavy weight brass knob for our front door, only for it to be wrong size, we send it back on ferry, it's picked up by vendor at port in Athens, exchanged for smaller size, ferry won't depart from Athens for a few days because its running on winter schedule. Finally arriving back at port of Evdilos, delivered by courier, maybe 5 to 7 days later. I think you get picture. Waiting can be excruciating, slows down progress. Especially when we already had contractor here to install, now we will have to wait for him to return. Ikarians cannot and will not be rushed.
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| Traveling door knob |
A shopping trip to Athens is much needed, alas with covid, seven hour ferry trip back & forth, winter boat schedule, its not something that can be easily done. If I am honest, I'm missing luxury of dashing over to home depot, with its multitude of choices. We are blessed in United States to have so many options available to us.
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| Athens |
To curtail some of these issues, we have pared down our usa 🇺🇸 household items, what's left has been sent over on a container ship, to Greece. Vessel left Boston Harbor December 1st 2021, arrived safely Evdilos port of Ikaria, February 14th 2022.
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| Delivery from States |
Included in shipment, a beautiful Teak Steamer Chair purchased at garage sale for only $25.00. Teddy lovingly refurbished to its original state. It will fit perfectly on our front terrace, underneath shady Moira tree. Perfect for those revered afternoon naps, recommended by Blue Zones lifestyle. On Ikaria, do not call between hours of 2pm-4pm, this is their siesta time, you'll find many local shops closed during these time's.
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| Cozy corner |
For now I am using lounge chair inside, reading, relaxing, enjoying morning sun, but mostly to escape the pandemonium of construction going on outside.
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Farmhouse light fixture
Dining room |
Included in our shipment, Rustic farmhouse light fixtures, bought while we were at home visiting on our last trip. Fixtures of course will have to be converted from 110 to 220 Electrician assured us it can be done safely. Surrounding ourselves sentimental items, family photos ,will make our house into a home
