Re-Connecting - Lots of Back Posts - 4/24

With the overcoming of jet lag as a relatively honest excuse, I spent the better part of Thursday morning sleeping in. It was grey outside, threatening rain, more or less the

norm in the UK, and it felt as if there was little beckoning me to arise at a reasonable hour. That said, I headed outside to find Ben with a his Woodland Management course, milling up a 16" diameter oak log on his mobil 'LumberMate' bandsaw sawmill. They had squared up three of four sides by the time I arrived, and I was disappointed to have missed the discussion as to how the determined the best way to approach the log based on the product (4x4 and 3x6 boards for a pergola) they were looking to produce.

Once they had squared up the log, the processing went very smoothly, extracting some gorgeous oak lumber from a sawlog that just a few years ago would have been worth very little to Ben in and of itself. After reducing the stem to a bunch of 'big sticks', it was time for lunch and tea around the outdoor kitchen.

The outdoor kitchen at Prickly Nut Wood is the operation central during the spring, summ

er and fall. With meals cooked on the open fire, it makes for a wonderful conversational setting, in the shade of a rustic cruck timber frame set against the backdrop of a massive fallen chestnut stool (coppice regrowth) that still continues to resprout despite its horizontality.

After lunch we gathered for a hands on craft/value adding session. The students worked together to produce two rustic chestnut trellis panels - they were joined using rough mortise and tenon joinery and feature woven hand-split chestnut wattle in-between the frame. They're very beautiful and make wonderful garden backdrops. They also represent a relatively simple means of adding value to a small quantity of chestnut coppice. The teams did a good job working together and while they were at it, I took an opportunity to wander through the coppice woods to the south of Ben's homestead.

Much of this area is 'overstood' or derelict coppice, meaning that it hasn't been cut for quite some time and will require a fair amount of work (with limited financial return - much of the product is unusable for craft and really is only good for firewood) in order to bring it back into rotation. As I'd

been told, the harsh winter they'd experienced there this season left them at least two weeks behind where they'd otherwise be in a normal spring. The precious ephemeral bluebells were just beginning to emerge, with their glossy green foliage carpeting the forest floor though no heart melting blossoms yet to my dismay. As I wandered through the coppice, the memories from seven (or perhaps six) years ago came flooding back of a much simpler life that revolved around the woods. It was one of the most fulfilling times of my life and it will forever remain as one of my most formative experiences. I made my way back to Ben's, checking on the cants (area of coppice) that we had felled during my season there on the way.

It wasn't long before the woodland management course was complete (it concluded around the fire in the outdoor kitchen with a discussion on 'pests and their management' in the coppice) and afterwards Ben and I headed off to visit the new general store in the village of Lodsworth - the small hamlet where Ben lives. The 'Lodsworth Larder' is a new installation, courtesy of Ben and his roundwood timber framing crew and company - a gorgeous project built (with a few exceptions - lime...) using materials that had traveled less than five miles to the construction site. It's another c

hestnut cruck frame - a timber framed structure that features joined A-frame shaped bents which carry the ridge pole (the primary member of the roof system). The (I believe) straw bale walls are lime plastered and the roof is covered with locally sawn chestnut shingles. The interior features some beautiful detail work, including woven wattle panels and a great staircase. All in all, it's a gorgeous structure, and what might be most impressive is that it was built in only four months. You can read more about it in the most recent issue of the British Permaculture Magazine.

After checking out the store - I forgot to mention that it was full of wonderful local foods (cheeses, beer, milk, bread...) - Ben and I nipped into the neighboring Hollist country pub for a pint. I love the country pub atmosphere and it's probably a good thing I don't live too close to them as I may likely end up moving in (or at least spending most of my free time there). More catching up and great local beer which I found out is being produced just up the street by Ben's good friends Steve and James - two gents I came to know during my stint there years back. We spent a good little while with their delicious 'Hip Hop' Ale and headed back home for a meal. Who knew Lodsworth was becoming the center of the universe?

Back Across the Pond

The first of April finds me spending my first morning in sunny Athens. I'm serenaded by a chorus of stray cats, one of them trying to find their way into the house. I've actually been overseas for a full week now but am only just today finding time to actually start to recount my trip. I'm not sure that I'll have the time to go into the same detail as I did during my last visit to Greece but I'll see what I can do.

I just arrived in Greece after a one week stay with my friend and mentor Ben Law at Prickly Nut Wood copse in West Sussex England. The days were full and living off the grid makes it pretty tough to stay connected with the internet, not to mention squeezing in time to 'blog'. Now Ben's being off the grid, doesn't mean that we didn't have access to most of the same services we're used to - just that the vast majority of his electricity actually comes from a 12Volt DC system (with the exception of a couple of outlets) and he had a very slow internet connection which essentially provides him with enough bandwidth to frustratingly keep up with his e-mail.

It was wonderful to be back. The place had changed considerably since I'd left with four or so new buildings, lots of new garden infrastructure and a modified charact

er to the woodland. Ben is a coppice worker, which, for those of you who don

't know, means that he annually cuts broadleaf trees during winter which are left to regrow from the stump. This is a traditional forest management system in Britain and much of Europe for that matter but Ben has been one of the most visible advocates for its revival in the wake of industrial life swallowing up these longstanding traditions. Trees managed as coppice can have lifespans that dramaticall

y exceed that of a normal unmanaged tree - easily doubling or tripling their lifespan. Ben's chestnut woodland was actually planted out 160 years ago (in the mean time, they tore out the existing hazel coppice which had been there for who knows how long) and despite 40 years of utter neglect, it comes back with remarkable vigor each time he comes through to recut it.

Most of Ben's woodland is sweet chestnut which is a fantastic wood on many levels. Fast growing, rot resistant, a good fuel, strong and useful for a variety of products. He's definitely fortunate to have such a generally useful resource.

One of the primary purposes of this visit to Europe is to carry out research and documentation of these traditional silvicultural (forestry) practices for a forthcoming book I'm

co-authoring with permaculture designer and ecologist Dave Jacke entitled - Coppice Agroforestry - Perennial Silviculture for the 21st Century. After having apprenticed for Ben for a season in 2003-4, I knew Prickly Nut Wood would be a great place to start.

I arrived in London Heathrow early on Thursday morning, March 24th. To my surprise, it was a beautiful sunny day, even a bit hot at times. Anticipating a spat with proper English spring weather, I'd gone for redundancy in my rain protection, bringing both a raincoat and an umbrella with me. Well, it turns out I needed neither.

Feeling a bit groggy after two consecutive nights of four hours sleep (one due to long work hours and the second due to the time change during my overnight flight) I too

k public transport to the town of Haselmere, the nearest train stop to Lodsworth, where Ben makes his home.

From Haselmere I set off on foot, meandering along the ancient footpaths that line the British countryside, strolling for seven miles and exploring the landscape along the way. It's an incredible way to get to know a place - walking through land both public and private and largely staying off roads. I had brought with me the old Ordnance Survey map that has a super-detailed survey of the entire countryside (my section only covered a small segment of the southeast British landscape).

About three or four hours later I arrived in the village of Lickfold - one of my old stomping grounds and decided to stop at the pub for a pint. Their sign denoting free wi-fi was another motivator as I saw it as an opportunity to check in with friends and family.

The ancient pub hadn't changed much and it was absolutely wonderful to settle in next to the massive Inglenook fireplace and enjoy a pint of English ale. With that done, I made

my way the last 20 or so minutes to Ben's.

I arrived just as a Woodland Management course he was teaching broke for tea around the fire of the outdoor kitchen. I had a chance to meet Kris and Nick, his apprentices for the 2009-2010 season. We caught up - they told me about the extremity of the winter this

past season - nearly of foot of snow which made coppice work much more difficult for them, cold temperatures, etc. It nearly sounded as if our climate patterns had swapped.

Kris and I walked around the woods and he showed me the cant (area of coppice) they had cut this season - it was impressive in scale. More on that later. We returned to find Ben with two of his kids enjoying the trampoline in his yard.

It was really great catching up and reminiscing about our season seven or so years ago. Lots had changed in both our lives but it also felt as if little to no time had passed. After lots of laughter and good food, I retreated the my room for the week in the straw bale e

xtension of Ben's roundwood timber framed home.

So much more to share but that's it for now.

Last day

My last day in Greece.  It proved to be a largely relaxing one with ample opportunity to spend time and reflect with two of my most gracious hosts during this experience.  Stamatina had invited me to join her to visit her gallery near the Acropolis in the center of Athens.  We hopped on public transport and headed into the city.

Just a few short blocks from the heart of the historic site (though it's kind of all historic there), we stepped down into a small, thick walled space with white walls and deep window reveals at street level.  It was great to have a chance to see the space she's developed to express her own inspiration and also help share the work of others with the wider public.  While it was currently in a state of transition we explored several of the pieces that remained.

A good friend of hers stopped by to visit, ironically enough, just as she was showing me a series of his photography devoted to people's relationship with the sea.  While they conversed, I sat outside on the street and took in my surroundings, noting a dense 3rd floor terrace garden with healthy banana plants hanging over the rail as well as what appeared to be several drooping pomegranates peeking out from the rooftop garden.  

When Stamatina rejoined me, she told me out the recent redevelopment of the street and how the original plans had not included any trees or vegetation.  She wrote numerous letters to several civic organizations involved in the process and was eventually offered the opportunity to submit a design, which after several revisions was accepted for installation (though modified yet again).  It included a row of (I'm forgetting the species at present) trees along the south side of the road.  I found it inspiring to hear how her tenacity had effectively served to bring about her vision for her neighborhood.

We set off from there and wandered the streets surrounding the Acropolis.  So full of history, there were interesting sites and nooks to explore all around.  She shared history and more recent stories with me about a number of the buildings we passed including a lovely stone building from the 30s that was nearly demolished to create a view of the Acropolis for the Acropolis Museum's new cafeteria.  Public opposition along with active effort by a famous composer who had taken up residence there (who's name I cannot recall but I do remember that apparently NASA's Mars Rover played his music as it explored the foreign soil - or something to that effect).  

Our conversation darted from history to hopes and vision for our respective communities.  Probably one of the most exciting things she told me was how permaculture thinking - namely our aims to turn problems into opportunities, recognizing them as really just an overabundance or deficiency of resources, had helped to transform her thinking about how to be effective in the world.  This simple realization for me made so much of the experience feel worthwhile.  

We walked for well over an hour and around 3:00, we had to part ways.  We bid each other farewell (until next time of course).  I am grateful to Stamatina for her vision and action - without her I never would have made this trip and gained the incredible insights and interactions that have come about as a result.  I'm sure our paths will cross again in the not too distant future and i look forward to it.  I also know that she will continue to work towards change which is an exciting prospect for me.  Thank you Stamatina!  I have delighted in you and your family's generosity, hospitality and company.

I stopped at a cafe for a sub par late lunch but it was a nice opportunity to enjoy some streetside dining and relax without carrying my book filled backpack.  The placa surrounding the Acropolis is laden with tourists and all of the 'niches' that come part and parcel with that they of population and consumption.  While I love the character of these historic neighborhoods, I was very happy to move on.

I hopped on the Metro and made my way to the Ponormou station where I went to visit my other activist friend Nicos Anastasopolous.  We caught up on his lovely top floor apartment terrace, enjoying the views, breezes, sun and experiencing the noise of a dense, high traffic urban zone.  We spoke about the work we'd accomplished together during the past few weeks and how we see our cultural transition playing out in the coming years.  Again, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for having connected with someone so active in working to help facilitate change in their surrounds.  

Athens is a challenging venue in which to work - so many that I had met there asked me if I live in 'community'.  What they are really asking is if I live in an intentional community or eco-village.  To me this is truly indicative of the severe loss of that sense of community that they must feel in their environment today.  I would tell folks that 'of course I live in community.  I don't have a choice'.  But it made me feel fortunate to live in a city and region where I do recognize a sense of connection to and with my friends and neighbors.  It also made me recognize the critical need for us to enhance that sense of connection in all places - not just off-the-grid communes working towards a collective ideal.  We sure have strayed a long ways from what our culture once was in a short time.

We left the apartment as the sun began to set and headed to another part of the city to explore on foot and enjoy the lovely evening air.  This place again was laden with history - archaeological relics mixed with more recently abandoned industrial development-turned hip cafe-taverna-tattoo parlor hangouts.  

It was about time to eat and Nicos brought me to a more traditional eatery with an extensive outdoor dining area directly adjacent to a quaint church that had been built atop a 10' high boulder.  I'm not sure if my photo turned out but it was quite a sight - like something out of the Steens' and Komitasu's Build by Hand book.

We shared a wide array of dishes including steamed greens, tzatziki and another tasty spread, fried cheese and a burger of sorts with fries - of course along with wine, this time served in small pewter pitchers.  It was a charming experience and as time continued to pass, the space began to fill with patrons.  As our experience wound down, I took a few moments to soak in my environment and the culture around me.  Culture is a fascinating thing.  I have trouble putting a clear finger on exactly what it is that I notice that is different but the distinctive sense and appearance are striking and I valued the opportunity to absorb another interpretation of human existence for a few more moments.  

From there, we continued our walk in the night wandering through a few different neighborhoods and marveling at the sheer number of people patronizing the dozens of tavernas, clubs and cafes (especially on a Tuesday night).  After considering stopping for a drink, we decided to instead make the responsible decision (I had to get up at 5:15 to take the metro to the airport) and head back home.  We did make one brilliant stop though on the way - an ice cream parlor, thereby fulfilling a 'need' of mine that had gone unfulfilled all day.

Nicos set up a small fold-out chair for me and I enjoyed some deep sleep for several hours.

Now I'm writing from the departure terminal at the Athens airport.  I have a beautiful view of the horizon to the east (minus the runways, jetways and other airport miscellany immediately adjacent) and enjoyed a gorgeous sunrise behind the mountains about 30 minutes ago.  

I woke up on my second alarm this morning, took a quick shower and Nicos joined me to see me off at the nearby metro station.  Yet again I was filled with a deep sense of gratitude both for the friendship and generosity he'd shared but also for the work and inspiration he brings to a place in such desperate need.  Again, I look forward to our future collaborations and path crossing and am thankful for the opportunity he provided me with to scatter some seeds of positivity in a place where succession is just beginning to take hold.

I've got about 18 hours or so of transit ahead of me.  My flight should be boarding any minute but it's going to be a long day with me gaining back 7 loaned hours along the way and assuming all goes well, arriving at home in Burlington at 10:30 tonight.  I'll be posting at least one more reflection on my trip before I bring at least this segment of my travel log to a close.  It's been a pleasant obsession though I'm also looking forward to a life that is a little more bland and noteworthy-less.  How's that for a made up word to end a post?

Pikerme Up

Well, it's coming down to the wire at this point - my time spent here in Greece that is.  In 48 hours I'll be back home in Vermont and I'll arrive with mixed emotions no doubt.

This morning, I awoke at Stamatina and Alex's apartment and gradually eased into the day.  Stamatina made fresh orange juice, coffee and bread with jam and I was in heaven sitting outside on the front verandah enjoying the sun and reading Water Storage by Art Ludwig.  The kids were having a great time riding around their bike/scooter respectively and taking turns shooting one another with their water pistol.

Snap back to reality though - which was a good thing.  I had spent time the previous evening beginning to flesh out design implementation and phase planning for the landscape component at the property in Lefkas and Stamatina and I began to run through the numbers I'd come up with as well as my recommended planning and implementation stages.  We did a bunch of fine tuning and the process was very useful to me in helping me key in on the project and the best direction to take early on.

I recommended that early primary foci should be on soil and land forming.  This includes soil testing, aerobic compost tea application, seed ball distribution as a way of enhancing the diversity of species on site, nitrogen fixing tree/shrub planting, and other types of high impact land shaping and development (all of which must involve building up rather than digging down due to archaeological restrictions).  While we certainly didn't actually complete anything, I think we grew closer to beginning to develop a site design and plan which was very valuable.

Soon after, I had to catch public transport to head across town to the town of Pikermi for a permaculture workshop that we had scheduled there for the late afternoon/evening.  This trip involved a fair few transfers and took almost two hours all told - bus to metro to bus.  I was grateful to finally arrive on time and without any errors.  There in Pikermi, I met up with Nicos, we caught a snack - I got a twisty spiral spanakopetia like pastry, and then waited for our host Dina to pick us up. 

We spent a few moments catching up on the past weeks experiences and Dina arrived and brought us a few kilometers away to her home.  On the outskirts of Athens, she lives on about 2 acres I would guess, in a lovely home nestled between hills on all but the south side.  The sky was blue, the sun was strong and the views beautiful (even somewhat seriously of the airport terminal - off in the distance to the south).  

We took some time to get to know the site, and then talked a bit about the days activities.  I was to give a presentation on permaculture and from there we'd move outside and make some site observations and talk about how we might begin to go about designing.  

While our networks were very similar to that of our previous event last week in Nea Makri, we had an almost completely new participation so it meant that a formal introduction was in order.  Much of the presentation was really more of a discussion, somewhat confounded by the need to translate in between.  It made for an interesting, tangential and circumfrential conversation that led us in valuable directions but also meant that we glazed over a fair bit of detail due to our time constraints.  It was to be expected though.

We then shifted gears outside and talked about observational skills and how we can use them to ultimately inform our design.  We started with the path of the sun and explored it in some depth - as it changes during the season, as it affects microclimate and how important it is to consider in good design.  Next, we turned into water and started at the top of the landscape, imagining its path of travel as it cascades down the gentle south facing slope at Dina's place.  It seemed that we covered much ground and that the participants were more or less all on board.  

As the sun went down and the sky began to darken, it was clearly time for a break so we gathered around the pomegranate tree which was loaded with fruit and helped to unload it.  As we stood in the dusky light sharing conversation, a nearly full moon began to rise on the horizon.  It was a gorgeous sight for those present to soak it in.

We set up tables outside on Dina's covered patio and then moved on to share food and conversation for another few hours.  This was a very positive group who seem to be motivated to act and bring about some change, though I think that the form has still yet to emerge.  

Around 11 or so, we parted ways.  I had missed the bus that would return me to Athens to catch the Metro but fortunately Spyros had driven and offered to bring me to the Metro stop near his home.  I was grateful for this.  

On the way back, we spoke about politics in America and how permaculture had arisen in our lives.  Spyros is a very nice young man who now works as a journalist and is preparing to move to Berlin in one week.  During our return he got distracted from the task at hand and managed to get lost amidst the maze of highways on the edge of Athens.  Under many circumstances this wouldn't have been a big deal, but it was late and I was already cutting it close for catching the last metro back to Agios Dimitrios - the stop nearest Stamatina and Alex's.  

There was little I could do but hope he found his way and things got quiet in the car for a little while, as at that time I had no idea where I was except that I knew it was a long way from my destination.  The last train left at 12:15 he said and I had to make a connection in order to make it home.  I was a bit worried. 

Finally he said he knew where he was and it would be alright.  I tried to believe him as we made probably 10+ turns in a matter of 4 minutes on the road.  But he was right.  He dumped me off at the station, I got there just as a train was coming to a stop (though I had to chance getting on as I was unable to purchase a ticket in advance) and tried to relax into the journey.  

When it got time for my transfer though, I rushed to the crossing only to learn that I had just missed the last metro for the night.  I was very disappointed to hear this but knew it wasn't the end of the world.  I headed back aboveground and called Stamatina to let her know I was on my way back.  She had begun to worry if I was okay as she had been expecting me hours ago.  I caught a cab and ended up with a jerk for a driver.  He did a fine job behind the wheel but just seemed to have a bad attitude.  At this point though, attitude really wasn't the most important trait to me - knowing how to get me home was.  In 10 minutes we were moments from my destination and I happily paid the 10 Euro fare.

I got home and greeted Stamatina and Alex, grateful to be back.  We caught up on the day's events and said 'kalinichta' (goodnight).  Which is what I should be saying right now.  Only one more day...

Election Day - Athens Bound

Another beautiful day awaited when I awoke this morning.  A strong sun shone over the mainland's westernmost ridge and quickly warmed up the field outside Stamatina and Alex's backyard.  I made a cup of coffee and proceeded to grab a base map of the site and explore the area, noting landscape features and other observations.  

Stamatina had had a professional scale map made of the site along with a proposed design at some point in the last year which is quite an asset as we started to think about design considerations.  At first glance, the property is quite plain - fairly flat with a few distinct patches of vegetation and scattered trees, but as usual, as you get to know it a bit better, many more characteristics begin to reveal themselves like micro-topographic patterns, prevailing wind directions, access routes and vegetation.

While young Anna had been the very first one up, the rest of the house began to stir much more gradually.  Stamatina and I spoke about ideas for the phased implementation of her landscape plan (which isn't really developed yet, but at least what might need to be done and in what order) along with other ideas she has for the site.  I put together a short video for Tim Rieth depicting the current state of the structure we'd originally planned to repair/replace during a

cob/natural building workshop there.  It looks like we might be doing it next summer - working vacation in Greece anyone?  If interested, sign up for the Seven Generations Natural

Builders newsletter at www.sgnb.com  Seriously!

We were packed and ready to go by about noon and then made our way off the island, back to the mainland and on our way to Athens.  I can honestly say that I don't think I've knowingly 

ever gone any faster in a car.  We topped 180 for extended periods numerous times during the trip (now that's 180 km/h but still that's about 110mph).  I learned a lot about Greek driving customs during this journey.  Much of it was undertaken on a two lane road which most drivers maintained as a 3 or even 4 laner.  Courteously, most drivers who weren't passing would

 straddle the white line on the edge of the road, half driving on the shoulder while the more active drivers would pass - very actively!  I was in one of those cars and 2 lane road passing that

 would nearly stop your heart in the states quickly became very routine.  I was amazed at what

 Alex was able to make that Hyundai station wagon do.  Fortunately, I felt safe in his care so I really wasn't nervous - I know it sounds kinda crazy but I felt that if he hadn't had real experience as a race car driver earlier in life, he definitely must have done it in a previous one.

We stopped after 45 minutes or so to pick up some lunch.  I got my first souvlaki and it was 

awesome - the pita was delightfully spiced and the occasional fry inside was a surprising treat. 

 Our stop in a small town along a bay off the Ionian Sea afforded us a great view of a not-too-distant hilltop castle type compound as well as some metal sculptures of pollarded trees.

The rest of the drive was basically one postcard worthy landscape after another.  The mountains never ceased and after cruising along the aforementioned extensive inland bay, we passed lakes and then came upon the strait that separates mainland Greece from the Peloponneisan Peninsula.  

While we didn't need to cross over to the peninsula to reach Athens, apparently the road is much quicker so we ended up scaling the largest bridge in Greece - with a toll fee of 11.80 Euros (nearly $18! to pass).  I did my best to soak up the view and make the most of that charge.

The entire trip took about five hours and I was 

feeling pretty worn by the time we were re-immersed in the hustle of the Athenian megalopolis.  We reached their apartment and settled right in.  I caught up on several dozen e-mails, updated the blog with nearly a week's delayed postings and tried to get myself to a point where I can put the computer away - am I still on it?

Stamatina and Alex stepped out to vote.  I should probably check to see if the results are in yet - the polls closed at 7.  I really don't know all that much about the election except that they've got about 10 more parties running than we do in the states, their current prime minister looks and sounds a lot similar to a former do-nothing, daddy's boy who ran an oh so familiar country into the ground economically and the toilet internationally, and the people vote for the party they'd like to see in power, with the prime minister being the leader of the winning party.

Last week at the event at Nea Makri we had loosely organized another meeting of folks at a woman's home just outside of Athens for tomorrow (Monday).  I spoke with Nicos about our plans for the day and it still sounds a little hazy to me.  I guess it was left that way though and it's up to us to schedule it.  Whatever the case, I think it's going to be some type of permaculture workshop with a continued discussion about the event/meeting last week and the direction people would like to take to move ahead.

My return to the states is growing very near and I've already begun to fill up my schedule.  I'm looking forward to getting back involved at home though I think the weather will be a rude awakening.  I'm going to spend a bit more time tonight working on a timeline for Stamatina's landscape and then call it a night.  

Thessaloniki to Lefkas by bus

Lovely Lefkas - 10/3/9

A modest sleep-in again began my day.  This morning it wasn’t quite so cool making for an easier transition into the day.  We definitely eased into things.  Patches of sun shone through the sky making  the day’s potential seem a whole lot more promising.  I spent some time reading Water Storage by Art Ludwig and otherwise just taking it easy.  My right shoulder has been very sore and is in serious need of a flat hard floor on which to practice my racquetball massage technique.

Stamatina and I began to discuss a time line plan for the building project here.  She is intending to solicit funding to help cover the costs of site development and construction - to develop this place as an education/demonstration center, so it’s important that we come up with a clear budget and implementation schedule.  We walked through the process of renovating the structure in it’s current form, exploring the steps that would be necessary and the tools and materials we would need.  That’s about as far as we got in the discussion, but it was a productive first step.  We still need to talk about land use and development.  I’m not sure what Stamatina’s ideas are there - I know she has a vision of developing a spiral patterned planting that includes a labyrinth-type walkway.  I tried to more clearly describe swale design and function, hoping to steer her towards an interest in a more naturally derived pattern.  I have reservations about an imposed landscape plan, recognizing that it really is counter to the spirit of permaculture.  I’m not sure how that resonated with her, but I think I made it clear.

Around mid-day, we packed up our things to go to the beach.  It didn’t quite seem like the ideal beach day with the temperature still cool and overcast skies, but I was definitely thankful for a trip around the island.  We headed south and pretty majestic views opened up across the channel of the mountain peaks off to the east.  I didn't realize that such high elevation terrain was so close by.

As we approached the next sizable settlement to the south, we began to climb the hillside to the west, switching back frequently and with the skill, speed and precision of a Formula 1 racing team under Alex’s steady driving hands.  As we rose, the views became ever more spectacular.  We were able to see a small island off in the channel that they described was owned by the Onassis’ family - like Jackie O - where they once used to spend a lot of their time.  I didn’t realize that she/they were Greek.  

We stopped off at a lookout and enjoyed the view for a few minutes.  From there we continued to climb and stopped at a developed spring where we collected water and explored some of the natural creeks and vegetation nearby.  It’s so interesting to see the culture of development around springs here.  Probably dating back centuries, each spring usually has some masonry facade with a decorative face where the water emerges.  Definitely the sign of a people who at least once realized the true value of water.

We piled back into the car, and I was informed would continue our journey across to the west side of the island.  Very soon thereafter, I began to notice an intensively terraced agriculture around us.  Primarily olive groves, this was really the first landscape that I’d noticed such deliberate stone terraces - something I’d expected to see far more of during my trip.  I’m not sure why I hadn’t seen much terracing to date, but it made a lot of sense in this topographically rich landscape.

We passed through a few high mountain settlements and the presence and impact of tourism was relatively apparent.  The rain had been intermittent during our trip; occasionally we were pummeled by heavy downpours.  About mid-way across the width of the island, we enjoyed a lovely sweeping view of the valley below, broken by a ridge on the opposite side.  There on the far side rested a massive reservoir - a dam that looked like a picture perfect embodiment of keyline placement - with the high water level at the keypoint of a fairly large convergence of hills.  I did my best to capture it at 55 mph - hopefully I snapped at least one shot that turned out.

We stopped for a photo shoot at some very

 well-defined terraces that primarily served as cultivation space for grapes, and then began to descend the west side of the island.  The water below was a gorgeous aqua blue along the shore, growing deeper in its color about 150’ from shore.  We arrived at a sandy beach and set ourselves up in a small cove where we enjoyed the sizable surf, occasional sun and pleasant swimming.  The current was strong and at one point I felt a little concerned that I was getting sucked close to some large rocks to the north against my will (and also realizing that I had made little progress in returning to shore though I had been attempting to do so for some time).  I did make

 it back in the end.

I caught some relaxing sleep for at least a few minutes and thoroughly enjoyed the full strength of the sun at a few points during our beach time.  That said, it had grown pretty late at that point and we really hadn't eaten much yet so we packed up and headed back home.  This time we made our way north along the west side of the island and wrapped back around through Lefkas before returning home.

While Stamatina got dinner underway, Alex and I (and Stamatina as well) scraped the residual earthen plaster from the floors, windows and baseboards in the wake of the base coat they had applied over the easter holiday when they were last at the house.  We shared a dinner of pasta, fried eggplant (man is that good), cucumber, feta, sausage and bread and went on to discuss the tax system here in Greece, comparing it with that of the states.  It sounds like we’ve got things pretty good in the States.

They pay an 18% tax on most goods and services - the V.A.T. tax, but for ‘luxury’ items (which ironically enough includes the compulsory helmet motorcyclists and ‘scooterers’ must wear) carry at tax of something like 38%.  This makes luxury item purchase fairly uncommon here.  Food carries a 9% tax as well.  There is an income tax but they weren’t sure what it was since they didn’t earn enough to owe it (at least 10,000 Euros).

This conversation then began to evolve into an exploration of Greek psyche and culture.  Alex told me how most Greeks today live in a world of chemical use and generally little concern for the health of the landscape they inhabit.  He described how the city of Athens is a haven for birds because people in the country are constantly shooting at the wild ones that make a home there.  For most, they can’t imagine a life with out the use of chemical herbicides and fertilizers as a means of controlling vegetation and pests.  That just about anything living becomes something that they’re seeking to control.

It’s very difficult to build on Lefkas - at least in certain areas - because there are large concentrations of archaeological remains.  If you were to begin a project and uncovered some type of archaeological evidence while excavating, the entire project must be stopped and the archaeological bureau contacted.  This could put an end to a building project.  Thus, space is at a premium which has its benefits in regards to limiting development.  

Apparently, many German retirees are cashing in and buying up homes in the uplands on Lefkas.  The Greeks that sell these properties are then turning around and building large homes in the lowlands.  Alex described how generally the Germans have a much more considerate land ethic than Greeks and are far better stewards of the land.  They appreciate the environment and attempt to minimize their impact.  Greeks, on the other hand, do not share that paradigm.

This conversation thread was very interesting and served as another highlight to underscore the need to really work towards enhancing cultural evolution and change more than anything else.  A very challenging task.

Stamatina and I continued the conversation and then explored the Nea Makri project in detail, discussing ideas for strategies to transform that place into something of an example.  She believed that the first step should be to clean the place up - before doing anything else.  I think she makes a good point.  It would certainly have an impact and bring visibility to the place and may also help take a small step towards encouraging a culture of reverence for the natural world.  Our discussion took a number of tangents - at one point we were dowsing with my cell phone charger cable.  

We spent a bit of time putting things back in the main room of the house after having cleaned it, and I began to feel the strain of too many days with too little sleep so here I am ‘going to bed’.  I will be asleep soon.  Tomorrow we head back to Athens.