Present becomes running along
This spring and starting summer has been time of frustration due to global economical depression finally grasping all of us. Last spring we visited Rome and the year before we had extra special honeymoon week at Rhodes. Two years ago the whole family went towards Rhodes as well. Like all so many years before…
It has been a bit different with my wife this spring. We hardly kept any vacation. Only for two days long but then that was it. First day we had a nice cruising at the countryside. Visited my grandparents grave with flowers and bought each others wedding anniversary gifts from one local book store’s $1 sale. I gave my dear wife a book originally named “Glückwünsche zum Hochzeitstag” (Congratulations on the wedding day) by Jörg Zink. It’s a small book of Christian thoughts and writings with beautiful landscape pictures from Greece (of course). Pretty and true like the following paragraph (free translation):
I am unable to create a mountain slope flowers I am unable to create the cliff rising from sea I can only be astonished and grateful for the beauty falling in front of us
In return I got “The Tree of Life” by Peter Sis. An imposingly illustrated children’s book about the life of Charles Darwin. I love it!
That afternoon the exquisite strawberry cake and strong coffee along hot summer breeze made me daydream I was in my grannie’s garden picking up strawberries once again.
The next day we slept late and stayed in bed until midday. Later then we went for a light picnic towards the shore. Brie cheese, French bread, spicy Italian salami, ripe and fresh grapes with sparkling ice cold cider. One can hardly think anything more for having a perfect picnic. Rocky seashore under blue sky alongside shiny open water. To be exact, if we had a boat big enough we could have gone sailing practically anywhere. Even Rhodes, sigh.
I bow and bend but with grace
It was late February last winter I realised my household was completely running dry of all decent olive oil. We had sunflower oil, my next to best favorite, but no Rhodion extra virgin from Aigaion. This is why it was not listed in the picnic list either.
My mom taught me well that there are certain things in life that one should never bypass nor compromise. Like being honest and hard-working; giving respect for everyone. Well, I probably should have been somewhat more precise and successful while doing it all. Despite of that she also educated me about the little details like the meaning of celery stalk in Bloody Mary or the greatness of green olive in Martini. These are the small things that make the difference in life. Like a crisp bread without olive oil. One may compare this to having sex without love. You may toss it around and bite but it just does not taste.
You know what? Last weekend I was lucky to receive two 750 ml cans of Rhodion extra virgin from our family friends. They just spent 11 great days under the Greek sun, these lucky b****rds (give a grin). I could not have expected anything more preferable present for us.
Believe me, the bread is tasty, again!
Cheerio
Tags: Aigaion, Greece, Mediterranean, Olive oil, Rhodes, Rodos
