click here for contents ECHO HILL STUDIOS ARTIST: ANN KAHL
COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS l X
THE HOUSE BY THE SEA CHIOS, GREECE
___________________
THE OPEN WINDOW After arrivimg at the island home of our gracious host, the first thing I did was stand quietly by the open window overlooking the sea; to reorient myself _________________
THE FRONT DOOR SCULPTURE BY THE STEPS SNAKE ON THE WALL THE ARCH By the front door were beautifully sculpted figures reflecting the owner, his land, the island and the country. ______________
ANOTHER LOVELY WINDOW THE HALL STAIRWAY THE KITCHEN DOOR The inside of the house was finished in beautifully polished wood, tile and stone. Even freshly new, the feeling was very warm and inviting. _______________
SUNRISE WINDOW VIEW PATIO CHRYSANTHEMUMS On most days, everyone was on the patio by dawn to see the sunrise. Our visit to Athens, then on to Chios, was my first trip out of the States, not counting a brief visit to Canada, and it was a bit overwhelming at first, so I was glad to see the familiar, merry chrysanthemums growing in the small walled garden on the patio. _________________
PATIO BARBECUE GETTING READY FOR BREAKFAST Soon a family friend arrived in his fishing boat with a customary very early morning catch, and we had the world's freshest fish, cooked right there on the patio fireplace. I wish I had some right now. _______________
THE HOUSE FROM THE DRIVE LATE MORNING ON THE PATIO I found it interesting that the patio was completely dry in the early morning. Toys hadn't needed to be put away the night before; they were left where they had last been played with, which came to feel exactly where they belonged. ________________
THE HOUSE FROM THE BEACH FROM THE BEACH TO THE HOUSE THE BEACH It was beginning to be quite warm, much warmer than it felt, as the air was dry. It was time for a swim. The beach itself was stony, a little hard to walk on; one needed sandals to get to the water. The water was like silk. It was very clear. I tried to put my feet down. I could see the bottom, with its contours and many shaded stones. It looked as though it was only a few inches away, and I couldn't understand why my feet didn't touch. I asked my host how deep it was there. He said about twenty feet. ________________
LUNCHEON APPEARS DOWN THE BEACH Soon after, we had a light lunch, and soon after that, we all went to bed. We were in siesta country. It was too warm to stay up, but the bedrooms were cool and comfortable. ________________
ANN PAINTING UNFRAMED MASTERPIECE (oh well) When a car went in to town, quite some distance away, I asked that paints, a canvas and an easel be brought back. When the things I had asked for arrived, there were apologies, as the art supply shop in Hora was small, but everything was quite adequate for my needs, and I set up at the top of the drive and went to work. The best part of that late afternoon was the incredible scents all around me and the gentle breezes blowing through my hair, combined with the hot, dry sun. I'll remember it always. Everything was as perfect as it could be, with me alone and doing my thing. What a memory! __________________
PERUSING THE HILL FINDING TREASURE "DON'T FALL FROM YOUR HIGH PLACE--" * Our host went climbing into a wooly hill nearby to find something. I didn't know quite what, but I bet we had some with dinner. I became concerned when he got so high with the sea so far below, and mentioned it in my poem "A Lunar Month In Greece." You can find the poem in the "Table of Contents." I hope you will read it. It's one of the best things I have done. __________________
THE BEACH AND THE CHURCH ON THE HILL ____________________ If you look carefully, you can see a quaint little blue and white church way up on the hill, in the right hand picture. It was charming, so I asked about it. Oops! It's a look-out for the men who guard the shores from encroaching intruders. Maybe the "Tourks"? ________________
STEPS TO THE KITCHEN AND PATIO ANN COOKING(?) I love to cook, and am pretty good at it. My host handed me a bag of pasta and asked me to cook it for dinner. I think he was playing a joke on me, because it wasn't pasta at all. Whatever it was, it required three minutes boiling, rather than the usual 8-11. I had no idea. I produced a hideous mess of glop. It was brought to the table in a lovely bowl and we all had a good laugh, which is excellent for the appetite. ________________
A WARM DUSK AND DINNER ARRIVES _________________ Aside from my own contribution to dinner, the patio table was laden with exquisitely prepared home-cooked Greek food. We basked and dined, most of dinner carefully chosen from the gardens behind the house and the pots of fresh basil and other herbs on the patio. It was beginning to get dark, about 10:00, I would say, and time to drive out to a local watering spot to find a bit of ouzo and maybe some young folk dancing to old fashioned rock. Bedtime was about 2:00, a half-night's sleep to compliment the siesta that would come during the hot part of the following day. And so it went, for three beautiful weeks, with the cast of characters constantly changing, one individual or small groups of guests as interesting as the last. __________________
__________________
ACROSS THE COVE (a note of interest: The road around the cove and into town was built by the father of the gentleman who brought us to this beautiful place. One does need a way of getting into town these days, doesn't one?) To our host, my husband and I owe undying gratitude for his generosity and caring, which enriched the entire of the rest of our life together. Thank you, dear friend. * from "A Lunar Month In Greece" ___________________________________ (continued-PIRGI)
QUESTIONS? PRICES?
Below is a list of contents To reach the actual TABLE OF CONTENTS please "click" either on THE LOGO at the top of the page, or THE PAGODA at the bottom. paintings drawings photographs stories poetry etchings doggeral
BerksCounty,Pa |