Mediterranean Respite from the Cold

While I am still preparing the many pictures I took on my recent trip to Cyprus and Egypt for a slide show, I have not had time to take more recent photos of the garden.  Not that there is much to see in the freezing weather.

So here are a couple pictures from the Agios Neofytos Monastery, about 10 kilometers Northwest of Paphos, on the western end of the island of Cyprus.

I will admit I don't know the name of either of the two flowers in these pictures, but that doesn't mean they aren't wonderful.  Coming from a frigid winter, and being able to have temperatures that were only as low at 55 degrees at night, warming up to the upper 70's one afternoon, it was a delight!

There are more pictures of flowers that will be in the slide show, including one of a pink bougainvillea vine growing alongside the old chapel at the Convent of Seven Sisters, on the Sinai peninsula. 

There was also a picture that wasn't-to-be.  Just as I was taking a second picture of that bougainvillea, sprawling up the white painted wall and topping out close to the cross on the roof with a deep blue sky behind, my battery died.  I tried to borrow a battery from the other photographer on the trip with the same camera, but he was not carrying his spare.  When I tried to switch to the Canon, those batteries died! 

So, I stopped, tried to memorize as best I could what I was seeing, taking it as a sign that this was not something to be captured, just enjoyed in the present moment.  I cannot show you the picture in my mind, but it is spectacular!

Winter Views of the Chesapeake

Now that the trees have dropped their leaves, we enjoy the "seasonal bay view" as it is known by real estate agents and the county tax assessors.  The best views are from behind the house.

This is what is seen from the living room window, with the recently pruned-back holly tree.  It had grown three side leaders, so if you draw a line up from the left edge at the bottom of the tree, it was that wide. 

Then, there is the view from in front of the "blue porch," named for the dark color used by the previous owners.  When the porch gets weather tight windows and a new color, we might have to come up with a new name?

The colors of the heathers add a nice touch to the view, don't they?  The red is a Multicolor, only one of four that have survived.  The variety is much more sensitive to drought than other varieties.

So, enjoy the views. There will be a pause in blogging while the camera goes to visit more exotic terrain.