The weather has been unstable lately, and we actually had a nice storm a few days ago. However, summer is not far off.
Time for lunch by the sea.
Or dinner – pure magic.
A mini break on some nearby island.
Andros, with its lovely town and ruined Venetian fort. A mere two hours from Athens.
The jacaranda is in bloom, but not for much longer. This is Rigillis street in Athens.
The bougainvillea is out.
The oleanders are starting up,
So is the lavender,
And the geraniums.
And it looks like we’ll be getting plenty of figs later on.
Does anyone know what this flower is called?
Letters from Athens 
Oh, how lovely! Won’t get a chance to go to Greece this summer, but it looks more summery than here, I can tell you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This year we started swimming in April, can you believe it… The sea was freezing, of course. But this says something about the climate, seeing as the rest of Europe is flooded as we speak…
LikeLike
Is the last flower Agapanthus? Not totally sure on that. Lovely post. We are sailing in the Ionian and wonder when the weather will settle. We had a lovely sail today to Petriti, Corfu. Your photos sre great, I love all the flowers at this time of year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is, well done. Someone else commented – I just couldn’t remember… Happy sailing!
LikeLike
Appears you’re right! I tried Google.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=images,+Agapanthus&espv=2&biw=1517&bih=741&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiCtbK0w47NAhVHPlIKHaDyAHQQsAQIGg&dpr=0.9
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, absolutely correct. This beautiful flower is AGAPANTHUS, which also comes in white! The name is derived from scientific Greek: αγάπη = love, άνθος = flower. This flower is also commonly known as : Lily of the Nile 🙂 🙂 Carina
LikeLiked by 1 person
Αγαπανθος – they come in white as well
LikeLike
Thank you! Impossible to remember…
LikeLike
My first experience of bougainvillea and jacaranda was in Peru and magical. Love to see the Greek version sometime, they look stunning.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And I’d LOVE to go to Peru!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was very special
LikeLike
I recognized all the flowers except the last. The blogger who commented on the last photo appears to be correct. Wonderful photos. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s fun getting immersed in a conversation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your flowers are similar to ours in CA. In Central CA, where I live, it’s either too hot or cold for the jacaranda, but they are prolific in Los Angeles. I did not know the agapanthus, but I’ve seen them in gardens here. Gorgeous pictures. I’d love the dinner by the sea! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, we’re so lucky in that respect…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just beautiful and dinner by the sea is a dream.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sure is!
LikeLike
Lovely tour!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I want your life!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Trust me, you don’t as a whole. But thank god it has its moments! Our eternal savior is the climate – how gloomy can you be by the sea?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello Marina- we are in Rome now but soon will be in Greece-I am so looking forward to sharing our heritage with my five!
Lovely pic! Cheryl x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Enjoy! The five will be ecstatic!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Efharisto-Filia- yes! xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
I enjoyed your lovely photos and went on a mini-vacation in my mind.
I’m in Southern Calif. on the coast, where we have a profusion of Jacaranda’s, geraniums, and bougainvillea of all colors. The Agapanthus,which I have several of, are also called Queen of the Nile. There are shorter more compact varieties called Peter Pan’s, which come in a blue violet color.
LikeLiked by 2 people
We only have them in white as well. So you don’t consider them a kind of weed, as every self-respecting gardener has been telling me in the comments…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely beautiful !!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your photos are great. I want to get on a plane and go back to Greece now. Maybe next year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, do!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A delightful atmospheric collection of photographs – oh, I’d love to be sitting at that table by the sea, ordering some of the delicious food…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you. It’s even nice in the winter, when salt water sprays the windows of the fish shack!
LikeLiked by 2 people
The last flower is definitely an agapanthus – which come in white as well. Here in New Zealand it grows everywhere and is a noxious weed! I hate the things!!
My only question on seeing your photographs was – What is left later for Paradise?
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is always a dark side to things, as you know full well!
LikeLiked by 2 people
They’re pretty – but try and dig the self-seeded agapanthuses out!
LikeLike
I’ve only got the one, so far – let’s hope it doesn’t infest the whole area!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fabulous colours to those blooms. I feel like I’m on holiday reading your post 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
If I was a gardener of your caliber, it would be a different story… As it is, I rely on watering and weeding a little. But perhaps I should weed the agapanthus, judging by the comments here!
LikeLike
Agapanthus is the flower and they grow like weeds in Melbourne. Hard to get rid of but we love them anyway. Love those jacarandas.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They are beautiful. But the blooms don’t last very long, just like magnolias and hydrangeas here. Not damp enough…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely, lovely, lovely! I want to have lunch by the sea.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This place is 15′ from our house. Athens is surrounded by the sea on all sides. A major benefit for its beleaguered denizens…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely post.
AK
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your agapanthus is beautiful! I had a very rare pink one in a previous home. We get jacarandas too, but in late October/early November, which is our spring. The tree that says summer to me like no other is the poinciana (Delonix regia), which is the ‘Christmas Tree’ of the tropics, because it’s always in flower at Christmas.
I agree that eating beside the sea is special; I have a particular place I go to when I have a picnic lunch, with a view of empty beach, sea and a few islands and boats. Food always tastes so much better there.
LikeLike
It does, doesn’t it? Must be the salt in the air, or something
LikeLike
Or perhaps the peace that comes with these places improves the taste of the food!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful pics
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely flowers. I tried growing a bougainvillea here, but they don’t seem to like the wind. Of which, in Wellington, we have plenty. And I smiled to see the agapanthus – I have several, both blue and white, in my yard. They’re good for adding splashes of colour where nothing else will grow, but can spread alarmingly – both from the base of the original plant and by their seeds. Hence Bruce’s warning about digging out the seedlings.
However, they may be more restrained in Greece than they are here!
LikeLike
After all the warnings in my comments, perhaps I should dig it up immediately! I certainly didn’t plant it – it seems to have appeared on its own. I’m a terrible gardener and tend to let nature take its course…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agapanthus are perfect for terrible gardeners. They require no nurturing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely photos. We also grow all these flowers in California. Can’t quite figure out what was for dinner – anchovies or sardines, feta cheese, and sliced potatoes? Of course everything is delicious when dining by the water.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A kind of anchovy, marinated; feta; and octopus – those were the starters! Awaiting salads and the main course, a large grilled fish.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, I think I liked it better when I thought it was potatoes. LOL
I wouldn’t mind if the agapanthus took over the asparagus fern which have taken over our yard. BTW, they are also called lily of the Nile. I love them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I’m sure octopus is an acquired taste! One you are born with, if you’re Greek, I suppose, since you see toddlers munching it before they have proper back teeth (it’s quite rubbery)!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel very lucky to be able to see some of these stunning photos twice…here and on IG!
LikeLiked by 1 person
For once I remembered to put some on!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀
LikeLike
Beautiful photos Marina!😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! Thank god for iPhones – I’m as terrible a photographer as I am a gardener!
LikeLike
Your world is lovely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Give or take a few politicians etc…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Seems to be an affliction we all deal with….
LikeLiked by 1 person
More lovely pics. My sister has friends on Andros. She will be there next week
LikeLike
My father was from Andros! It’s a wonderful place.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gorgeous pictures! Standing on the threshold of summer is my favourite season…
LikeLiked by 1 person
What fabulous pictures. A hint of summer would also be fabulous – so long awaited here – is poked its head round the door for a couple of days at the beginning of may and didn’t like the look of us. It hasn’t been seen since.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gorgeous images, marina. Love that table and chairs on the beach. Pure heaven! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful pictures Marina !
Funny how we have all the same flowers over here , and octopus too (although I’m not a fun it’s a hit in the region I live in , but as you say you have to start young to come to like it ) .
My mother loves agapanthus (she doesn’t seem to have a problem with them) and hydrangeas too , but she lives near Sintra where she has a whole lot more rain than you or me .
Like you said , you like us may have a huge crisis , no jobs , bad politicians , and so on and so on BUT our countries surely are astonishingly beautiful 🙂 if we can keep enjoying nature it does help a bit 🙂
Turtle Hugs
LikeLiked by 1 person
It does. When I visited Portugal, I remember eating a lot of delicious octopus, cooked with potatoes
LikeLiked by 1 person
Do we cook ours differently than yours ?
LikeLike
We don’t usually serve it with potatoes – either boiled, then seasoned with vinegar, or grilled with lemon squeezed over
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stunning photos. Those I saw via Instagram brightened a cold, rainy, winter weekend. The table by the sea took me on a lovely virtual escape. The flowers & plants interestingly are all abundant in Australia.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same sort of climate?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think so 🙂
LikeLike
Breath-taking views, seaside meals, and beautiful blooms…what more could one ask for? Was this a day trip of sight seeing?
LikeLike
These are all around the house! The restaurant is 15′ away. One of the few benefits, these days, of living in Greece…
LikeLike
Oh, such beauty in your part of the world! The blue of that agapanthus is quite lovely.
LikeLike
Lovely pictures to warm me on a grey Melbourne winter’s day!
LikeLike
That table sitting there on the beach just likes so inviting. You certainly live in a very lovely part of the world. What a great place to enjoy a warm, summer’s evening. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for sharing this amazing beauty and your part of the world. I would love to visit! Gorgeous!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We have all the same flowers in Florida, but I don’t recall ever seeing the agapanthus before. It is gorgeous. I loved this photo tour so much, thank you. Greece is in my dreams.
LikeLike
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
LikeLike
Beautiful, inviting pictures. We have had SO much rain in the UK so far this summer but seems to be getting better. Must visit Greece – it looks wonderful and that food – Mmmmm!
LikeLiked by 1 person
New entry on the bucket list!
LikeLiked by 1 person