A start

Despite everything, the end of the year is always a sort of celebration, as it heralds a new beginning. Why should things change, just because the date does? They probably don’t, but there is a feeling that they just might. Hope springs eternal!

However, today we woke to the news of yet another carnage, in Turkey. Wars are raging in many places. It is hard to feel optimistic. Still, life goes on, and rituals have a soothing effect on the soul.

In Greece we observe many traditions for the New Year, which I described last December in my post ‘Ringing in the New Year In Greece.’ It was all about smashing pomegranates on our doorstep, cutting the Vasilopitta (Basil’s cake) to find the lucky coin, about fireworks and gambling! For those of you who joined this blog recently, you might like to take a look (here).

Looking back through my year’s output, I thought it would be fun to see which posts were the most popular each month, based on likes (a rather random method most probably, but the only one available.)

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In January, the honors went to Greek Cuisine, featuring many delicious specialities (here).

In February, people loved The first signs of Spring, with its photographs of anemones and almond blossom (here).

In March, the most popular post was about the old tradition of Clean Monday, subtitled ‘A sky full of kites’ (here).

In April, The Minoans, about a very ancient civilization, proved interesting to a good many people (here).

In May, Day Trip to Mycenae, about another enthralling Ancient Greek civilization, took top honors (here).

In June, Brexit – Grexit, what else? captured the popular vote, the only political commentary to do so (here).

In July, you were very complimentary on my completing the World Watercolor Month dare – a watercolor each day for a month. The post was entitled I did it! (here)

In August, the most popular post was Midsummer Blues – photos of lavender, figs, a cat and the sea (here).

In September, the Monthly Q&A, of poet Sofia Kioroglou, was the first to be most popular post in a month (here). This feature is always well received, but never made it to the top before. It was followed closely by ‘A short meditation on walls’ and ‘Messing about with clay.’

In October, everyone fell for Aubergines – the new super food (here). This was quite a productive month, as I also wrote about seahorses, an inspired chef, and the colors of fall.

In November, a lot of interest was shown in the The Ancients Greeks and the Terracotta Army, a fascinating theory about an incredible work of art (here).

In December, people were captivated by the Sisterhood of the Travelling Sketchbook (here).

So, moving on, what does this tell me? That you love food, art, photos of flowers and lovely landscapes, history, finding out how people live in another country… These are the things I write about, anyway, so the survey is somewhat irrelevant, especially since there were no huge differences in the number of likes. But still fun!

Regarding the number of posts, my aim was to post about twice a week, so around 8 per month. I’ve achieved an average of 7 per month, so not too bad…

And so, 2017 has started. Happy New Year, everyone!

 

 

50 thoughts on “A start”

  1. You got off to a good 2017 start with this post : congratulations on an eclectic and always interesting blog. 7-8 times a month is very good, about double what I manage! “Auguri!” as we say here ๐Ÿ™‚

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  2. Thanks for the roundup, and good memories of your posts in 2016, Marina.
    I am going to try to be positive about 2017, despite the heavy rain we had all day.
    It has just stopped! (That’s positive…)
    Best wishes, Pete.

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  6. I am a silent follower and great fan of your blog. I rarely post a comment and forget to press the “like” button.
    So here is a HUGE “LIKE” for the entire year accompanied by my warmest wishes for the new year.
    N

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  8. I have found every post I’ve read interesting, thoughtful and heartfelt, even if some of them were on subjects I simply couldn’t ‘like’. Keep up the good work. I’m looking forward to your Sisterhood of the Travelling Sketchbook contribution, and here’s to ฮœฮนฮฑ ฯ€ฮนฮฟ ฮตฯ…ฯ„ฯ…ฯ‡ฮนฯƒฮผฮญฮฝฮท ฮฝฮญฮฑ ฯ‡ฯฮฟฮฝฮนฮฌ!

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    1. ฮ•ฯ…ฯ‡ฮฑฯฮนฯƒฯ„ฯŽ! ฮงฯฯŒฮฝฮนฮฑ ฮ ฮฟฮปฮปฮฑ! It’s been nice knowing you, Kate. My contribution is coming along nicely, all will be revealed soon. ๐ŸŒบ

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      2. You say ฮงฯฯŒฮฝฮนฮฑ ฯ€ฮฟฮปฮปฮฑ on many occasions… It just means many years – of New Years, birthdays, easters etc๐Ÿ˜‹

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  10. Being a typical Gemini it is the variety of topics in which you engage and give us in ‘the Colonies’ a European slant that I personally find so much of a drawcard . . . at the same time you have made me realize how similarly many of us think on some of the important matters in life . . . how much we do share whoever we are and wherever we live . . . . . . and yes, however illogical, I too always feel that when the New Year’s bells toll, there is a new and hopefully better beginning . . .

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  11. Marina, I like your idea of the soothing effects on the soul of rituals, which I suspect is why we do them over and over.
    This is a great post – I can see that I have a lot of catching up to do and will return at least to read the posts listed here that I’ve missed.\
    Meanwhile, I wish you a wonderful, safe, happy and healthy New Year.

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  14. Thank you for your posts. Being far away from Greece -this period of my life-, your posts are very precious to me….especially your view, how people do, “survive” in Greece and how their spirit shine in their challenges. Happy New Year!!!

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  16. Happy New Year to you too, Marina! I like reading about how people do things in other countries, especially when it has to do with food, so my favourite was the Aubergine post, but I also like the interviews you do.

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  20. kalimera & bonne annรฉe from Toulouse, France! ๐Ÿ™‚ glad to have come across your awesome and interesting blog… my very best for 2017: health, joy, love and tons of inspiration! cheers, Mรฉlanie Bedos-Nicolas

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