Christmas Day in the olive groves: clear blue sky, bright bright sun, T-shirt weather and the sea smooth as glass just below us. A fabulous harvest so far, with really good quality oil - the bonus for the really hard work to get in the crop. But that's December for us every year. We just hope now that the wind and cold doesn't blow in too soon from the north east to catch the rest of the crop still on the trees. Last year, everything froze solid on December 30th. So hold thumbs for us that it holds off till then or after - at least until we're well finished.
The other bonus is to be miles away from the Christmas hassle.... nothing disturbs the peace in the groves except a gentle wash from the sea and the birds chattering: colonies of warblers gather to have committee meetings with each other, robins pop in and out to inspect - and the island teems with chaffinches. With the Greek recession there seems to be a brake on shooting the songbirds thank goodness.
Bliss. Being surrounded with natural sounds is an ear opener......
So all good wishes for a very Merry Christmas and good things in the New Year...
ps: Our olives know it's Christmas - the image shows 'Kokkino' or the red olives in full seasonal colour!