2007 Archive for Trigono Groves
Christmas Charities
Dec 16th
We all have our favourite charities and even if unable to give much throughout the year, many of us give something at Christmas. Two UK Charities that are special to me are Shelter - The UK charity for the homeless and The Samaritans - listening to those who are desperate and feel they have no-one to turn to. Sometimes we may blame ourselves for a mess we've got into and be unwilling to seek help. But we often need help to overcome the difficulties, campaign on our behalf or someone willing to listen - someone who won't judge us or get upset because they are too close to us.And to all those who keep all our charities running throughout the year - Seasons Greetings and Thanks.
December in Greece
Dec 10th
Athens is very festive at Christmas time, with poinsettias a
prominant decoration (they grow to tree size in some places and are stunning).
The large Christmas tree in Syntagma Square on my first visit in 1997 was a cone of lights
and nearly all the villages I visited had a traditional Nativity scene rather than tinsel.
Times change of course and I've noticed more commercialism in successive years.
In Methoni it was lovely to celebrate in warm sun; nights may be cold but days can be as high as 19 degrees and more if sheltered from the prevailing wind.
Trigono groves will be carpeted with yellow flowers while at the lemon grove the trees will bear ripe fruit.
So- from Trigono Lamda,
"A very Happy Christmas to you and hopes for a great New Year".
2007 Olive Harvest completed this week
Nov 17 2007
Nikos and his team completed the olive harvest this week. The trees yielded a moderate crop of 143.4 litres. We usually harvest in December but with summer drought followed by winter storms, decided to pick early this year, especially as last year's crop was lost to late November frosts. For the second year running I was unable to be in Greece for the harvest - the low crop does not justify the expense of travelling there, especially since the September visit was also later this year.Thanks to Nikos and helpers for their work.
Human Nature -The Best in Us
Nov 11 2007
Throughout the world people are doing their best. Producing their best music, art, crafts, and all other skills to share with others to make life brighter and to teach younger generations. It's worth remembering that there is so much good in the world, especially on Armistice Day.Throughout this website you will find links to other sites, especially on the Virtual Cafe page where a link to a new Music site Absalom Music, featuring classical guitar music by James Watson, can be found.
Enjoy!
November Cyclamen
The Peloponnese is renowned for its wild plants and one of the joys of the winter season is the procession of colourful plants that carpet the ground as weeks pass.
Cyclamen - photo by Selene Konsta
Cyclamen thrive in the area around the groves and especially on the well drained banks at Lamda Olive Grove and the Triangle.
September - October visit to the Groves
During the September visit to the groves the olive trees were examined to determine how good the year's crop is likely to be. Since then there has been rain and at least a small crop is to be expected. Arrangements have been made to have this harvested, hopefully in mid to late November before the harshest weather can cause damage.A quarter of the upper land has now been cleared by hand and work is expected to continue as time and weather permits. The clearing is being done by hand, carefully preserving the wild edible fruit-bearing trees and shrubs, including a young almond tree.
September in Methoni
13th September 2007
September is a good time to visit Methoni if you prefer a quieter holiday experience. Most Hotels stay open all year but a number of restauarants, especially those closest to the will have closed by October.The weather is still warm and though there may be rain, the storms experienced in the Winter months are unlikely. With the first rain, the first bulbs start to sprout, and grow amazingly quickly.
Methoni is busy in all seasons because it still supports fishing and agricultural industries as well as tourism. The resident population has also grown with nearby communities and villages dependent on the town for pre-school,primary and secondary schools, English Schools (attended by many Greek children after their main school day), banking, mail delivery, and all other shops. The closest other town of any size is Pylos, though Finikunda is expanding.
Methoni has its own dental practice, hairdressers, estate agents, medical centre, horticulturist/garden centre, electrical and hardware shops and a range of organised social events as well as the very welcoming internet cafes and bars.
New building and house renovation are very much in evidence and I see changes each time I visit. Sadly, I see fewer goats tethered, and fewer people out collecting herbs and greens or mending fishing nets.
September is an excellent time of year for swimming as the sea is at its warmest after the July and August heat. at Trigono lemon and olive groves will not start until October or November, but the triangle will be cleared in September. Trees will be checked to judge the effect of the summer drought and the harvest prospects.
property buyers often arrive in the Autumn and Spring too, as the calmer atmosphere is more conducive to considered purchasing.
Links to other web-sites
10th September 2007
From the very beginning, Trigono Lamda has provided links to other web-sites.
Links from subject pages direct you to sites that can give more detailed and expert information; for example on Plants.
Links from the Cafe page add a broader interest, show something beautiful for those who like to browse or reflect the interactions that you may find in real cafes.
Links are also provided to acknowledge help in building the Website.
Building the Trigonogroves Website - September 2007
Although it was January 2007 before the website went live, the coding was started in September 2006. Material had been gathered since 2003 and was used in the first months of the site.
As time has passed the content has broadened considerably, from static pages describing the four sites that comprise Trigono-Lamda to include many more links to other sites, and recently, RSS feeds.
The site is updated continuously, from adding a single link one day to a whole page another. It is not perfect, and will hopefully never reach "completion" since there is always something new out there and old content is of no value- except perhaps on our new Archive page.
A novices guide to Building a website has been added to help others to pursue what can be at least a creative hobby, if not a full time job. It gives ideas on where to go, rather than trying to explain code; which has already been carefully constructed by experts anyway.
This is an opportunity to acknowledge the amazing wealth of talent and knowledge which is so freely shared by experienced webmasters and corporate sites.
Forest Fires in Summer - August 2007
"Sun in Smoke filled sky - Methoni" photo by Selene Konsta
Fires on the Peloponnese have a devastating effect on local people and on the wildlife. It happens every year - but this year is tragic. There is always speculation and suspicion over the likelihood of accidental fires. Burning is always banned between May and September and sometimes earier or later depending on the amount of rain. The development of huge tracts of land is bad enough but the loss of so much vegetation, especially the olive trees that provide more than just income from oil, will wreck what is left of the traditional lifestyle.
To see the landscape we are losing: Link: Olympia Photos
Latest Developments - July 2007
The latest developments are exactly that- more development of the Messinia region of the Peloponnese which has been designated for additional infrastructure and amenities by the Greek Government. First class golf courses, new road access and the accompanying hotels, etc, that this will bring. There must be mixed feelings all round. Who doesn't want to see their property investment rise and their choice of living location officially identified as excellent? And how many local parents will welcome the creation of a greater variety of jobs locally that their carefully educated offspring can fill - keeping them closer to home?
Yet how sad for those who were raised to value the land in all its wildness and their own traditions;and those from other countries who have settled years ago in a place that seemed bound to escape the worst effects of development due to the long journey from Athens and apparent unwillingness to allow commercial flying from Kalamata Airport?
Time to put the Lemon Grove up for Sale? - May 2007
But now it is 10 years on and time to rethink finances, especially as the area has been
designated for development rather than for conservation. It makes sense to sell the Lemon
Grove and Upper Land which are most affected by rising costs and labour shortages.
Trigono-Lamda will remain on a smaller scale or in different areas and of
course through the website.
Property in Methoni - 2007
The area is highly attractive to Northern Europeans and the population has increased and diversified. Surrounding Villages don't have the modern facilities so you can still "get away from it all".
In either case, buyers can choose to renovate an old house (fewer are available now), buy one already renovated or buy/build a new home. A wide range of rental accomodation is also available, including rooms to rent, holiday lets, houses, bungalows and hotels.
The main attractions are the Ionian sea, Methoni and Pylos castles and cafe life,
all bathed in sun during the tourist season. The winter is generally mild too,
though storms can rage and temperatures fall dramatically at night.
Methoni has its own weather station and, tucked away down a side road,one of the earliest school buildings- tragically not kept in good repair,and now ruined. To renovate this building should should be high on the list of projects for the area and I've always wondered why it has been neglected since it would be a wonderful tourist attraction.
Wandering in the castle grounds gives a real sense of past life and the age of this commumity that is now changing so quickly.
Preparation and Launch of the website - 2006-07
Advice from a small business advisor in 2002 was "Write a book". A website seemed a much better idea, but the first attempt in 2003 failed when the webmaster "disappeared".Building the site alone,coding mainly by hand, suddenly seemed realistic in late 2006 and the site was launched on January 14th 2007. It takes hours of time and effort but is very rewarding.
Devastation of Lemon trees by ice - 2003-04
In March 2004 I travelled from Reading, UK, to Methoni on my annual spring trip to see my trees. As the bus wove its way round the hills and through villages from kalamata to Methoni, it became increasingly clear that lemon trees had suffered more than orange trees during the worst winter for many years. Temperatures of -14 C had been recorded. Nothing could have prepared me for the sight of the Lemon Grove though. Every tree was black, every leaf black or fallen, no fruit. The few orange trees had survived.
Many trees have never recovered. Compensation was apparantly paid to those who claimed within 3 weeks- if they found out. Even local people missed out because they did not hear about the compensation scheme in time.
How it started - Looking back in 2002
November - the last flight left Kalamata three weeks ago, carrying tour reps and summer visitors who have stayed "to the end". Campsites and tavernas have emptied throughout October and, as the girl in the travel agent in Reading brightly announced when I enquired for a flight, "Greece is closed for the Winter but you could go to Cyprus". "But Greece is a country" I protested; "It doesn't close". "Greece is closed" She repeated matter-of-factly, "It will open next May".
At another travel agent I booked my flight to Athens. It was 1997;
22 years after I had first visited Greece and 37 years after I'd first heard of, and fallen
in love with, this unknown yet somehow familiar country.
From a tour operator's point of view I suppose Greece does close, at least outside the cities.
but it opens for another business: the traditional agricultural life and an influx of Greeks who return to their
land from as far away as Canada and Australia, to join in the family olive harvest.
There may be heavy storms, but this is my favourite time of year..... and this is the background to Trigono Lamda.
The Corinth Canal effectively makes the Peloponnese an island. It was built by the French in the late 19th century to allow a faster shipping route.
With fires raging through the Peloponnese, and promises of development of the area, too much is being lost too quickly. The future needs the context of the past, and this is perhaps Greece's greatest contribution to the world.
The archive will contain previous content from the site and photos that illustrate the traditions that are now threatened.
Changes in Methoni - 2001-2006
Life has already changed in Methoni with the arrival of a minimarket in 2001, Internat cafes and relocation
of petrol stations and hardware stores onto the main road which bypasses the town. Most European languages are spoken
and those who are mulitilingual are very helpful.
Trigono Groves are located off the Main road between Methoni and Finikounda, outside the town boundaries and at present without electricity. Surprisingly, This posed few problems when living there.
Purchase of The Groves 1999-2000
The Triangle and Lamda Olive Grove were purchased in 1999 before
the decision to sell up in the UK and move. The Lemon Grove was rejected at first but
offered a beautiful location, possible accommodation and work. It is stunningly beautiful
in all weathers, sitting in a long, peaceful, gently curving valley with a
wealth of insects, birds and wild plants on uncultivated areas. The symmetry of the grove gives an
air of calm order and the half ruined building, now restored, on a terrace slightly raised
above the grove, adds to the charm. A new house was planned but never built.
Lifestyle choices 1998-99
on Visits to Methoni during 1999 the plan to live there bagan to form. First a caravan bought via a friend, then the small triangle, close to the main road on which to keep it. The offer of an olive grove followed in September and its purchase completed in December. Selling in England was easy- finding the right place for a permanent home and income in Greece was a bigger problem.
in 1999-2000 land for sale was notified by word of mouth or rough painted wooden
signs with phone numbers on. On buildings, red painted "For Sale" or "Poleitai" on the
building itself was most common. I was often approached, through friends, in case I wanted
to buy more land or knew other foreigners who wished to.
There are now established estate agents with property advertised in their shop windows, as well as online estate agents and "introducers".