i'd like to be as carefree as this cat, snoozing on a balcony

This is our mother cat relaxing. She had an accident today and had to have surgery. They said it went well. We'll find out more tomorrow

This little cat usually has very long hair. It was so hot he has been shorn, like a sheep. He must feel a kilo lighter !

A new suggestion to reduce stress on painful knees is to wear shoes with light flexible soles. Converse or plimsolls? There are some gorgeous yellow ones.

Pink and luscious watermelon
Nectar for the mouth!

Karpousi in Greek, but the old Greek word is Hydropepon - water and melon. Does anyone know the derivation of Karpousi?

Dancers in national costume this evening. The men's black boots are especially smart. The little girl beside me danced and clapped as she watched. The music was in haunting twelve-tone with narrow fiddle-like instruments and a great big drum!

Diaries take the strain -
Dates and fears and joys,
Release the mind to wander.

Here - three of many to pick over
And record, by speak-to-write magic.

There's a wildfire somewhere here in Southern Attica and the water-carrying planes are flying past us with water from the Aegean Sea. The wind is quite strong 29 kph/18mph and the weather is hot, 31degees centigrade.

The planes will drop their water on the fire. I read that Greece has about 21 such planes but has only been able to afford to maintain half of them. They have asked for international assistance.

No poem today.

Naranjada: a staple drink in other parts of the world, especially South America.

Juice 4 Seville oranges,
mix with sugar (1/4 cup/2 fluid oz)
and water (1 1/2 cup/12 fluid oz)),
and this rather bitter juice
becomes quite tasty.

Serve chilled.