Turtle Season?

This time I don't have a picture - forgot my camera at home when we went for a walk. The weather was hot and sticky, so we went to one of Cologne's lakes which is called Fühlinger See. They did a lot ecology-wise to improve the area since we have been there last. So I was kind of surprised when we stopped at one of the little bays and saw - guess what - a turtle sitting on a tree in the sun, right next to a black duck (actually called a coot) breeding on her nest. I start to believe that turtles are not so rare in Germany anymore - as we kept walking there was another one sunbathing. And the whole thing was even topped by Nick spotting a beaver. No need to go to Greece - wildlife is all around. I need to say that this made me very happy to see people talking more care about nature even in the middle of the city.

Some kind of grasshopper (animals part 4)


This little guy was waiting for us one night in our hotel room - can you spot him in the plant? Nick had to take the garbage bin to bring him back outside since he was so large, and we set him down in a little bush right outside of our room. He apparently liked it there, since he stayed for a whole day - I took the picture in the evening of the next day when he was still sitting in his bush. Does anybody know the name of this pretty grashopper friend?

Animals of Greece - Part 3


I thought I was dreaming when we were driving towards the south on one of the "larger" curvy roads of the island, and this turtle was crossing the street. I know them from the zoo but not from the forest, and definetely not from walking across the street. We stopped and made sure he made his way over safely - greek trucks are fast and dangerous. Needless to say that I got really excited.



Elemental my dear

This is the necklace I have submitted for the previous Stringing Challenge - Elemental my dear. I used turquoise wire wrapped glass beads and feather cord for "air", nuts, jade and the scarab pendant (which was a gift of Andrew - thanks again) for "earth", transparent glass drops for "water" and lava stones, fire agate beads, and a sterling sun clasp for "fire". I liked it pretty much but I did not score - maybe next time.
I have submitted a new one for the "Magical Forest" challenge as well, but I will post the pictures a bit later.

Animals of Greece - Part 2


I guess donkeys are not very unfamiliar in Greece - but look at this guy. We were driving with our small Fiat on a daytrip around the island, and there he was, in the middle of the road, escaped somewhere from his range. I gave him one of our apples and he was really happy about it.

The owl friend (animals of Greece Part 1)


I know this picture is a bit blurry but we saw this little owl in the middle of the day when we were visiting the castle of Mithimna. He was kind of far away so I had to take a few shots - at this one he stared right at me, wondering why I got so excited...

Sea Urchin Ring

I love sea urchins. They are fragile and dangerous at the same time. They move very quietly, sitting in the water in sunny warm spots.
I created this ring - when I first saw these striped blueish-purple resin beads, I thought of a sea urchin, but it took me a while to figure out what to do with it. I like the look of this ring - not something I will wear every day, but kind of special. The beads move like the spines of a sea urchin - they make you want to play with it.

Agios Fokas Bay


This is another picture of our vacation in Greece - Agios Fokas Bay which is located in the south of the island. This place felt like the end of the world. There was nothing except this little bay, two houses and a taverna (small Greek restaurant). And of course a small church on top of a hill. We went there to see the ruins of an old Dionyssos temple - which we almost missed - but we found it in the end right in front of the church.

Beach necklace


This is a necklace I created on my birthday, while sitting on the beach, listening to the soundtrack of "Before sunset" - a movie I really love.

I just played around a bit with wire, shell rings, glass and turquoise and multicolored resin beads, and here is what I came up with. I usually do not like rings in necklaces unless they are used as a focal point, but I like them in here, with the "wire wave" in the middle.

Back from Greece...


Kalimera! We just got back from one week vacation in Greece. I miss the water, sun and greek salads. Lesbos is the third largest island of Greece after Crete and Evia, located in the Northern Aegean sea. It was a real nice surprise to find a very beautiful landscape, very green which is not quite usual for Greece since it gets so hot in the summer - temperatures of 35-40 degrees C (=95-110 F) are normal in the summer. But swimming & snorkeling in the salty ocean every day was the best. One more year until we'll be back....

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