Sunday 3 December 2017

November in a rush


I have a list on my desk headed "Posts for November" - I could rip it up and pretend it never existed or I could just race through the subjects and call it a 'November Review'.
The beautiful picture above was taken on a wonderfully tranquil November morning. Our photography group had had to abandon several visits to Tuzla/Boğazici at the beginning of the year due to bad weather, but this day was perfect and the flamingos and cormorants  posed for snaps too.


Bodrum staged a far ranging three day motor rally in mid-November which I managed to miss completely, so no pictures I'm afraid.  Later in the month there was 'Bodrun'.  A two day event with races in all distances from 5km to 100km.  I did at least catch the very end as the long distance runners staggered back.


These lovely crocus flowers made their annual November appearance proving that we really do have a 'last spring' rather than Autumn.  The weather has been kind too. I have only fired up the wood stove 3 times and that was more for effect than necessity.


I went to two historical/archaeological talks. The first was a lecture on the two Artemisias and Ada; super powerful female rulers in Halicarnassus. School children from Gümüşlük acted out scenes from Artemis 1 and 11's greatest victories. All history should be taught like this - they will never get the two rulers mixed up ( as I sometimes do) .  The second talk was on the excavations at Gebekli Tepe which have changed everything I learnt about pre-history at university.  I went with great expectation to the  English talk but was very disappointed.  A mere 18 minutes of lack-lustre reading from a script, I wish I'd gone to the talk in Turkish which lasted over twice as long but was packed solid.

It has been a bumper year for olives. Mine are still on the trees so I have missed the chance to make high quality oil as we have had a couple of downpours.  Any olives picked now will produce greater quantities of oil but at a higher acidity.  Usually I have plenty of offers from neighbours to pick my olives but everyone has so many of their own this year, no one wants mine. My nearest neighbour tells me I have 24 olive trees and I thought it odd that in 25 years I have never counted but he has.   Any one want any olives?

19 comments:

  1. Send therm over here....no, on seconf thought, gven the postage rates...desist!
    It is nearly impossible to get a decent olive here...thusd muling them in on every trip to Europe.

    Those autumn crocuses are superb!

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    1. My mother used to live in Sturminster Newton where they have a fantastic olive shop. If you are ever over that way - stock up.

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  2. 'a list on my desk . .' Jeez, Annie, how can you be that organised?

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    1. I so rarely make lists that I forgot I had one

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  3. ps the 'crocus' are Sternbergia lutea

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  4. Beautiful, atmospheric photo ...

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  5. The months do rush by don't they? Anything on John's tree this year?

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  6. I have some of those lovely yellow Sternbergia lutea crocus. I found them in a pile of discarded bulbs thrown away besides the river at Pont due Gard in southern France. I didnt know what they were until they flowered the following year.

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  7. Oh, beautiful Annie, love that some much - my kind of stuff - happening in Bodrum, enjoy all for me too - and huge yes please for olives!!! love them!:) Ozlem xx

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  8. Ha ha, you can't beat a good roundup. We do one every month because we end up with such a backlog. Cram it all into one! :) A local Fethiye girl, Sevil, won the long distance Bodrun. She's amazing - always out running. I love the top photo! :)

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    1. I can't imagine how anyone can run for 100kms

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  9. B to B, We have a few olive trees, too. But after M read the recipe for making olives, he changed his mind. Too complicated. Plus, we have neighbors who do it. Nice to hear you've had a bumper crop. xx J

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    1. I only have one large jar on the go this year

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    2. I only have one large jar on the go this year

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