The usually staid and sober (haha!) population of Skopelos town have flipped for the period of Apokries, Carnival, which means it's best to expect the unexpected. Anything can happen, or not. This is the time to bring out your unorthodox, hidden side, before the fasting days of Lent.
Groups of young men and boys compete to build 'Trantes', from bamboo, fishing nets, and other flotsam and jetsam, equipping their fake boats with oilcan furnaces and belching smokestacks. The crews are heavily lubricated with the traditional beverage attributed to the god Dionysios, and sing neverending rounds of extreme bawdiness accompanied by rattling and clanking strings of beer cans. Hey, spring is in the air and in the dance, and man, animals and birds thoughts are turning to Luurve, or at least Lust.
For some ancient mysterious reason, cross-dressing is entirely appropriate.
The boats are dragged all around the town, the songs are shouted, the wine is imbibed, the dances are tripped, and the circle is completed. A great deal of grilled meat and rice pudding is eaten.
Finally, fire consumes the boats as they are launched and shipwrecked from the town beach. 
Next weekend, a wedding with a difference.

                      photo credit - Efimerida Boreies Sporades.

Tentacle Eyes.

Collecting horta (wild greens) and wild asparagus in the beautiful natural garden that is spring in Skopelos, we stumbled into this little paradise, made my day.

And....here's Ioannis with the spoils of the day.
More than enough for a month of breakfasts, if the chickens do their job.

A bewitchment or curse you can draw towards yourself by arousing feelings of morbid jealousy or envy in others, which may or may not be deflected by a blue-eye-shaped amulet. A reminder to play it down, not to boast, don't draw attention to yourself. Can be fatal. Find a crone.

Pomegranate, for days like today when spring begins to warm the earth and Persephone returns to her mother.

From my first visit to Ay Yannis Kastri, many years ago. Before the steps and the handrails lent a sense of security to the climb, sensibly choosing a bright but breezy day, adrenaline rush, azure sky, white horses bucking and rolling on the bluest sea. Fear lent its edge, and at the summit, relaxing under wild olive trees.