Greeks Bearing Gifts

  About five years ago I was at the greenhouse looking to buy a clematis plant.  I saw a picture of a stunning white one with a dark center.  It came home with me.  I planted it so it's roots were in a cool place at the foundation of my summer kitchen, but it would still get enough sunlight.  Visions of snowy white flowere were dancing in my head.  A few days later I noticed that all the growing shoots were gone on my lovely plant.  It soon withered to nothing!
  The next spring, to my amazement, a few shoots came up again.  And once again the growing tips were missing after several days.  I checked for insects.  Not a bug in sight.  And the plant died, for good this time.
  But I kept trying!  I bought those less expensive, end of the season bargain clematis and they grew!  Then I got another white one and it died!  Then one day I was looking out the window in early spring when one of my vines were just starting to sprout it's new shoots, and there was a BIRD!  And that darn BIRD was nipping off the new tender shoots and eating them!!!  AAAh-ha!  The mystery has been solved.  But I still don't have a snowy white clematis....

On Friday Zip and I and our friends Chuck and Willa went to the Greek Festival at the Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral in Camp Hill.  This is an annual event that becomes more popular every year.  These people are indeed bearing gifts:  authentic Greek food, a celebration of their heritage, and a generous sense of community spirit.

They have this lovely European style square in front of the cathedral.  Several times throughout the day dancers perforn in traditional dress.  Unfortunately we didn't get to see any of the performances this year.  Check the banner over the entrance.  The inside of the sanctuary is lavishly decorated with similar artwork.  Just beautiful!!!

  A closer view of the fountain.

But, OH!  The FOOD!!!  It's worth the traffic, the parking problems, the crowds of people to enjoy the food!  There are outdoor stands with the grilled stuff.  And the indoor sit-down meal area.

Zip and Chuck are chowing down on the moussaka (portions large enough to feed a family for several days!) and the Greek style meatballs.  They also offered chicken, leg of lamb, salad, and rice pudding plus lots more.  And a great assortment of yummy pastries.
  My favorite dessert is the chocolate covered strawberries and a cup of Greek coffee.  Each tiny cup of coffee is individually made in a little pot over an open flame, with the espresso grounds and sugar.  Then the whole concoction is poured directly into a demitasse cup.  Very sweet, very strong, and just delicious!!!

Here are two happy campers (Zip and Will) with their take home bags of left-over food and pastries.

That's the news van right behond Willa.  I didn't stay up late enough to see the footage at 11.

Then we went on to the PA Fabric Outlet and Borders bookstore.  Somehow in our travels we missed the severe storms that were blowing through the area.  Brad and Kami were in Carlisle only 30 miles away at the Military Heritage Center in the midst of a hailstorm! 

This past week I did manage to finish a few small things.  The star mat goes really well with my Pottery Shed pitcher.
I need to start something new!  My Forest Secrets challenge rug is on the backing and ready to go but haven't taken time to pull out any wool and start planning colors.  And I thought up a new Hook, Heart and Hand logo that I'd like to work on.
I don't know where the time goes!  Maybe off into cyberspace while I'm sitting here at the keyboard???