Wordless Wednesday: Summer Dreaming

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday: Lupines

A sure sign of summer in Maine:

A Greek Summer Night

Today is the first day of summer. The days are long and here in Belgium the weather is (mostly) warm and (mostly) sunny. The school year is winding down and the festival season is gearing up. It seems as though someone is celebrating something every week with some weeks having multiple celebrations. The festivities are not limited to the Belgian community; right on SHAPE the big "festival tent" has gone up with each of the NATO countries taking their turn in hosting cultural events. And last week, to kick off the official start of summer, it was the Greek community's turn.

I've mentioned before that I love all things Italian but Greece and Greek culture comes in a close second for me so I was excited at the prospect of attending a Greek cultural event right here in Belgium. Our house back in Norfolk, Virginia was less than a mile away from a Greek Orthodox Church that annually hosted one of the largest Greek festivals on the East Coast. Each year we would sit on the church lawn with friends and eat spanikopita, gyro and salads, drink too much red wine and listen to traditional music. The event was something we looked forward to each year. Last year in Albania we celebrated Greek National Day with the Greek Embassy at a concert and dance performance that highlighted the best of the traditional Greek arts scene. As a family we made two separate trips to Greece, first to the Ionian Islands surrounding Corfu and then to the monasteries of Meteora. Along the way we heard traditional music, took in the spectacular sights and dined on delicious Greek food. Much of it wasn't fancy but it was all delicious and left me wanting more. I returned from each trip and immediately took to the kitchen to try to replicate what I had eaten.

So yes, I was excited at the prospect of experiencing more of Greece and this celebration did not disappoint. It was truly a festive occasion as we joined Glenn's co-workers at a long table under the tent. Musicians performed a live performance in front of a large screen where images from across Greece were displayed. Sidney immediately recognized a few of the scenes from our own travels before being distracted by some of his classmates. And the food. Oh my goodness was it good. In fact, it was some of the best Greek food I have ever eaten. Even Sidney gobbled it down . It was so good that Glenn made a second trip through the long food line to secure us additional food. We probably ate too much but it was so nice to eat great food, listen to nice music (at a very respectable volume) and spend time with friends. In between bites of food Sidney danced along to the music and played with his classmates. This was such a family friendly event and this was evidenced by the number of families of all nationalities who were eating, dancing and celebrating. It was the perfect way to kick off the summer.

I am thankful that we are living in such a multi-cultural community. In recent weeks we've celebrated with the French, Spanish, Polish and now Greeks. I can't wait to see what the rest of this long (and hopefully sunny) summer holds in store for us.

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday: A June Night On The 50th Parallel

We haven't quite reached the summer solstice yet, but this is what 22.00 A.K.A. 10 PM looks like in Belgium:

Bedroom view

Late night tee ball game view

I think I need black out curtains!

Hello Summer

Just as it does every year, summer has snuck up on me again. Sure, summer may not officially begin until the 21st of June but for most Americans, this weekend marks the unofficial start of summer. Each year, I spend the winter and spring longing for summer and then all of a sudden it is here. But this year, it feels like it really did pop up out of no where. Perhaps it is because Sidney's Belgian school and Glenn's NATO command are both open on Monday meaning there won't be a long weekend for us. Sheltered from the mass consumerism that surrounds all American holidays, I haven't been hearing commercials and receiving flyers for must have holiday weekend sales. And the weather? Well, we are in Belgium so the weather is anything but summery. Accustomed to the hot Balkan springs I've been downright cold here. We did have a tease of warmer and sunnier weather earlier this week but we have now returned to the cool and cloudy forecasts that I think of as Belgian weather. Nothing about the temperatures are making me think about beaches, picnics, and flip flops.

But, despite it all, sun or no sun, summer is here. So how are we going to make the best of it? We have a full summer of activities planned. We'll get our dose of heat and humidity during our visit back to the East Coast; we'll explore more history during long weekend trips throughout Western Europe, and we'll explore the best of what Belgium has to offer. And like true Belgians, we'll be ready to go rain or shine, heat or no heat. After all you can't let a little weather stop you.

But first up is a weekend cookout for new friends. With hamburgers, barbecue chicken, and all of the traditional sides, what is more American? And while the weather says the sun will shine we'll be ready with umbrellas just in case. (Because we are in Belgium after all.....).

So here's to a long, safe, and fun filled summer.