c o m m i t m e n t & . . . letting g o

i n s p i r a t i o n   F r i d a y  this week,

starts with no collage,

4  l e t t e r s,

o n e  word :

L O V E 

There are no words to describe how it feels  h a v i n g   t o   l e a v e  someone you love.

I love beyond words the person I'm leaving from.

Then again, love is all about two basic things simultaneously,

{ however contradicting they might appear }

being willing to  c o m m i t 

{ commitment is  a c t i o n s }

&

being willing to  l e t   g o .

Life asks me to do the first and so I am.

I'm letting go, however every bit of my newly emerged self is an outcome of

this relation ship

I can let go of him, but not of who I've become.

And who I am is a big percentage him.

It's a part of me I've come to be familiar with,

embrace, accept and most of all love and feel comfortable with.

Thanks to  t h i s  relation ship,

which begun with the most wonderful

"I know I'm not supposed to say that yet but...

I love you and I know I'll see you again" scenes,

{generously offered by life to me, us, him & I being the protagonists rather than just moved viewers

watching a Hollywood movie, almost some 6 years ago}

having taken place on a very  i d y l l i c  surrounding,

on an almost private, tiny Greek  i s l a n d ,

under the midnight sky of warm autumn nights 

and  f i r e  being exchanged between a pair of the  w a r m e s t  blue eyes that exist in the world

and another pair of eyes with a color ranging from bright green to chestnut brown { these would be mine}

Thanks to  t h i s  relation ship,

YOU my dear all,  are able to read  e v e r y   w o r d  written here from the very beginning some 4 years ago till now,

you are able to  s e e  my view of capturing the world & emotions through my c a m e r a,

thanks to  t h i s  relation ship my inherited  t a l e n t s

got a  f e r t i l e  ground to unveil, to evolve, to get expressed and shared

w i t h o u t  any fear.

Everything you perhaps like, admire or even love about me and what I do,

is taking place because someone I felt was an angel fallen from the sky,

 b e l i e v e d  in me & told me I'm wonderful.

Someone offered me the  t i m e  to experiment & to discover

Someone offered me the  t o o l s  to do it.

D o n ' t   e v e r   h e s i t a t e  to encourage others to  f o l l o w    t h e i r   d r e a m s .

Don't lie to them.

But if you see  p o t e n t i a l, 

then just selflessly  e n c o u r a g e  them to  s p r e a d   t h e i r   w i n g s .

No matter how I let go of him,

I am part of him.

This is why leaving everything behind me makes no sense.

I'm leaving  just material things behind me,

while taking  e v e r y t h i n g  wonderful inside my heart.

Practically, some things are packed to be sent to my temporary home in Greece,

till I come back to  s t a r t  again on a new basis,

unpacking then all favorite things that will be in the meantime stored in a garage.

I'll go on with everything I do,

infusing more and more love, effort & concrete planning in it.

O n e   c a n   e s c a p e   m a n y   t h i n g s   b u t   l o v e   n o t .

Without it  there wouldn't be any existence.

Have you dear all thought of it at all?

somehow I think you have.

I feel truly blessed to have been loved

the way I have.

Now, I'm strong enough to create my own basis.

currently broken , but alive 

And as time passes,  h e a l i n g  will come,

through love for creativity & sharing...

and there'll be sweet times & carefree times once more..

{ I know it's a risk to be returning to a bankrupt country with current, huge unemployment

but my tool is the I n t e r n e t , which means I can work from  A N Y W H E R E 

& 

I can travel  E V E R Y W H E R E   for WORK }

till eventually L O V E  manifests again in my life

in the most wonderful & appropriate of ways.

Thanks for reading through,

I'm trying to keep you posted and not abandon this place

despite the current madness of organizing all this {unwished for} l i f e  c h a n g e,

while ensuring it runs as smooth as possible.

The most  w o n d e r f u l   o f   w e e k e n d s  to you!

 many thanks for following along via  blog loving

google reader will be shutting down soon,

which means that all lovely 525 of you

can keep up by clicking "follow"

h e r e

and unless you already do, 

you are mostly welcome to join another 2300 followers on  f a c e b o o k 

&

 around 2500 on  p i n t e r e s t

Thank U so much for your precious, continuous support!

L o v e & p a t i e n c e

H a p p y  W e d n e s d a y  you all!

How have your weekends & week so far been?

I'm currently having little time for posting,

I just wanted to pass by & share with U 

a  t h o u g h t  &  a  f e e l i n g  that get me going these days:

" L O V E  &  P A T I E N C E 

    CULTIVATE A RICH CROP "

 { by yours truly }

keep that close to your  h e a r t s  &  m i n d s  throughout your days.

Picture taken recently on one of my many walking and biking rides in the fields, just next to our home.

{ there are the woods to the left, the fields to the right & lakes straight ahead after the tiny neighborhood ends - more to be shared soon }

I  feel so  i n c r e d i b l y  l u c k y  for currently living in such a marvelous location!

even now, shortly before I say a temporary good bye

I'm enjoying every moment, feeling  b l i s s .

Take care & see you!

. . . . . . . . . . .

picture credit: Iro - Ivy Nassopoulos, personal portfolio 2013 { all rights reserved}

to plant a g a r d e n

dear all,

my  a b s e n c e  this week after my  last post

s i l e n t l y  speaks of the  d i f f i c u l t y  I'm facing.

However, allowing myself to come here to post,

even without a schedule

a s s i s t s  my efforts of creating a bond with what I do,

and  l o v e  to do it,

while also connecting with you.

For this week's I n s p i r a t i o n   F r i d a y ,

{ hooray for it being the 3rd in the row! }

Audrey Hepburn's words were the theme around which the collage 

was built.

"to plant a  g a r d e n  is to believe in  t o m o r r o w " 

I hereby declare that I'm a firm b e l i e v e r  in tomorrow,

which begins t o d a y .

However, I must exclaim that there is a part of the equation I still haven't managed to solve.

Cause I planted with much love & much care

{ as shared  h e r e }

a potted little garden at the veranda { and winter garden and all over } of the place 

I still call  h o m e 

But for me probably not being able to enjoy and care for it,

in just a short while from now,

it means that I neglected some important parts.

Or this would not be happening.

It feels as if I planted on a borrowed ground,

rather than my own.

It feels as if I considered my own something that was never meant to be.

And it feels as I didn't cherish enough something that was given to me.

For all these, other than being sorry beyond words can say,

I wish to l e a r n  from,

cause planting my garden  { like shared h e r e } is a little tiny part of my dream coming true.

This time, making sure it grows its roots on the right ground,

a ground I can call  my own

and no one in the whole world could argue against it.

What about you?

are you  g r o w i n g   y o u r   o w n   p l a n t s ?

perhaps  i n d o o r s ? in front of your windows ?

at your v e r a n d a s ?  b a l c o n i e s ?

l i t t l e   p a t i o s ? or when lucky enough in your  o w n   g a r d e n ?

what kind of  c o n n e c t i o n  do you get from taking care of plants ?

Is this a way for you to show you believe in tomorrow ?

from me,

wishes for a  g r e a t  w e e k e n d  ahead!

tonight is the longest day of the year

in this part of the world,

got to love long days!

{ even when these days are not the easiest we' ve ever experienced }

. . . . . . . . . . .

picture credit clockwise from top left: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 

Thank U f a t h e r

hello there!

I just wanted to wish:

 h a p p y f a t h e r' s  day

to all daddies of the world.

I want to thank  m i n e  for having tried to be the best father he could

through out a l l  these years

& 

say that I'm thankful that he, together with my mum,

 they brought me into this World.

wishing also to those, whose wonderful fathers are no longer physically close to them,

to find the  c o u r a g e   &   t h e   s t r e n g t h  in their hearts

to carry on armed with love & faith.

To  m o v e  o n   &  c h e r i s h   l i f e ,

cause their beloved fathers would have wanted them to do so.

As for me, I have to say that as days pass by and the time is approaching to

leave my current home,

s m i l e s  like the one above are harder and harder to put on my face & heart.

It's a normal  g r i e v i n g   p r o c e s s ,

that, I know well.

However, I'd like to take this  o n e   m o m e n t 

to express that however I've been discovering courage 

I didn't think I have,

however I realize that there are hundreds, thousands of people 

in our world who are going through tough times,

much tougher times,

I do also currently feel that what is happening is hard to deal with.

I love my home

I love my life here

&

above all I love being in a loving relations ship

with my life partner,

despite troubles,

I feel above all that we are c o n n e c t e d   d e e p l y ,

with  e s s e n c e  &  t r u e   p o t e n t i a l.

I wish that things work out for us

in the most proper & wonderful of ways.

Have beautiful Sundays,

e n j o y  with your  f a m i l i e s!

an ode to o p e n i n g d o o r s

l i s t e n

for this week's  I n s p i r a t i o n   F r i d a y,

a little ode to  o p e n i n g   d o o r s

an ode to  m e n,

as they seem often to be overshadowed by women

an ode to men who need their space to  g r o w 

to  u n d e r s t a n d  who they are

to

be  k i n g s  for at least one day

to enjoy their  f a t h e r h o o d 

{mark your calendars:  f a t h e r ' s   d a y  this Sunday the 16th of June 2013}

&

to finally feel at ease & secure when  f a l l i n g   i n   l o v e

. . . . . . . . . . . 

wishing you all a wonderful weekend ahead

I'm getting prepared for a l l   p o s s i b l e   d i r e c t i o n s

feeling that the  w o r l d   i s   m y   O y s t e r,

knowing that  m y  f a m i l y  is ready to have me stay with them,

should I currently find no other solution,

should I decide that spending some  t i m e  with them

is what my heart now desires more,

while also ready to support my  a n y  o t h e r  c h o i c e,

so long as they know that I'm  d e v o t e d   to following my g u t { & my heart }

acting on  l i v i n g   i n   m y   d r e a m s

 day by day

. . . . . . . . . . .

Armed with endless  l o v e  in my heart

fresh  i d e a s  to become  m a t e r i a l i z e d 

c o u r a g e  to leave my comfort zone

&

embrace the  n e w 

while keeping the  v a l u e s  that life has shown me to be always

my best, wisest & most profitable  c o m p a n i o n s

I love you all forever & feel loved back

p.s: open the you tube  in another window & keep on listening... it' magnificent to the very end

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

c o l l a g e  c u r a t i o n : Iro - Ivy Nassopoulos for Domestic Stories with Ivy 2013

i m a g e   c r e d i t s :

left - middle - top right - bottom right - porsche - arrow - king for a day

picturing d r e a m s ...

l e f t   &   r i g h t

Today I'm celebrating 38 years & 3 months of life.

I was born on a Tuesday much like today.

Even though a broken tooth brought me to book an emergency appointment

with a  { f a b u l o u s ! } dentist in my current neighborhood,

and the fact that I came home to a hacked mail account,

{nevertheless with a very relieved mouth & the ability to speak & pronounce properly again }

I enjoyed the  b i c y c l e   r i d e  

back & forth.

I focused on  e n j o y i n g  every minute

as if a separation & a subsequent very possible, temporary movement

to Greece wouldn't be taking place.

{ Greece is lovely, yet at the moment  I  L O V E  m y   l i f e  here more than anything! }

As if the boxes that are getting packed are simply gonna

take me just to the right place

after having set up home here

at the  P e a r l   B i  r c h e s   H o u s e

This post is all about what  I  w i s h  to  be  p a r t  of   my  l i f e  from now on.

It's a post devoted to  a c c e p t i n g  that I have d r e a m s  to work for,

it's a post about s t a t i n g  that I believe with all the power of my existence,

that I have and I am working very hard to make them  m a n i f e s t  in my life

and however they might manifest somehow differently than presented,

the  a t m o s p h e r e  and the  e s s e n c e  is set.

{you might want to hop over to  t h i s   p o s t  to find out,

or to remind yourselves about

how I'm painting my future,

starting  n o w }

Since it's the 11th of the month

{ at least it still is in the part of the world I'm typing this from}

I thought that sharing  11 p a i r s  for your eye pleasure would fit nicely.

{ I cannot describe the pleasure &  f i r i n g  of neurons that takes place in my brain when 

combining pictures in pairs or collages....I just love seeing them make... out! 

I know... go ahead press charges on me for eye p*rn }

If you'd like to  p a i n t  y o u r  d r e a m s  with  p i c t u r e s,

then simply  g o  a h e a d !

M a k e  your own pairs & collages

p o s t  them on your blogs

& 

l i n k   to this post,

s h a r i n g  what it is all about.

Call it:

" p i c t u r i n g   m y  d r e a m s "

Come back here & be sure to  l e a v e   a  c o m m e n t  so that I can visit you!

I'll be so VERY glad to see your dreams!

But first, c o m e   w i t h   m e , I'll share some of my  d e e p e s t   w i s h e s with you...

top left - right - bottom middle - bottom left

so, yes, the fact is, I  w a n t   i t   a l l. 

The  w h i t e  b r i c k  w a l l  at my new house to be, the pebbled  p a t i o,

the  g a r d e n,

the Ikea p.s chairs, the o l i v e   t r e e s , 

the  f r e s h  mint that I'll have planted in my chalkboard painted pots,

& the emerald green one piece  b a t h i n g   s u i t ,

that I'll be wearing while enjoying the sunshine,

on my deck.

on my white chairs.

drinking cool tea with mint,

all coming from my potted herb garden.

l e f t  &  r i g h t

then I want to  g e t   m a r r i e d . to the o n e  person I love with all my heart & mind.

the person who does exactly the same.

I want to get married and feel all  d i p p e d   in happiness

cause we'll be M r s  &  M r .

Just because.

Just because l o v e  is a wonderful thing

& such a commitment only  o p e n s the doors to  f r e e d o m 

as we've never experienced before.

I want to get married &  g o   t o   P a r i s.

Again.

{ once is never enough for such a city, I must tell you that }

I want to go to Paris and w a k e   u p  at a similar veranda.

Wonderful in its humble size.

l e f t  &   r i g h t

Then I want to eat lunches and dinners that will have been sometimes prepared

 by his  e l e g a n t ,   k i n d   &   l o v i n g   h a n d s .

{ I can't emphasize enough how much I appreciate and cherish men with let's say... feminine hands }

Lunches & dinners that will be getting prepared while I take care of

bringing  f r e s h   h e r b s  from our garden.

While I do the  g a r d e n i n g ,

cause I simply just love it so much to be  c l o s e   t o   n a t u r e.

l e f t   &   r i g h t 

Lunches & dinners taking place around  l o v i n g l y  set tables,

in a place called  h o m e ,

where the inhabitants  g r o w ,   e x p a n d ,   e v o l v e

and  decide to  s t a y   t o g e t h e r  to face life

and its sometimes c h a l l e n g e s  and  d i f f i c u l t i e s.

L u n c h e s  and d i n n e r s   in the company of simple yet immensely charming flower arrangements.

A r r a n g e m e n t s  made on the spot,

with no big fuzz.

But then with  s o  m u c h  love.

L o v e   f o r   l i f e .

L o v e   f o r   p e o p l e .

L o v e   f o r   l o v e .

left - top right - bottom right - middle right 

I want a  b e d r o o m   where love can be taking place.

A place where love can  u n f o l d .

And  t h r i v e above everything else.

l e f t   &   r i g h t

I want to  b a k e  lemon ricotta and almond  c a k e s ,

wearing a blue  d o t t e d  s k i r t   &   a  s t r i p e d   b l o u s e.

I want to bake them and s h a r e  them with friends & family that will be gathered around,

impatiently waiting for the first warm piece to be cut, served, tasted & cherished.

l e f t   &   r i g h t 

I want to take part in  e x c i t i n g   p r o j e c t s,

involved in developing  b e a u t i f u l   s p a c e s 

for  b e a u t i f u l   p e o p l e 

People that have learned to  o p e n   t h e i r   h e a r t s.

People that are willing to l e a r n 

People that through their own  m i s f o r t u n e s,

they become  s o f t e r, yet  s t r o n g e  r,

able to share themselves  w i t h   t h e   w o r l d.

l e f t   &   r i g h t 

Then I want  to w a l k  b a r e f o o t  on the simple concrete floor of my  s u m m e r   h o u s e,

somewhere in a corner of the earth where then s u n  s h i n e s often.

there where the salty air can be felt on your lips while you take deep breaths.

I want to go up & down the stairs of this place

that I'll have found,

cause  m y  i n t u i t i o n   t o l d   m e 

that it's the right place for me

l e f t   &   r i g h t 

and then I want to have the ability to  e m b r a c e   p e o p l e  for who they are,

while at the same time being kind but letting go of those in life

who insist on judging from their own limited perspectives,

concluding that a  b r i l l i a n t   s w i m m e r ,

should also be an  a m a z i n g  c l i m b e r  at the same time.

I  l o v e swimming.

And through life by the woods I've learned to also cherish the trees.

But if one judges me here for my ability

to  s w i m   l i k e  a   m e r m a i d,

then it's inevitable to 

face disappointment.

I have become an  e x c e l l e n t   w o o d   w a l k e r  here.

I keep the s w i m m i n g   p a r t  for when I'll be finding myself in water again.

...............................................

picture credits under each pair or collage

all diptychs & collages made by Iro - Ivy Nassopoulos

for Domestic Stories with Ivy

please note that some links will only take you to pinterest accounts

any assistance in providing precise links & information 

is welcomed