Smorgasbord Blogger Daily – Wednesday 3rd February 2021 – #Greece Eat Dessert First, Mairzy Doats by Elizabeth Gauffreau, #FlashFiction Janet Gogerty

The first post today will require you sit with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and enjoy some history and some recipes from the fantastic team at Eat Dessert First in Greece.

To Ioannina, Arta, Preveza and Thesprotia with pies and histories

Epirus … the northwestern tip of our country, with ancient history and rich cultural tradition, from the areas that first cultivated the idea of the Modern Greek Enlightenment. The contribution of Epirus to the Greek Revolution of 1821 was enormous. Two of the three founding members of the Filiki Etairia (a secret organization aiming to overthrow the Ottoman rule) came from there, Nikolaos Skoufas from Arta and Athanasios Tsakalov from Ioannina. The people of Epirus actively participated in the liberation struggle. However, Epirus was not included inn the newly formed Greek state in 1830. The Arta region was annexed by the Treaty of Berlin in 1881, while the rest of Epirus was annexed by the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913.

So, in our new article we will explore Epirus with the Greek book Εδεσματολόγιον Ιωαννίνων, Άρτας, Πρέβεζας, Θεσπρωτίας by Nadia and Yiannis Saradaporou published by Savalas Publishers. We will see the national benefactors originating from Epirus, study the Epirus house in its aristocratic and folksy form, and learn the famous Epirus pies, from which we have chosen to make the sweet zarkopita.

Head over to read this fascinating step back in time and to enjoy the wonderful pies and a traditional recipe to make yourself translated into English: Eat Dessert First Epirus.. history and pies

The next post is from Liz Gauffreau who shares memories of a song that has a very personal meaning with some jive and lambs with a Tanka for good measure.. Terrific read.

“GI Jive,” “Mairzy Doats” & #Tanka, too!

Liz on Her Author Platform

I recently had a conversation with a fellow writer about the conventional wisdom of needing to have a blog following to “build author platform.” (I will always put that phrase in quotation marks. When I’m speaking, I use air quotes.) I advised him that it takes a big time commitment to read and comment on others’ blogs–but the inspiration for new work that I get from reading blogs has been a huge unexpected benefit. Particularly in the area of poetry, I now have a small body of work that never would have come into being if I had not been inspired by someone else’s blog post.

The tanka I’m going to share with you is a case in point.

I am a regular reader of GP Cox’s World War II blog, Pacific Paratrooper. A recent post focused the development of Armed Forces Network Radio: Military Radio – Armed Forces Network.

After reading the article, I went back to the header photo, which depicts the front cover of the sheet music for a song called “G.I. Jive.”

Head over to read Liz’s post in full and enjoy some swing, and a step back in time to enjoy a song well remembered from childhood, plus a wonderul Tanka: GI Jive, Mairzy Doats and Tanka Too.. Elizabeth Gauffreau

And last but not least a story from Janet Gogerty with a twist…

Friday Flash Fiction – 460 – Earthrise

Susan switched on her ageing ipad, checked the time, pressed the Facetime link and the familiar face appeared.

‘Hello Mother, how are you, what have you been up to this week?’

His greeting never varied and each week she would rehearse fascinating snippets of news and intelligent comments on world events. But when it came to the moment her mind went blank; there was not a lot to tell and even less that Guy and his family would be interested in.

Three little faces popped in and out of the screen, mostly upside down. Her son adjusted the camera so she could see her three grandsons tackling their new assault course; the latest ploy by their mother to direct some of their cooped up energy. Bouncing off the walls took on a new meaning in their confined home, it was so hard for parents not to be able to take them out.

The assault course was such a success they could not be prised away to come and talk to her; after nearly a year it was only natural that little ones would not be interested, they had their own lives now. It was a marvel that she could see and hear them so easily, across so many miles, but she found herself envying instead of pitying her sister with the daughter from hell. The girl had turned up back home a year ago, with three children from different fathers and no money and had not left until it was too late to leave.

Head over to read the rest of the story and enjoy the twist at the end…Janet Gogerty Friday Flash Fiction 460 Earthrise

 

Thanks for dropping in and I hope you will head over to enjoy these posts in full.. thanks Sally.