Thursday, June 24, 2010

Zizifus, Olive trees and Vineyards. Τζιτζιφιές, Ελαιόδενδρα και αμπέλια.

The village took its name from Zizifus, a rather rare tree which I have not seen in other places, not that it does not exist elsewhere. It grows in the little valley a little lower the spring, and it looks like It is growing by itself. New plants start growing under or near the older ones. It produces small fruit which change from green to chestnut color when they are ripe by the end of September. They taste something like apple and have the size of a cherry. You can dry them and they become like raisins and you can keep them all winter. The time I took these photographs the trees were in full bloom.















Το χωριό, πήρε τ' όνομά του, από την Τζιτζιφιά, ένα δένδρο όχι τόσο πολύ κοινό. Εγώ τουλάχιστον δεν τόχω δεί αλλού. Η ρεμματιά, λίγο πιο χαμηλά από την βρύση, έχει πάρα πολλά. Οι καρποί του, μικροί σαν κεράσια, ωριμάζουν προς τα τέλη του Σεπτέμβρη, και παίρνουν ένα καστανό χρώμα. Μπορεί κανείς να ξεράνη τα ώριμα σαν σταφίδες και να τα κρατήσει όλον το χειμώνα. Έχουν γεύση περίπου σαν το μήλο. Αυτή την εποχή τα δένδρα ήταν γεμάτα ανθό.
















Olive trees, younger and older around the village. These are of the oil producing variety. This year looks promising to be a good one, as the trees are heavy with olives.














Ελαιόδενδρα, μικρά και μεγάλα γύρω από το χωριό. Είναι πιο πολύ για την παραγωγή λαδιού. Και η φετεινή χρονιά υπόσχεται πολλά, καθώς τα δένδρα είναι φορτωμένα.






Vineyards look promising also.
Και τ' αμπέλια φαίνονται καλά φέτος.



15 comments:

  1. i'm fascinated by olive tree..they are so old...regards

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  2. Παρακολουθώ με ενδιαδέρον την...φυσική ιστορία του τόπου των παιδικών σου χρόνων.
    Η απολύτως στέρεη βάση την οποία παρέχουν οι ρίζες μας και η παράδοσή μας,ίσως είναι και ο μοναδικός βατήρας για το άλμα στο μέλλον.
    Πραγματιστική και η φωτογραφική αφήγηση αλληλοπεριχωρείται με το ανεπιτήδευτο του κειμένου.
    Η πρώτη φωτογραφία απο τους αμπελώνες
    αποτελεί παράδειγμα φωτογραφικής...ορθογραφίας!

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  3. Indeed! I have come to love olives and their oil. Like the Spanish, I like to dip my bread in it and taste its goodness permeating my body. A gift of nature, to be sure. Great pictures, Costas.

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  4. Πολύ καλές
    Καλημέρα!

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  5. Κωστή υπάρχει ζωή!
    Παντού σε όλες τις φωτογραφίες σου!
    Καλημέρα!

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  6. Amazing set of pictures, this place is fantastic and beautiful!
    Those trees look like to touch arms with sweet energy and love!
    Léia :)

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  7. Είναι τση Κρήτης η ψυχή
    σε κάθε ανάρτηση σου
    κι αυτή αποτυπώνεται
    μέσα απ΄ τη μηχανή σου.

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  8. Very nice photos --

    have a good week end.

    Joann

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  9. Interesting to learn about the Zizifus tree. It's very attractive as are the olive trees and grapevines. I enjoyed all of your pictures. Have a good weekend.

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  10. What beautiful olove trees and landscape!
    I so love Crete, especially Chania!
    Betty

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  11. Τι όμορφο πράσινο!

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  12. I didn't know the oil producing variety was a different sort, but it makes sense. I love olive oil and fresh bread.

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  13. Such wonderful, beautiful captures, Costas -- as always! I love olive oil and bread! The really old olive trees are so magnificent! And it was so interesting reading about the Zizifus tree! I didn't know about that one. The vineyards are beautiful, too! So delightful touring your country through your photos! Have a great weekend! Enjoy!

    Sylvia

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  14. That gnarly old olive tree trunk is absolutely fascinating! Loved seeing this post!

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  15. Thank you for the link, Costas (such Brazilian-like surname!). The trees are amazingly beautiful - I'm a tree-lover... I don't know why I never had curiosity to see how an olive tree looked like. I just showed thes to my little son, and he loved it. He simply adores olives, and I need to refrain his love due to the high level of salt.

    Your photos are awesome!

    Kisses from Nydia.

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