Flowers of Crete T shirts

I am in the process of designing a T shirt for supporters of Flowers of Crete. It will retail at around £9.00 plus postage and will feature line drawing of Crocus oreocreticus and the 'Flowers' logo. Anyone interested in ordering, please contact me directly. We are also designing a calendar for 2010 and will be taking pre-orders for this. Production will depend on the number of pre-orders we receive. Julia

Cavo Sidero development

Just to confirm that Dr Rosemary John and I are going over to Cavo Sidero on the 8th May to meet with directors and experts from Minoan/Loyalward the company responsible for the proposed golf development on the cape. It should be an interesting day and we will report back to the Committee of Flowers of Crete and then to supporters worldwide.

Another item off the Wish List

Flowers of Crete would like to thank Heather and Charles Baily from the UK for their generous donation to provide us with a GPS system for identifying the position of important and endangered flowers that we find on our botanising trips. Heather is Rosemary John's sister and she and her husband are supporters of the work we are doing here. At the moment I am exploring the best system to use and Steve Lenton is advising me on how to proceed. Apparently we also could do with a copy of the Google Earth Software and this will replace the GPS system on the wish list. I think I will be on a steep learning curve and Rosemary and I will be using the system on our weekly visits to Pezoulia Reserve once we have cracked how to use it. The computer donated by my son in the UK will be arriving shortly, courtesy of William Rumbold and Liz Scott who are bringing it down with them when the drive down from London next week. This will be invaluable, as my old laptop is really beginning to struggle with the amount of work and images that are stored on it. I do have an external hard drive, but the size and number of images is becoming enormous. So a better laptop would be a wonderful addition to our work. Doesn't have to be new - just quicker than the one I am currently using - An Acer Aspire bought in the UK three years ago.

So to recap -

we have received a donation from Heather and Charles Baily to purchase a GPS system

but we would be eternally grateful for either of the following which are added to our Wish List

Google Earth Software - I think we may need the upgraded version, but would be grateful for info on this
Higher powered laptop

Once again, MANY, MANY thanks to Heather and Charles. The GPS will be invaluable for our work and we will make excellent use of your generous gift.

Julia

Great day on the Katharo

Rosemary and I went up to the Katharo yesterday, to photograph the peonies on the way up and then to meet Steve Lenton to do a bit of botanising. Steve took us to see Tulipa cretica and a wonderful meadow of fritillary and we introduced him to a new species of orchid for his catalogue. It was a wonderful day, most satisfying for all concerned and I thought I would share a few of my photos with you as a preview to the April calendar on Flowers of Crete website. Julia

Fritillary

Just in case you couldn't wait - here's the fritillary.

Flowers of Crete wish list!!

Following a trip out into the field with a professional photographer from Sweden, the Flowers of Crete wish list has expanded somewhat. It now includes

a macro lens for Nikon camera (carried over from previous wish list :-) )
a portable reflector
a GPS system for plotting the location of particular flowers - Rosemary and I found a fabulous orchid on Katharo today, but I doubt whether we will ever be able to find its location again!!!
a digital projector
inks for printer

With Rosemary holding the reflector I got a really good image of a fritillary last week. It will be online in the FoC calendar for April, once I have finished writing everything up. It's been a busy month.

Bazaar in Neapoli

Out first bazaar in Neapoli was a great success and the Committee of Flowers of Crete would like to thank everyone concerned who helped with this fund raising event. We would particularly like to thank Anna Kosmadaki of the Centre for Foreign Languages for her generous hospitality in allowing us to use the centre. It was a lovely location and we hope to be able to hold another bazaar there at some point during the summer.

Conference for the Environment and Art Competition

Here is advance notice of a conference to be held at the Greek Orthodox Academy at Kolymbari next May. It is hoped that Flowers of Crete will be organising an International Art Exhibition for the environment to run alongside the conference and also a concert of music and dance for the closing Gala night. Further information can be obtained from Julia Jones or from the website http://www.oac.gr/

Cavo Sidero Development

I have just heard that the Committee ruling on Cavo Sidero has ruled against the development. This information has yet to be confirmed, but Minoan shares have fallen to 10p - their lowest figure yet.

Bazaar in Neapoli

Just to let everyone know that the time for the bazaar on Sunday will be from 10.00 - 12.00 and not 2,00 as previously posted. Julia

Cavo Sidero Development

The President and Committee of Flowers of Crete has been invited to meet with a Director and experts from Minoan and Loyalward at Cavo Sidero to see for themselves the proposed development. The meeting will take place on 8th May and will be an interesting experience, allowing members of Flowers of Crete to decide for themselves the sustainability of such a huge development in such an environmentally sensitive area.

Bazaar in Neapoli

Please come along to the first Flowers of Crete Bazaar in Neapoli at the School for Foreign Languages at 10.00 a.m. till 2.00 p.m. on Sunday 12th April. Lots of books, DVDs, home baking, and bric-a-brac. We hope to see you there!