Oikos X-“Memory box” summer refuge-Kyparissia

The olive tree valley and its ancient trees hold memories of generations coming, perishing and being succeeded by their offspring in a meaningful circle of cultivation. The omnipresent sea with is gracious wave loops just echoes this same perpetual pattern.There is a house in the middle of the grove which is a home to precious memories and holiday quietness. The owners, who belong to one of the oldest families of the area, re-open the 200 years-old stone house, built by their forerunners, every summer and its hottest months. The stone walls and tall pine trees surrounding the building keep the temperatures down naturally. The yard is extensive with many chairs, benches, and tables revealing the owners’ love for good company and conversation. The interior spaces are small, as they have always been, unchanged. They are decorated exclusively with family memorabilia and furniture which are taken care of, but also used daily in a true spirit of preservation and sustainability.  It is so very unusual to encounter people who resist the urge of “renewing” their environment and above all, who honor their ancestors by living surrounded by their “choices”, their artifacts, which often are not as comfortable and practical for our contemporary habits.

 …After bidding goodbye to my gracious hosts and as I walked away from the house I entered a similar world, the olive grove and its age-old tranquility. 

Klaudia DelmerMon, January 16, 2017Interior, Messinia, Oikos