Virus Masks The world is learning to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Closed schools, libraries, bars, restaurants, movies, public parks, and cancelled activities that draw crowds; e.g. sporting events, concerts, weddings, funerals, etc. have become the norm. Wearing masks in public places is becoming more common. We only leave our house once a week, but … Continue reading Fashion Trend
Frosted Leaf Just when I thought we had seen the "last gasp" of Ole Man Winter, we get five inches of heavy wet snow. The flower beds had been cleaned of mulch and winter debris, flowers blooming, trees were leafing out, the grass was emerald green and recently mowed, and spring vegetables had been seeded … Continue reading April Snow
Drying Millet Tanzanians are very resourceful and maximize whatever is available to make a living. Abundant sunshine, except for the rainy season, is used to dry grain spread out on tarps. The wet grain is continually turned over to complete the drying process. Later, grain will be collected and "poured" from one container to the … Continue reading Grain Dryer
Easter Church Service The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc around the world and the Easter holiday was no exception. Our local church in Nebraska has been closed for almost a month, providing services on-line. They even tried drive-by communion one Sunday, but have since resorted to "self-serve" communion at home during the streamed services. We … Continue reading Easter, 2020
2010 Masters - "Look what I found" The opening round of the 2020 Masters Golf Tournament was scheduled for today, April 9, 2020, but was postponed due to the coronavirus, COVID-19. It has been rescheduled for early November. I was fortunate to attend the Wednesday par 3 tournament in 2010, where the players are allowed … Continue reading The Masters
Maasai Jump Dance The Maasai tribe met us outside their compound. The drums were loud, the women were dancing and chanting with an occasional high-pitched scream, and the men were hopping around like kangaroos. From a standing position the men would launch themselves high in the air and dramatically land flat footed like they were … Continue reading Hops
Serengeti Plain The Serengeti Plain in Northern Tanzania covers 12,000 square miles, about the size of the state of Maryland. Travel photos and movies showing African landscape typically depict a savannah, which is a mosaic of woodland and grassland, scattered with the iconic flat-topped Acacia (umbrella tree). About one-third of the Serengeti is grassland like … Continue reading Endless Plain
Quarantine!? - Now What? The coronavirus that started in Wuhan, China in December, 2019 is causing major disruptions around the world. It spread rapidly to Italy and Iran, and the WHO declared it a worldwide pandemic on March 11, 2020. Two weeks later there were half a million cases world wide, with the epicenter being … Continue reading Quarantine
Cheetah and Cubs A four-month old cub stands watch as Mom and sibling enjoy the rump of a freshly killed wildebeest. This was observed by over a dozen safari trucks parked in a semi-circle about 30 yards away. Safari drivers share information about major animal sightings, and cooperate in "circling the wagons" to provide good … Continue reading Wildebeest Feast
Winter's Last Gasp The calendar says Spring arrived a couple days ago. While the daytime temperatures are certainly warmer and the grass is starting to green up, winter is not giving up so easily. There are still patches of snow hanging on in the shaded areas of the neighborhood. Since the coronavirus has dampened any … Continue reading Last Gasp
Machame Hospital - Motorcycle Ward Machame Hospital, near Moshi Tanzania, has been in operation since 1906, when German missionary doctor, Dr. Herman Ploetze, arrived. It has grown to a 230 bed facility owned by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Northern Diocese, and treats over 150 outpatients daily. Cheaply made Chinese motorcycles driven by risk-immune … Continue reading Machame Hospital
Hairy Canary III The Hairy Canary Rally Team was formed in 1973 by a Ford Motor Company engineer and two of his friends. A 1969 Ford Mustang was beefed up to be their first rally car. They took turns driving and navigating, gaining more experience as family and friends joined the crew -- even kids … Continue reading Hairy Canary
Uduru Preschoolers Happy children, learning how to socialize, follow rules, cooperate with others, satisfy their curiosity and expand their knowledge. These are students of the Uduru Parish Preschool near Moshi, Tanzania; dressed in the uniform purple sweater, some with matching hats and others wearing hats of the Tanzanian flag colors. Today there are over sixty … Continue reading Eager Learners
Threshing Beans Agricultural labor is mostly done by hand in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania. Tractors are becoming more noticeable, but still rare. It is not uncommon to see large fields being hoed by 8-10 men, using primitive-looking hoes with large heads and roughly hewn handles. Here beans are being threshed by hand. Dried bean … Continue reading Threshing Beans
Neema Orphanage Children in this Tanzanian orphanage remove their shoes and stack them neatly outside the door before entering their living quarters. After the initial wave of hysteria over the balloons, the children settled down and waited patiently for their care givers to blow up a balloon for each of them. The plaque below the … Continue reading Balloons
Serengeti Campfire It was a very tough day, viewing Mother Nature in its most basic form: new born zebra and wildebeest, the Great Migration, predators, every creature searching for food while avoiding not becoming another's meal, exotic birds, survival of the fittest, circle of life, etc. A full day of watching the Nature Channel in … Continue reading Safari Campfire
I met this little guy by accident, searching for the choo (toilet) behind a children's center in Moshi, Tanzania. He was alone, but I could hear distant sounds of a preschool classroom. His face was full of questions, but smiled when I greeted him in Swahili. Bashful, yet engaging, he didn't try to speak. I … Continue reading New Friend
Mt. Kilimanjaro I just returned from two weeks in Tanzania. With the exception of a five-day safari, I was on the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro, and was fortunate to see the mountain's top on several days. This is the view from the hotel balcony where I stayed for six nights. Thought for the Day: In … Continue reading Mt. Kilimanjaro
Roaring Forks Falls The Smoky Mountains NP has over 2,900 miles of clear mountain streams, which are fed from over 85" of annual rainfall in the higher elevations. The steep mountain sides create roaring streams with hundreds of water falls. Books are written about the top 50 falls, most scenic, tallest, etc. Roaring Forks Falls … Continue reading White Water
Cedar Creek - 2019 Uggh, winter is still here. We've had enough winter already, so let's think about spring. Give someone you don't know a nice warm smile. Thought for the Day: One kind word can warm three winter months.Japanese Proverb
