Colors for winter

Greetings to the land of white---finally.
I thought all of you in the northern hemisphere might enjoy a little reprieve from the brown you have had this winter.

Red-Cheeked Cordon-Bleu

This will show you some of the colors we have enjoyed. We have a beautiful sight every time we look out our dining room window.


It was a very sparse green or even brown beyond our fence when we arrived at the end of September.












Since the rains have come, the flowers have bloomed and the trees have leafed out in a spectacular display.

Some of the photos have come from the back yard. A few are from our visit to Ruaha National Park in November. Others are from various parts of Tanzania as we have taken some week-end safaris.

These walkers are Southern Ground Hornbills (40") 

We are trying to prepare our hearts and minds for the end of our stay. That is becoming harder each time we say Kwa heri (good-bye) to someone for the last time now.  We have made many new friends of these warm and welcoming people with their marvelous smiles. They seem to walk everywhere to meet us whenever we arrive.

A blue Sunbird eats like our No. American hummingbird

We pray that if we can return in a reasonable amount of time, we will be able to find them and say Habari, Rafiki or Dada and Kaka in Jesu?  (How are you, Friend, or Sister and Brother in Christ?)














We have been accepted in many villages and at Tumaini University. It is not surprising that as we are returning to the house where we have lived, we say "let's go home!"
This is a Lilac Breasted Roller who was spotted entering it's nest home in a Baobab Tree.










Of course, we have not visited the whole country of Tanzania, only small parts of it. We anticipate seeing more of the country as we travel north to Arusha. There have been invitations given to us from students from all over the country.

"fire poker" aloe and amaryllis in our garden

 Right now it is warm or hot depending upon where you are. As I mentioned before we saw much drier areas the first trip to Tungamalenga and even the first month to the campus. Now the fields are tall with corn, green with rice in paddies, and ground nuts and beans are blossoming. Harvests could be good and there will be less hunger, if God wills, as they quickly say here.

Superb Starling

Luggage has been packed and sent on its way. Only a few items to wash and wear are left. Small items to share have been thoughtfully selected.  A few postcards can still be sent before we reach Minnesota. Pole sana because we haven't sent very many.  They were not easy to find here in Iringa.  (Maybe a new duka could open for postcards!)

A 1-2" bee on an Acacia bush

Black Winged Red Bishop

We hope that you enjoyed the photos.  More photos will be shown and tales told after our return.














One more blog will include some of Richard's students. Behind us are some goals unfulfilled. Many experiences achieved and savored.
Mungu akubariki ( God bless you) as you go on your daily walk.