The week of Rain in Moshi

Shamba near our House

Our muddy Road

Because it has not rained in many weeks in Moshi, this week and the rain every day has been greeted with cheers and delight.   People are out with hoes trudging around in the mud and finding every available spot to drop a few seeds.  In only a few days the weather has changed drastically.  Instead of Hot dry weather, we now have very muggy, hot in the day and very cool at night weather. From the times when we were running in the morning through the shambas  (planting spaces/small farms) and being covered with dust, we are now covered with mud and have to be extraordinarily careful about where we step or even if we go in the shambas at all.  One missed step and you are down.  The mud is unforgiving.  On the other hand, it does help you grow tall and for me that is always a sort of fun thing. 

Shoes after kicking off excess mud

Happy little girl and mud!

Despite the terrific mud, the fields are full of people calling out “Shikamoo Mama” and “Mazoezi nzuri” (I kiss your feet (literally) Mama, and Exercise Good!) I call back, “Marahaba Dada au Kaka” (Don’t bother {to kiss my feet} sister or brother) and “ Asante sana, mimi ni mzee sana” (thanks very much I am very old)  We carry on happy conversations from there and by the time I get back covered in mud to the compound gate I have a whole group of new friends. 

The rains have brought little shoots of corn up, and have also brought down trees and power lines.  The rains have created terrific potholes in the shoddy tarmac roads where corners are cut and corruption is evident in the terrible materials used to pave our roads. 

The rains brought a little frog into the toilet. Heart attack!

Only one example of power lines and trees and branches down

Cute little corn among the dirt

Rain catchers in the road!

Pretty Road to KCMC becomes an obstacle course with potholes everywhere

John and I celebrated our 21^st anniversary, and I tried to teach our waitress how to push down the button on the camera. We had a fabulous lunch in Sanya Juu with our friends the Mlays who coincidently are involved with the Duke Divinity School. (Chrissy eat your heart out with the plantains!).

Wilfred and John in Sanya Juu

At the table with Faith and Wilfred in Sanya Juu

Pretty curios

Anniversary dinner and me focusing on teaching the waitress to push the button DOWN!

Wilfred and delicious plantains

We celebrated Palm Sunday and I played my second alto recorder solo in a row.  Obviously not complicated music but just the same, alone!  And, this afternoon I walked under the avocado tree and reveled in the bounty.  

Avocados loading down the tree

Sadly, we won’t be here when they start to fall, but hopefully all the A-5 residents (Chrissy?) through the rest of the spring and summer will eat to their hearts content with everything.

The week will be busy with Easter coming up on Sunday, and only 3 more days in Moshi after that.  Hard to think about….