A Small Tour

This has to be a small tour, just the tiniest taste of what we see from day to day. There are not enough pictures to convey the whole--believe me, we have taken plenty.

This is our admin building, Kiambogo--the first building of Rift Valley Academy. Theodore Roosevelt laid its cornerstone. At one point Kiambogo was RVA's classrooms, dormitory and cafeteria.





Flowers...yes, I cannot say enough about the flowers. I am taking this shot under a poinsettia plant.








A few blossoms are low enough for me to take a close-up.








This is a impatiens BUSH. Yes, you read this correctly...a bush at least four foot high.










Around the corner there are lantana shrubs and the butterflies love them. I heard one long-timer airily dismiss the shrubs as weeds and I have seen them in the wild. I can only say I pay a pretty price for these weeds in nurseries back home.







This is an olive parrot--called so because he eats wild olives--not because he is olive green. He and his buddies roost in an tree by the gym until school begins.





This is a Passion flower (think Passion of Christ) and soon this vine will bear...








...Passion fruit. These will turn purple as they ripen.








Rain finally came and we finally came to see why they call RVA the school in the clouds.







Water lilies in the rain in the science pond.








Centenniel Chapel where Jim preaches from time to time and where we both speak for daily chapel services.








Hibiscus in the rain.








Ceramic bricks made by art students over the year. These are adjacent to sinks at the art building. RVA boasts a fine pottery studio with a resident Kenyan potter, Zed.






Rain over the football (soccer and rugby) field.








Kijabe--the neighboring village






This is downtown Kijabe. You can see Dorothy's--the largest duka or store.




























Creative fencing for the peek-a-boo sheep.








Kijabe's preschool.









Sisal plant








The clown of the bird world--mouse bird.




























He's dirty and he's proud--the hiker returns...














Donkey's are everywhere in Kenya. Jim photographed these on a hike that took him outside the gate and higher up the escarpment towards Old Kijabe Town. The town shifted closer to RVA when the railroad moved higher up.






Here's the train to Nairobi.







Back home--flying ants

Yes, it's true. The kids fry these up in cheap margarine and eat them. They swarm out of rain-soaked earth and hover over the ground. They move to light and then...





They lose their wings and crawl away to lay eggs and munch on wood.