Memories of Kenya -

"Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky" 

Kahlil Gibran

FRICA awaited. . . . . . . 

September 2016 - a safari in beautiful Kenya.

This time, five years ago, we were readying today for another trip to the African continent. 

Our first time to Kenya, and sadly our last most likely, it was another fantastic safari to remember.

The animals were unbelievable, however I was also struck by the trees. 

So few scattered across the plain, so little shade provided, but sometimes

 a home to birds who wove incredible colonies of hanging nests; whose trunk

 hid a sleek cheetah waiting to make that lightning speed run to grab its meal

 for the day; and a place for the leopard to climb and hang its prey across

 a branch out of the reach of other predators, then returning and climbing

 the tree for several days to eat.

This was one of several Maasai Mara 'desert date' trees (Balanites aegyptiaca) 

 I photographed. Here you get the true feeling of how few trees there are across

the vast Maasai Mara plain.

Today I'm looking out at our trees here in the cottage garden.

Still green and beautiful but soon to change color as autumn weather

arrives. Leaves will fall, carpet the garden in gold, orange, rust and red.

There will be few hiding places in the bare branches for the visiting hawk;

beloved garden birds will be more visible coming to the feeders; 

squirrels, unimpeded, will perform gymnastics, gather acorns, and

 fatten up for winter.

Maasai Mara - Kenya 2016

"Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a

 singing bird will come"

Chinese proverb