Zebra Zoomies
We walked through a park
where the animals were
used to people.
A dazzle of zebras ran
toward us.
When we were about to get
nervous,
they stopped a few yards
away.
Except the little ones
zipped
around the adult zebras in
circles.
Zebra zoomies.
Feeding Baby Elephants
At the elephant orphanage
the greedy baby elephants
ran out,
eager to devour the big
bottles of milk.
Some of them trumpeted
their displeasure
when their bottle was
empty.
A bystander asked what
kind of milk they drank.
The keeper said, “They had
to design a formula,
to be as close to elephant
mama’s milk as possible,
because, it’s hard to milk
an elephant.”
I wonder if someone
actually tried.
I didn’t think of the risk
when I put my water bottle
in the tub
with my passport and
vaccination record.
Risky Business
Hippos are dangerous,
more so than sharks,
or any other animal,
besides the mosquito.
Forty people attacked,
fourteen died
in Lake Naivasha
in one year,
mostly fishermen.
I pictured them out
in their little motor boats,
like the ones we were in,
which made me nervous.
Hippos can stay underwater
for a long time, often
sleeping.
They can sneak up on a
boat,
knock it over and drown
their victim.
When I saw the way
the fisherman actually fished,
I understood why it was so
risky.
They had no boats.
They waded out waist deep
and spread out their nets
right along the banks
in the hippos’ territory.
When we cruised the lake,
we came upon a large hippo
resting on the bank.
Our driver kept his
distance.
But from that angle we
could see
what a kayaker couldn’t
see.
He was headed for the spot
closest to the hippo.
Angrily, the huge hippo
stood,
snorted and charged toward
the kayak.
Just a warning, though. He
stopped
letting the kayaker zip
by.
Our guide watching, said,
“Hippos don’t like it
when you invade their
territory.”
Yah, you think?
Risk
Traveling involves some
risk
with flights, disease,
wild animals, mosquitoes.
Relying on an unfamiliar
driver.
Zipping through heavy
traffic.
Eating and drinking
foreign foods.
But staying home also is a
risk –
all the things to learn
and experience,
not learned or
experienced.
Nanyuki
Visited Nanyuki, Kenya
today.
A common sight there as well
as in Nairobi:
rows of makeshift stands
lining the streets
made of sticks with corrugated
metal panels,
tattered beach umbrellas
or worn tarps for rooves
where they sell their fruits,
veggies, crafts,
second-hand items, just
about anything.
We even passed stands
selling coffins
and some of them were
pink.
What’s remarkable to me is
that most people
dress the same way we do in
casual clothes
jeans, tees, or dresses, even
in
the slums and poorer
neighborhoods,
clean though handwashed,
few own washing machines,
poor but maintaining self-respect.
Kenyan Grade School
Visited a school in Nanyuki,
Kenya
where they made their own
yarn
and weavings to support
themselves.
Lovely panels of woven
wool
dyed from various plants
and bugs
with beautiful African
designs.
The kids sang for us,
hugged us and loved
touching our hair
which they found so
different
from their own.
Couldn’t fit anything in
my suitcase
but I got their card.
I would love to support
this good work.
Tour Group Panel
If we formed a panel of
our tour group
and asked what our
favorite part was
we’d be hard pressed to decide
seeing elephants, lions, gazelles,
wart hogs, hyenas, zebras,
giraffes,
elands, cape buffalo,
impalas, etc,
plus visiting a school, hugging
the kids,
watching a bead-making
demonstration,
dancing with the workers,
making our own bead
necklaces,
petting a tame rhinoceros,
feeding a giraffe, with
still more to come.
Thoughtful Turned Thoughtless
Why does the staff
put coffee in our tents
when they know critters
like to get into it?
After two tents got raided
by some stinky critters,
be they baboons or
hyraxes,
we’re all returning our coffee.
Hot Water
At breakfast, I ordered
tea.
I was drinking mine
and a lady poured my tea
into her cup.
I must have looked
startled
or offended or something.
She asked me if it was tea
for the whole table.
I told her I had ordered
it.
Turns out, it really was for
the whole table.
I regretted not being more
gracious.
Why couldn’t I just offer
her
what I thought was my tea?
I could always get more
hot water.
A Workshop Plus
Today, on our Kenya tour
we made necklaces.
A tall, well-dressed lady
with broad facial features
and beautiful deep, black
skin
told us about her school
and how the ladies
kept it going by making beads
out of paper from
calendars,
Atlas covers, and
whatever.
It’s called quilling.
We strung an assortment of
lovely beads
into a pattern on fishing
line.
A young assistant came
around
and helped us attach the
clasp.
As a final touch, she
helped us
put on our necklaces,
a warm and thoughtful gesture.
The necklace is a keeper.
Baboon Story
This morning, the tour
guide related a story
of baboons breaking into a
tent
getting into coffee
and scattering it about.
She called it, “Being babooned.”
We laughed at that.
This evening it happened
to a person in our tour
group.
We’re not laughing now.
Same Old Story
Where did I put my cell
phone?
Or name tag
Or camera
Or binoculars
Or glasses
Or wallet
Or on and on it goes.
While traveling
we’re always losing
something,
Making us crazy.
It’s all okay as long as
we eventually
find our way back home.
The Bamboozled Story
The twelve of us
went into a Kenyan souvenir
shop
where you barter for a
price.
The huge building was
filled
with beautiful work.
Some left feeling like
they got a good deal,
and some of us felt
somewhat bamboozled.
But how do you judge the
value of art?
What’s Up with the Bushbaby?
The giraffe, the monkey,
the elephant,
the warthog, the zebra,
the wildebeest,
all thought Bushbaby was
shy
when they wanted him to come
out and play.
Turns out Bushbaby
liked to play and do fun
things,
but was nocturnal.
He thanked the owl
for “seeing him deep in
the night,
when nobody else could.”
Yes, as an introvert,
I appreciate that kind of people,
too.
Based on Don’t Be Shy
Bushbaby by Avril van der Merwe
Christmas Ornament Souvenir
Mary and Joseph,
handmade of woven jute,
kneel down
holding baby Jesus,
their featureless faces formed
of knots of brown string,
Mary wears a dull white robe
and Joseph’s garment,
appears a little more decorative
in a woven pattern of rust,
browns and golds.
Joseph’s long jute arm hugs
Mary
while his other hand holds
a wire shepherd’s staff.
A white wire star stands
above them.
They’re mounted on a round
piece of wood.
I liked this creative Christmas
ornament
in an artist’s shop in
Kenya,
but the more I look at it
the more I like it.
Most representations of
them
don’t show them kneeling like
this does.
This piece will not only
remind me
of my trip to Kenya
but also of a precious
couple
and their even more precious
Son.
Multi-colored Beads
Visited a bead factory in
Kenya.
Heard about how the women form
beads from clay
fire them in a kiln three
times in different stages,
and hand paint each one.
Learned how they take
pride in earning
a living for their families
by making something
beautiful.
Listened to them sing out
in hearty, skilled voices
and watched them dance
with enthusiasm
as a special greeting for
their visitors.
Held back the tears at the
loveliness
and danced along with them.
The Rothschild giraffe
Snatches a pellet from my fingers
With its long gray tongue
How to Take a Great Selfie
Hold up camera in one hand.
With the other, hold a food
pellet
between finger and thumb.
Let Rothschild giraffe
put its huge head over
your shoulder
and snatch the pellet with
its long gray tongue.
Snap the selfie.
If that fails, have the
tour guide take it.
Rothschild Giraffes of
Kenya
Beautiful Rothschild Giraffes
deserve their rock-star
status
at the Giraffe Centre.
Brown and cream patched coat,
white socks
and very long gray tongue.
They develop a rhythm
of scooping up food pellets
with their tongue
from one tourist to the
next and back.
Hold a pellet up for a
selfie
as it places its giant
head
over your shoulder to snatch
a snack.
Snacks don’t spoil their
meals, though.
They eat 145 pounds of
acacia leaves a day
to keep their very tall
bodies going.
Beautiful, beautiful
animals.
The
future
Filled with
surprises
Maybe not
It will come
Yes, here,
there or in the air
What will
future hold?
First Day in Nairobi
Streets and underpasses,
(with few traffic lights)
filled with people selling
odds
an ends flowers, fruit,
veggies,
toys, pictures, just about
anything,
mini cars and motorcycles
zipping by,
tall trellises replacing
foliage loss
from highways and bridges.
At our hotel, taking a nap
after a thirteen-hour
flight,
letting family know we
made it,
meeting people from our
tour group,
eating a delicious dinner,
figuring out the voltage
converter and adaptors.
I don’t have to be a prophet
to know
that these nine days will
go by fast.
In the Near Future
In the near future (do not
laugh)
I may be kissing a giraffe
Or, at least, I may cuddle
one
There’s many ways of having
fun
In the near future, here’s
the plan
See a museum, if we can
Out of Africa’s Karen
Blixen
There’s many ways of
having fun
In the near future, here’s
the plan
We’ll buy some art that’s
African
Or taste a sweet African
bun
There’s many ways of having
fun
Writing a Scary Poem
It’s hard to write a scary
poem
while I’m trying not to
think of scary things.
I have to convince myself
my safari guides
don’t want me to be
gored by a rhino,
mauled by lions
or snapped in half by a
hippo
any more than I want to
be.
And I remind myself
that God is with me
wherever I go whether
Colorado, Arizona, Nebraska,
New York or Kenya.
Getting Older
My sister and I saying,
“What?” due to hearing
loss,
“I’ve forgotten”
due to faulty short-term
memory
and exclamations of
“How stupid can I be?”
due to making mistakes
just about anyone could
make
are about as scary
as anything we’ll meet
in an African country.
Struggles Not to Mention in
Polite Company
Made it to New York City,
Then ate chicken parmesan.
Filled the cracks in with
dessert.
Barely made it to the john.
“Emergency!” I hollered.
Had to make it to the
throne.
But my sis and travel mate
had some problems of her
own.
So, we do have our conflicts,
my dear sister and friend.
Like the case of one
bathroom,
things do work out in the
end!
Down and Up
I coaxed my suitcase
down my sister’s stairs easily
standing in front of it
and letting it slide down
with a bump, bump, bump.
But at 40 pounds
going upstairs
at 6 AM
was a struggle.
Standing below it
lifting up with
bumps and ummphs.
But now it’s turned over
to the airlines
and for about five hours,
it’s their problem.
Hope to see it again
in New York.
Traveling Eve Struggles
A whole day
to get ready
in Lincoln for our flight.
That’s plenty of time
to tie up loose ends,
I thought.
I had to make a few calls,
repack my bag
and help my sister
take her husband
to respite care.
We didn’t expect
her and her husband
being up all night
and him not taking his
bath
till morning.
Or the plumber coming
so I couldn’t repack
my stuff in the basement.
Or my having to take a
COVID test
because my vaccine
was less than two weeks
ago,
and it took about an hour
of phone calls
to find someone
that could do it that day.
Or my sister losing her
car keys.
Or her forgetting her
checkbook
and her driving across
town
to get it while I unpacked
for him.
Somehow, despite our
struggles,
I got my test
and settled her husband in
respite.
After a good Mexican meal
we went home and found the
keys
in one of her shoes.
And we had a good laugh.
I got packed up.
We played a couple of games.
She got to bed late.
But we made on time
to the Lincoln airport.
Words of the Cat in the Hat
Writing while traveling
A bit crazy but fun
Feeling like the Cat in
the Hat
“But that is not all I can
do.”
“That is what the cat said,
then he fell on his head.”
Hope my writings
don’t end up
like all that stuff
in The Cat in the Hat.
Stability of the Soul
A lot of things could go
wrong
On this challenge we’ve
taken
To go half way ‘round the world
My confidence has shaken
With Kenya pilots striking
And we’ve heard about the drought
But we are all systems go
It is too late to back out
But I’ve a secret weapon
That will keep me sane and
whole
Prayer to my precious
Savior
Stability of my soul
