Flowers, tea, and the end of month two

Once every couple of weeks, Rebecca and I stop for flowers on our walk home from work. Nairobi, while sometimes chaotic, smoggy, and clogged with traffic, is also chockablock full of bright greenery. These flowers were growing wild in the hills just outside of Nairobi and are typical of the city landscape.

A couple of weekends ago a couple of friends and I went to a tea farm in Tigoni, just outside of Nairobi. We heard from the owner of the farm, a lively 70 year-old woman whose grandfather moved to Kenya from Scotland and started the farm on 60 acres of rolling hills. Now reduced to 2 acres, the farm still produces tea. She spoke to us about growing tea, tea production, and maintenance of the fields. As a self-proclaimed lover of tea, I was thrilled to learn so much about the plant that has provided so much comfort and cosy, familiar times for me. We took a tour of the grounds (see the picture at left) and surrounding woods, after which we had a fabulous, multi-course buffet lunch. Did I consider jumping ship and starting up my own tea farm or WWOOFing on one? You betcha! I'll be tucking that idea away for my post-fellowship plans... 

I'm finding that post-grad life has given me a fair amount of downtime outside of work, which means that I'm slowing down and appreciating the smaller things in life. The picture at right shows some of the simplicity that I've been appreciating recently. At top is tea, as it grows on the bush and ready to be picked. At bottom left is a tree tomato, a deliciously tart fruit that is excellent by itself and with yogurt, cheese, or oatmeal (I haven't yet exhausted all possible pairings). At bottom right is the bouquet of flowers we picked up yesterday; the flowers are now sitting in various bottles and glasses around our dining and living room. Other silver linings of post-grad freedom? I've found a used guitar and am learning to play! I love live music and am enjoying the task of learning something totally new. I'm finding that sitting with a cup of coffee and practicing a few chords is a beautiful way to wake up.