SNAP THAT

I've been waiting for more information to be able to give you an update on little Kigen's medical mercy mission in Eldoret, Kenya. The surgery we had been told would go ahead two weeks ago or so, did not go ahead after all.  Due to Kigen's fragile skin condition he has been under the watchful observation of a skin specialist and plastic surgeon.  This doctor must give the go ahead before any surgery is done.  In Kenya it is difficult when you are the patient or the family/friends of the patient, to be given details of your treatment. You must simply be patient and wait. My friend Jonah has been helping Kigen's family get medical attention at the Moi hospital.  He says that what the doctors have been doing so far is cleaning the boys, and that little Kigen and his brother are very clean.  I don't really know if he means that the boys have been cleaned physically or internally with medicines, like antibiotics. I suspect it is a little of both.  I know that

I want to welcome and thank my latest follower, Danielle Arruda. Unfortunately I don't see your blog so I'm sorry I cannot follow you back. I hope you enjoy your visits here and that you leave a comment or two! I love this time of year when the Spring blossoms come out, especially apple, cherry and plum blossoms. Last year it rained a lot during the tree blossom season and there was never really a clear day to enjoy them. I'm hoping this year will be different though so far we've had a lot of overcast and rainy days. Blossoms are fleeting so I took a few shots to commemorate the year. I hope to get more soon.  If I'm fortunate I can get some on a sunny day too.  Thank you for joining me for My World Tueday. Please join others from around the world here so you can see what they are up to this Tuesday.

The weekend is over. I did a lot of sleeping and napping. For some reason I felt quite tired. It was probably a combination of things: raining weather again, a full few days of cleaning the previous week, chronic illnesses. Some old pains in my stomach resurfaced after a long period of dormancy and when that happens I can only sleep it off. Nonetheless I am so grateful that I made a good start at Spring cleaning and today I am more mobile again. Today I made some hamburger soup with macaroni and vegetables in a tomato base.   This is my go to "comfort soup". The soup tastes extra good in my blue bowl on Blue Monday ;-) I also made some easy oatmeal bread to go with it and I thought I would share the recipe. I have shared a recipe for oatmeal bread before but that one was for making in a bread machine. If you like, you can read it here . Today the bread I made required me to knead and let it rise, in the old fashioned way. I've finished kneading the

We've had a few days of sunshine in my city which has given me an impetus to do some spring cleaning.  It was also a few days of relaxing, cooking a bit and reading. I read several chapters of my new to me book, "The Orchid Thief".  I wouldn't say that this is the best book I've ever read, but I must say I am enjoying it a lot.  I didn't realize there were so many varieties of orchids.  I also didn't know that there have been orchid collectors and hunters for hundreds and hundreds of years.  What is sad is that early hunters plundered the orchids in many countries around the world to satisfy the orchid fever of a few collectors in far away places.  Many of the orchids did not survive the shipping conditions enroute to their new homes in faraway lands. I  purchased this book at the YWCA Thrift Store for $1.00. I managed to make a good start on cleaning different parts of the apartment. The dining area in particular was cleaned and dusted and the di

"Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world." -- GEORGE BERNARD SHAW Click on the badge above and be transported to a magical place where you will get to see the most wonderful skies from around the globe.

I would like to say a huge "welcome" to my two newest followers,  Nik and Raine.  Thank you so much for your vote of confidence.  I hope you'll both feel free to leave some comments and  visit again soon ;-) I've been busy with this and that this week and haven't really had time to prepare an original blog post. Instead, I thought I would share an incredible performance by Jacob Lusk on American Idol, Wednesday night. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Glorious sunshine graced part of my day. As I walked home from church, I took these photos of beautiful spring flowers to share with you. THE CROCUS Harriet Beecher Stowe Beneath the sunny autumn sky, With gold leaves dropping round, We sought, my little friend and I, The consecrated ground, Where, calm beneath the holy cross, O'ershadowed by sweet skies, Sleeps tranquilly that youthful form, Those blue unclouded eyes. Around the soft, green swelling mound We scooped the earth away, And buried deep the crocus-bulbs Against a coming day. "These roots are dry, and brown, and sere; Why plant them here?" he said, "To leave them, all the winter long, So desolate and dead." "Dear child, within each sere dead form There sleeps a living flower, And angel-like it shall arise In spring's returning hour." Ah, deeper down cold, dark, and chill We buried our heart's flower, But angel-like shall he arise In spring's immortal hour. In b

I want to say a big "welcome" and thank you to my newest follower, Katie over at the blog, Gates Place. This post is part of my short series on how I personally save money so that I can give to causes I support and also help myself get out of debt. If you are interested in other the other articles in the series you may read here and here . I make my own laundry detergent and use vinegar and baking soda for household cleaning. Check out these uses for vinegar and baking soda here and a recipe for  making laundry detergent here . A new tip I've learned from Ilona at Life After Money ~ use bubble bath to clean the toilet.  This is a great tip for using bubble bath someone gives you as a gift when you don't know what else to do with it. I reuse plastic bags and various store containers where possible. The best repurposing I've seen for plastics came from a quilter who uses plastic take away food containers as storage for notions and fabric. Awesom

It has been fun showing you around the national park located in Nakuru, Kenya. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have. It has been great reliving the memories of my safari there.  Today will be my last post on the trip to this wonderful park. If you've missed out on the rest of the safari, please be sure to check out the links at the bottom of this post. In the late 1970s and 1980s poachers decimated Kenya's rhinos, of which there are only two species in the country, white and black rhinos. Before the rampant poaching Kenya had an estimated 20,000 black rhinos in 1973. Today, black rhinos number only 610, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service.  The David Sheldrick Trust was instrumental for the conservation projects related to preservation of the rhino in Kenya. You can read  much more about their wonderful efforts here .  The link will take you to the efforts to save the black rhino. White rhinos are even more endangered in Kenya with only 240 in