Here we are, at the end of 2024.  The last couple months of this year have been day by day living with little bursts of events and quick trips to liven things up a bit.  I did three there and back again trips to deliver baskets as weavers finished sections of their October orders. First was the beginning of November to Maralal to send  two boxes to Nairobi via Wells Fargo (a courier business). 

  Then The beginning of December I did a quick trip all the way to Nairobi to send off the orders for customers in USA and Sweden.  The last trip was just before Christmas to Maralal to send off the last batch of baskets from this year’s orders.  Felt good to have them all done and off to the customers before the end of the year.  2025 will start a new marketing push to get more orders.  In the meantime, the weavers got some payment just in time for the holiday season. 

The most exciting thing that happened on those trips was during the last Maralal trip.  I was taking my Maralal dog Wilfred for a ride in the car around town the second evening I was there and on the way from the post office, I saw a baby heron in the road being chased by street kids and almost being run over by cars!!  Poor thing.  It had fallen out of the tall trees in which these black headed herons nest and it was limping a bit from hurting its leg.  It couldn’t fly and was trying to hide in the ditch and under parked cars.  I called the street boys to catch it and bring it to me.  The little heron crouched down in my lap and just stayed there as I drove home.  

I kept it in my bathtub nursing it back to health, trying to feed it and looking for a conservation rehab facility to get it to.  I was in in Maralal for only a couple days and it was very impractical for me to take it back to the village.  All went so well.  By day three it had recovered enough to stand and eat by itself.  Some conservation people from Mugie Ranch, about 50 km away, came Saturday morning to pick it up to care for it.  I’m so happy I was able to save that beautiful life.   

The biggest life news is the birth of 4 beautiful kittens on 24^th November 2024.  The sweetest little bundles of fur.  Turned 5 weeks old today. 

Caeser dog is so good with them.  Moonshadow doesn’t mind him playing with her children.  I think she likes it when Uncle Caeser is kitten sitting. Haha.  Almost literally sitting on the kittens sometimes.  He is so big and the kittens so little.  Amazing how gentle he is. 

Now the year 2024 is over and we will bring in the new year in just 2 days from now.  I have lots of hopes, dreams and ideas for 2025.  Water projects.  Interns.  Camp development.  Writing.  Visits.  Trips.  Starting new activities both in my personal life and with the community.  I will try for routine and flow in all I do and hope to accomplish.  For now, wishing you all rest and renewal in this holiday season and a joyous New Year!!  May 2025 bring you all as much joy as my dog Wilfred gets riding around in the car.  May beauty find you wherever you are.  Peace to you all!!