A trip up - country

This is the way of life, I think, a lot of people think of when they imagine life in Africa. Wooden houses with dirt floors, cooking over fires, having to draw water from a river, and no indoor plumbing.....I almost forgot  to mention no electricity.  Yes, lots of people still live like that here in Kenya, but there is also the totally different life, of living in the city. Living in the city (Thika), is what I am used to, but I also love going up - country and doing things the "old fashioned" way.:-) (at least, to some it is.)

These pictures here are from our trip in December (.....way back in 2014:-) to Wanjiku's (she's our house help) mother's house. We probably go and visit her, like two or three times a year. I enjoyed walking up and down the hills, to get to her house, and (at least) trying to help get lunch ready. The only thing was they cook on open fires, in a little kitchen shed, and my allergies were driving me crazy, with all the smoke.......don't worry I didn't sneeze on the food.:-) We also fed the cows and goats, and I think we might have given them too much grass and banana leaves, but they didn't seem to mind too much:-) Oh, and I got to wash everyone's hands, Kenyan style.....you'll see what I mean in the picture":-)

Have fun looking at the pics from life up - country!....I love it!

By - Ashlyn Elaine (sorry, I haven't written in quite awhile:-)

on our way to her house

I like how green it is up here and all the shambas (gardens) everywhere

this is her living room

standing outside her front door, you can see her cow sheds

heading down the hill to the little river where they collect all their water

life would be so different if  I had to come down that hill
every day and collect water here

Winnie and I....she loves the fact that she can wrap her
arms all the way around me:-)

the cow and I were good friends as long as I had grass in my hands for it
to munch on.:-)

I think the cows got plenty to eat:-)

"Hey aren't you going to feed us too?"

Wanjiku's newest, little niece, Nancy.
It was soooo hot out (to me) but this baby's mama sure didn't thinks so
as Nancy had like three layers on then a blanket.:-)

I was watching and trying to help with the lunch preparations.:-)
A wooden shed is the normal up -country kitchen.....and everything cooked
with firewood or charcoal.

when ya got no sink you bring the sink to them:-)

I love Kenyan food!
Here is some steak, cabbage, and mukimo (mashed potatoes, beans,and corn).