11/6/2002:
saw the hilal today. just before sunset. clear sky. i smiled and was happy to see it. Daouda and Mommy Petel, too. we agreed that it must be a couple days old. الله أعلم. no matter. still beautiful.
Showing posts with label big moon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label big moon. Show all posts
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Sunday, February 22, 2009
mangoes in the moonlight
one last thought, 5/3/2002:
walking back home last night, i looked up and saw mangoes in the moonlight. can't help but think of jewels when i see that sight. pendant pearls in that soft, cool glow is what they look like.
i think how beautiful, how enchanting, how magical... and on a night when the moon is full, its glow bright and places surreal... like walking through one of Picasso's blues... seeing mangoes in the moonlight i think of paradise.
...and that keeps me here.
Friday, February 6, 2009
magic moon
4/1/2002:
been almost a week since i’ve written... i’m in Wum now. Limbe and Douala were nice. my trip was too long. that week i spent in Yaounde made it so. i took the overnight – a full moon night – back to Bamenda.
the past couple of full moon nights (almost full, i suppose) were magical. especially on the ride up to Wum. winding our way up and out of menchum valley... with the moon glowing as it rose from behind the hills in the distance.
been almost a week since i’ve written... i’m in Wum now. Limbe and Douala were nice. my trip was too long. that week i spent in Yaounde made it so. i took the overnight – a full moon night – back to Bamenda.
the past couple of full moon nights (almost full, i suppose) were magical. especially on the ride up to Wum. winding our way up and out of menchum valley... with the moon glowing as it rose from behind the hills in the distance.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
beautiful morning
1/30/2002:
...was a big moon over africa last night, as well. big and beautiful. but neither drove me to write home or write in here. i'm still in a bit of a letter-writing funk. been writing in here regularly, though.
it's Wed morning. Maggie and i rode out to Lake Wum. was a little worried about getting their late... for the sunrise and for some quiet time before people arrived. didn't miss either in the end. sun rose over the ridge around the Lake soon after we arrived. no one else was there. guess people don't go on weekdays.
beautiful morning. beautiful lake. good conversation with my new post-mate. about Cameroon. about home. heard the children singing the national anthem [MP3 audio] across the fields from the school there. that was nice.
anywho... spoke to the PTA president and HM of the Nursery School this morning. about how to approach painting the doors there. seems we'll have to discuss the matter at the next PTA meeting to find out for sure.
that's sometime next week. in the meantime, i'm going to do a little research and/or some campaigning to see if the parents will agreee to paint the doors themselves. even the SDO. we'll see what happens from there... if/when we get there, that is.
...was a big moon over africa last night, as well. big and beautiful. but neither drove me to write home or write in here. i'm still in a bit of a letter-writing funk. been writing in here regularly, though.
it's Wed morning. Maggie and i rode out to Lake Wum. was a little worried about getting their late... for the sunrise and for some quiet time before people arrived. didn't miss either in the end. sun rose over the ridge around the Lake soon after we arrived. no one else was there. guess people don't go on weekdays.
beautiful morning. beautiful lake. good conversation with my new post-mate. about Cameroon. about home. heard the children singing the national anthem [MP3 audio] across the fields from the school there. that was nice.
anywho... spoke to the PTA president and HM of the Nursery School this morning. about how to approach painting the doors there. seems we'll have to discuss the matter at the next PTA meeting to find out for sure.
that's sometime next week. in the meantime, i'm going to do a little research and/or some campaigning to see if the parents will agreee to paint the doors themselves. even the SDO. we'll see what happens from there... if/when we get there, that is.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
December 1st
December 1, 2001: World AIDS Day
...haven’t done much in the way of HIV/AIDS work/education here yet. some thinking on the topic only. here’s to getting something/anything achieved by this date next year, insha’Allah.
this morning i had suhur [pre-dawn meal] out at Sufyan’s chop-house. bean omelet, bread and tea. moon was so full. so bright. so prominent in a clear sky. didn’t set until much past 6am. prayed fajr at the masjid. would like to keep that up.
i took several photos of the moon and the grassy meadow below the hospital. it’s in full bloom. experimented/fooled around with the camera (flash/no-flash), so i hope some of the shots come out all right. oh... the furniture is slowly arriving.
...haven’t done much in the way of HIV/AIDS work/education here yet. some thinking on the topic only. here’s to getting something/anything achieved by this date next year, insha’Allah.
this morning i had suhur [pre-dawn meal] out at Sufyan’s chop-house. bean omelet, bread and tea. moon was so full. so bright. so prominent in a clear sky. didn’t set until much past 6am. prayed fajr at the masjid. would like to keep that up.
i took several photos of the moon and the grassy meadow below the hospital. it’s in full bloom. experimented/fooled around with the camera (flash/no-flash), so i hope some of the shots come out all right. oh... the furniture is slowly arriving.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
another big moon
11/2/2001:
another big moon over Africa tonight. saw it last night and this morning. the evenings are cool and comfortable. wish i could/would spend more time out there. stepped out for just a moment to admire the badr [full moon, in Arabic]. Jarvis and Karin [my neighbor's children] were outside doing school-work on my porch under the “security light.” kinda cute.
anywho... the moon reminded me of Ramadan. in about 2 weeks time it’ll be upon us... grace us with its presence. i said a little prayer out there. i’ve been praying for comfort and serenity [tama'neenah wa raaha] in my heart here in my new home/community. also prayed to see both the beginning and end of the blessed month. and, of course, to see my family “soon”... safe/sound, richer in knowledge, wisdom and faith ['ilm wa hikma wa iman].
Ameen.
another big moon over Africa tonight. saw it last night and this morning. the evenings are cool and comfortable. wish i could/would spend more time out there. stepped out for just a moment to admire the badr [full moon, in Arabic]. Jarvis and Karin [my neighbor's children] were outside doing school-work on my porch under the “security light.” kinda cute.
anywho... the moon reminded me of Ramadan. in about 2 weeks time it’ll be upon us... grace us with its presence. i said a little prayer out there. i’ve been praying for comfort and serenity [tama'neenah wa raaha] in my heart here in my new home/community. also prayed to see both the beginning and end of the blessed month. and, of course, to see my family “soon”... safe/sound, richer in knowledge, wisdom and faith ['ilm wa hikma wa iman].
Ameen.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
big moon over africa
6/6/2001:
lying in bed in room 202 at the Hotel Mfandena in Yaounde. moon’s about full out. beautiful night. gawked the entire drive over from the airport. at the people, places and plants. bananas, mangoes, and corn to name a few.
the flights from NY to Paris and Paris to Douala/Yaounde were exhausting. threw my sense of time and sleep off. my neck and back... feet, too... ache. not really ever that anxious or excited, however. still taking it all in stride. can’t wait to be sitting outside a simply furnished little house in my village reading or talking to a neighbor... to a slow pace of life.
PC folks picked us up at the airport... about ½ dozen cars/buses/trucks. some cameroonians and some americans. ate dinner at a restaurant adjacent to the PC office here in yaounde. i’ve already made 2 connections b/w PC people here and folks back home. i’ve seen both back in the DC area. small world. OK... i’m going to try and rest. it’s ~10:45pm. tomorrow starts at 7am.
lying in bed in room 202 at the Hotel Mfandena in Yaounde. moon’s about full out. beautiful night. gawked the entire drive over from the airport. at the people, places and plants. bananas, mangoes, and corn to name a few.
the flights from NY to Paris and Paris to Douala/Yaounde were exhausting. threw my sense of time and sleep off. my neck and back... feet, too... ache. not really ever that anxious or excited, however. still taking it all in stride. can’t wait to be sitting outside a simply furnished little house in my village reading or talking to a neighbor... to a slow pace of life.
PC folks picked us up at the airport... about ½ dozen cars/buses/trucks. some cameroonians and some americans. ate dinner at a restaurant adjacent to the PC office here in yaounde. i’ve already made 2 connections b/w PC people here and folks back home. i’ve seen both back in the DC area. small world. OK... i’m going to try and rest. it’s ~10:45pm. tomorrow starts at 7am.
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