Cornishmaninafrica

The borehole team just sprang a surprise on us. They chose Easter Day of all days to come and drill the borehole, right in the middle of a party I was hosting at my place for my employees and their families and neighbours and hangers-on (about 60 people). Not easy to manage both at once, but at least the job is now done, and done before the rainy season which would have stopped all progress for an entire year.

So the village of Lama-Gnikpeyo now has a hole 55 metres deep, out of which (I am told) water gushed forth! The next step is to place the pump and build the concrete area around it. The village women are already beside themselves with joy.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Half of a Yellow Sun

Georgina Howell: Daughter of the Desert – the remarkable life of Gertrude Bell

Birds of prey are notoriously difficult to distinguish from each other. But around here, black kites are easy to spot, because they’re the only ones with bright yellow bills.

Fifteen jet-black Piacpiacs rummaging on the ground outside the kitchen. As I got closer, they flew up and sat in a row on the branch of the palm tree to observe me from a safe distance.

Tough being a plain old Garden Warbler. The book unkindly writes them off with a dismissive “lack of any distinctive features”.

Three Cattle Egrets swooping low in graceful white slow motion over the terraced rockscape.

Saw two Abyssinian Rollers this month. One of the most striking birds around here. Bright blue, with a very looooooooooooong tail that tapers off into a graceful fork.