Jul 11 2008
Gooseberries!!!!!
Claire: St. Eugene’s Hostel is very nice. But one awesome thing about it is that it grows these very yummy berries called gooseberries (sadly though, they don’t look a thing like geese). Yesterday, a giggle-pot nun named Sister Maria allowed me to try a gooseberry. The gooseberries are covered with a leaf-like skin (something like the outside of a flower bud), which you peel off. The berry itself is orange, round, and smooth. They are veeeery sweet (they’re like candy)! They’re almost too sweet for my mom (I think she’s crazy)! But I love them! St. Eugene’s is awesome (so says the gooseberry addict)! Extra note: the sisters here make gooseberry jam!
Lyanda: So, where else would it seem perfectly fine to be walking a secluded path in the woods or through fields, and see a man we don’t know walk up to my daughter carrying a giant machete? Happens all the time here, and we just wave and say “Habari.” The other day, we passed a man jogging barefoot down the hill with an entire palm tree on his shoulder. Travel is good for us, yes? Love to all. xo, L
Goose berries sound soooooooo good!We miss you.
I continue to be stunned and amazed! Between your triad of descriptions and pictures of exotica with your beaming selves (almost inconceivably) among them, this patch of the “dark continent” is being illuminated for me as never before! So now inquiring minds want to know: what do you hear? What are the sounds of village life? What does a forest sound like as compared to a field? How does day sound different from night? Did the lion roar, and if so, what did that do to your insides? And songs! Is there singing? Claire, the next time I see you, maybe you can teach me a song…(hint, hint)
with much love,
Chris
Dear Claire,
Oh, my. First it’s news about gnus. Then you send us li-nes about lions. Now it’s gooseberries. Don’t you know that we have gooseberries right here in the Northwest? You can get gooseflesh, too, just by standing in the breeze after a swim. And we have real live goose mamas and goose papas and goose chillun right here in our creek. And goose poop on the rocks.
Of course YOUR gooseberries are hand delivered by the giggling sisters of St. Eugene! Well, if you think about it, similar arrangements could be made on Oak Way.
Hope we can prove that soon!
Love, OPA
Hello! “John” is a very beautiful chameleon. Claire, thank you so much for the post card! I got it a few days ago. It was so nice to read about your adventures. We are having a lovely summer waaaaaaay over here in the ol’ Pacific Northwest. Back “home”, which must seem so very far away to you all right now. You are obviously fully immersed in your experiences. Love you and see you at the end of the month!
Hi Claire!!! I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelly miss you . How are the Harry Poter books ?
Love ,
Helen k