Away from Home

I have been away from home for about 4 weeks, travelling with my husband who has to make a lot of these journeys.

It is nice for us to be together, and we have been able to see one of our daughters, and our son and his wife and two little boys. They live and work in geology and mining in Zambia, a beautiful country, with the nicest, most gentle people. They all seem to love children and my grandsons receive much care and affection.

I have been thinking of the many wonderful drawings I might do, and have made a few less wonderful attempts.

This is a sketch of one of the verandahs of the mine's own guest-house in Ndola. (The blow-up is TOO big if you double click on the image. My drawing was quite small and it does not magnify well. I still cannot quite sort this out!) My drawing makes it seem rather old and dilapidated, but it is newly built, and very smart! The climate is warm, with rainy summers, and plants grow wonderfully quickly and well in the beautiful gardens . Meals are served on the wide verandahs.A roller blind is down on the section to the left . I guess they are used when it is chilly.

The guest house is run by Cynnie, a genius with people and food.She has trained local people in the arts of hospitality. My second page of sketches is of Bridget, very tall and slim in her smart black and grey work outfit, with voluminous, snow white apron, and very large, workmanlike shoes.

This drawing is of a little indigenous tree in a patch of garden in the main lawn.
Zambia has stunning trees. One of the tragedies of the last couple of decades has been the loss of indigenous forest through the widespread activities of charcoal burners, who eke out a very small living. Power issues are among the greatest of Africa's current challenges (pun unintended)