New Year's Day Hike

We met this little boy at the first of our hike.  He is carrying his breakfast.  The sticks in the background are used in construction to provide support for cement floors while the cement hardens.  They also build scaffolding with them

We found some beautiful gardens growing in the valley close to a small creek.  The creek will run until March so the people are growing all they can until then.

If you look closely, you will see the bananas growing on this tree.  Many of the banana trees look as "messy" as this one.  The old leaves are allowed to drop around the base to compost and provide nourishment to the tree.

There are many unusual fruits that grow in Africa.

This woman waters all of her gardens with these two watering cans.

 

This is St. Andrews Church in an area of Freetown called Gloucester. 

 

The front entrance to St. Andrews church (and a good companion)

Taking a moment to relax and enjoy the scenery.

A home dating back to the colonial period.  This house had wood siding.  The newer African construction is all done with cement blocks.

Children pause for a "snap."  They always want to see what it looks like after you take it.

We found the children playing near this slide, the only piece of playground equipment at St. Andrews School across from the church.

This is newer African construction.  They are quite skilled at building with concrete.  They love their brightly colored homes.

A beautiful cabbage patch growing alongside equally beautiful lettuce.  We are grateful for gardens such as these that provide the produce we enjoy her in Sierra Leone.

A big thank you to our good friends, the Lauritzens, who took us on our New Year's Day hike.