“In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration.”
The morning is cloudy and humid. I noticed the darkest cloud just sort of hanging in the sky off in the distance when I went to get the paper, but the weather report claims sun and 77°. I hope so as I have a uke concert on the beach. I’ve ever pulled out my Hawaiian shirt. We’re playing Beach Boy songs.
Okay, it is now raining. That dark cloud has had its way, but I’m still expecting that sun!
When I was young, my world was amazing. Every day was a new adventure. Walking to school was the same route, but it was never the same. In the fall I collected red leaves and carefully stowed them away in a book in my school bag. In the winter we walked in the snow and sometimes threw snowballs at each other as we ran. The best time, though, was spring. I got to see the gardens come alive, and I saw the first shoots poke their heads above ground then I watched them get taller. I saw the buds then I saw the first flowers, a riot of color from garden to garden.
I check YouTube for films of Ghana, especially of Bolga. I recognize some of the buildings and the route through town. I see the market, the huge market compared to my day, and remember how much I enjoyed shopping on market day. Every third day, I went to town. I carried my shepherd’s bag which stretched to hold all of my purchases: the green oranges, the onions, tomatoes, eggs, meat, maybe garden eggs, and whatever surprises I’d find, like that watermelon.
I remember my first view of Ghana on the ride from the airport to our training site. I saw kiosks side by side a bit back from the roadside, women in bright cloths walking in front of the kiosks and men in white robes sitting under trees. The ride was just a glimpse of Ghana but enough to keep me glued to the window until I fell asleep. It was a long ride.
I was filled with the wonder of Africa on that first ride, and that wonder stayed with me the whole two years. I still think myself marvelously blessed for having lived in Ghana, for having had the adventure of a lifetime.
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August 5, 2023 at 2:03 pm
Hi Kat,
You can guess what today’s weather will be. If you guess hot you will be correct. About 106° high temperature.
Your memories of Ghana takes each of us along with you back to the Peace Corps and Ghana. I thank you for the memory journey.
Living in Dallas as a kid we didn’t have the same distinct seasons as you did. Summer went until mid September when the temperature became pleasant. The leaves here didn’t start to turn until November. During the winter we saw very little snow or ice, just cold dreary days. Spring brought the needed rain to make it through the long hot summer. In over sixty years it hasn’t changed much. Unfortunately, the summers are hotter and the winters can have arctic outbreaks that can rival anything up north. We call them Alberta clippers. When Canada visits Texas. 🙂
August 5, 2023 at 11:23 pm
Hi Bob,
Yikes, I was complaining because it was 81° and humid. Luckily, at the beach, we were under a top only tent, and there was a breeze.
I never tire of remembering Ghana. When I was there, I took in all the sights, sounds and smells so I’d remember. When I close my eyes, I can still see it all.
I love having the four seasons. My favorite here on the cape is fall. The weather is warm and lovely The leaves are late to change in comparison to the rest of the state. Some years it even stays warm until November. Spring comes later here. North of us, off Cape, has leaves when we haven’t yet gotten buds. We get less snow than north of us and cooler temperatures. This is an ideal spot.