The Garvi Family Chronicles
We were driving from one part of town the other day when we passed this beautiful dark rainy season sky, set above the millet stalks.
It’s been a wonderful rainy season so far and every farmer I have met is amazingly happy. Not too much rain at once and not too long absences either (which would cause the millet plants to dry out). And the best thing: it’s not over yet!
Hope you enjoyed too!
For other skies around the world, click here!
I can’t believe our princess Isolde is 2 years old today!
Isolde yar’Arwen, born September 1st 2008
Wasn’t it just yesterday that I came back from Sweden and found a delightful little filly in the garden of Isthar’s Ark? Isolde yar’Arwen was the first filly born in our care. Raising an equine from the very beginning has been such an experience and Isolde has taught us so much.
Today, Isolde is a stunning beauty, the perfect mix of her two 100% Nigerien Barb parents, Arwen and racing champion DanMaffia.
Although we’ve had a few trials along the way - including the summer when Ali didn’t care for the horses and Isolde lost so much weight - I can truly say on her second birthday that Isolde has grown into everything I envisaged when I mated Arwen nearly three years ago!
She has already passed her mother in height and weight, and I have a feeling she will grow more.
Her back part is very tall (taller than Sahara) and I am certain that the front will catch up.
As for her life in general, Isolde is still “twins” with Sahara’s four-month younger offspring Kalahari, and the two are pretty much inseparable.
Except for when Isolde wants to hang around with Ivory, who, although almost two years older is so much less developed than Isolde (having grown up in the bush).
Personality-wise, Isolde is gentle character - very social when it comes to both equines and humans.
Curiosity is one of her main traits and she always wants to know what we humans are up to.
As a teenager, she was hopelessly set on chewing on EVERYTHING we own, but during the past year, Isolde has matured into a beautiful and intelligent equine being and I sense the adult horse she is turning into.
In looks, she takes on her father more than her mother, but like Habu says: “Isolde does not look like Arwen nor DanMaffia. Isolde looks like Isolde!” 
Isolde, you are such a beautiful equine! You make me smile with pride and joy every time I look at you and you enhance our herd with your unique spirit.
We are looking forward to the years to come!
In many places, the millet is almost ready to be harvested and the stalks are now taller than me on horse. It’s been a good rainy season so far and it’s not over yet!
To see what goes on in other corners of the world, visit My world!
For other skies around the world, click here!
This one was from Eden’s field station, 13km south of Tanout in the heart of Niger, where the rainy season is in full bloom. Hope you enjoyed!
On the weekend after Tabita’s birthday, I took her out on her very first riding lesson in the bush.
Finally allowed to steer the horse all by herself (expect for shorter moments in Zinder City when the street has been empty of traffic), my newly turned five year old niece was living her dream!
Tabita’s mother Renate, her younger sister Priscilla and their two friends Annette & Peter from Holland came along for a walk in the beautiful bush.
Of course, no excursion would be complete without Sheba, who is always willing when it comes to hiking activities!
And of course, Sheba asked to have her son Kimi tag along, so all in all, we were quite a party!
Renate, Priscilla, Kimi, Annette & Peter
Annette, Priscilla, Sheba, Kimi & Peter
Annette & Kimi
The millet and peanut plants were growing well,
…and the sky was beautiful.
The dogs did great,
…chasing off a few cattle egrets but never going more than twenty meters away from the group.
To Sheba, the bush is a second home,
Copyright Peter Karels (2010)
…but for Kimi, it was a first time off the leash since his stay at Isthar’s Ark, and he did wonderfully.
Copyright Peter Karels (2010)
Lost in a serene world without traffic or other dangers, I let Tabita amble on her own for the first time.
She did great and thought it was wonderful!
Kimi waited to for the rest of the herd catch up,
…and when they did, Priscilla got to sit behind Tabita on our huge aussie saddle.
Copyright Peter Karels (2010)
Peter took this picture of the two girls in pink and aren’t they simply the cutest thing??
The ride continued towards our favourite little lake by the airfield, but the sky was so brilliant that I’m saving the last part for tomorrow’s Skywatch. So stay tuned!
Ever since the beginning of July when the bush turned green,
…Nature’s Pantry in the Zinder area has been providing food for free for anyone who would like to harvest.
There’s no place I can ride to,
without stumbling upon people out in the fields, busy harvesting valuable leafy annuals that will be consumed within the household or sold at the closest marketplace.
I met these girls while out riding on July 5th and they were happy to show me what they were collecting.
The millet was knee-high (it is almost three meters tall in some places as I write) and the peanut and bean plants smaller still, yet nature’s pantry was in full bloom, offering its wide selection of valuable edible annuals.
On this day, the girls were out collecting malahiya leaves, which is widely appreciated in Niger will sell expensively at any market in this country.
The girls thought it was fantastic that a stranger would stop and take such interest in the work they were doing,
and were thrilled at the fact that I wanted to take pictures of it too!
When I showed them the picture on display, they laughed out and clapped their hands. They were famous! The joy on their faces gave me such a moment that I forgot the concept of time, as well as the existance of the other riders who had gone ahead.
The original three called out to another girl to show her malahiya harvest,
and soon, people were coming out of the village to see what the girls’ excitement was all about.
We talked about the various annuals in the fields (malahiya, gasaya, tcetcego, tseido, yakuwa etc) and they said there was plenty of them. I inquired about the health of their families and they told me everyone in the village was well. I did not see anybody that looked famished or apathetic - yet according to aid statistics, half the population of this country should be undergoing serious food shortage right now.
Well that would only apply if one assumed that the population did not know how to look after itself and that the richest of nature’s pantry were a forgotten secret; yet it is not. Nature’s pantry is available to anyone who has access to the bush and who is willing to harvest. And the Zinder population is certainly willing!
When it was time for me to go, the kids accompanied me, waving their goodbyes as they accompanied me up the hill and beyond.
It’s amazing how every little stop in the Zinder bush can provide so much life quality, but these kids made my day!
To see what goes on in other corners of the world, visit My world!
I found this image in the archives and it made me smile. According to a series of images taken by Inger during her and Staffan’s December stay, Anette was trying to cut the nails of Sheba’s eldest daughter Daya.
Ronja - Anette’s constant companion, sits to her right while Sandy has placed himself right behind her.
Daya, who at the time was the most obstinate of the Sheba Seven (this has changed over the last couple of months, as Daya is maturing into a wise little lady) is not being her most cooperative self.
Daya’s mother Sheba is definitively NOT helping as she takes the opportunity to teach her eldest daughter a good RR wrestling trick (which Daya is happy to respond to).
Anette looks throughly delighted (not!) and I am left smiling, admiring her patience and dedication to the impossible task of getting through to one dog while the others are present. At the end of the day, however, Anette did win the battle and when she comes back in mid September, I’m sure that one of the first things she’ll do is sit down with the Sheba Seven and deal with any excess growth of canine claws.
Looking forward to having you back soon, Anette! Am counting the days until you return.
On Sunday, another death occurred in my world when our neighbour Malam Mamuda lost his daughter Jamila to malaria.
Jamila (in black, bottom row) & Aichatu, Adama and friends
I met Jamila often. Even when her family moved away and only her father stayed to continue his bike repair shop, Jamila came by to stay with her grandparents. Like Aichatu, she was one of my special friends and she always had something to tell me. When I last saw her some two weeks ago, I met her on the street as I was entering the gate. She checked to see if I had received the information that Pic – my dog Dennis’ twin brother – had passed away at the ripe age of ten. I did not know then that that very day would be the last time I saw her.
I took my last picture of her less than a month ago. I heading home for a walk with Sheba and took pictures of a brilliant sky. Jamila stopped me and asked me if I couldn’t take pictures of her.
The light was not the best but I had my camera out and was happy to take a couple of shots. Had I known then that my little friend would slip away so suddenly, I would have taken more. I would have stayed longer. I would have talked some more. I would have given her my time. Sometimes we adults forget all too easily how important it is to live every day as it is the last - something children do naturally. Jamila was a good teacher at that.
Knowing her family did not have a picture of Jamila in their possession, I looked through the archives and found a portrait alternative from 2008, when Jamila and Aichatu asked me for a photoshooting session. The session was a fun life-quality moment that ended up on the blog. I settled for a picture where Jamila looked serious enough to please Nigerien photo-shooting culture, but still had the Jamila-twinkle in her eyes that I will be missing so much.
Jamila, my friend. I am so sorry you had to go.
Whenever we hit the trails of the Zinder bush,
…we enjoy the beauty of the West African sky…
When I took my friend Katrine out for a long ride to some of my favourite places in the world,
…we had all the time in the world to enjoy the endless beauty of the African bush, which is what hitting the trails is all about.
As so often,
…the sunset was no disappointment,
…offering a variety of skywatch treats.
After hours in the bush, we turned and headed back,
…ambling home under the light of a beautiful pink sunset.
For more sky jewels around the world, click here!
Life as a horse can be so uncomplicated and sweet…
All it takes to have an Equine Moment
…is some good food (preferably fresh greens!)…
…and pleasant company!
Now wait a minute… Doesn’t that apply for humans as well?
Warm greetings from the Equines of Ishtar’s Ark!
On a recent ride in the Zinder bush, close to the aid field, I stumbled upon a large bird of prey. He sat in full solitude, as if he had no worries in the world, looking out over the huge expanse of untouched land.
I decided to take my chances and ride up to him, while stopping regularly to take a picture, in case he found my company disturbing and flew away. As I was on horseback however, he did not seem to mind my presence, and allowed both Sheba and myself to approach him considerably.
Not knowing what kind of raptor it was, I asked blogging friend Wren, author of Wrenaissance Reflections, one of my favourite nature blogs, if she knew someone who could help me identify it. She passed me over to her friend Jochen of Bell Tower Birding who immediately identified the bird as a Black Kite [Milvus migrans].
I could never have identified the bird without Jochen’s help, and his insight into the world of birds caught my attention to the fullest. If I thought identifying raptors was tricky before; I did not take into account that different subspecies have variations in colour and that many raptors change looks as they mature. According to Jochen, the bird I encountered seemed to be a juvenile, probably in its second calender year. Amongst the sub-species occurring in Niger, it looked most like a Yellow-billed Kite [Milvus parasiticus / aegyptius].
I fell in love with the young kite as he allowed me to approach him (I was only a few meters away) and to enjoy its beauty.
Then, when I was getting ready to move on, he flew away too.
I watched him sail through the air as he ventured off to a new look-out place.
There are few things I appreciate as much as watching wildlife go about their daily lives in their natural habitat, and I am fortunate to be enjoying it in my own little corner of the world.
I hope you enjoyed it too!
To see what goes on in other corners of the world, visit My world!
While out riding in the fields,
…we often encounter zone protectors.
This Azawakh male had a story to tell,
…and although I did not get all that he was saying,
…I did manage to capture his message in pictures!
And this guy had a lot to say! I’m not quite sure how we offended him,
…nor where the realm of his terrain lay,
…but there was something we had said or done that must have upset him!
Eventually, he calmed down and posed for some Azawakh photoshooting,
Showing of his left side first,
…and then his right side.
Too bad Sheba was not with us, or she would have brought him in a good mood! Or so I like to think, at least…
