[lilitiger2]

Your stories are wonderful!!

I cannot imagine dealing with puff adders!! Wow, I think that is how Kuki Gallmann's son died! Brave boys but scary!

And I don't know what kind of wild pig was chasing your dog but we saw plenty of those njeri, look like little javalinas, very feisty, and they have nice long tusks!!

The FGM is certainly controversial - I think "lucky" ones got to a hospital, othe rwise the descriptions are pretty intense. My ex was circumcised when he was a young teen as I remember. The process was to stand all the boys in the age group in a line in the river (to act as a painkiller) then the medicine guy goes right down the line. Not much fun. And yes, then they go off to the woods to heal, and at some point the Masaii become moroni (warriors). My ex is kikuyu/kamba and they have not much respect for tribes that do not circumcise!!

so interesting to think of this stuff! I bet that whole Mau Mau thing was amazing, to actually be there. And I bet it was tense. When I was there it would have been extremely hard to get a handgun.I don't even remember if the police had them! they did not pay the police much so if we ever had trouble we had to pay "chai" to them, to basically get us out of the trouble!

I so hope you write your memories. I have not read this book Whitethorn but saw the movie Power of One (by the same author). I will look for it, but your memories of growing up in kenya when you did are so interesting, and would be so great for this generation to read!

Thank you SO much for sharing them!! What a treat!

[Foxtrot's]

Thank you so much - very kind of you. I phoned my brother last night for about an hour and we went over so much stuff from our childhood.

[Foxtrot's]

I've decided to give White Thorn a miss - heard it is somewhat depressing, very long with uncertain outcomes. I like a lighter read.

[texang73]

I love it when a book you picked up not expecting to be a horsey book turns out to be a horsey book.

West with the Night by Beryl Markham is the memoirs of the first woman to solo across the Atlantic the hard way, east to west, flying against the winds. It's gorgeously written, and she's a true artist with language. Paints wonderful pictures of Africa during her childhood.

But she also loved horses and was raised with them, which I hadn't known. Her father bred TBs to race and had a large farm. There are all sorts of horse anecdotes tucked in regularly among her other memories.

A beautiful book.

I first read this book maybe 15 years ago, and reread it often. Just LOVE this book, she was an amazing woman.

[lilitiger2]

Well I'm going to be watching for a book about the memories of growing up in Kenya during the Mau Mau uprising, with stories of horses and pony club and boys impressing girls with puff adders, all written by Foxtrot in BC!! I will nab about 20 copies of that!!! And you are wonderful to share your memories!

[Foxtrot's]

If you can find 'Hunt for Kimathi', my Mum worked at the police station durng that time and the lead white guy was a friend of ours. He went out with his black trackers and put black on his face. His wife was my Girl Guide leader!
After all his dangers, he eventually died in a gliding accident. Not about horses, though.

Sure - I'll put lots of horses in my book and the Mods will let me post on this thread!!

Seriously - if you come to BC we'll get together and talk Africa.

[Griffyn]

Id nab it too! Foxtrot's- seriously- just start writing! It worked for Reynard Ridge

[Foxtrot's]

You are kind - but Lilitiger's descriptions are much more articulate than mine...
colours, smells, etc.