Ethiopia

I have been going through a lot of the pictures we have taken since we arrived and there are a number of which I haven't posted so I put together a REALLY random post today :)

Lets start with some Birthdays

First off was Andy's in December (I told you these photos go back a few months :)

I only had a number 4 candle at the time haha!

Then was Carolyn's in January. Her crown was starting to pinch a bit so she padded it with her birthday serviette. Her birthday meal of choice was homemade burgers! YUM

Warren's Birthday was in February. I ordered 42 his favorite Chocolate's from Canada :) He still has a few left! These might tide him over until we go back to North America in July!

Next up how about learning a little bit about a wonderful Ethiopian Tradition called the "Coffee Ceremony". This is quite a process that in our house we save for special occasions like birthdays and visitors. Samenish and her cousin Debebe are the niece and nephew of the owner of the house we are renting. We employ them as a house helper and security guard, they also live in our little compound, with their own rooms, washroom, and kitchen.

Samenish loves doing coffee ceremony and sometimes will just do one when she feels like having a cup of traditional coffee :)

She starts by lighting some charcoal in a little burner fanning it to get it to the right temperature. Green coffee beans are placed in a little pan and then roasted until the right color. She then gets a mortar and pestle and grinds the beans by hand. The grounds and some water are placed in a special coffee pot and brewed on the charcoal. The coffee is served in little cups with LOTS of sugar! I prefer it with very little sugar and a little cream as it is nice STRONG coffee :)

Fanning to get the heat just right. Looks good to me....

Cameron thought it would be hilarious if he hid some popcorn kernels in with her coffee beans. He got the intended reaction when they started to pop 10 minutes later! Samenish looked SO confused but figured out the culprit quickly as Cameron teases her like a sister. She gives some good pinches in return :)

Green Beans to start

The smell of roasting coffee is amazing!

Almost but not quite

Ready to grind

The grinding process and then the final brewed goodness! Coffee ceremony is traditionally served with popcorn and a special bread. Grass is also spread and incense is burned.

Our guard Debebe (far right) and a couple of the other neighborhood guards

Lets check on some home improvement projects.....Ladder building day, Warren, Debebe, and Mark

Looks GOOD!!

I was feeling a bit down from always being surrounded by and seeing garbage, concrete and razor wire so Warren and I decided to make our 3rd floor balcony into a little garden sanctuary.

The before pics

pretty dreary :(

But then, VOILA! A private getaway :) Warren showed Debebe how to make a trellis and some plant boxes.

A beautiful hibiscus

A planter done up in red and white flowers of the same type I can get in Canada (they are still just baby flowers :) Give it a month and it will be a real tribute to our homeland!

A really cool fruit plant that I have no idea what it is or when it will be ripe. I couldn't even find it on Google! A bag of Ethiopian coffee to reward the person who offers information leading to the correct identification of this fruit! I will email interested individuals close up pics of the leaf and flower as well :)

Also my white rose and pink freesia, fusia, (whatever) and succulent pot

And last but not least fun day to day stuff :)
Finding ways to entertain ourselves....

Cam showing Carolyn his latest card trick and playing a really fun game (ricochet robots) with Julian.

Internet was down so Cam amused himself with clothes pins....That's my Boy!

Fun times before Mindy had to leave :(((

Samenish helping Carolyn make Empenadas

Cameron having to take his medicine for anemia and typhus. Samenish is smirking in the background because she knows it tastes disgusting haha!

Warren and I having a relaxing day at the Sheraton pool .... (There is a little sunlight heart on the grass, awwwwwww so sweet) did I hear people gagging all the way across the world?!

My favorite shop in Addis is Sabahar. WWW. Sabahar.com They are a member of The World Fair Trade Organization. It is owned by a Canadian family who have been here in Addis for 20 or so years! They make beautiful textiles from Ethiopian cotton and silk. They have their own silk worms and visitors can watch the worms doing their thing! You can also enjoy watching the spinners and weavers at work. They make blankets, towels, table coverings, scarves, shawls, and the list goes on! Brittany picked up a beautiful scarf from here.

This is where the magic begins....Silkworm larvae