Planting Season

The rains are coming and everyone in our village is getting excited.  They have all been spending a lot of time out in the fields tilling the soil and planting seeds.  Ashley and I are excited because the rains help to cool the air and settle the dust.  This last week we went out to the fields a few times.  I got sunburned, which Malians don't understand, so we just tell them that white peoples skin gets sick if its in the sun to long.  Ashley made some popcorn which we took out to the field with us to share with a few of the men from village who's field we visited.  This was there first popcorn break of their life (most people in our village had never had popcorn before we arrived).  We also planted a small garden of our own.    

Umar and I preparing the soil to drop millet and bean seeds.  Umar usually allows me to work about ten minutes and then tells me I have to sit under a tree so that I don't die in the African sun.

Me preparing a garden.  We planted beans and squash.
A hedge hog that a little boy in village found in the field.  I wanted to keep it as a pet but Ashley said "no".   The little boy that found it ate it that same night.  It doesn't look like it has to much meat on it.
Our new kitten...he is so small.  He is about as big as a mouse.
Just wanted to highlight one of my favorite trees in Mali with a few photos.  The Baobab tree's leaf is harvested and used in a variety of sauces and the fruit has a good amount of vitamin C and calcium.  So this is a very important tree to the people of my village.