sights and sounds from the Cottage

I hear the sounds of the birds conversing. Their chit-chat is deliberate. A staccato here, responded to with a ‘word’ or two. It seems there is a lot to discuss this morning! it goes on and on…

Further out, the heavier sound of a crow cuts through the sharp, yet gentle sounds of the nameless numerous birds in the meeting!

The muffled sound of a far-off aircraft also becomes a part of this morning’s serving of a medley of calming music for the soul.

But suddenly, the countryside serenity is rudely interrupted by the exaggerated exhaust sound of a Boda Boda flying through the dip in the Highway a short distance away. The harsh ‘turbo’ explosive sound contrasts sharply with the peaceful quietness of the countryside. Another aircraft glides silently over the mountains in the distance, leaving a trail of white ‘smoke’.

The birds’ conversations are fading away; leaving a few individuals finalising on the final points of their day’s plans.

I close my eyes and sit still.

The stillness attracts a deep inhale of crisp morning air, opening up my lungs.. as i pull both my arms upwards and backwards, I feel my shoulder muscles relax between the shoulder blades. Ah! what a feeling of relief as my body releases itself into the day. A few more deep breaths and I am ready for the world!

And what a world it is!

I am sitting at the porch, facing the undulating mounds of the imposing Nyandarua mountain ranges. They’re magnificent this morning.

The sun is rising from behind the highest part of them. It started as an almost red glow between the solid silhouette of the mountain, and the clear deep blue sky. It was now mellowing into a deep orange; as I watched, as it rose above the top of the mountain. The colours were changing, almost imperceptibly to become a rich yellow and finally light up the countryside with its warm daytime glow. An amazing treat for the eyes!

The shrill sound of one of the birds caught my attention once again. It was persistent, authoritative; almost as though it was giving instructions that were not being followed to his satisfaction. A few, more gentle shorter responses were given. Further out though, the chirping continued. Like a group of friends having a light conversation. I found myself wishing I could understand their language!

From my position, sitting at the front porch, I am surrounded by flowers; high rose bushes on my left; plus a colourful bush with orange/yellow flowers.. a ground cover of a green creeper with small yellow flowers. Next to it is a dew-covered closely mown grass patch. I make a mental note to spend some time there, later, once the grass was dry! Next is the little hedge leading up to the exit from the porch. Interestingly shaped with a close shave on the top and sides.

Mazeras stone slabs form the path to the entrance, and across from them, a luminous green cypress decorative tree who’s cone shaped high reach complements the other plants to form a natural hedge, providing privacy in an open space, for the rustic Cottage Airbnb resident.

To the right, and adjacent to the pathway around the front of the cottage, is another small lawn on two levels. Again, I couldn’t wait for the sun to warm up the grass, to sun-bathe in that space. It was calling my name!

Beyond the elevation created with boulders, in-between which what seemed like the signature flowers of the compound grew, (an ochre red tinged with orange and yellow, plus an eye-catching soft bright green ground cover) the expansive lawn came to sight.

I stood, walked to the porch entrance, for a better view of the mesmerizing grounds.

The entry to the porch was itself something between a small gate and a large door. It was made up of medium sized raw twigs, held together and upright by rough wooden slabs running across the top, middle and bottom. It was the access to this enclosure sitting within a waist-level slab ‘wall’, further augmented with a closely knit mesh wire running a couple of meters high. I learnt later that this mesh wire was specifically added in order to keep out the fierce dogs that provided nocturnal security for the guests.

The large lawn was bordered by a high, live fence, neatly manicured. No artificial materials were in sight! Beyond the hedge were tall trees, partly hiding the body of Mount Kipipiri in the distance, on whose slope the Cottage lies. Not even the trees though, could completely conceal the imposing mountain. It jutted out from the top of the trees, with the defiance of an unmatchable natural phenomenon!