Adey Abeba

Fresh adey abeba (the new year's flowers) off the field, and into our home.

The fields are now filled with these beautiful, deep yellow flowers, and will continue for the rest of this month.

Fall Shimmer

 
Fall Shimmer

[Photo By: KPA]

Yesterday was the first day of Fall.

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AUTUMN PRAYER

God of all seasons, we thank you for Autumn.

We thank you

for the touch of coolness in the air that gives us a new burst of energy,

for the coloring of trees that shows the creativity of the Divine Artist,

for the falling leaves that reveal the strength of the branches,

for the hues of fields that bring peace to our souls,

for the smiles on pumpkins that bring joy to children,

for the fall harvest which that brings us gratitude for the bounty of our land,

for this change of seasons that reveals the circle of life.

God of all seasons, as you transform the earth, transform us by your Spirit.

 

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Deuteronomy 11:13-14 

13 So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today - to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul -

 14 then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil.

Last of the Summer Sails

Last of the Summer Sails

Near Port Credit, on Lake Ontario

[Photo By: KPA]

From about two years ago.

Soon, it will be fall in Ontario, with the breathtaking fall leaves.

Then winter. My favorite season. When we get treated with the light, fluffy, pure white snow flakes. 

40th Day Memorial

Miskaye Hizunan Medhanealem

Monastery and Church

[Photo By: KPA]

Below is the 40th Day Memorial I presented at my father's memorial today. The service was beautiful.

አባቴ በሕይወቱ ሁለት ትልቅ ውሳኔዎችን ወስኗል። የመጀመሪያው ከወጣት ቤተሰቡ፣ ከሦስት ልጆቹና ከባለቱቤት ከእናታችን  ጋር ከኢትዮጵያ መውጣት ነበር። ወደ ፓሪስ ወሰደን። እዚያም በዩኔስኮ ዋና መሥሪያ ቤት ለብዙ ዓመታት ሠራ። ሁለተኛው ውሳኔው በ92 ዓመቱ በእርጅና ዘመኑ ወደ ኢትዮጵያ ሲመለስ ነው ያንን ሀሳብ ከአስር አመት በፊት የጀመርኩት እኔው ነኝ። ከውጭ ካሉ ኢትዮጵያውያን ጋር በመሆን ወደ አገራ ቤት ወደ ኢትዮጵያ ይመለስ አልኩኝ። አሁን እዚህ ኢትዮጵያ ውስጥ አለ። በቤተሰቦቹ፣ በዘመዶቹ እና በጓደኞቹ ተከቧል። ከእኛ ጋር ያሉት እና ከዚያ በላይ የሆኑትም. ይህ የመጨረሻው ትልቁ ውሳኔ ነው ብዬ አምናለሁ።

My father made two big decisions in his life. The first was to leave Ethiopia with his young family, with his three children and his wife, our mother. He took us to Paris. And there he worked in UNESCO's headquarters for many years. The second decision was at 92 years old, in his old age, to return to Ethiopia. I was the one who sparked that idea, ten years ago. "Let us return to Ethiopia, together with those Ethiopians who are abroad," I said. Now, he is here in Ethiopia, with his family, his relatives, and his friends. Those here with us, and those who are beyond. His last decision is the most important, I believe.

And Life Continues

My Mother, Under a Palm Tree

[Photo By: KPA]