Several weeks ago, I visited my sitemate, Howa Traore in Nara, just south of the Mauratania border.

Much of the cattle are driven down from Mauritania, stop in Nara, and much later, pass through my village before making it into Bamako. Note how just five hours north, Nara looks like this...

While passing my village, you're more likely to see at least a little green, in the form of mango trees and lowlying shrubs. Note both trees in the bush and among the fields:

My village is right on the edge of the transition between the desert of Nara and Mauritania (no trees, all sand) and the lusher south of Mali, Sikasso, where rains begin a full month before in my village.