Its Been A Good Day

The sky is changing color fast with the approaching cold front. Gray ribbons stretch across the sky, replacing the bright autumn blue. Leaves are shaking on the trees, as if they had a sudden chill, knowing that colder temperatures are on the way. So many trees now bare, skeletons reaching up to the sky, looking like a bony fingers on an old woman's hands.

You can smell the dampness mixing in with rotting leaves and soil that was just worked. My footsteps crunch leaves under foot. Goats with heads turned up to the sky trying to catch leaves that the wind blows their way, crunching in their mouths like goat crisps. Chickens picking at the few watermelons that never got picked from the garden. A reminder that I was sick for too long and things got left undone. There were never enough hours in Emery's day to do his work and mine.

My hands are feeling the work of breaking off the dead twigs from the peach tree that has seen one too many years. Good kindling. I like that feeling of working with my hands that way. Its not that my hands hurt or are sore, but they know they have been at a task that requires some strength. My hands have never seen fake nails or had a manicure. Nail polish seems silly on these farm girl hands. Shoving red nails in old work gloves or deep into the soil is strange to me.

Tonight, Emery is down the road working on a leak at Melanie's house. Nothing major and on the outside. I am glad he knows how to do so many things. Growing up on a farm made him learn all sorts of things.
Its growing darker by the moment, rain on the way and the hour of the day both factors to needing lamp light. Chores need to be done. Eggs have been gathered. Chicken chores done earlier. Just the goats to feed and hay for the night.

Looking forward to a long quiet night....maybe a game of Sorry and some popcorn, while we sit on the floor like two kids. Its been a good day.