Date Report

It rained so hard last night that the air smelled of the pounded dirt and it was amazing. As if the ground released its scent to the air and the rain carried it to us. The rain was tiny silver hammers, it was slicing knives, it was slashing daggers and it was loud.

That tiny frog joined me on the table on the porch, snugged up on an Esquire magazine, waiting for bugs from the lamp above him. I had Mr. Moon catch him and take him out when the rain calmed down, when it became softer.

So no. Of course we didn't go out. We made martinis and went out to visit with the chickens and fed them leftover pancakes.

I love this picture because it shows my sweet, gentle husband and my sweet, gentle rooster.

We named the rest of the babies. They don't know and they don't care, but they are named.

That's all of them except for Baby who is Flopsy's baby who is shy, still. Some, we think, are roosters, some are hens. Some are bantys and will always be small, some are huge and going to be bigger.

So that's what we did last night. We fed the chickens and we finished naming them (they are, in no particular order, Curly Sue, Bertha, Baby, Carol, Tipsy, Topsy and Maizie) and then I made some nachos with tomatoes and jalapenos and chilis and refried beans and onions and cheese and we ate them with salsa and watched Deadwood and then the rain came down and went to bed and slept all night.

Practically perfect.

And this morning my Lis called me and we giggled and laughed and talked about our men and about the babies which have been born recently and about grandsons and about how we used to shopping, shopping! I tell you and we were frivolous and bought things and we are still laughing at those good times. We discussed our gardens and how they are both in such dire need of attention and possible future plans and other stuff and it was a gift, that phone call.

Lily and the boys might come out later. Mr. Moon is doing something with the tractor. I should take the trash, I should get in the garden while it is still cool and the ground is so wet from that rain.

It's a good life today. I am grateful for it and that rain we had and all of the babies and this man who lives here with me. While we were making the martinis we discussed the fact that we can't find our marriage license and how maybe we're not really married and that tickled us to death. That perhaps we have just been living in sin for all of these years and how absurd that idea is, us with our grandchildren and our chickens, our tractor and our garden.
As if any piece of paper could make or unmake that sort of thing.

Blessed and crazy, we are both.

Amen.