Late Dinner

It was later tonight when I fed the critters. Normally I get all that done before sunset, but the rain came today and I spent the afternoon on the porch writing.

Every now and then when the words paused, I took a moment to take in my surroundings. Rain rattled the tin roof, and I could see wrens, sparrows, and cardinals darting from shrub to shrub seeking shelter.

Jilda worked this afternoon and we ate when she got home. 

I had my legs propped up on the ottoman munching our square of Ghirardelli dark chocolate, when I realized I hadn't fed things.

I slipped on my shoes and stepped out to the chicken pen to look in on the girls. They are quite young and haven't learned to roost properly, so they normally sit huddled on the ground out in the pen.

Tonight, they were huddled in the shelter. They looked like a giant snowball. They've grown so much.

I scooped a cup of corn and headed down to the apple tree. Rain was still falling and I stood in the open and looked to the sky. The cool rain felt good on my face. I tried to think back to the last time I walked in the rain and realized it had been too long.

I spread the corn on the ground under the tree and then tapped the empty plastic cup with the palm of my hand. I imagine that it's my signal to my four legged friends that it's dinner time, but they never come running.