A Country Day
The ranch that butts up to our property has cattle roaming the range. Not many, five or six heifers with their calves. The ranch is a fair size, so I mostly see them when they come to drink at the windmill or wander by our fence grazing fresh green grass. When we had grape vines on the fence, they’d munch on those as well. Usually, they’re out of sight and out of mind, until it rains and then they’re very much on my mind because the rain mixes in with the cow patties and the air gets a rich, loamy scent.
It’s like that this morning. We’re going on two days of wet, a good mix of light sprinkles, heavy rain, and abundant moisture. All the earth, in fact, is letting go of its stored aromas, and the whole place smells like country. It’s a good smell, at least to me and it makes being outside a pleasure. I can imagine, however, how someone fresh from the city might wonder what the hell is going on. I think they’d get use to it, however, although it might take a few days.
Later today I might talk a walk in all this aromatic goodness. I think it’s shaping up to be a partly cloudy day, which is good walking weather. I only wish I had one of those nice jackets the royals wear in the Crown when they’re trekking around the Scottish countryside. They look as though they’re made to shed water. Although I imagine the price is one befitting a royal and the last time I checked no royal blood nor money was coursing through these veins or bank account. I’ll guess I’ll have to take my chances with my Texas outerwear, because sometime chances just have to be taken.