God bless the afternoon thunderstorm. I have no idea where they’re getting the energy to fire up, given how dry it’s been, but they’re firing up. Yesterday, I got a tenth of an inch on the homestead. Not much you might say, but this morning the air is cool and moist with a sweet smell and there’s dew on the ground. So, it smells like rain, and that’s a fine smell.

It also makes me happy that I mowed and edged yesterday having been sidelined for a week due to my cataract surgery. Not only is there moisture in the air but the grounds upon which it fell look tidy and nice. I also took down the wire I’d put up around the morning glory to protect it from deer. It appears they’re browsing elsewhere these days. That’s the pattern. Besides, nothing is growing, and all our little trees are now big trees and too tall to nibble.

I have a bit more yard work to do today. The heat pushed me inside yesterday because I was a little late getting started. Luckily, the bit to do today is small and easily managed. After that it will be me inside with a good book. Now that my eyes are fixed, I’m making up for lost time in the reading department. Mostly, I jet around the cosmos with make believe space travelers. Mind candy. Sooner or later I’ll probably start looking, once again, for more serious material. But at the moment my mind is in no mood to be provoked. The real world is doing a splendid job in that arena.

John W. Wilson is the author of The Long Goodbye: A Caregiver's Tale