A Picture With Words

Before I could call it a night, I needed to make one more trip out to the car. I slipped into my parka; I thought again and also reached for my gloves and hat. At night I’m always cold, and I didn’t want to shiver all the way there and back.

I unlocked the back door and walked out onto the deck and paused. Stars? A few, but there were too many clouds to find constellations. I pulled the coat around me and walked along the lane towards the garage. Inside I found what I needed, but as I closed the door for the last time, I noticed a familiar silhoutte in the pasture below the house. Perhaps, I thought, I should go down and check on the show heifer to see that she and her expectant twins were doing all right. The wind was not forceful, but it was sharp and cut its way through my coat; I pulled deeper into the warmth.

The heifer was she. I talked to her, but as I drew near, she spooked and started, not familiar with people in her pasture after dark. Below her another shape moved towards me. I heard the slow but weezy inhale and exhale of a soft bray, and I reached out to rub my donkey’s forehead; I apologized for having no carrots in my pocket. She was soft to the touch and seemed to like the attention. I turned and walked under the low hanging branches of the big maple, my feet slipping in my clogs as I made my way up the hill towards the house. Inside the air was warm and comforting. I glanced back towards my friend standing with her head near the fence, still watching me. Good night, Penny.