Good for the soul

The gut thing has found me in a foul mood the last several days, yet I shall not bother you with the details except to say that it is a good thing the sun attempted to show itself today.

The wife had told me about pumpkins still laying in a field south of us a good twenty miles. She mentioned it because she knew that a few weeks ago I came home disappointed after planning to take photographs in a ten-acre field of pie pumpkins alongside the interstate. I saw them one day, another, and then thought that my flags would look nice amongst all of that orange and dirt (the leafy matter and vines long rotted away). In that I had to take that road the following day, I did not stop, or rather, turn around at the next exit (for the flags and camera are always in the rig). The next day... they had been plowed under.

And, in that the sun had teased today, I thought to make the trip to the remaining patch.

Test #13

As you can see, the sun was not as accommodating as I would have liked. It was there, behind me, but its glow softened by clouds.

I have gotten ahead of myself.

As readers know, these trips out into the country revitalize me. Although I have been on these same roads many, many times, I never tire of them: The hills, the trees, the river and creeks, the fauna... I was singing along with lined-out hymnodies by Old Regular Baptists. I could feel myself purging the bile and was glad to see the diner, Shirley May's, I thought had closed for good had a lunchtime crowd. I counted two raptors devouring their prey roadside and at least five nutria as road kill. And I am sorry to say there is likely a Western Jay in my grill. (I forgot to check but felt the thunk.) I thought to write a poem about all of this.

Then a toilet break.

More clouds seemed to be rolling in, but I wasn't ready to call it a day. I called the wife to say I'd be taking the long way home, for I had another location in mind for a flag photo.

Thomas Creek

 Test #14