Missing!

Oh, look, I missed posting on the 1/4 of July. Despite the complete absence of fireworks, there was too much going on. For one thing, there's a big dead bird on my back porch. A pigeon, I believe. I know the striped cat would eventually start bringing fresh kills for the kittens, but I wasn't expecting anything that size, and certainly wasn't expecting that she'd leave it within inches of my back door. The kittens have gnawed at it a bit, but seem to prefer the dry food I leave out. I think I'll cut down on the dry food for a couple of days so mom can get them used to the sort of provender they'll have to be eating eventually anyway.

Also, the day was somewhat truncated by the fact that I didn't wake up until four o'clock in the afternoon. That's the result of being shorted on sleep for three days in a row. I'll probably have a hard time getting to sleep Sunday morning. When I do get to slep, I hope I don't dream about pigeon cadavers.

Shower off the lingering heat.

Not Here

Though the sky remains free of clouds, I keep hearing thunder in the mountains. It is always distant, and barely audible, like the low growl of a beast, perhaps asleep and dreaming. The slightest breeze sets the balmy afternoon air to rustling the oak leaves, and even that soft sound is louder than the thunder, but the thunder is unmistakably there.

Miles away, canyons and mountainsides might echo with rock-shattering noise, but here it is as though the earth gave out a faint, rumbling purr. I'll be listening all night, as the waxing moon climbs and sets, and the moths flutter and fall about the porch light. All great turmoil is far away, for now. Soon the day's heat will be gone as well, and I'll revel in the cool darkness and the scent of pines unsplit by any lightning.


( Sunday Verse )