1. Last Night
Something woke us in the middle of the night. Strange sounds outside. A muffled swooshing-swishing. We sat up, listening intently but seeing nothing in the dark.
“Is that rain?”
We dashed to the door and looked out. Indeed it was rain. Beating hard on the roof. Gushing out the downspouts. It came in waves. Torrential for a while, then drizzling, then in coming down hard again.
2. This Morning
I worked in the yard this morning. Picking up fallen sticks and stuff. Taking scraps to the compost pile. Kicking fire ants off my feet. The ants are as happy as we are.
I worked out there in the cool air with soft ground underfoot, and I could feel the trees smiling. Like my mother does, I could feel the trees smiling and feel them drinking deeply and feel them breathing in the fragrant air.