End of Summer

The huckleberries here are smaller when I can find them at all now. A few of the grapes are sweeter. There is still an occasional raspberry and some blueberries are still green. Most of the Summer people have gone.

Today, two months since my oldest dog died, the younger one, who is almost fourteen, came skipping down the hill with me to my studio. The cat zigzagged in front of her to get her attention and they engaged mid-road with my cat on her hind legs ferociously shadowboxing at the doberman's grizzled muzzle, lowered and bared in mock fierceness for a few seconds, the merriest I've seen them both since the oldest passed away.

The oldest was everyone's favorite in the household. My cat always slept curled back to back with her on the bed.

It was foggy here and twilight came early in my studio. I know the world is going to Hades in a handbasket but today was a good day on the island.