The past two days I signed copies of Froggy Bottom Blues, my new picture book, at EncycloMedia, an event for techies, teachers, and librarians in Oklahoma City. I drove home Tuesday evening to tend the chickens. During the night, the rain started.
On Wednesday morning, I drove 85 miles to Oklahoma City in the rain. On Wednesday evening, I drove 85 miles home in a downpour. I must have timed it just right for maximum water. Every once in a while I’d get a flash flood warning on my phone.
The new normal in Oklahoma seems to be monsoon followed by drought. I will not complain about rain.
Tired, but happy, I stopped in town for supplies, chugging damply from store to store, before I tackled the muddy road home. Back at the farm, I changed my shoes, petted dogs and cats, checked in with my man who was off on his own adventure, and went out to take care of chickens.
I gathered the eggs in the front pen, but I ran into a big rat snake in the second. She ( Or he. How can you tell?) was hanging out of a nesting box, lumps along her length to let me know where my eggs had gone.
I caught her with my handy catcher and released her over the fence onto the creek bank. She was making the girls nervous. I will shoot a moccasin, a copperhead, or a rattler, but I consider a few eggs a small price to pay for the work rat snakes do on the farm.
After a cup of strong coffee, I fixed supper then settled in to read a couple of the new books I brought home from EncycloMedia.
I love quiet endings.
Apocalypse Farm 