Once again, I spent some time away from the rabbit patch.  I came back and the time we call August was here.  In some ways things are as they were when I left.  The grass needs mowing again and the geraniums still brighten the front porch-but it is now that the bright yellow “swamp flowers” bloom without shame  in spite of their lowly name.  The loosestrife is full of buds awaiting its’ turn, because the purple loosestrife blooms in August as well .

My time away from the rabbit patch was work related and I only stayed away from home because my car needs a repair.  I stayed with my friend Jo Dee as we work together at the same school.  Jo Dee is the kind of friend you need when you are in a bind- and when you aren’t.  

The first day of August brought some relief from July’s stifling heat.  Jo Dee and I  took full advantage and sat on her porch a good while after work.   Her home is a lovely place and corn grows all around it.  There is a field of it across the road from her, and a field behind her.  A field of corn  is a quiet neighbor, so we could have told secrets, if we would have  had any.  When a rain shower fell, a little wind came with it and blew the rain on the porch, but we stayed anyway.  We decided to take a ride to “Eddie’s”-a little country store a few miles away.  They sell old fashioned candy-some that I had forgotten about. We ended up with a small bag and vowed to come back in the near future.

The rain and its’ beautiful song ended- but the sun set gave us quite an encore .  At first, the sky was shades of orange, deep and bright.  Moments later the light changed and  it reminded me of “fools’ gold”, which I have always loved.  Few value “fool’s gold” on earth, but  in the sky,  it will make you cry.

After supper, all was quiet.  We talked a short while  in the way good friends do-without pretenses or airs .  

The morning dawned early and clear.  We drove to work down winding country roads with corn growing on either side.  We came to  a  pasture. A small herd of cows grazed peacefully.  In the corner, next to the road, we saw a cow cleaning off her newly born calf. The little calf was getting his first bath. By all appearances, he was but moments old.  It was a sweet surprise and I was moved at the sight of it.  It has been a long time since I have seen such an occasion.  It felt like there was a beautiful secret on this morning and we were the first to know about it.  For me, this would have been a good reason to be late for work, but on account of a clock-we did not linger.

The institute  ended in the afternoon and my son, Kyle picked me up afterwards.  I have two weeks left of summer.  Jenny and Lyla are coming today and we plan to visit with my parents.  I am cooking a big supper to celebrate.  

Last night at the rabbit patch, I was thinking of the many things I have to be glad about.  It seemed an odd collection of things.  The fool’s gold” sunset, a bag of candy, the birth of a calf, in a strangers’ pasture and a dear friend, who opened her home to me, when I needed it.  An authentic friendship is worth its’ weight in authentic gold and I was especially glad to have that.  The last few days have held an abundance of beauty . It has seemed that good things were coming in from every direction.   The time we call August is here  . . .  and  it has come bearing gifts.