Day 123: A Day of Work and Walks

Sandy woke with the sunlight peeking over the windowsill. Without a yawn or a sigh, she turned her feet to the side of the bed, flipped the covers over, and stood up for the day. Her dog, Maggie, popped up from the floor and wagged her tail: “Good morning.”

It was a one-room cabin. The wood stove kept it warm through the night. She opened up the little metal door that let out a slight creak and tossed another log on the glowing red coals.

Oatmeal breakfast for Sandy and the usual dried meat and rice for Maggie. The cabin had running water that flowed from a natural spring uphill. The spot in the woods was a lucky find for Sandy. She boiled a small pot of water and tossed in the oats. Maggie was finished with her breakfast in a minute and sat by Sandy’s side as she chewed her breakfast and watched the trees through the window.

When Sandy opened the front door, a burst of pine and cedar welcomed the two ladies to the outdoors. The chores for the day were the same: feed the chickens, collect any eggs, and water the crops. The garden was home to corn, wheat, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers, cabbage, spinach, beets, and broccoli. It was big and took time to water everything. Rainy days were the best.

Every day after chores, Sandy would walk in the woods with Maggie. They rarely had a place to go. As Walden suggested, they would saunter. If they happened upon an apple tree they would have their fill. If they happened upon a berry bush they would pick some berries to take back for a pie or snacks.

Most days went on like that with not too much in between. And this day was no different. When the sun got low in the sky, Sandy and Maggie would sit on the porch and listen to the crickets and watch the fireflies come to life. The stars were a beautiful blanket over the empty space of the garden. Sandy liked to think that stardust fell every night and that’s why her plants got so big.

When the day was over, Sandy slid her toes under her blanket. The wood stove was full for the night and Maggie was already running in her dreams.

It was a day and that is all.