Another Couple of August Days at Home

We rolled the green-and-white striped awning out over the patio to cut the afternoon heat. From underneath it, the canvas edge blocks the glare but leaves the heavy green canopy of the oak tree filling the sky above. It is just another couple of August days at home in Walnut Creek, mostly spent avoiding the direct sun.

Out by the cedar fence, the flock is busy kicking through a fresh layer of wood shavings. The Barred Rock and the black hens have already started excavating the dirt around the base of the young citrus tree. They scratch out shallow bowls in the soil to sit in, kicking the mulch out into the yard while the ground stays warm.