In which the PDF gives me the old cold shoulder.

I had been in quite a deep groove out here in my home in the prairie the last eight years.  I don't like to leave home. So when we were asked by Nunu's to represent Arnaudville at a festival in France and would be gone for TWO WEEKS, it was almost too much to imagine. What a great experience, but two weeks away from la Prairie des Femmes? What would happen to the chickens!? Luckily, we had good friends and neighbors who came to visit and feed the dog, chickens and dove. They all survived, save for one chicken.

Now, Prairie des Femmes, she's a fickle one, and she wasn't too happy with me when I got home. Now it's my third day back and we're still gettin' reacquainted, me and her. For one thing, she turned her shoulders and the season changed. We left in the mild October Indian Summer and returned to near-winter November. The golden rod in the field has faded to splotchy browns and tans, and the tops of the mangliers have exploded in tuffs of pure white. The new cold front air is so pure out on the prairie. I had almost gotten used to the slant of the light, the headiness of the air in France, which at first disoriented me for days. There, it seemed the clouds were always back-lit from strange angles with pinks and oranges, there was a difference in elevation and pressure and light. Back in the Prairie des Femmes, the elevation is just 15 feet above sea level, one moves so easily through the atmosphere. It is the air I am accustomed to, the light is straightforward and crisp and blue, especially on these first cool days of Louisiana November. I hear it'll be back in the 70's next week. I hope by that time the old PFD will have warmed back up to me, too.

Update: November 10, She loves me again.