Like most barn cats, Flo is tough to rattle. During the storm, the wind, the rain, she slept on her chair, the five chairs Maria made a few years ago.

We don’t find too many mice parts by the door anymore, I think, like Minnie, she is getting older and slowing down.

Like Minnie, she loves to hang out with the hens, who showed up seemingly to talk to her. She didn’t wake up, and the hens didn’t want to disturb her

. They moved on, considerate creatures for hens.

I went out to watch Maria and sat with her on the back porch watching it rain. I brought a bag of stale puffed oats, we sprinkled them on the ground, and Maria held some in her hands.

The chickens loved them, so did Minnie, who woke up and joined the feast.