The skies are beginning to clear after two cold days of rain. In the morning, Lena and Fanny are coming to the farm to meet with Maria and help rake up the leaves; one chore Maria is happy to turn over to somebody else.

I gave the family a pizza surprise, two pizzas, one all veggie, one with pepperoni. No broccoli, of course. They wanted to pay me for it, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. It was a surprise.

As I dropped it off, I put on my most serious face and said, “you said you all wanted broccoli, right?” Fannie bit and went a bit white. The Amish don’t know how to lie.

Delilah came out and said, “you’re kidding, aren’t you, Grandpops. I can tell because he turns red a bit.”

When I got back in the car, I looked in the rearview mirror. I was a bit red in the cheeks.

At home, I looked up and saw the apple tree starting me, making a face. I hadn’t noticed that before.

And I found the angel I rescued from an antique store that went out of business and put her in the garbage. Maria planted her all over the farm, and I forgot about her.

There she was in the woodshed, where I go every day to bring firewood into the house, now that it’s getting cold.

I’m sure the angel came into my life for a reason not yet revealed. She is found when she wants to be seen.