It’s a November Gloom day – rain, clouds, cold. This is my least favorite month.

The sheep gave up on grazing for fresh grass in the back pasture; there was no more grass to speak of. Disgruntled, they came up the hill when I entered the pasture to grump at me and wonder where the grass went. It’s haytime now, friends, I told them. Hay for months.

No sign of Zip, he often disappears in the morning.

This morning, Maria and I are going to the Mansion to help the residents make ugly sweaters for their “Ugly Christmas Sweater” party. Tomorrow, I get bloodwork done for my bi-annual visit with my primary care nurse, Amy Eldridge, who is leaving the practice to try different things. She will be missed. I’m seeing her and saying goodbye on Thursday.

She helped greatly to get me to a good place, healthwise.

I’m running low on my cannabis, which has helped me sleep at night. I will help Casey finish painting her refurbished horse trailer, which will soon be a classy breakfast food cart.

My daily morning landscape.

Donkeys hang back to scoop up every bit of the hay scattered on the ground.

Portrait, Maria, woman of a thousand faces.