And meatloaf. And oats simmered long in the pan with a stick of cinnamon. And flannel, and fleece worn even softer by repeated washes. And raggedy old pots of mint where fresh leaves grow. And prunes. And neighbors’ dogs. And skinny oaks planted from an acorn from a grandfather’s farm. And house plants. And stained mugs. And pilled-up cat beds where they purr through a rainy afternoon.

February 15, 2015