Katherine Nicolai

A little pocket of a different kind of feeling in a sea of something bigger. I dropped my now damp dust cloth down the laundry chute and set the photo on the mantel. If I tried, I knew I could come up with more tasks to attend to. But just now, the sound of the rain, the blotted-out sun, the flash of lightning on the far edge of the lake,

A little pocket of a different kind of feeling in a sea of something bigger. I dropped my now damp dust cloth down the laundry chute and set the photo on the mantel. If I tried, I knew I could come up with more tasks to attend to. But just now, the sound of the rain, the blotted-out sun, the flash of lightning on the far edge of the lake,

They all seemed to beckon me to my favorite spot on the sofa.

They all seemed to beckon me to my favorite spot on the sofa.

They all seemed to beckon me to my favorite spot on the sofa.

I tossed a long blanket over me as I stretched out, turning onto one side and pulling a throw pillow under my head. I'd wondered about the joy of animals and movement, And now I thought of them at rest. A scurry of squirrels cuddled together in the knot of a tree. Otter cubs napping on the bellies of their parents. All of us letting the rain fall around us as we slept. rain on the lake.

I tossed a long blanket over me as I stretched out, turning onto one side and pulling a throw pillow under my head. I'd wondered about the joy of animals and movement, And now I thought of them at rest. A scurry of squirrels cuddled together in the knot of a tree. Otter cubs napping on the bellies of their parents. All of us letting the rain fall around us as we slept. rain on the lake.

I tossed a long blanket over me as I stretched out, turning onto one side and pulling a throw pillow under my head. I'd wondered about the joy of animals and movement, And now I thought of them at rest. A scurry of squirrels cuddled together in the knot of a tree. Otter cubs napping on the bellies of their parents. All of us letting the rain fall around us as we slept. rain on the lake.

I thought all I wanted was sunshine. After a long, monochrome winter, the ice and snow and sky all mirroring each other I thought I only wanted to see bright golden sunbeams and velvety green lawns and bluebirds. But when I heard the rain falling on the roof this afternoon and felt the clouds closing in, I softened. relaxing in a way I hadn't lately.

I thought all I wanted was sunshine. After a long, monochrome winter, the ice and snow and sky all mirroring each other I thought I only wanted to see bright golden sunbeams and velvety green lawns and bluebirds. But when I heard the rain falling on the roof this afternoon and felt the clouds closing in, I softened. relaxing in a way I hadn't lately.

I thought all I wanted was sunshine. After a long, monochrome winter, the ice and snow and sky all mirroring each other I thought I only wanted to see bright golden sunbeams and velvety green lawns and bluebirds. But when I heard the rain falling on the roof this afternoon and felt the clouds closing in, I softened. relaxing in a way I hadn't lately.

I'd been pottering around the house, following one small chore to another. A sweater laid over the back of a dining room chair. led me up into the closet, where I'd started to sort through a jewelry box. I'd found a broken brooch and a watch in need of a new battery. They'd led me back downstairs.

I'd been pottering around the house, following one small chore to another. A sweater laid over the back of a dining room chair. led me up into the closet, where I'd started to sort through a jewelry box. I'd found a broken brooch and a watch in need of a new battery. They'd led me back downstairs.

I'd been pottering around the house, following one small chore to another. A sweater laid over the back of a dining room chair. led me up into the closet, where I'd started to sort through a jewelry box. I'd found a broken brooch and a watch in need of a new battery. They'd led me back downstairs.

to stash them in my purse in the hopes I'd remembered to take them to the repair shop on my next trip into town. In the kitchen, I'd tipped the dregs of the last pot of coffee down the drain and rinsed the carafe then wandered into the living room with a dust cloth to wipe down the bookshelf and framed photos on the mantel. That's when the light began to change and the rain sounded on the roof.

to stash them in my purse in the hopes I'd remembered to take them to the repair shop on my next trip into town. In the kitchen, I'd tipped the dregs of the last pot of coffee down the drain and rinsed the carafe then wandered into the living room with a dust cloth to wipe down the bookshelf and framed photos on the mantel. That's when the light began to change and the rain sounded on the roof.

to stash them in my purse in the hopes I'd remembered to take them to the repair shop on my next trip into town. In the kitchen, I'd tipped the dregs of the last pot of coffee down the drain and rinsed the carafe then wandered into the living room with a dust cloth to wipe down the bookshelf and framed photos on the mantel. That's when the light began to change and the rain sounded on the roof.

I walked over to the window with the frame and the cloth still in hand and looked down toward the lake. The bright colors of spring were shaded over by thick clouds. But rather than dimming my mood, it felt like a relief. like a cool cloth over tired eyes. More than a sprinkle, not quite a storm. A solid shower was spreading over the lake, and I became mesmerized.

I walked over to the window with the frame and the cloth still in hand and looked down toward the lake. The bright colors of spring were shaded over by thick clouds. But rather than dimming my mood, it felt like a relief. like a cool cloth over tired eyes. More than a sprinkle, not quite a storm. A solid shower was spreading over the lake, and I became mesmerized.

I walked over to the window with the frame and the cloth still in hand and looked down toward the lake. The bright colors of spring were shaded over by thick clouds. But rather than dimming my mood, it felt like a relief. like a cool cloth over tired eyes. More than a sprinkle, not quite a storm. A solid shower was spreading over the lake, and I became mesmerized.