Brisk & Damp Autumn Prairie Mornings

The chill of fall has eased in over the weekend

here on White Owl Creek . . .

 on the western South Dakota prairie.

Silence has returned

now that the weaned calves no longer bawl

for their mama cow's milk.



The few sounds that break the silence are

Shaw cousins laughter on the crisp air,

distant cattle trucks passing by a couple miles away on the highway,

the sandhill cranes & Canada geese flying south,

and Toby, the beagle, baying and barking

at a jack rabbit in the creek bottoms

now dry



filled only with crisp autumn leaves.





Photos & text copyright 2010 Jodene (Jodi) Shaw

Branching Out.