A day of rest, amongst friends

I was loathed to succumb to a bout of bronchitis recently but it has left me feeling a bit average. Not one to take a swan dive onto the couch I usually ignore the symptoms until the environmental authorities catch up with me and tell me to do something about it.  So today I spent a few quiet hours in the garden on my white adirondack chair (is there any other colour) under the trees which form a shady canopy at the rear of the yard.  I sat with my straw gardening hat slouched over my forehead and quietly dozed on a sunny day with little energy for anything else.  Very soon I was joined by Minnie, pleased to see someone finally with enough common sense to nap midday.  She took her rightful place on my lap and stretched out along my legs purring and dribbling.  Eventually I opened up my eyes and saw that all the chooks had gathered around me and were doing the same.  Nodding off with little eyes blinking until they closed, they all took a place nearby as if to keep me company.  They perched beside me on the table and underneath, on chairs and in the grass. Animals interact with us much more than we know sometimes.  They know that it's me that's the slave with the watering can filling up bowls three times a day, it's me distributing the grain evenly so everyone gets their fair share, and it's me that slips the apple crumble leftovers into their container that disappears so very quickly.  A gathering of appreciation today I think.  Thanks, you guys.  And yes, I will get better and produce more apple crumble, ok.