I pant heavily taking in Texas’s hot, dry air.  Being the middle of July all the red dry, dirt roads cover everything in dust and the sun soaks up all the water, rain doesn’t come till September either.

I see cows line the fences and I walk the dirt drive way. They’re just standing there breathing heavily, like me in the humid climate. The hot wind swishes my hair around, cooling me slightly. A whiff of dirt and cow manure hit my nose. Most people would hate it, but I find it oddly comforting knowing my cows are around. It means I’m home with no one but me and my animal. 

I reach the veranda shaking and kicking my dirt crusted boots off and heading into the house to make my lunch, my meemaw’s famous savory brisket, baby potatoes and a glass of lemonade. 

I slide into a rocking chair on the porch to enjoy my lunch break before I get back to the cows, I say grace and dig in. 

It’s so hot I swear you can hear the air sizzlinging and see the heat rays in the sky across the desert pasture. Tumbleweeds tumble across the yard and through the field picking up everything in its path. 

My lunch break is done now far too soon.

Throwing on my hat and cowboy boots I leave the shade of the porch. 

As soon as i leave the shade of the veranda the blast from the heat is a mediate making my step slow as I trudge through the brutal heat 

Back down the driveway taking a right and back through the rusty gate into the pasture where the crew and my dusty grey horse awaits to get back to the job.