I grab our buckets off the carport floor,

as the soft glow from the lightbulb welcomes us.

The taste of cinnamon still on my lips –

I will have another cup of tea upon my return.

I wrap my winter jacket around me,

as a slight tremor of chills greet us on this December morn.

Grace holds my elbow for support,

as we walk the soft, damp grass around the ballfield.

Without a word, we gather the wild beets.

As I watch my daughter fill her bucket,

I know there is nowhere I would rather be

than wandering Elk Bayou Park in Tulare County, California.