Sunday was a whirlwind—a mix of homework, football, and farm life. My day was packed with meticulous painting assignments (the kind that eat up every ounce of focus) and Broncos game fever buzzing in the background. The game itself was decent, but the final two minutes had us on the edge of our seats. There may have been some yelling when we fumbled the ball, but the Titans graciously handed it back, and all was forgiven.

Amid the chaos of paintbrushes and football, my heart was tugged in another direction. We said goodbye to one of our first little roosters, Sparkles. Sparkles was a bantam full of sass—barely a foot tall but strutting around with the attitude of a giant. Just last week he’d given us a scare, hiding in tall grass until one of my Great Danes found him. There was a scream, a scramble, and then—miraculously—Sparkles popped up and walked away, only minus a spur. I knew stress could take its toll on chickens, so Sparkles spent the week inside, recovering in the company of our grouchy momma hen and her baby (who still pecks me every time I bring food).

Today felt like his big comeback. I let him out with the others, including our new roo, and after more than an hour of careful observation, it looked like peace was possible. Sparkles was squawking and crowing like he’d been given a brand-new lease on life.

But as evening fell, tragedy struck. When my husband went to gather everyone for the night, he found Sparkles in the duck water tank. Somehow, he had climbed up, fallen in, and drowned. I can’t explain why he chose that when easier water was all around him.

I’m crushed. But I take comfort in knowing his last day was filled with sunshine, freedom, and joy. He lived it fully, strutting and crowing like the little spark he was.

Love you, little stink pot. You will be missed. 💔

From last year: https://mwilliamsart.com/64days/2024/10/1/september-7-2024. Since all of this happened, I work to make every day something special. Not everyday is epic but it is memorable. Each day is a gift!