It was still light out. June finished ushering the last of the chickens into the coop, closed the faded wooden door and set the latch pin carefully in place.
Since his parents were in Lochford until late this evening, he wanted to make certain he had completed evening chores properly, especially since this was his ffirst time handing the property alone.
Dunking his head and hands in the water trough, June cleaned himself up before going inside to see what his mother had left for his evening meal.
Stepping into the pantry, June found the stew and Biscuits in a stove pot his mother had left for him. Tossing some kindling into the stove, he checked the flute and lit the small amount of wood on fire.
After dding some water to the pot, he spent the 20 minutes stirrng the stew (and adjusting the flute to avoid smoking out the house. Finally, the stew started to boil and he quickly spread the coals from the wood in the stove and half shuttered flute.
Filling his bowl with stew and a mug with water, June earnestly tore into his meal. It felt odd to have dinner without his parents and being alone at home.
But as his father had said "It's all a part of getting older, relying on yourself to get things done".
June finished his dinner, refilled his mug water and then proceed to clean his bowl, even though his mother said to leave that for her.
June wondered why she said that, maybe she suspected he wouldn't eat?? That's just crazy he thought, who wouldn't want to enjoy her fantastic stew??
Putting everything away from dinner, he sat at the table and relaxed.
He still had to get the evenings firewood for the stove, which also heated the home overnight. He sighed and brought plenty of wood in and placed it in the hopper next to the stove, adjusted the flute again and threw a couple of smaller logs in.
June settled back at the table and let out a yawn. He was a bit tired but wasn't sure if it was the chores or the pressure he put on himself to do everything perfectly.
He was dreamily resting when he heard the soft chimes.
June listened too the chimes, they were coming from the Sage's cottage.