If I had known it was their last day in this world, I would have tossed another chunk of pumpkin into the coop for them to have a good peck and dug out a few more earthworms for their treats.

    I would have taken a few more looks at them and told them about my day when they wobbled jauntily along their chicken run.  I would have held their freshly laid eggs a little longer and felt the warmth of the shells in my hands.

    I would have double-checked the latch on their coop door and made sure it wouldn’t slip open under the attack of the merciless raccoon that night.

    But as it was, I took eggs from my two chubby chickens and closed the coop door without a second glance, taking tomorrow for granted.