W.O. Mitchell described prairie as the least common denominator of nature: land and sky. My life on the prairie sometimes seems to be the least common denominator of marriage: food production and food preparation. This is how it felt as a hired man and my man came in from the field for dinner.As they finished washing up, I listened to their talk of crop and cattle and prepared the table. I laid everything in such a manner, yet did either of them notice? I wanted them near me, to smell their sweat mixed with grease and oil, powerful after nine hours in the field. Would either of them mention the waste of rosewater I had dabbed at the base of my neck, a gesture so foolish.
