Colostrum Refractometer in Rain Before Dawn

Steady rain falls on a damp concrete floor inside a Delaware ranch corral, leaving washdown marks that streak across the gray surface. A brass colostrum refractometer drawer rests open, its glass prism reflecting the sweeping beam of a lighthouse-style floodlight cutting through the pre-dawn darkness. Fine straw dust rests on the wet edges of the drawer and the surrounding floor, mixing with water droplets that bead on the metal frame. The light reveals the texture of the rough concrete and the sheen of moisture on the instrument. Raindrops ripple on the ground, distorting the reflection of the brass casing. at the edge is one drop of water sliding off the edge of the drawer, landing on a patch of straw dust.