A Bristly Green Tumble

Wandering out through the open patio screen felt so refreshing after staying inside all morning. My feet tapped over the rough stone pavers until I noticed a strange, fuzzy globe resting under the edge of a garden chair. It was a bright yellow-green tennis ball that had gathered tiny specks of garden mulch. When I pressed my beak into its curve, the dense, prickly felt pushed back with a firm rubber spring, so different from indoor yarn. I nudged it with a wing, watching it bounce in a tiny, quiet hop across the stones.