The Little Twig Broom

I pushed open the screen door and stepped out onto the wide porch, holding my pumpkin bucket securely by its velvet handle. Right against the rim of a large terracotta flowerpot sat a miniature decorative broom crafted from slender, bundled twigs. I knelt down on the painted floorboards to get a closer look. The broom was bound tightly with rustic red twine and carried a faint, warm scent of dried spice. Holding its tiny wooden handle between two fingers, I tested it with two gentle sweeps across the plank. The stiff bristles made a crisp, whispering scrape, brushing away a few stray specks of dust in the morning sun.