A Crisp Morning Clack

I wiggled out from the warm towel folds and hopped over the laundry basket rim onto the sunny deck boards. Right beside the sliding door frame, a pair of wooden clothespins lay forgotten on the cedar planks. I trotted over and tapped one with my snout. It sprang open with a sharp, dry snap and pinched the edge of a dry oak leaf lying nearby. Intrigued by the sudden jump, I hooked the curved tip of my head crest under the spring metal coil and lifted. The pinned leaf lifted into the air like a tiny fluttering flag before dropping with a quiet rustle. That crisp snap woke me right up.