A Crisp Discovery

That brown leaf stopped skittering right on the bristly welcome mat! I trotted up and gave it a soft sniff. It smelled like cool air and outdoor dirt, nothing like the living room rug. Yip! I nudged it with my black nose, and it made a tiny, papery crunch under my plush paw. When a draft fluttered the tip, I pounced gently to keep it from blowing away down the long corridor. It feels dry and fragile, totally different from my soft yellow yarn. I carefully picked it up by the stem to carry it back inside before nighttime settled in.