A Drifting Elm Leaf

I walked past the porch steps and followed the mossy garden border to the pedestal birdbath. Leaning my front paws against the rough, lichen-dusted stone rim, I looked down into the shallow basin. A bright yellow elm leaf floated like a miniature raft across the clear water. I nudged the surface with the very tip of my black nose, sending gentle ripples outward. The leaf drifted slowly across until its pointed stem lodged against a tiny stone island in the center, coming to a steady rest under the afternoon sun.