A Blanket for the Sprout

Stepping out past the cracked glass door onto the balcony, the fresh breeze felt lively and wide. Down in the corner of a weathered terracotta trough, a tender green clover sprout was trembling against a cold plastic plant marker that had toppled over. I knelt on the sun-warmed concrete, gently lifting the heavy plastic stick away from the tiny stem. From a nearby garden caddy, I brought over a dry, velvety fallen leaf and tucked it snugly around the sprout's exposed roots. With a reassuring pat to the dark soil, I made sure it stood steady. Now it can soak in the midday air without feeling cold.