Ascending the Trellis

I slipped out through the screen door onto the patio, determined to test my stride on wider ground. Against the brick wall stood a tall cedar trellis laced with climbing ivy. I seized the lowest crossbeam with both gloves, testing its load capacity—it held completely rigid. Bracing my boot against the rough-hewn grain, I pulled upward in one fluid motion, scaling rung by rung past curling tendrils. At the third tier, I locked my grip onto a sturdy cross-joint and looked out across the entire yard. The ground is vast, but my climb was solid and secure.