Snap and Hold

Half-buried in the dark wood-chip mulch, a weathered wooden clothespin was waiting for action! I hauled it out, brushed off the damp dirt, and clamped both of my hands around the split wooden tail ends. Pressing down with all my weight, the tiny metal spring squeezed tight—and snap, the jaws clicked wide open! I quickly steered the open teeth onto the thick stem of a curled oak leaf and let go. Clack! It clamped shut with total precision, propping the leaf straight up against a low bush twig like a jaunty little brown flag.