A Ring of Yellow Petals

I pushed through the screen door onto the warm brick patio to get some fresh afternoon air. Right beside the low wooden planter box, a yellow marigold had dropped several loose petals onto the stone. I knelt down and picked them up one by one between my fingers. They felt velvety and smelled peppery and sweet. I arranged six bright golden petals into a neat little circle around a smooth acorn cap, pressing each one flat against the sunny brick. It felt like a tiny outdoor celebration all of its own.