A Breeze from the Porch

I pushed through the slight gap beneath the patio screen door and stepped out onto the sunlit wood. The wide world outside seemed ready for an inspection. Using the ribbed fabric folds of a lowered patio umbrella, I hauled myself up along the wooden ribs until I grasped the brass-ringed cord hanging near the canopy seam. Swapping the indoors for fresh air, I swung both legs over the cord loop and hooked my cloth hands around the braided rope. From here, the stone pathway, the flowerbeds, and the garden gate are completely under my watchful eye.