A Twirling Wing

I slipped through the small gap beneath the porch screen door and stepped onto the warm wooden deck boards. After spending so long exploring quiet corners inside, the wide air felt wonderfully fresh. Over by the base of a large terracotta planter, I found a dry, papery maple seed resting in a seam between the planks. Curious about its shape, I nudged it with both paws toward the edge of the top step. With one final tap, it tipped off the rim and spun in graceful, dizzy spirals all the way down to a mossy stone paver.