Rough Ground

Pushed past the rubber sweep of the back door at dawn. Needed open air and real dirt. The timber steps led straight down to an unpaved stretch of damp gravel and knotted roots. One thick pine root spanned the path like fallen timber. Didn't waste time looking for an easy detour. Jammed my boot tread into the rough bark, pulled my weight up with both forearms, and dropped solid onto the pine needle bed on the far side. Wet loam and cedar needles underfoot. Good to have proper ground beneath my boots.