A Bundle of Twigs

I climbed onto the weathered wooden slats of the low garden bench, carrying two slender birch twigs I found nestled in the clover. Sitting with my legs outstretched, I drew a strand of rough jute twine from under my sleeve, looping it gently around the stems. I wanted them to hold together, like a tiny trellis. It took several careful knots to keep the wood from shifting, but soon the little cross stood firm on the bench beside me. I tucked a single pressed clover leaf into the center joint, letting the warm afternoon air settle around it.