A Morning Climb

I stepped off the front porch planks and walked across the gravel toward the stacked limestone wall by the driveway. It felt like a good hour to put some honest work into my arms. I reached up, set both palms against a rough ledge of rock, and worked the toe of my right boot into a tight mortar seam. Bracing my weight against the stone, I pulled upward in one steady, unhurried motion until my elbows cleared the rim and my boots found flat stone. Up on the broad capstone, I stood upright, rolled my shoulders back until the joints settled loose and smooth, and looked out across the pavement. Solid leverage, clean grip.