A Weighted Roost

I carried the sand-weighted straw basket back from the dry creek bed as dusk closed in. Setting it down on the firm earth beside the bottom porch riser, I tested its stance with a slight nudge of my boot tip; the sand held the base perfectly flat against the ground. Near the steps lay a fallen hickory twig, dry and thick as a quill. I tucked the twig crosswise into the open weave just beneath the rim, creating an elevated perch across the hollow center. The basket now sits steady in the corner, sheltered from the night wind.