Securing the Hitch

I lined up my cord against the weathered cedar fence rail. Step one was assessing the wrap: measuring enough slack to circle the timber without binding. Step two was feeding the working end behind the standing line to form a clean hitch. When the coarse grain of the bark snagged the fiber midway through, I did not force it. I backed the loop out half an inch, smoothed the kink, and eased it along the grain. With one steady pull, the knot settled flush against the wood, locked tight and ready to hold.