Puddle Crossing

A muddy chasm blocked my advance toward the stone garden wall. Total dead end? Not on my watch. I scavenged a curved strip of dried bark and a stiff spruce twig from the mulch. Immediate raft prototype. I tossed the bark onto the brown pool. It floated, steady and buoyant. I stepped on with both boots, planted my weight center-deck, and used the twig to pole off the muddy bank. One strong push. Smooth glide. Right as the bow bumped the opposite stone ledge, the twig snapped clean in half. Mission timing: perfect. I vaulted onto the dry stone before the bark drifted loose. Route conquered.