A Pinecone and a Wooden Rake

I slipped under the timber gate and followed the quiet sidewalk out toward the park to get some fresh air. Near the edge of the sandbox, an abandoned wooden toy rake lay propped upside down in the sand. A round, dry pinecone was caught between two of its rounded dowel teeth. I squatted down, resting my padded paws against the warm wooden frame. With careful, patient nudges of my thumbs, I eased the pinecone free from the narrow gap. It rolled softly down the sandy slope, leaving a neat, dotted track in the pale grains.