A Little Shade for a Ladybug

I trotted out through the front gate and made my way down the brick path to the neighborhood community garden. Up on the sun-warmed wooden edge of a raised garden bed, a tiny red ladybug was crawling slowly across the dry, pale cedar. The midday warmth felt intense on the bare wood, and it kept stopping to tuck its wings. Finding an uncurled, dry seed pod from a nearby sweet pea vine, I nudged the lightweight pod forward with my plush nose. I gently leaned it over a shallow knot in the wood, creating a tiny shaded archway. The little ladybug crept right into the cool pocket of shade, safe from the glare.