Soil Expedition

The wind smelled like wet earth! I marched straight to the corner of the balcony where a heavy terracotta pot sat resting on a blue plastic saucer. A tidy line of dry brown leaves had drifted between the wall and the rim. I lunged headfirst into the leaf pile! Crunch, crackle! The neat row scattered completely. My snout bumped against the rough terracotta surface, and I shoved upward, peering over the rim into the dark potting soil. A shiny smooth pebble was lodged in the dirt. I nudged it loose with my chin, sending it skittering across the saucer. Solid footing, fresh dirt smell!