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the autumn chill nips at rosemary's cheeks as she kneels beside the raised beds in oldale town's community garden, her fingers working the soil with practiced ease. she had traded her usual black dress for a pair of worn jeans and a flannel shirt, attire better suited for the morning's work. the sun crept slowly across the sky, casting elongated shadows over the neatly ordered rows.[break][break]

the dark earth yields easily to the trowel, offering up vegetables in abundance—a testament to the diligent hands that tended this plot throughout the growing season. carrots, parsnips, and beets cling tightly to the richness that had nourished them, resisting rosemary's gentle coaxing. still, one by one, they relinquish their hold, joining the growing pile beside her knee. soon, the bed lay bare save for the stubble of foliage and the rich scent of exposed earth.[break][break]

with a sigh, rosemary rocks back on her heels, surveying her progress. three more beds awaited her attention before she can lay the protective mulch against the encroaching cold. already, her back aches from the unfamiliar strain, and her palms smart with the imprint of her tools. but the exertion serves as balm to her troubled thoughts, offering respite from the weightier concerns that plague her mind.[break][break]

back to work!

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