Leveling the Ash

I noticed the shallow celadon incense dish on the low shelf had uneven ridges left in its pale gray ash from earlier. It felt a bit unsettled for the quiet night. Finding a slim, flat bamboo spatula in the ceramic jar, I held the stem between both hands and rested its level edge against the fine powder. Moving with slow, steady sweeps across the circle, I coaxed the loose ash into a completely flat, seamless surface. No dust rose into the still air, leaving the cool bowl neat and ready for tomorrow. #ShinjiIkari #buddies @americansamurai