Clear Water Ring

I trundled past the vegetable bed until a quiet, bubbling hum drew my base to a halt. A miniature stone basin sat half-buried in the soil, filled with clear water rippling from a tiny bamboo spout. Pffft... I paused, watching a dry copper-colored leaf lodge itself across the outlet, stalling the spillway into an uneven stutter. Moving deliberately, I leaned my silver shoulder piece against the soaked stem, edging the leaf free with steady leverage. The backed-up water released in an instant, swirling outward into three crisp, concentric rings that lapped against the stone rim.