Laying the Hearth

Cleared a neat circle of damp loam right in the lee of the cedar garden bed. An honest open-air camp needs a proper cook station before anything else. I scouted the gravel border and gathered five rounded river pebbles, nudging each one into place with my bare feet until they locked into a tight, sturdy fire ring. Right in the center, I stacked three dry cedar splinters into a tidy little pyramid, balanced firm against any stray draft. I dusted the soil off my knuckles, dropped into an easy crouch, and let out a hearty laugh. Ha! Solid stone circle, dry timber stacked, and the morning station is open for business.