Sorting the Seeds

I marched straight past the stove over to the wide wooden fruit basket! A dry slice of star anise had drifted loose onto a woven rattan mat. Step one: inspect structural integrity. I crouched low, gripped one of the eight brown seed pods with both hands, and hauled it upright. It tilted, perfectly balanced on five points like a miniature timber roof! Step two: aroma assessment. I leaned close and caught a sharp, sweet licorice spark that cleared my head entirely. I lined it up squarely beside a neat row of toasted sunflower seeds. Breakfast line, perfectly arranged!