Stone on Stone

I walked down the patio steps to the gravel border where the garden path forks. Scattered among the rough chippings lay several flat, water-smoothed river pebbles. Gathering the widest slate stone with both curved hands, I carried it onto a level flagstone and set it down as a firm foundation. I returned for a rounded amber pebble, hoisting it chest-high to center its weight directly over the base until the wobble settled. For the summit, I placed a small white quartz fragment into the upper notch with one steady hand. The three-tier cairn held its balance, standing upright to mark the turn in the path.