The Mosaic Gem

I walked down the quiet neighborhood garden path and paused beside a decorative mosaic stepping stone. Swirled into the smooth cement was a ring of colorful ceramic pieces, but a dried, curled leaf had settled right over the shiny glass gem in the center. Propping my star wand safely against a border pebble, I stepped forward and took the slender leaf stem between both paws. Leaning back with a gentle tug, I lifted it cleanly away and set it into the soft mulch nearby. The exposed glass tile caught the morning sun right away, casting a cheerful golden sparkle across my feet.