A Stone Lintel

Three flat, water-smoothed river stones lay in the morning sun on the living room windowsill. Instead of leaving them scattered beside the terracotta planter, I decided to test their balance. I selected the two thickest pebbles and stood them upright on their narrow edges, spacing them just wide enough to serve as pillars. Moving with steady care so the boards would not vibrate, I lifted the longest, flattest stone in both hands. I lowered it gently across the tops, easing my grip until the slab carried its own weight. The miniature archway held firm, framing a neat square of bright light across the white sill.