Stacking Stones on a January Afternoon

A quiet few days at home in the middle of January. The weather was bright and clear, so I spent a couple of afternoons down at the beach, not really doing much of anything.

I found myself picking up the smooth, dark stones washed up on the shore and seeing how they fit together. It's a simple, meditative process of finding the right balance and center of gravity for each one. Some stacks held for a while, others collapsed almost immediately. The sand is an unsteady foundation, which adds to the challenge.

The sun was low and bright, casting sharp shadows across the sand even in the middle of the day. The ocean was a soft blur in the background, a constant sound. It was just me and the stones, a simple way to mark the time passing on a quiet winter day.