Stone + Leaf + Grass = Ephemeral Art

On Thursday I took a few minutes before class to mosey around campus. The weather was cool--a pleasant break from the warm-as-an-oven library. Before I knew it, I had found a beautiful stone, smooth and oval-shaped. It felt so comforting in my hand. Then I came across a bush full of deep crimson leaves, so I picked one to keep my  gray stone company. When pines needles wouldn't hold the stone and leaf together, I tied a long piece of grass around the two.

I plunked this little bit of nature art down on the corner of my desk to keep me calm and happy all throughout class.

Much to my surprise, it started some really cool conversations with the people sitting around me. One lady told me that she's a rock hound and showed me the jumble of stones in the pocket of her backpack. Her dream is to one day get a rock from Mount Everest.

Another girl told me a story about how my rock reminded her of the beach stones she use to collect as a child. Her dad lives on the North Carolina coast, and she used to spend her childhood summers with him. They'd walk the beach together, picking up smooth stones that they called "rubies."

I hope you are enjoying the change of seasons as much as I am and learning new things every day!