The Pebble Exchange

The Pebble Exchange sits in the middle of our breakfast table and is filled with an array of pebbles, shells and other stones as well as a lobster claw and a candle. The pebbles and shells have been collected from around the beaches where I live and were initially placed on the table in the glass platter to add a bit of colour, a focus and a talking point over breakfast for guests staying with us.

Over time we have noticed that pebbles come and go as do the shells - guests take a little bit from the platter with them as a reminder of their stay with us and guests bring us back little bits of beach treasure from their forays on to the beaches and the walks around the island. It's quite amazing to think that small pieces of our home and life are scattered around the four corners of the world creating invisible links and connections between different continents, many nationalities, all religions and any number of cultures.

The Pebble Exchange (as we now affectionately call this glass platter) reflects life for us here on the island and I suppose this also applies to life in general - you give a little and you take a little and as long as there is a balance, life works just fine.