Practical Rocks

I have an extensive rock collection—we’re talking two 6-foot-tall bookshelves filled with specimens, and more. Most of the rocks in my collection are there because I find them pretty or unusual in some manner. A few specimens may be of genuine value, but I don’t necessarily appreciate those any more than the others.

Over the years, however, a handful of rocks have achieved the status of “practical” in my life. For example, on occasion, a rock from the collection assumes the not-so-glamorous role of acting as a paperweight. But others have taken on more critical jobs. Below are three photographs of my practical rocks along with their purposes:

The Rock We Use for Scrubbing Ourselves in the Shower

Rocks for Holding Cedar Planks Submerged in Water While Soaking Them for Use When Grilling Salmon

A Door Holder

—Mitchell Hegman