I live in a very flat area that was part of the impact zone when an asteroid hit earth, the one that is credited with wiping out the dinosaurs. It's all limestone here, with lots of wrinkles and caves and underground rivers.
But I have another rock story. Years ago when we were traveling in our RV, somewhere in Mexico, I was asking about a recipe. The woman I was talking to told me to first 'take my rock' and pulverize the spices together. I thought I had misunderstood her Spanish, it was a 2nd language for both of us as she had learned it in school after growing up speaking her tribal language. No, she showed me her rock and was surprised I didn't have one. She told me to find a rock that 'spoke' to me and that fit my hand comfortably. She used her rock to grind chiles and spices, to smash things like garlic, to tenderize meat, those are all I remember. That summer when we were back in the US in the Calif desert, I found my rock. It fits my hand perfectly and for the remaining years that we lived in the RV it was the perfect kitchen tool. I didn't need to carry all sorts of appliances that I didn't have room for or want the added weight. I still have my rock and I still use it even now that I do have all those expensive appliances that replace one rock that fits perfectly in the palm of my hand.
