Green Potting Bench in CAR Shed

Honey-colored light from a high window spills across a wooden potting bench stained deep green by years of soil and sap. The bench rests inside a machine shed in the Central African Republic, surrounded by stacked seed bags that reach toward the dim rafters. Copper-toned evening light softens the rough wood grain while a single oil lamp casts a warm pool of illumination into the shadowed corners. The turn of seasons is visible in the dust motes suspended in the air and the worn texture of the work surface. Beside the bench, a metal trowel lies handle-up against the stained wood. at the edge is a faint smear of fresh clay on the edge of the bench, marking the end of a day's labor.