inside a working mill surrounded by machinery, it may now be resting outdoors, partly weathered and surrounded by vegetation.
That contrast tells its own story.
Something engineered to withstand punishing industrial conditions has been reclaimed by the landscape. Rust, dirt, water, and years of exposure gradually alter its surface.
The transformation is almost poetic.
Once, the ball was constantly moving.
Now, it may sit completely still.
Once, its job was measured in tons of material processed.
Now, its importance comes from what it can tell us about the past.
