Name: Liesl L

Location: Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle

Story: I placed about 10 stones in my garden. I am an artist who is relatively new to Seattle and very new to gardening. I decided to give gardening a try and in addition to plants, I painted stones to decorate the surroundings. I also created a “magic mailbox” where I put happy messages for neighbors to take (and/or leave their own). It’s a fun experiment in creativity that I figured could bring some joy to the neighborhood. I had just launched the mailbox about the time that I heard John Cohn speak to a group of colleagues on the power of creativity for Kraft Heinz.

I was inspired by John’s talk, and deeply touched by the story he shared about Sam. I requested a few Sam stones to include in my garden. They fit right in with the joyful spirit of the setting, as well as the intention of creative experimentation behind the magic mailbox endeavor. (I further used the mailbox as an excuse to experiment with TikTok– per sample here: https://www.tiktok.com/@magicmailbox/video/7243440744013532462?_r=1&_t=8hOUdbCihjO)

A few weeks after I added the Sam stones to the garden, I found a hand-written note at my front door. A friend of Sam’s named Erik had recently moved to Seattle, just around the corner from me. He recognized Sam’s stones when he was walking his dog and left a note, explaining the connection: he knew Sam from Bolton and grew up in Hinesburg and Monkton.

I took this lovely connection as a sign that Sam would have liked the garden and the magic mailbox. Beyond Erik’s note, many neighbors have commented on the joy they get from garden and stones. To me, it’s a lovely way to connect with creativity and the honor Sam’s spirit, which in turn connects us to each other.

Name: Ed Roll

Location: Don’t Go Geo Postal II GCAGZY3 Des Moines Ia

Story: Found SamStone in Welcome to G-DAUG Travel Bug Hotel GC2RB2C placed it in Don’t Go Geo Postal II GCAGZY3

Name: Maria Marotta

Location: Italy, Bagni della regina Giovanna, 40° 38′ 1.702″ N 14° 21′ 6.714″ E

Story: Bagni della regina Giovanna is an archaeological site characterized by history and nature, the ruins of the villa of Pollio Felice are surrounded by a crazy sea and crystal clear water.

The place is located near the villa of Pollio Felice, a Roman patrician of the first century b.C. The Villa was immense, consisting of about 30,000 square meters, but unfortunately today you can only admire the ruins. The poet Orazio and the poet Stazio also told of the magnificence of the villa.

The name of the Baths derives from Queen Joan II of Anjou-Durres. In fact it is said that in the period from 1371 to 1435 the queen loved to spend the summer in Sorrento and that she spent her time with her lovers in the waters of the Capo di Sorrento.

Name: Eric Brown

Location: Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort

Story: Participating in the annual Mt. Bachelor clean up working my way down the mountain back and forth on the Old Skyliners Run. Stone was laying against a tree partially covered with SAM facing down. Looked like a mushroom. Not sure why I uncovered it at which point I realized it was much more.

Name: Roth Bernstein

Location: Fuente del Ángel Caído

Story: I ran up the hill and tossed a Samstone into the fountain!

Name: Robert & Wolf van den Broek

Location: Saint Petrus Banden Church, Hartveldseweg 25, 1111 BG Diemen, The Netherlands

Story: My wife and me met John in his camp at Burning Man (2024). He gave me a Sam stone an told me where it stands for. Sam’s story got me as a father. The first place i like to put sam’s stone was in the bedroom of my 2 year old son. Cause my son like to throw with things, I didn’t find his room a suitable place. This Sunday, September 10, 2024, I visit the grave of my mother. My son and me put Sam’s stone at her grave, together with stones we brought last year from the island Gavdos (Greece).

Name: Roth Bernstein

Location: Top of La Cabra, Otívar, Granada, Spain

Story: I left a SamStone at the top of the famous La Cabra bicycle route, in Otívar, Granada, Spain. As you approach the limit of Otívar from the top, the stone is placed at the base of the fourth stone barrier in the first set of barriers. Coordinates are: 36.87200° N, 3.74093° W

Name: Ashley Eident

Location: Beaver meadow Morrisville vt

Story: I take care of a man with dementia that lives by beaver meadow. We were out for a walk today and he pointed and says who is Sam? I looked and say the stone. I picked it up and noticed the wedsite. There is no service there. So I put the rock back and looked up the website this evening. I’m very sorry for your loss

Name: Caleb Leland

Location: Pautsky Point – Durango, CO 37.25885, -107.84886

Story: A classic mountain bike ride in Durango, CO. We climbed to the top of the ridge where we were greeted with views of the Animas River valley, the La Plata Mountains to the West, and the San Juan mountains to the North.

Name: Caleb Leland

Location: Pigeon Peak 37.63250, -107.64627

Story: Pigeon Peak, Weminuche Wilderness, SW Colorado.

13,900 Pigeon Peak rises up out of the Animas river valley north of Durango. 25 miles round trip and 8,000FT of climbing. We spent the weekend with mountain goats, moose, and cutthroat trout. 48 hours in the wilderness without seeing another party. On the way out we treated ourselves to a swim in the Animas river before boarding the Silverton-Durango narrow gauge train.