Stone Circle
It seemed like a brilliant idea at the time, as I have knocked down so many walls, that the “rockery” has mammoth proportions and sits hulking in a corner under the hazelnut trees. The clearing began in 201o, my old compost heap and a wilderness of brambles. This took 4 days of back breaking work, using my assortment of tools, which are ancient, to put it kindly! All my British counterparts here, had housefuls or barnfuls of useful goodies to recycle. I had pairs of slippers, a broken cupboard and 4 garden tools minus the handles. Still trying to work out what 2 of them are for?
The cleared site
Although this looks like a mess… trust me.. I was close to giving up especially when I glanced over at the gigantic stones I had to roll uphill.
The site guarded by foreman Templar
My rudimentary tool kit : stick with blue string, spade and in the foreground the sun tracker can be seen if squinting, enabling me to plot the movement of the sun and get a straight line!
A very useful stick
Now.. you would think finding something with a right angle on would be easy.. not in my world!.. resorted to a rusty saw and a laundry basket!
My straight edges.. if only they hadn't warped!
Transferring my west to east line with batons was blindingly difficult, especially when the dog kept trying to pinch my batons!
Time to move mountains
The West stone can be seen in front of the wheelbarrows: taking 1 hour to roll uphill, 2/3 being buried underground to stop it toppling.. the air turned blue and I feared for my sanity. Really wished they had been movie set boulders made from polystyrene. The weight cannot be described within the parameters of polite language!
East, West and South Stones
The “brilliant” idea was becoming less brilliant with every moment. I found not looking up kept me going.
Spot the difference
Spade has changed for North stone and I have run off screaming around the garden and throwing pebbles at my rockery.
More compass points and center table
A central table/ seat was added so that I could sit comfortable and bemoan my aching back while looking at my handiwork. It has since proved a wonderful vantage point and has a secret garden quality about it. The birds love to use it as a singing stool and occasionally the dogs clamber up just to annoy me.
Finished!
After 2 days of aches and pains and trying to prevaricate the finished article loomed from the dusty soil, I would have patted myself on the back if someone hadn’t stolen my arms and I had been able to locate a back that felt like mine.
Evening shadows
As I quaffed down a glass of wine, I felt euphoric at the gargantuan effort and the results and reminded myself in very firm words… never to have a brilliant idea again! Then proceeded to crawl on all fours up to the house and contemplate how to climb the stairs!
A year later
A year on, and it sits snuggled between vegetable plot 1 and 2
