One Stone At A Time.

Tiered Dunkeld Sandstone Garden Walls

Bellbrae, Victoria.

It is not hard to build with stone. Let’s clear that up right away. As long as you do not lift anything heavy enough to hurt yourself, and provided you follow a few basic principles, you will be able to build small free standing, non-load bearing stone structures.

Stonemasonry is a laborious trade. You will need time. Lots of time. It will require you to be patient; it will demand you to be mindful of each stone you lay your hand upon.
You will become frustrated. A quoin that you’ve spent fifteen minutes squaring will explode with one careless hammer strike. Intent is important. There will be days that seem to stretch forever, working stone that doesn’t seem to be wanting of being shaped. Villainous hairline splits in perfect face rock that undo resolve as much as it does productivity.
This is a slow game. A week laying stone allows more time to ponder than most get time to do in a month, so please excuse a mason’s rambling pontifications.
Wait a month, or two… continue to build. A shift occurs.
The stone starts to dictate its own place in the wall. A stone for every space, as the adage goes. Your eye sharpens. Lift only the stone you wish to lay. If you pick a stone, build with it. No longer do rocks break unknowingly, rather, split lines and hairline cracks become a friendly sight, an opportunity to reveal new faces in the stone.

Hammers clang just as regularly, but with every rock, there is a growing surety in each strike. Form takes shape.
When the afternoon sun shines long, casting shadows over the day’s work, take a moment for yourself. You’ve worked hard. Take pride in the process, for it is the process that got you here.
One stone at a time.