Stone-Walling

While still too early to celebrate completion, I’d like to share a prequel of sorts. A couple of weeks ago we shuffled the team in order to better prioritize completion of the gangway railing. Peter and Supi shifted down to the waterfront, while Tony and I leaned into the stone-walling Rosslyn’s icehouse courtyard into existence. Then Pam and Aaron joined Tony while I shifted back inside the icehouse. Today I’ll let the photos do most of the talking since the persistence, endurance, and creativity if these three comes through loud and clear in the images below.

Camouflaged in that moody B&W above you might just be able to discern Tony (left) and Aaron (right) working this morning on the final sections and courses of stonewall terracing on the southern end of the new icehouse courtyard.

Whether referred to as stonemasonry, stonecraft, or stonework, the physically taxing creativity of these three has helped propel the reimagined icehouse toward an exciting chapter. This is a welcome if overdue extension to Rosslyn’s existing entertaining and relaxation spaces.

Their efforts hardscaping an old tennis court and upcycled / repurposed stones into a timeless landscape, a sunken dining area, and an inviting oasis within an oasis weaves their work into 2-century heritage. This new chapter celebrates reuse, transforming old ingredients into new beauty.

In the photo above Pam is mortaring stone-on-stone, toiling on her knees in the hot sun. On her right leg, a cast. Behind her, leaning against the wall, a pair of crutches. Despite breaking her foot almost a month ago, Pam insists on figuring out ways to streamline progress, assisting with project after project, demonstrating not only her persistence and determination but also her industrious problem solving.

I talk to all three about “listening to stone” as they explore and shape discrete stones into a cohesive, unified wall. But there’s more to the listening than that. There’s listening to one another, a steady banter about what face of which rocks works best here, there. And the friendly humor and jibes of colleagues sharing stories and lives. A couple of days ago I came upon a debate about apple pies: crust or no crust…

And then there’s the less delightful whine of the grinder and the demo saw, softened with earplugs, but alien nonetheless…

Thank you, Pam, Tony, and Aaron. We’re profoundly grateful to you.