Monday, August 22, 2011

Fire Pit Rocks and Helping Out

This morning...at the crack of dawn...we drove up the mountain to Terra Alta and then further up the mountian to Aurora, with our friend Rick, to visit his friend, Ben, who has ROCKS!  And I need rocks to build my fire pit.  And I need my fire pit to burn the giant brush pile that is now too close to the house to burn where it sits.
Here's the view from the top of the quarry...I do live in God's country!

Piles and piles of rocks to pick from...

See what I mean?

All sizes, shapes and colors.  I love rocks!  When I went back to graduate school,
it was a toss up between a master's in Special Education and one in geology.  It mostly depended on
who wanted to give me the most money to come.  My dad is a geologist.  Our trips often
were "educational" and the thing he brought home to me from his trips were often rocks! 
Fairy crosses and a "raw" garnet are two I remember.

We filled the truck bed up just until the front tires wanted to lift off the ground. 
When we finished our loading we went to the top of the hill to help
Rick help Ben split wood for winter.  Yes, the winters are the price
you pay for living in God's country.

I love ferns.

Rick and Ben are way over there and my little husband and I
were taking the little logs out of the pile and making a stack
that didn't need split.

Little husband tossed to me and I stacked.

And then sometime in the afternoon, Rick delivered the rocks.

I think I have about 1/3 of what I need to make my fire pit.  Two more
trips to Ben's and I should be set.

Finally, I hammered a few nails at La Ti Da with my own little husband monkey, and called it a day.
Very tired arms...lots of ibuprofen and a little sewing to round out the evening.  Ahhh.

I am loving the opportunities to help out that I have now that I am not working...maybe I am making a difference in new places.

11 comments:

haybales said...

I never in my wildest dreams thought that you, Mrs. Lohr, upon retirement would be picking rocks, splitting wood and stacking it! Enjoy!

Tanna said...

Without a doubt, you are making a difference, Donna. I love that photo of the ferns! Can't wait to see the progress of the fire pit. blessings ~ tanna

W-S Wanderings said...

Oh, what those rocks could accomplish! I mean, they're not just any ol' rocks, but FLAT rocks. Flat rocks that are easy to stack, or lay a meandering path with. And I can just *hear* them crying out to be built into an inukshuk. I think an inukshuk would get along grandly with the pink flamingos.

Donna said...

OK, WSW, I had to look up inukshuk and now I probably will have to have one! We were on vacation at Harper's Ferry last spring and walking on a back street and found a little collection of rock sculptures. After looking up and down the street and at the rocks still laying on the ground, I couldn't help myself...I added my structure and then I hear a lady from an upstairs window thank me for adding to the collection....ahhhh. Yep. Inukshuk. Added to the list.

Donna said...

And I never expected you, Mrs. Bayles, to be writing comments on my blog. See? We aren't too old to learn new tricks!

K said...

"didn't need split"

Now, there's a construction = they do that in Utah a little. It needs swept. I'm trying to remember enough of my Old English to think if that is an ancient phrasing. But I'm too tired to find it in my head. I'm sure it is. "clean over the river" is based on an Old English (before about 900 ad) use of "clean" meaning, clearly, completely. You only hear it in the hills now - God's country.

Now I have to look up whatever it was that Wabi said. You with your rocks and firewood. I can't wait till the nights are cool enough for sleep. Myself? I did the money today and didn't end up sick at heart, which is good - and did some filing and manure flinging and planning - but no rock picking. I need Ibuprofen for a sore brain -

Donna said...

You will remember the inukshuk, when you see it, from when they had the Olympics up there a few back. I tried to build a wooden one with scraps yesterday, but the ground was too hard and I didn't want to walk to the shed to get the BIG hammer.
I do love the vestiges of old english that we find here still...probably more than I even realize because it just is how we talk here!

no spring chicken said...

You are definitely making a difference new places. I for one am loving this house building project you've invited me on. I'm learning so much about tools, and vocabulary... ;)

I have a feeling you have an impact any place you are. And I'm glad that right now, you are here!

Blessings, Debbie

Donna said...

Thanks, Debbie!

Melissa Plank said...

That's a very generous start to your fire pit, I love that you traded work for them, very nice indeed. Blessings!

W-S Wanderings said...

We love our inuksuit here in Canada. If you do build one, it sounds like it may be a conversation piece.