Rock

Lately all I can think about is rocks for the garden tool shed foundation. Today was a warm sunny day and it was rock stackin time. Rocks around here are rough and not always flat. But they are free and plentiful in creeks, ditches, and construction sites. They are everywhere.   

The key to a good foundation of field stone is careful layout of batter boards and mason string. The string is level to the top of the foundation and maps out the perimeter. Everything is dry stacked and small wedges of stone between the bigger rocks keep everything tight. Also the weight of the building will hold all the stones in place.

 It took a good part of the day to stack all the rocks that I had collected. I need almost as much again that I have already used. Lots of rain lately has made it impossible to collect from the local creeks so I will look elsewhere. One more day of stacking and I'll be ready to start the mortise and tenons on the white oak sill plates.

 This is "Little Mama" named from the previous owners. I love this chicken. She use to stand on my shoe when I would work in the shop. She is the only hen I have that nests her eggs. Little does she know there is no rooster and she is also sitting on a golfball. This is all she does all day. I collect the eggs daily so she still lays an egg every day. She is determined to hatch that golfball.

 Little Mama lays the cutest eggs. Notice the normal egg on the left and Little Mama's on the right. She does the best she can.