Just keep the cold beers a-comin'

Kind of a psychological massage for me; fieldstone walls. Very time consuming, very tiresome and very rewarding. This the first 35 feet or so of a 125 ft length I intend on finishing over the summer. Cold Yeunglings are a must for this feat.

Looks good...125 feet is a lot of work.

Looks like it was there forever...I am diggin it...

Doing it the old fashioned way. Go into the fields/woods, find a stone, pick it up and load it on a trialer, bring it to the wall. This is why lifespans were shorter in the old days. Nowadays most work is delivered on a pallet. Too rich for my blood and lacks the same sense of accomplishment. Will keep the pics updated every 30 feet or so.

Drink up. If it starts to lean, drink less (or more, to compensate).

I like it.

Agreed...

Also agree with the Yeunglings. I like them all but the Lite. Black and Tans are delicious

Looks awesome. I am a huge fan of rocks. I have 2 large islands and my house is encompassed by rock.

Keep up the good work.

Good job. It'll kill ya making it, but it is great for upper body strengthening.

I read a story years ago in I think Readers Digest. The story was about a stone mason who built fieldstone walls. As the wall came towards the end, he built in a twist into it so the top of the wall gradually progressed into the front face of the wall. It was truly a work of art. It was like a giant took the wall and twisted it 1/4 turn on its' length.

Nice! That'll be standing there long after we are all gone. Cool.

FWIW my grandpa told me that when they used to pick stones off the fields they used a kind of sledge instead of a trailer so they wouldn't have to lift them up. Then he'd take me out to pick stones off the fields & he'd drive the tractor while I lifted stones onto the trailer

Very nice . . . stone walls are truly artistic. Since I live in Maine the whole road side is a stone wall . . . but it either was never piled up nicely with the rocks just tossed up or it has degraded over the years . . . your stone wall is very nice.

Looks great!

These walls were normally more of a place to put stones when clearing a farm field, than an attempt to build a good wall. I have them around my yard. It's a shame, but many have been dismantled by homeowners that want a wall.

Nice work! Lots of work. I love working with stone. I have been planning on rebuilding a wall at my house since we bought it 9 years ago. Hopefully I get to it while I can still lift them.

Great work -- keep the pics coming!

Looks good MW where you gettin all the stone? Your own fields or you doin the neighbors a favor.

How about a nice BACON sunday to go with that beer
http://www.usatoday.com/money/indus...king-limited-time-bbq-bacon-sundae/55552508/1

That is a take off of a Friendlys or Dennys desert. It may be good, but I won't be trying it. Bacon and Ice Cream just don't go. Now eggs over easy, bacon and a cold beer is a different story!

All the stones have come from the local 1/2 mile radius of my house. Old farm fields that had piles, old remains of walls and just plain search and siezure. We are on the edge of a glacier deposit, so there are stones-a-plenty is certain areas. I am figuring about 12 more loads on the trailer should be enough. Make that 11, got one late yesterday. Running the selection down to 30 or so stones creates a serious problem. Thickness, taper, edge and shape are all issues. Not too many fit to my liking. Some days they come off the pile like they lined themselves up for the next course, and others I am left staring into space with no fit in sight. Sometimes a beer helps a bunch, sometimes a whole bunch of beers help even more!

Got a barrel of cream ale on tap for the summer,hits the spot after some concrete work on a hot day (along with some maryland hardshells)Also Michelob and Yuengling in the fridge for back up. DO you use any cement of just fit and dry stack?

I have built walls on 3 side of the house, and the same road frontage line I am currently working, but the 1/3 section below the drive (current wall will run the top 2/3), with out any cement. Highest wall was about the same as I am working now, but most was under 24 inches. No problems to speak of after 12 years or so. The current stuff is higher and I have been back filling with sakrete and setting and seam filling with mortar mix. I intend on adding more sakrete as I back fill the wall with dirt/stone mix. I want this stuff to have some structural integrity as this is the point where the water from hurricane Irene changed our family's lives last year. This is mostly an aesthetic project, but there is a function as well. (pardon any type-o's, not wearing the specs)

Update pic. Love this section I just finished up. Nearing the end of the first section. Set a point to get to at my big Maple. 12 more feet and I am there. Weather breaking a bit will make it an easy stretch too.

You should have had that wall finished by now dammit....
Lookin great!

Nice job. Looks fantastic, what's your FPB (feet per beer) speed?

Man thats some tight fits MW, not much air between those joints
Lookin for some stone for my house ,lots of choices now but many look fake,guess ill be stackin red shale if i want it all natural.

Ya, just short of Mayan stone fitting there