Our daughter, Eva, went to school in England with a similarly smart, fun, and silly young lady named Freya. They were a couple of sad little girls when we left the UK in 2003.
We were thrilled when Freya and her dad arranged to visit us in Texas. After some major fits and starts, they arrived on June 9. Freya and Eva picked up where they left off, and had a good time. Ian Boyle, Freya’s dad, is a professional builder of dry stone walls and other dry stone structures in Sheffield. He wanted to do a project while he was here, if possible.
Amazingly, about the time we knew Freya and Ian were coming, my mom spotted an article in The Comanche Chief newspaper, describing the new hiking and equestrian trails at Lake Proctor in Comanche County. The article acknowledged the hard work by volunteers to develop the trails, and it mentioned that more work was needed to provide things like rest areas and benches. Did it say benches?
Ian liked the idea of building a stone bench in Texas, so we contacted Park Ranger Brad Campbell. An outcrop of sandstone along the lakeshore was perfect for the purpose. In the heat and humidity of June, Brad and other rangers loaded the stone and brought it to the proposed bench site. They also provided tools. Later, my husband Charles joined the ranks of stone haulers, to bring up pieces for the seat and the side extensions.
Ian’s bench seats three people. It sits in a shady spot, where three trails meet, and it looks out onto a wildflower meadow.
During their nine days in Texas (which included side trips to Austin, to Eva’s softball games, and all around the countryside), Ian also completed a stone pillar, which is the first part of what looks to become an international project. Charles’ photo captures the setting sun through a pipe that is built into the structure.
Now I just need to figure out how to work some textile art into this project!