Granite Bridge - One Stone At A Time

Lower Pond Summer 2006

The lower pond greets guests to Black Pond Farm as they drive through our gate

When we purchased the 15-acre property in May of 1998, this area was lined with abandoned vehicles and choked with debris from many years of dumping garbage. Tim announced one day that he wanted to see flowing water from the driveway. He began slowly removing the junk that made the land marshy, then moved to excavator rentals over the years. Many hours were spent on the biggest excavators he could get a hold of for the job. Sometimes he worked after dark to accomplish the ambitious goals set for that rental period. Ultimately, he was able to create a habitat for native plants, animals and of course, humans, from what was once a dumping ground.

We have since stocked the pond with rainbow trout and we are visited regularly by wood and mallard ducks, bats, deer, bobcats and other critters (see /chovanak/wildlife.asp).

Last August, Tim was able to travel with his parents to Prague, Salzburg and Munich, where he was moved by the architecture of the granite buildings and bridges. Upon his return, he told me he wanted to replace the wooden plank bridge with a granite one. After much thought over how to create an arch, he began this incredible lasting monument to his talent and vision!

It began with a bridge, but has since expanded to include a stone-paved platform with a rock slab bench, stairs, a waterfall, lined flower beds and a pathway.

The fairy population has been inspired by Tim's work and built a fairy house right into the bridge. The kids and their friends would leave shiny rocks for the fairies to use in their construction. Much to the delight of our lil' farmhands, the fairies happily added the new-found treasures. The kids have since discovered a tiny mine entrance located in the granite bridge itself and have spotted other shiny rocks just inside the opening to the dark, mysterious, fairy mine.

Some stat's: This project contains more than 20,000 pounds pounds of materials, including 3 tons of hand-picked Woods Creek granite, 4 tons of other local granite and basalt, 1 ton of cut stone, and 5,000 lbs of cement and mortar. It took about 4 months of evenings and weekends to complete.

CLICK on images to enlarge

Use your "back" button to return to page