Storm ahead – but at least the wall is fixed – Ink in a Small Watercolour Moleskine

The many fields, which surround our village, are separated by stone walls (Dry Stane Dykes). These are built, without cement or mortar, by laying different sizes of stones together. Its a dying art and damaged walls are often left unfixed which in turn leads to more damage when storms occur.

During a walk, yesterday, I came across the latest section of broken wall which had been hit by a truck or some large vehicle. I thought about the sheer effort which our ancestors expended in building these things and felt uncomfortable at not having the skills to repair it myself. The best I could do was to “repair it with my paintbrush”, hence this wee offering.

Incidentally, farmers used to “lay hedges” of willow and hawthorn next to, or instead of, these walls. These, too, needed regular maintenance and many became overgrown through miss use. This, in turn, meant that the growth had to be hacked back as it interfered with the highways and now only the odd tree, like this old one, is left. The farmer who owns this field, however, is planting many new trees on the boundaries of his property and is to be commended for this investment in the future.