Reached a milestone with the stone grape arbor today

Stan the mason and I put the capstones on my rustic stone walls today. It's (almost) done! Earlier, Russell and I built the wooden framework, and before that, I built the stone walls and, earlier still, the foundations they sit upon. Finally (almost) done. Once the grapes cover it, it will be darling.

Next is to build a one-step stair up into the "room" inside the arbor, and to install flagstones and pea gravel in there, and then have a double-person "loveseat" Adirondack chair to go inside.

I highly recommend Mastercraft Masonry (Stan) and Quickbuild Homes (Russell). As to my own masonry skills, I might just have to drop my earlier plans to build a Scottish keep on our farm--it's not so much the lack of skill--I think I know how to do it, after spending 1.5 years doing the stone walls on this arbor--but it's the lack of time. I'd need an army of 50 masons, and a lot of mortar and scaffolding.These little stone walls used an AMAZING amount of rock.

A City of Wine - Why Not?

Sure would be fun to visit this place, opening near Bordeaux.

The architecture alone is fantastic.

And while you're at it, why not go to Ch. Lynch Bages' little village--the winery has added restaurants and shops, all as part of a little destination locale in Pauillac (Haut Medoc, north of Bordeaux). And why not go to Georges DuBoeuf's little destination locale in Gamay (between Burgundy and the Rhone), where he took over a train station and has a wonderful wine museum, to go along with the winery.

France has the right idea! OK, so does Carlton, Oregon ;)