I find inspiration for future Dinotopia books in the most unlikely places.
The bluestone quarries above Platte Clove were once the source for the slate sidewalks of New York City in the Nineteenth century. Huge piles of broken stones and rubble remain along sections of the mountain trails. Over the decades, nameless people have fashioned strange structures from the stones, kind of a “wiki-vernacular-architecture.”
Along the Pecoy Notch Trail, about a mile away from the nearest road, is Dibble’s Quarry, the most extensive of its type. It commands a fine view of the valley of the Platte Clove, a good spot to munch granola bars and speak in elvish.
There are many stone slab chairs, notably the “Druid’s Throne,” with several Mini-me side thrones nearby. Rattlesnakes commonly sun themselves on these rocks, so you have to look carefully into the cracks and sit down gingerly. What if there were a whole village like this in Dinotopia?
3 comments:
That sounds fascinating, a whole town! I think it would be cool to be able to, as the need arises, expand or adapt your structure - just add more stones, or do a complete rebuild!
I myself love to build small towers of rocks behind at places I visit - just this sunday my family visited a beautiful, secluded waterfall and I stacked up a tower of smaller stones balanced on a huge boulder. I like the thought that the next person to come along might find it or just a pile of stones. Artist Andy Goldsworthy does some beautiful pieces in the landscape - far more refined than my simple stack of stones!
Hi, ljay,
I've also seen little settlements made by passing strangers out of driftwood. I took a backpack trip along a remote stretch of the western part of Vancouver Island where the houses got to be pretty elaborate.
But when I slept inside one of them, I found out they were inhabited mostly by mice.
Hey, Jim!
I've been enjoying reading about your time in the Catskills and seeing just how much painting you do. The photo of you in the Druids Chair is very, very good. I could almost see that photo being in a Dinotopia book!
Piled stones have a prominent place in my Paleo/Fairy Garden. I did it thinking of introducing a Celtic influence. Perhaps a stone town in Dinotopia would have a heavy Celtic influence.
Run Fast, Seek Peace,
Az
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