A few weeks ago I posted some photographs of stones I had found, and my friend Karen of Random Reflections commented that she liked the one I had posted of the "cairn." This really struck me because the idea of cairns (or piled stones) has always spoken to me, but I had not thought about them in quite a while or made the connection with the photo I took.
And then I went on a walk and saw this:
And this:
I think cairns may become a recurring motif for me this fall. I love it when art brings me back to a place or a significant concept about which I had forgotten. Does this ever happen to you?
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14 comments:
Yes! Though I can't think of any examples to share right now, of course....! Love your cairns, Rinda :)
I like your cairns. I should make one, they remind me of all the backpacking trips with my Dad where they marked the trails going over areas of just granite!
Piles of stones are an ancient part of Inuit culture. Here's a video to explain:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKQ97rOwBH0
I am remembering, thanks to reading your lovely post, how we climbed as children to the top of a mountain and laid stones on the cairn of what was reputed to be Queen Maeve's tomb ... and how my Mum and Dad always collected stones wherever they went and added them to the garden. Thank-you for the memories you've awakened. :)
We collect stones to add my patio collection. Well done on the list that Wookie will make one day is a fountain for me - using the stones to make a cairns.
Lovely photos and memories - thanks :)
I honestly thought cairns were a very Scottish/Irish thins...obviously not!
Alison xx
I love piles of stones. It always fascinates me how when you become aware of a thing others crop up.
I am drawn to stones, but I haven't really gathered flat ones. I'll have to be on the lookout because now I want a cairn.
Love your captures!
wonderful weekend wished!
the first time i ever climbed a mountain all the way to the top (the summit) with my dad, i saw a pile of rocks (it was above timberline) and my dad told me it was a cairn (but in my head i saw it as "karen") and he explained that everyone who made it to the top needed to place a stone on the pile - it felt so good to put my rock with the others. sometimes there is a tube with a paper inside to sign inside the cairn.
I know I have photos of cairns, but none of them are in Lightroom with keywords so I'm not sure I can find them, but this is pretty inspiring. I'll check out the book you mention in today's post. Have a great weekend!
Yes, I've always thought of cairns as an Irish thing too - I know just the one Alexa is talking about. Interesting stuff!
I have a collection of stones Rinda but until your recent post I haven't really thought about them. I collect them from wherever I go. Inspired by you I have taken some photo's of them. I never knew about cairns until now.
In 2002 my father died, I collected 6 white flat stones and on each one wrote the name of one of his children and put them on his grave. It felt so spiritual.
Hi Rhinda, I totally agree that stones can be so spiritual. Perhaps it could be the fact that when you pick one up; you are holding a piece of history. I really like your photographs; the cairns have that calmness about them. This is a subject that inspires me too!
I love to build a small cairn when I take a walk on a stony beach - common to see them in NZ. and I remember a drivign holiday in Canada where the inuit cairns seemed to be scattering the landscape
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