Sticks and Stones

I took a "mecation" this week to Florida. While I'd love to be soaking up the sun on one of Florida's beautiful salty beaches, I'm inland. My father is a contractor in central Florida, and has been working on a beautiful home for a couple of years now. He builds custom homes, meaning the homeowner helps with every step. Where do the power outlets go? What kind of faucet do you want? How big do you want your porch? No cookie-cutter homes from this fellah!

I got the opportunity to visit the construction site a little under a year ago, and took some pictures of the beginning phase of the building. This week, I went back out to the construction site and found some impressive changes.

What once looked like this,

Now looks like this!

The back porch was just getting started...

Not quite finished, but starting to look like a home.

The back porch is spacious and just waiting...

...for a skilled mason to shape stones for the outdoor fireplace and columns.

It's rare when I get to study a true artist while he works. JC is a stone mason, and he hand-forms the stones he works with. He let me photograph him as he worked. Here is my favorite image of him forming stone into the proper shape and feel for the fireplace inside the house:

Not every artist comes with a black beret.

Want to see more pictures? Visit my SmugMug gallery!