This is a special year for the Stone Circle, in as much as we will begin construction of "The North Copse." Older Members, perhaps much older Members, may recall Orren holding forth on The North Copse as a small elliptical feature set due North in the Stone Circle as a Circle within a Circle, in consonance with the Copse Features that frequently appear in the Neolithic structures of Northern Europe. A tightly spaced twenty foot ellipse of Standing Stones, the stones so closely spaced that they can not be walked through, and ideally cannot even be seen through. Conceived as a special place for prayer and contemplation.

The challenges of constructing such a space are that it must be laid out and constructed BEFORE the East and West wings of Main Circle of Standing Stones are placed to join it. And because it will become a special and very visible feature of the Stone Circle, the stones from which it is composed must be pre-selected and at hand before construction can begin.

We have such a stone on the property. The great twenty-two foot long "Flame Stone" that lies now in our stone yard. This is the stone that we will raise this year at due North to mark the beginning of The North Copse. This stone is very tall and only four inches thick, and will present quite the challenge to move from the stone yard in HillTop Camp to it's new home. Not to mention the challenges of actually raising it in such tight confines.

Please join us Saturday as we pull this stone home, and again Sunday as we raise it to mark the beginning of the North Copse!

Orren Whiddon