The Scottish Terracer Rock

The Scottish 'Terracer' is a bold compact rock that exemplifies strength in a small package–a focused and thoughtful rock whose determination to hold up its own weight, while at the same time catching anything pushing out from the ground, makes this a superb retaining wall material.

This building bundle is staunchly self-reliant, though course and crusty at times. Like the terraces they were designed for, the Scottish Terracers are built lower to the ground and have tremendous staying power. Walls made with Scotties are built more for structure than for long-distance. These rocks make for walls that swallow up squirrels and chipmunks with rollicking enthusiasm.

Steadfastly loyal to their wallers's intentions the Scottish Terracers can make intimidating barriers. They should be introduced to other rocks at an early stage and not allowed to be sharp. Otherwise they can be scrappy with other rocks.

To not trace along the wall with this kind of rock is a challenge, for no breed of rock has higher self-esteem or a stronger will to lie long-ways rather than sit obediently nestled into the wall -- this is not a rock for wallers who will easily compromise their standards. Firm, consistent placement is a must, for the Scottie Rock is proud, sensitive, and easily put out. He may retaliate if jerked or pushed too far with rough handling.

If you strike a Terracer and you go beyond what they believe is a fair dressing down, they are more likely than other breed of rock to bounce back or snap. Terracers are apt to "return pain" if they "receive pain." Be extra careful when putting your hands on them to try to alter their disposition.

'Standoffish' by nature Scottish Terracers make bad foundation stones or pavers, and so need extensive exposure higher up in the wall . Even then Scotties may sometimes jump out of a wall for no reason and go down right nasty.

While Scottish Terracers proportions are well defined and impressively modular they can be scrappy with other rocks of the same specs .

Music - A Gathering Of Stones

Dave Goulder and Friends

Cairn Rocks

If you're going to try building a cairn you'll need a lot of special 'cairn' rocks. Hopefully you'll find this type of rock all around where you're planning to build, both on the surface and under the ground. If not you will have to adopt a different rock material and a new strategy.

The terrain where cairn rocks prefer to gather is usually rugged uneven ground, full of outcroppings and glacial till. Cairn Terrain Rocks (or 'Cairn Terriers' as they're commonly called) are great for building free-standing mounded dry stone monuments. They are small to medium sized rugged rocks which love to do any job that you set them to do. They seem to like to huddle together in groups nestled on top of one another. Their shape is usually somewhat triangular, with smaller rear sections and larger faces. This makes them fit well in rounded structures. Take care not to upset them while you are building with them as they can often be quite aggressive and hurt you, or more likely fall out with each other.

Cairn Terriers must be put in their place at an early stage so that they don't try to pull some quick moves on you. The toughness that makes them suited to aggressively fastening on to other rocks can frustrate you when you try to use them in different combinations with less suitable shaped material. Cairn Terriers can be stubborn and dominant (they want to be the boss) and will make you have to prove that you are the one doing the building. Your walling must be absolutely consistent and you must 'stand your ground' with them. Make them sit up and mark well the place that you have decided they should be.

Brutal Standards

Let's look at the Standard Brutal Rock. This is a chunky breed of rock of medium-large to very large dimensions. It comes in a variety of colors. It is a rock that you will want to think twice about bringing home. It may look lighter than a Boulder Collie and fairly easy going, but it isn't. It has an irregular shape which coupled with it size can make it quite a challenge to handle. The Standard Brutals got their name for a reason. They like to have you wrestle with them and they are generally not very obedient either. The Standard Brutal Rock is one of the smartest of all breeds. He is a "thinking" rock who pays attention to his owner, learns quickly, and then resists whatever you are trying to do.

The Standard Brutal is by no means perfect or low-maintenance. They usually need a good deal of chipping and shaping. You need to do this in the field because 'housebreaking' them in the back yard can make a lot of rubble. Standard Brutal Rocks need a lot of daily companionship. They suffer from loneliness and separation anxiety if left alone too much.

When you do get it home you will want to put it somewhere low to the ground. Be careful that his presence doesn't cause conflict with some of the smaller rocks, especially where they are in a pack together. Remember this intelligent breed cannot simply sit in the backyard and be ignored.

Most Standard Brutals are sensitive rocks for their size, sometimes even hypersensitive. If you push them unexpectedly or startle them they tend to move quicker than you think. They could hurt you. These rocks if left sitting awkwardly on their own are not good with small children. Similarly Standard Brutals can get upset if there's too much activity or conflict or roughhousing in your neighborhood -- they prefer peace and harmony. Many Brutals together make a powerful wall but make sure they all fit in — you do have to watch your lines: some Brutal lines are high-strung. Ones that get seriously out of line should be put down.

Identifying with Rocks

The attraction (and humour) of owning a Pet Rock has a lot to do with 'rock identification', that is recognizing a rock - or petra (Greek "πέτρα"), often makes better companion and fits better in a home or around a property than most pets do. If we are looking for an undemanding companion that is content to stay in the house and sleep all day, that doesn't need walking or feeding, that won't chew the rug and isn't going to rack up a lot of vet bills or roll over and die on us one day, then a common rock does appear to be the perfect choice.

Genuine pet lovers are looking for more interaction. Even if it means having their time and finances eaten into and enduring the pile of crap heartache and pain that often accompanies having a pet; anyone who love animals will have difficulty with the idea of caring for a rock instead. It's too safe. It's too boring. They want to be needed and need to be wanted. Rock lovers, on the other hand, have recognized ( some of them perhaps only barely ) a different need within, one that can be only be satisfied by the presence of, and an interaction with, something less animate.

Pet Rocks not only satisfy the needs of the people who don't really want pets, they satisfy the needs of people who don't quite 'get' stones either. The rock lovers who are content with merely storing one or two rocks on a shelf do not understood the complex attachment rocks can have with each other.

While humourous and full of puns the instruction manual that comes with every Pet Rock portrays them as uninteresting, predictable, common and lovably unresponsive. We are not encouraged to discover their real worth or explore their inherent structural aesthetic potential. A genuine newbie rock hound might do better owning a pet first, in hopes of eventually developing an understanding for the kind of creative input and exciting long term commitment we can expect from rocks and stones. While pets are always looking to us for food and water, rocks which need neither, will ever continue nourishing us and feeding our imagination.