Mother-Daughter Press and Gay Bumgarner Images

 See image in website

Cairn- Built by Gay McDonnell Bumgarner and Patrick C. McDonnell

This was one of two cairns built by this energetic (fidgety) artistic duo.  They were also responsible for numerous wooden arbors, garden benches, and brush piles.  

Based on my quick review of the definition, cultural, and historical information about cairns it seems they are built by almost everyone and for purposes ranging from the trivial to the supremely important. If you see a Cairn, depending on the place, the time, and a myriad of other cues it might be saying to you.

-- "There are too many rocks here so I will pile them all up in this one place"
--"Wow"
--"Go here"
--"Don't go here"
--"I bet I can make a bigger more amazing pile than you can"
--"Buffalo (or Reindeer) run this way (toward cliff)"
--"Someone is buried here"
--"This is the top (summit) of the mountain"
--"I am (or wish I was) Andy Goldsworthy"
-- "There was a very important battle here that defines our national pride, or, a cart carrying fruit tipped over around here last week.

As we all know few forces are more compelling than the urge to pile rocks one on top of the other.

Fortunately, as an act of reverence the cairns built by Gay and Pat were collected and now adorn the gardens of good friends.  Cairns make great garden art, we would love to see yours too.