Devine Escapes

06/10/2025

"Thanks for all your help, Devin; I couldn't have done it otherwise! Sue"

Not MY work--but I teach home owners how to build their own flagstone hardscapes and THIS is one example:

"Hi Devin. I just wanted to follow-up to let you know that I completed the patio project from last fall and finally just got around to getting some pics and a video to show you.

I followed all the instructions on your website as well as your suggestions from our phone consult (including the extra digging down a couple more inches part because we are in NH, even though I really didn't want to). I also used the products you recommended in the follow-up emails and I am very pleased with the results! The patio went through last winter just fine and the stones don't move at all; they are rock solid 😉

I learned a ton from this project and had fun. I had never even used a power tool (unless you count the cordless Dremel I use for crafting) and didn't even know what the heck an angle grinder was before this project! Your tips for moving the stone helped save this 58 year old's back too, as some of the stones certainly weighed more than I do. I didn't have any small round rocks to use for sliding one rock over another, but get this- golf balls work perfectly for that!

Thanks for all your help, Devin; I couldn't have done it otherwise! Sue"

11/11/2024

Just completed, spiral flagstone patio

08/20/2024

Spiral Garden Path.

When my customer suggested I possibly incorporate a spiral into my design I said yea--but spirals have been done before. I'm not interested in doing things that have been done before--so I built the spiral in my style. This proved challenging. I showed up, with a mix of stones that I'd been hoarding, all sorts of colors shapes and sizes. How am I going to fit all this together?

Once completed, it all seems obvious. Of course, this was the way.

Thank you for looking.

The adventure continues...

05/24/2024

I built a pyramid in upstate New York.

Created to celebrate the birth of my customer's grand daughter, who's father is from Egypt.

Thank you for looking.

05/09/2024

We were called in to repair this patio, which was built upon a foundation of clean gravel. 1.5" pieces, with no fines. The flagstones were leveled upon a bed of pea gravel/ chip gravel--3/8" pieces, with no fines. The chip gravel settle into the voids within the foundation--the entire patio has sank! Stones are breaking up, because they were too thin. Lots of problems here!

We did what we could, with a two day repair.

THIS is why you build flagstone patios upon a foundation of road base type gravel. 1,5" minus, WITH FINES.

THIS is why you use crushed stone, 1/4" minus with fines, as your leveling agent and joint material. Well, it's one of the reasons. Also, dry laid flagstone should be more than a half inch thick.....

04/17/2024

I added an extension to the garden path. Looking forward to seeing it all in bloom.

The polarities reverse, often. The direction of the flow, I mean. Sometimes: it's outgoing, and dispersing into the world--other times, it's drawing you in. Both motions are seen as positive and life-affirming. It's all good, in the flow.

Keep it flowing.

04/15/2024

I will tell you now the Legend of the House of Antaeus.

Last year, I built a dry stone tower /cairn throne, at Llano Texas, for the Llano Earth Art Fest.

3 weeks ago, I saw a post on social media--showing the tower had been dismantled! Vandalized, ruined, what a bummer. I saw people commenting, saying it was sad, or that they were angry.

So I said forget all that anger, forget all that sadness. I decided that I could simply drive down to Texas and rebuild it.....but only if locals would help.

Antaeus was an wrestler in Greek legend, who no one could defeat.

He would stand by the roadside challenging all who passed by to wrestle him. Heroes, gods and giants: none could defeat him.

A son of Gaia, he drew all of his strength from the Earth. If you knocked him down, it would only put him in greater contact with the Earth, and he'd only come back stronger.

The House of Antaeus too, if you knock it down, it only comes back a little bit better than before.

03/29/2024

The Toppled Tower: Art installation in Llano Texas vandalized-- man who built the tower says no one should be angry or sad.

Vandalism.

The destroyers of art and culture.

You might think they'd be proud of themselves (I'm kidding) but the vandal has chosen to remain anonymous. Go figure.

Well, I can't have people be bummed about this.

And I can't rebuild, against the will of the locals.

This tower was built for the llano Earth Art Festival. The organizer of the event has assured me that for every one hater, there's hundreds of people who loved having my work in the park.

So I'm enlisting the help of local volunteers and we're accepting donations, mostly from locals so far, to cover my travel expenses.

The time constraint: I want this done, before the eclipse in April.

Thousands of people will be in the park, to witness the solar eclipse--and I'm not going to have them all be bummed, seeing a pile of rock and talking about a toppled tower and the foolish actions of the destroyers of culture.

We're changing that story.

This will be rebuilt, and Llano will help, locals will own this.

Thank You

03/28/2024

03/15/2024

How's my work hold up though? I checked in with a customer, 10 years later, here's what they had to say:

"Devin custom designed and installed our dry-laid flagstone patio with wave stacked stone sitting wall 10 years ago. We have received many compliments on its artistic design. The patio has been a wonderful outdoor living space for us to enjoy our natural surroundings. Devin also built a curved dry-stacked stone wall concealing an old concrete structure next to our house, incorporating field stones from our property. We especially love the curved flagstone steps built into the wall, with decorative stone landing and stepping stones leading to the patio. The project is still beautiful and has endured the test of time."

I try my best, to apply traditional craftsmanship and create works that will outlast me. Only natural materials used on my hardscapes--the old ways work best.

Thank you