The Rock
“THE ROCK”
I Believe what this Represents equals …. The Bailey … Mann Legacy A Vital Part of our Journey
I always wanted the “The Rock.” The Rock is the corner stone of my topsy turvey Life. It is my “Balance.” It took approximately 4 years after our move East to finally find and to afford “The Rock”. It weighs 4800 pounds. It landed as close to centre as possible on our Island. A Genius Carver who loves his work sculpted into its surface … “The Sandlot 16433” The Stone was projecting shades of pale … Pink, Salmon and Tan. The printing was” Black” as night and “Scripted.”
We would walk together as Family to the end of our driveway to just stand and look at our “Rock”. We would ask ourselves … “Did you ever imagine we would find this so exciting.” The Rock is Beautiful.
Can an inanimate natural substance make you happy? It did and does! We planted perennial grasses just behind it, softening the overall Picture. We found the combination of “Immovable and Soft” incredibly perfect. Our Son moved our Canadian Flag onto a 4x4 post and it stands proudly rippling in the wind. We then believed we were finished. Done … Over … Enough.
There was nothing that could take away the Beauty of “Our Rock.” Family and Friends did not quite understand why a rock mattered so much. My thoughts were that something was missing. A Project left unfinished. It was not quite complete. My Mind is actively engaged in the process of what could be … who knew.
On a Journey with my Sister a few weeks later from Brighton to Peterborough we travelled North out of Port Hope along Hwy28 past Bailieboro and high on a hill a large old family home was holding a sale of old, ancient and not so old furniture. The possibilities were everywhere. However we did not stop. On our return trip we took the same route. Would the sale still be on. Were there Treasures there? I love treasure hunting. You can with a little imagination turn something “Ordinary” in todays world and recreate it into something “Unique.” Beauty can be found anywhere if we use our vision to see “Possibilities.”
Overshadowed by sheer volume and size of the artifacts, we found old dressers, hall tables a small garden bench and at the end of a long row, sitting nestled in the grass, were two identical pieces of solid wood approx. 2 ½ feet tall. I looked on from a distance. They intrigued me. People were milling around. I came back to that spot a number of times. The wood structures were heavy as I lifted one quietly, hopefully unnoticed. I was not sure what they had been but still interested. Stamped into the top of the wood was a date and year and some type of catalogue #. Nudging them apart each one contained half of a whole circle. The wood within the half Bowl was in various shades of darkest brown to tan and shades of pink and salmon. What could I do with it. The crowd had thinned by now and I asked the Dealer what they were. “Moulds” he said, used long ago to make underground piping. The moulds allowed the piping to fit in perfectly. The cost was only $45.00 for both. My mind was percolating. I bought them and took them home. Long story short … I carried them out to our Rock and placed them on either side of that Rock, then stood back to view. The interior wood of that half bowl or half circle enhanced the pale colours of the Rock. It gave it definition. It matched . It highlighted. It fit.
Now to complete the picture in my mind that had always been there, of “Birds in Flight” flying over the shortest end of the Rock. Could it be done? I did not have the Birds but the Dream of them existed. I am now on that journey. It should keep me out of trouble.
Having brought out my Husband and my Son I tried to explain to them … My Vision. Nobody could see it. My Son said, “I am trying to see it but I cannot. I thought that the “Rock “ was the Centre Piece of the Island? He was not wrong !
The picture in my head is quite Beautiful. Birds in flight, perhaps 3, black as ink, either geese or ducks on a steel rod and attached to the mould and rising above the corner of the rock. I would ask for nothing more. The beautiful Rock would be complete, representing our family journey , the challenges of a sand lot , the joy of coming home, the wonder of nature and all it represents. We found Peace here.
Just the other day I realized why my Vision is so clear. “THE ROCK” solid, strong, beautiful, represents our ‘MOM.” She was and still is our “STRONG FOUNDATION.” The” BIRDS IN FLIGHT.” Represent “OUR DAD.” The Dreamer, the Inventor , the Engineer, striving always to Chase his dreams. He lifts us up where we Belong … if we but try. He gave us Wings to Fly.
The Moulds were found in Bailieboro, M y dad had Moulds for his Inventions and his name is “Bailey.” I believe that this completes the Picture in my Mind.
Sheila Bailey McLaren (Aged 75 years)