Laying the Lintel

A scattered cluster of flat slate fragments lay half-buried in the moss beside the brick border. Kneeling on the damp earth, I decided to construct a freestanding miniature arch to mark the perimeter. I pressed two dense slate slivers vertically into the compacted loam, checking their alignment with measured taps. Once the twin piers stood rigid, I hoisted a tapered capstone with both hands and carefully eased it across the open span. Shifting the lintel two millimeters to center its mass, the downward friction locked the stones in place. The miniature archway stands perfectly stable against the earth.