Placed and curious stone features

A most unusual rock located near a Rock Pile. 

Side of one of two large standing rocks. Outer layer of rock chipped away in a manner that reminds one of a wolf or Wild Boar.  Inbetween the two standing rocks is a large round quartz rock. 

Updated Photo: October 2017;  Damaged by Logger.  He actually tried to run them down. 

After the Logger came through:  These two slabs stood upright, with a large round quartz placed between them.  I had marked this Standing Stone Group with tape,  but  he still slammed into them with his huge equipment, even when he had plenty of room to go around.  The near end of the right one was damaged, and they are tilted, but they did not yield.  The next photo shows my 3 1/2 foot walking stick in standing in front of the taller stone.  It was dislodged, and curiously there was a deep hole on the right side.  You can see the top 1 foot of my stick shown standing in the hole.  These Standing Stones are at least 4 1/2 feet tall, with half their height buried below ground.  

Grooves worked in between two large slabs of rocks, one on top of the other. 

A rock, split, with two thin "points" from the same rock, set in a curious position. 

A Cairn in the woods. 

A curious hole drilled in a boulder, which is located in an array of larger glacial boulders. There didn't appear to be a reason for this one boulder to be drilled. 

A Sign Post in the Woods. The ribbon marks a property line surveyed out by the owner of the land, for development purposes. 

One of several curious rock placements  in the woods near my house.

Overlooking The Spring

This was spotted on todays hike; we were having to climb over rocks the size of trucks in an almost inaccessible area located above "The Main Spring."  This three to four  foot shaped standing stone is wedged between a two huge boulders.    This is  well off the usual hiking trails or logging tails; it's at the top  of a Glacial Dump of gigantic proportions.

There are rock caves suitable for bear dens. And the area certainly suitable for rattle snakes. Each year we have at least one new bear cub, and it's Mom, passing by the trail camera located 1/4 mile away from this spot. 

Rock Pile, Directional Rock or Bear Effigy Stone?

This is located near the Rock Cave.  Looks like a Bear Effigy to us. Close up signs of flaking on the "face," and under one of the eyes.
I pulled the woodland debris away from the base to see how many rocks were piled about; just two!
Love the paws!  

The Northern "Balanced" Rock Location

Standing Stones with white quartz in center. There is at least one foot of woodland debris surrounding them. 

Using The compass app to locate the expected alignment of the "earliest sunset" theory.  
December 8th, 9th and 10th, weather permitting. 

The compass needle kept "jumping around!"   I had two iPhones with me, so tried the other one. No help;  neither one would agree on "True West." You can see the North "Balanced"  Rock at 12 o'clock in the distance. The closer boulder proved to be the spot I was searching for.

Next concern; where along the  Rock would one "focus" attention at the crucial moment.

This "Balanced"  Rock doesn't have  a distinctive notch  like the Southern "Balanced" Rock does.

There was  a slight notch on the north facing corner, and close-up  I could see  some interesting  pecking. From the west, it suggested  a face. Walking around to the east side...the pecking was even more distinctive, especially under the "chin."
Is this for real? 

  A Handsome  head and shoulder portrait...about12  inches tall!

And On the west facing corner:  More pecking. A Fish?

Who was this artist? Was he the same fellow who put a sliver of rock in  the "mouth" of the Razor Back Turtle for a tongue?
The one who pecked out the "eye" on the Bird Effigy?
The one who created the bear effigy near the spring?
Were they all of the same generation, or created over many seasons and years?

The key positions for the sun are the two solstices and the two equinoxes, and for the moon the positions of the full moon closest to the two solstices at the times of the standstills. The easiest way of defining and recording such events for a society with no writing or instruments is by erecting permanent markers which cause a viewer to look towards the positions on the horizon where the sun or the moon will rise or set at the times in question. It is now accepted that this is part of the purpose of many of the standing stones, stone circles and chambered cairns erected in the late stone age or Neolithic period, and in the early Bronze age.

Bent Tree Trail

Going where it leads....

 On an old path,  on a hill,  overlooking The Lake,

An Old Bent Tree,  points west. To the west, The "Balanced" Rock.

Was the  "Balanced" Rock a Sunset Watching Spot? The Rock faces  the setting sun.   About 40 feet back from the  Rock, a large circular Rock Pile.  Near the center of the pile, a short standing stone. 

" Winter solstice was of particular interest to many pre-technological cultures. Because the Sun rose and set at a very southern/low point, people were concerned that it might continue its southward journey, hence leaving the Earth in darkness. Ceremonies were held to encourage the Sun to resume its journey northward, or to celebrate the change to longer days."


The earliest Sunset at our Latitude occurs about 10 days prior to the time it sets on the Winter Solstice. On our modern calendar, at our latitude of 42• that date is December 8 & 9, 2015.

An early "sun watcher" wouldn't have a time piece, smart phone or calendar.  This shift wouldn't be obvious, so simpler methods were devised."  Therefore, we might expect that every evening following the Full Beaver Moon, Sun Watcher will  be found sitting in the same well-marked spot. (Full Beaver Moon this year is Nov 25, 2015.

Now, if this "Balanced" Rock and adjacent Rock Pile (A Prayer Rock Pile?) are a Sunset Watching Spot, the setting sun should be directly in line with the Rock and one of the viewing spots at the Pile of Stones. There are several stones arranged in the larger pile; one is a square standing stone.

If the sun is going to change it's direction,  as far as The Sunset Watcher at this particular site is concerned, it will  stop traveling further south when everything is in alignment , about 15 days after the Full Beaver Moon.   "Let the Winter Solstice Ceremonies Begin!"

   Read here for an explanation.


So that's my theory.  I've made a plan. Beginning twelve  days after  the Full Beaver Moon, I will sit   on The Stone, and point my camera  at the "Balanced"  Rock, (33• south of due west on a compass), and photograph the moment the sun "sets" on the line of hills far to the west. (Lots of trees in the way, but if there are no clouds, it will work. )

 Just saying. (Or, maybe, just trying to listen. )

Time and Date: Here

Bent Trail Tree.

The Southern "Balanced" Boulder

Perched Rock that has modern backfill.

This large boulder is balanced on a piece of bedrock. Behind the boulder there is a space of about 10 feet  in which are a few small rocks.  pushed down onto them is a great deal of artificial landfill  which was brought in to level out a driveway. The Boulder is particularly curious because of a notch knocked out of the top.