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Finally, we start on the bricks. Lay down a bed of mortar and set the first six bricks in place. This is the back side of the wall. I am using Metropolitan bricks.They came from Columbia St. by the old Newport jail. I picked them up at a pile of rubble on 5th. St. Since this is a garden wall I just eyeballed them in place.

Five courses high. We use a tape measure, level  and eyeball to keep it in order. The mortar is fairly stiff so the heavy stones don't squish it out. Note the metal tie strips that will tie the wall to the column.

Now Jesse is starting to build the column. We are using granite pavers that came from River Road over in Lower Price Hill in Cincinnati. The Bob Kitten (Sarah Fulmer) and I picked them up. 20 lbs.each. 100 per load.  I paid the foreman  a case of beer per load. Jesse has mixed up a batch of mortar. Fingers work as well as a trowel. The column is 19'' X 19" wide and will be about 6' tall.

After giving the concrete a day to set up,  the next step is to strip the plywood forms. Back off the screws and with a spud bar pry off the forms. Backfill with dirt and voila you're ready to lay bricks.

So now we have finished pouring the concrete. Time to clean out the mixer.