Dry Stacked Stone Wall

It's been raining quite a bit, so I've been putting a bit of time into my dry stacked retaining wall, down near the barn. It's easier to dig the rocks out of the ground after a rain storm. All of these rocks came out of the bank right there where I'm working. I find it really amazing that the right rock just happens to come up at the right time. Very little debating, or hunting around for one that fits. And what's even more amazing, I've manage to build most of this without bending down and lifting the rocks! You can maneuver even large boulders quite easily and precisely with a long-handled pointed hoe. -Sorry, forgot to take a picture of the hoe.

A wall like this is pretty easy, because the rocks are always higher than the top of the wall. Gravity is always on my side, but the next challenge is to build a real, free-standing wall. After my back let go a couple of years ago, I thought I'd never be able to do anything like this again. But now, well, I think I can, I think I can...