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Photo: Sarah Banks

Anita Holmquist

RAYMOND — For Anita Holmquist, moving 800-pound rocks is just another day.

Holmquist is the designer, builder and creator of over 600 feet of hand-built stone walls at her residence in Raymond. She has been building stone walls for 30 years – for 25 years at her own residence. She has completed a four-tier stone terrace, a 100-foot wall and a 300-foot expanse at the entrance to her property.

When asked why she started building stone walls, Holmquist seemed surprised at the question.

Holmquist, who grew up in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, explained that, for her, building stone walls is a natural occupation and an inherited passion from her mother.

“Stones were what we had to work with, and I like doing it,” Holmquist explained. “I’ve always liked gardening and landscaping.”

Holmquist uses rocks from her own property in Raymond and some from another property in Gray.

For the terraced hillside, Holmquist used olivine and feldspar in the first tier, granite in the second and fourth tiers and blue stone in the third.

“This is what accounts for the difference in color – and texture – throughout the different tiers,” Holmquist said.

When she starts building, Holmquist says she has a general idea of what the wall will look like, but it changes as she goes.

“All of my walls have a bit of a curve to them,” Holmquist said, laughing.

Her husband, Wayne Holmquest, drives the tractor for the bigger stones, but Holmquist won't let him get much closer.

Holmquist graduated from Springfield College in Massachusetts with a degree in Physical Education.

She taught horseback riding, skiing and archery at Colby Junior College (now Colby-Sawyer) in New London, NH for a year before retiring to raise her family. She now works at her son Bill's store, Goin' Postal in Norway, a few times a week.

Holmquist also keeps busy making oriental rugs and jewelry. She also knits, crochets and paints.

"I'm a crafty lady," she said.