Another week gone

We have completed our second project week at Indian Hills Camp and we were able to get a few more things completed.  The guinea pig house is put together once more and the new rabbit enclosure is coming along nicely.  We also spent the weekend at the San Diego zoo with our son and his wife.

This is where the old rabbit hutches stood.  Fortunately, they were removed before the tree trimming!

The new hutches will have a concrete block base.  Here is the footing we poured for the block.

You can plainly see the "upgraded" cement mixer.

With the block all laid, we then had to pour drain curbs behind the block so the keepers can clean the area with a water hose.

All done!  There are 148 block in this pile and Chuck and myself touched each one of then, more than once.

Remember the accident with the tree trimming.  Well, here is the renewed version.

Then after the work comes the time to adventure.  Here is the beast at the entrance of the San Diego Zoo.

There is also much peace and beauty as God displays His creation for us.

Just a shot from high above the zoo as we traveled from one side to the other on the tram.

This was a pretty rainy and lazy day.  The king of beasts is taking it easy.  We were told that they usually spend as much as 18 hours a day like this to conserve energy.

The leopard next door is following suit.

But this Asian elephant is taking some time to clean her toe nails.  If you look carefully you can see the end of a stick in her trunk and she is using it to scrape mud from between her toes.

Later we took time to go to the Pacific and, of course, pick up a few shells.

We were on Coronado Island and this is the famous Coronado hotel.  Built in 1868 it has seen several upgrades but is still a marvelous old structure.

We took time to have a shot taken in the garden before we moved on.

Sunday we met Matthew and Cassie at the zoo.  They were coming on Saturday but it was pouring at Huntington Beach.

As well as many beautiful animals the zoo has a display of God's handiwork in the plant world.

The polar bears had a hard Saturday night and must recuperate.

This old fellow is beginning to show signs of aging!

But this fellow is just looking for more mischief.

Then there are those who had to take time out for a bit of "rare" rabbit stew.

The young Copi knows where to go when he is hungry.

Another one of the animals which are representations of animals which lived here in

Southern California long ago.

Of course there were also somewhat large tigers here then.

...and the polar bears!!!!

In the warm afternoon sun the "baby" tigers are keeping each other groomed.

While some of the zoo guests take time to think about what all these people are doing others...

...others just don't seem to care!

The end on week one at Indian Hills Camp

We have completed our first week at Indian Hills Camp and it has been a chilly one.  This morning we awoke to a frosty 33 degrees.  But the work has been good and it doesn't usually take very long before one must take off the jacket while working.  Remember the first construction project.  Well our planning was a little suspect.

You see, there was a large eucalyptus tree beside the shed and it needed to be removed.  Well in the process a couple pieces of the tree, which was probably 60 feet tall, fell on the roof of the shed.  I think this is what they call job security.

Moving on.  The camp wanted a new garbage can holder next to the restrooms.  Plant some posts, frame up some 2 X 4's, add some siding and paint......

and there we have it, a three holer, two holes for garbage, and one small one for recycling.

Our ladies have been busy as well.  They have painted the main office and the restroom where we built the new garbage can holders.  On the east end of the restrooms, last months Sowers built a room for a laundry facility and they painted that too.  Well it didn't move!

The painting wasn't so much painting as it was cutting.

Some of the other things we did this week was to clean up the roof line of two cages.  This one is the chicken cage.  The roofs had overhangs which were nothing but head knockers and the roofing was deteriorating.  We trimmed off the head knockers and the rotting sheeting, added a 2X8 fascia and roofing drip lip then paint.

The same was done on the pigeon cage.

This is the goat and sheep barn.  Last week it looked like the leaning tower of Pizza.  Now it is straight, reroofed, painted and last but not least, thoroughly inspected by our Quality Control expert.

Besides, we had to do a good job!  we were being carefully watched by the next door neighbors.

This morning we awoke to 33 degrees.  Even the crows were afraid to fly for fear of freezing their wings.  God is still here even with the crows.

We have arrived at Indian Hills Camp!

After a 4 hour journey from Desert Hot Springs we arrived in Jamul, Ca. and Indian Hills Camp. I really didn't care for the traffic but it wasn't too bad.

As we pulled into the camp the first thing we saw was the sign which says "Pavement Ends, Wild West Begins.

We got to the campsite and just in time as the YMCA invaded and the great big parking lot in front of us was packed.

Of course we had to take a tour of the camp and someone was disappointed when she found the assayer's office closed.

Of course we had to make a trip into town to find the nearest Walmart.

On Sunday evening the group met with the Group Leader to get our instructions to begin work the next morning.

Our first job was to tear the guinea hen cage and put a new roof on it.

A new roof section was built and hung.

(The photographer kinda got sidetracked).

After adding a few braces and cleaning up some of the mess....

......it was time to put the shingles and tar paper on.

With the roofing complete it was time to clean up for the day.

The sun drops over the mountain early and the temperature drops.  We must go up to the office to access the Wi-fi.

While we are using the laptop we are always under constant surveillance.

Everyone must get a turn on the email.