Foundation Rocks

After reading this on Melanie's blog

Marty called us when they got home from their ward conference and told us about a really neat thing their Primary kids got to do. Each child (even the nursery kids, so Noah got to participate) was given a river rock. They used sharpies and wrote their names on their rocks. Then the leaders collected them back and they will be added to the rocks placed under the foundation of the Sacramento temple. How cool is that, for each child to be able to say they have their very own rock helping hold up the temple! I’ll bet many adults wanted to have their own rocks, as well.

this morning, I emailed our Stake Leaders to seeif we could do the same thing. I received this repy:

Hello Barbara,
I have received a program outline from Fair Oaks stake (temple host stake) regarding the rock signing project. We're excited about participating and will get information out to the bishops this week. You'll be hearing information on the program this next Sunday, the 6th of February. Thanks for your interest!

Take care, Pres Fisher

---

from Stake President Pebbles Feb 1, 2005

Barbara,
I was forwarded a fax from Phil Schrimp where you inquired about foundation rocks for the temple. This is a special project, coorelated with the contractor and is for all primary children in the temple district. Information will be given through each wards Primary. It is very specific in the size of the rocks, they are actually quite small so they can be used in the foundation. It is for primary children only and each stake has a limit on the quantity of rocks they can provide. The contractor is being very kind to allow us to do this. The official permission was just given early last week and so we are on a hurry up process to get it done in the stake. I recieved the go ahead on Friday of last week and the stake primary Presidency was instructed on the details of the project after your ward conference last Sunday. The Bishoprics will be instructed at their Thursday meeting with the Stake Presidency this week. The details will be given to the ward Primary President and will happen quickly. The youth will have future opportunities for involvement in the temple, this project is limited to the Primary children. I hope this helps answer your question.
Don Pebbles

Sacramento Temple - January 30, 2005

Last week, the gate with signs blocked our access to the baseball fields and outbuilding although one COULD simply walk around the gate. We were sorely tempted, but did not. We left a note on super's truck asking if there was a way to get there without breaking any rules. This week the gate was attached to fencing, completely barring the way. Not the answer we were hoping for.


From the parking lot, we gaze wistfully at a former shooting site.


Unfortuanately, some pictures of the font area had some kind of disc error. Some kind of wall/frames are going up. You can see some here.


From the Mormon Center stage door steps, zoomed in.

v The long view from the stage door.


From the same place looking towards the back of the site.


Evidence of work and progress -

snaps at home

Benjamin
Andrew
Anna

Sacramento Temple - January 23, 2005

Trying to do a photo-history can be a frustrating business. We really want to go to our old regular shooting spot by the outbuilding. It would be simple enough to walk past the fence. But... sigh. So near and yet so far away. One of our "favorite" warning signs. Why is it there at all if it is going to be upside down so low to the ground? Is it true? We knew this was Super's truck because it barked at us (Hercules and Samson) and it had an Arizona plate on back and it's the right color. Since people were coming out from the church, we waited for him a bit. Nope. Joseph was brave enough to want us to go in looking for him, as perhaps he was being waylaid (by someone else) and delayed. However, once inside, it appeared that one ward was breaking for another session (we don't know how many wards use the building or which he attends). We were not up to wandering the church looking for him during meetings. Besides there was always the likelihood of zigging during his zag. So we went back out to the parking lot. Finally, we left a note on a business card that David gave me for Christmas (thank you son) and left it on the windshield. Now, here's hoping that 1) he sees it before it blows away and 2) he answers. We asked if there is a way to get to the outbuilding by the ball fields without breaking any rules. From the parking lot, it is hard to see what is happening in the basement area.
better when we zoom in


From the stage stairs, all you can see is that they have been digging things up.


here's the latest dirt

If it were a sunny day, you would see that this is actually mounds of dirt on either side of some sort of gulf or hole, but in the grey light, there is no contrast and shadow.

Machines on their day of rest






color on a grey day


Back to back (from a back door of Mormon Center)

January 17, 2005 a day late

It's too bad that we couldn't shoot Sunday, because Sunday was sunny. Today was grey and darkish.

Approaching the top of the entrance drive. The fork to the right is currently authorized personnel, hard hat area only. One of Joseph's original shooting sites is now inside that gate under the tree. You can also see in the distance the outbuilding from which we have been taking pictures. No going up that trail. At least not when they are working, like today.

The left side leads to another turn to the left and a drive through the picnic area to the parking on the west side of Mormon Center, by the caretaker's, or straight to the formerly big parking lot where we saw that once again our access has been racheted down.

You cannot tell from here, but the line of lights down the middle of the parking lot is now fenced inside the construction zone.


I held my camera over the fence so we could get an idea of what's going on over there.


It is hard to tell from the distance (and there is no getting close) exactly where it is and how it is arranged, but it looks like rebar in the font area.

(Did you know that REBAR is an acronym? for Steel Reinforcing Bar. Did you know there is a website Acronym Finder I didn't, but I probably should have guessed. Dictionary.com sent me there.)

I think this instrument is near the center front of where the temple will be. Maybe. It looked like something inside the window looking things was rotating. What is it?


Looking from the stage exit toward the temple site -


Here, with the walkway to Mormon Center, can you see how much the parking lot has been cut off?


Somewhere under all this is my old friend ¢, probably never to be seen again.

We also noticed that the A Field backstop is gone now. But the bleachers remain.


The turkeys were feeding in the picnic area by the parking lot.

More signs of wildlife in the picnic area.


Sorry this little paw didn't come out more clearly we even put down the one-legged Lego man and Joseph's keys for size reference.


We noticed new cement borders around the sand around the trees.

But not all the trees have sand and borders. Is this a case of "Sorry chump, you're a stump."?
I hope not because several trees lack sand and border. None on the other side of the drive through this area, so likely not.

January 9, 2005

We didn't get up there as soon as we ought. How quickly we acclimate to not having to be at church by 9am and learn to waste the morning. We had only a few minutes at the temple site before we had to leave for church. Also, it was beginning to rain again.

The construction fence has been moved much further into the parking lot. See how close it now is to ¢.


Here's the center "close-up".


From the outbuilding. Rather grey and unfocused.


This is outside Mormon Center's multi-purpose room. You can see the
web cam on the roof
and the stage exit where I stand to take pictures which show this and this


If you were watching the web cam at just the right moment, you would have seen me stand on the wall by the flag pole to take this (exciting) picture.


I don't know what these are, I just took pictures of them.
this is at the back of the site


these are by the font area

I guess this is their tool cupboard


Walking away from the Mormon Center along the construction fence. In the distance we can see the outbuilding by the baseball fields. This entire parking lot will be redone.