Hide and Seek

With a week of precipitation in the forecast, I decided to visit the tabernacle this afternoon.  I must tell you it has been a gorgeous day.  No coats in sight.  Sixty-five degrees.

Maybe not everyone knows about the change in the weather.

The construction cam caught the long nose of the concrete pump at the site again today.  Notice the blue snake on the left side of this photo.

When I arrived at 3:30, a lone cement truck was working.

The nose of the pump had worked along the east side, but I couldn't see what he'd been doing.

My search was interrupted by the brickwork.  This lower niche on the northeast tower caught my eye.

The niche above has also been cleaned out.

Both niches on the southeast tower have also been scraped clean.

All this work is fascinating to me.

I can't actually see the ground on the other side of the construction barrier, but my camera can.  I was back to looking for what the pump had been doing.  I want to point out a few things.  First, the slab the scaffolding stands on was poured just for the scaffolding.  Second, I am still interested in the enormous dirt cages on this side.  And third, out of sight on the right side of this picture is the east lift station.  I'm going to point out the other two lift stations later.  Last, I finally found some concrete.  It was in the bucket being held by the crane.

I wasn't understanding what the pump had been doing until someone kindly told me that he poured the baptismal font today, which is on the first level of the basement on the east side.  

I don't know why these men were bypassing the pump, but this was exciting to watch.

I wasn't the only one watching, either.

I am certain you have noticed my fascination with the new fountain at the end of the south lot.  The south lift station can barely be seen behind it.  

The tank has always been here.  Any sediment in the water, which is temporarily being pumped from the site, is separated out before the water goes back into Provo's storm system.

However, the pipe used to be eighteen inches lower and was a head-knocker, so the workmen raised it, creating a photogenic fountain.

It seems as though forms are constantly being built.  The forms on the right are for a wall which will be part of a stairwell to the surface from the underground garage.  The forms on the left are for a wall which will be part of the security office.

It won't be long before the forms over the west lot will completely cover this area.

These orange tension cables stretch from the far north edge of the west lot to this area, which is just past yesterday's pour.  The cables were pulled after the first pour a few weeks ago.  Before the new concrete cures, they will be pulled again.  After the next pour, they will be pulled along the edge under the green construction barrier.

Even in our warm weather, the concrete blankets are necessary to help the new concrete cure.  The opening to the emergency stairwell from the west garage is marked with green rebar.

The walls for the north mechanical building were poured Monday.  Silver cooling towers can be seen behind the concrete.  Part of this structure will be above ground when completed.

The north lift station, visible on the left, works with the other two lift stations as part of the vast drainage system on the temple site.  The underground water will not be pumped out, but will flow around the waterproofed concrete.  A contractor taught me last fall that the entire complex will be like a ship sailing on the ocean.  I will admit that I understood it better when he was drawing pictures for me.

Apparently there is a need to keep the steeple warm and dry while the shingles go on.

Hopefully, someone will get word to us about the hidden action.

I was delighted to find, as my mother would say, these volunteer flowers.  Despite the forecast, spring is coming.