A Picnic at the Grotto....April 2o, 2010

I took a picnic lunch over to eat with Joe. Fried chicken, potato and mac salad, chips, drinks and two chocolate chip cookies. We have a picnic table on the front lawn of the Church, and the people who work at Church sometimes eat there. After lunch I got my chair out of the car and sat for a while watching Mike do his thing. It's like a giant puzzle...each piece has a spot. The pavers aren't uniform in size and this is giving him problems. If you start off 1/8 inch off...by the time you reach the end of the row...it can be as much as a paver off. When I left he was trying to figure out what he should do. He works alone, so it is time consuming. I still think he will be finished today.
Balisha

The Grotto Work Continues...The Pavers... April 19, 2010

The weather has been great here in Byron. The work on the Grotto progresses a little each day. I was shopping in Rockford yesterday and had just got home when the phone rang. It was Joe asking if I wanted to watch something neat. "Come on over and bring a chair," he said. I hurried to the car and loaded my chair and camera in the back. When I got to St. Mary's, there was only one worker there. I will call him "Meticulous Mike" Just the kind of person you want...doing the job of putting the pavers down. The paver area was all smoothed out and ready for Mike to do his magic.Every thing was so precise. It has to be perfect to fit these pavers in the pattern that Joe chose. One corner at a time. He can't be a fraction of an inch off...or it will affect the whole thing.

Everything measured out and squared off. It was interesting to watch this guy start to work then stop...you could see the thoughts going around in his head. Every step was well thought out. He is meticulous...

This section is a difficult application. The lights are the round circle areas. He has to get these pavers to fit so that each light is the same. I'll take more pictures when the light area is actually done. There were nubs on each paver that made fitting more difficult. He and Joe left to get a blade...so that he could cut them off each paver. Putting them down, one by one, a job that is hard on the knees. Kneeling on brick all day...glad it's him and not me.

I think that he will finish the pavers...maybe today. Then he can pour the sidewalks. Hopefully we won't get rain. I'll tell more about the finishing of the pavers tomorrow. I was really glad that I went over to watch. This is developing into a very interesting project for our Church. A lady stopped by yesterday and said that she had visited many Grottos in her lifetime. She wondered if this could be a tourist attraction. I don't know the answer to that, but it will be a beautiful addition to our Church and hopefully many people will use it. Joe and I are so excited about this ...he spends many hours a day and I do my best to keep things going at home. When he comes home, he is spent. I have worried about him, but it does no good. He's a man on a mission right now.

Balisha

April 15, 2010

Looking at this picture...it doesn't seem like much has been accomplished since the last pictures. You can see the lights have been put in and the gravel has been put there.. in layers. The larger gravel on the bottom and then a fabric was put down and then a finer product on top. The fabric was laid to keep the finer gravel from filtering down through the first layer. Then the area was tamped down. This is all preparation work for the pavers. Joe is on his way, right now, to the stone company, to pick up the pavers and benches. This is a heavy load and requires a flat bed truck. From what I understand...the pavers will be put in place, and then covered with plywood to protect them, while the stonework is being done. What a process...so many details to take care of. Joe has been there throughout...to be available to answer questions and just be there if needed. There is no shady place for him to sit. Today, the weather has changed, and will be cooler.I have noticed that there is more community interest now that the Grotto is taking shape. People are wondering what this is. Other Churches are looking with interest. People driving by slowly and waving. The hope is that people will stop and sit there for a few moments and meditate, slow down the pace of the day, and maybe say a prayer. It isn't just for members of our Church...anyone can use it. This has been months in the planning and a lot of tedious work for Joe. Things seem to have just fallen into place on this project. The people who are working on it are doing a good job and all get along. I think that this project is going so smoothly because of ...Divine Intervention.
Balisha

April 13, 2010 Another Beautiful Work Day

Today was a very productive day. Everyone showed up to work on this project. The sidewalks, that will lead to the Grotto, were dug out. So lucky that the weather is cooperating. This couldn't have been done, if it had rained.

The block wall was finished in the back of the Grotto. The opening is where the statue of Jesus will go. The electrical work began today.I'm anxious for the stonework to be started. It should be an interesting process. Joe thinks that if all continues at this speed..they may be finished by the end of the month. He was there most of the day again. We took a drive this afternoon and drove up to the Church from a different angle. What a beautiful sight...the St. Mary's Grotto is taking shape.

Balisha

And the Work Continues

After three days of not working, the work once again begins. I don't know the correct terminology, but this is a wall being built of blocks for supporting a door that will be behind the statue. It will be put in place and will be a locked access door, so that if they ever need to work on the statue...they will be able to do it easily.... otherwise there would be no way to get at the statue without harming it. Today was a great day for working on this. The weather was perfect. I went over to take this picture and watch for a bit....helping out at our Mary's Garden, while I was there. Joe stayed all day and he's home and tired tonight. He is really dedicated to this project. People in our Church and people in town are watching, with interest, while this is being built... from the ground up.
Some decisions were made about the plantings around the Grotto. I ordered a couple of Dwarf Spruce trees and six pink rose bushes...three for each side. I already ordered some little hostas for the border. More tomorrow.
Balisha

The Forms are Removed

Yesterday the forms were removed from the Grotto. Joe was there early in the morning taking down the wooden supports himself. He's been so anxious to get this project going. Today he took the measurements to a stone company in Rockford for Indiana sandstone caps for the top of the walls. They won't be able to work on it again until Monday. Hopefully the weather will be good.

Joe selected two trees to plant. They are Chanticleer Pear Trees. Twins...one on each side. I am planning the small gardens on each side. Probably Hostas and 3 rose bushes in each garden. We haven't decided on the rose bushes yet. It all depends on the size of the planting area..how many plants we will need. There will be pavers on the ground that can be engraved with names of people to be remembered. Benches in memory of Joe's Dad and Grandma. There will be more information down the road. It's only just begun.

Balisha

The Concrete is Poured

It was a nice day yesterday until late afternoon, when the storms started. They were able to pour the concrete for the Grotto. It's beginning to take shape. You don't realize how much detail there is to take care of. Everything is planned now if the weather will cooperate... it will get done.

Joe is there everyday, while the men are working. He is on site so that if any questions come up he will be there to answer. The dedication is to be on June 12th.

Balisha