ALMOST BACK TO NORMAL ON THE MOUNTAIN

Sunday, July 21, 2013

According to The Town Crier, the fire had burned twenty seven thousand, two hundred sixty-five acres.  Thanks to the overnight rain, the wildfire was being tamed being sixty eight percent contained.  

Firefighting personnel was down  to one thousand eight hundred sixty one firefighters.  One DC-10 had been released. There were still eighty seven fire engines,  thirteen helicopters and seven fixed-wing aircraft.

Because of past and forecasted rains through Tuesday, there are now threats of mudslides.  If it is not one thing it is another.  

The Stellar Jay returned for another day of feasting at the refilled bird feeders.  

The Jay and House Finch were joined by resident squirrels who love raiding the bird feeder.  

Al and Judy, you should be able to identify with the problem below!

After thorough cleaning, power washing the deck and cabin, the windows were washed. Curtains, sheets, spreads, everything washable was packed to be brought back to Jojo's home to be washed free of the not so pleasant odor of smoke.



Furniture was returned to its proper location, photos were rehung as well as other decorative cabin accessories.  
What a difference from the pile what was in front of the fireplace. 

The cabin is now ready for the next renters.

If you ever would like a break from your routine, you just want to get away, maybe you would just like to rent the cabin for a weekend or even a week or two.  

Who could resist the Jacuzzi hot tub that we were way too exhausted to enjoy after our showers at the end of each day.

Even though we were in the throws of anxiety, there still remained the tranquility of being high on the mountain, thankfully being surrounded by majestic pine  and other trees.   
    


Just before we left for home, I captured these shots below of the results of our work outdoors.   We had a nice, clean hillside in front and in back of the cabin.  We also had sore, tired bodies that need to heal from strenuous work as well as our emotions that were stressed by the uncertanity of which direction the wind would push the fire.     

combustibles under fire proof tarps

Another view from the road

Containers of water remained on the deck "just in case." Signs were left in view for firefighters...."just in case."

RAIN CLOUDS NOT SMOKE!

They are returning home to Idyllwild! 

The number of firefighting personnel has been reduced dramatically from over thirty eight hundred to about eleven hundred.  The cost is estimated at a staggering twenty two million eight hundred thousand dollars!  

OUR DELAYED DEPARTURES:

When John and I arrived in California, we thought we would have finished our projects at Jojo's by the first of June....the middle of June at the very latest.  But the retrofit of the waterfalls and skimmer and the construction of the Pergola took longer than anticipated thanks to the abnormally high temperatures here in southern California.

July was quickly approaching.  Jojo's birthday is July 8th and we, again, had not celebrated a birthday with her in twenty years, so we delayed our departure once again.  We decided we would leave July 9th.  

BUT!  John had some tasks on this to-do list that he wanted Jojo's help with, soooo, another delay.  

We were moving right along with the motorhome to do list and felt that a departure for last Thursday was reasonable. That is until the Mountain Fire that threatened Idyllwild and Jojo's cabin.  

On the way home Sunday evening, Jojo asked "when do you anticipate you will leave this time?"

WE JUST LAUGHED!  

God Bless until next time.