Julian Part 2 Camp Stevens March 8 -10, 2013

As I got into the car after buying my new bracelet, it started snowing and I started praying! It's about 10 miles to Camp Stevens through Julian, around many curves and up and up and up. The sign says, "snow tires required past here". Needless to say I don't have snow tires, so I prayed some more and made it!!!!!

Front door to camp office
and my intro to the art
of Jim Hubbell

Episcopal Church Camp
for Southern California Diocese

The sign was covered with snow
and I didn't know which way to go?
Up? or Down?
Lucky for me, someone came along.

The next morning I could see
the dining room is to the left
and not follow the people
but go my own path!

I love this photo. Another photo
had a person in a red coat,
very wise for snowy weather.

Footprints where God carries us
can be in the sand OR the snow!

Before

After - Vulcan Mountain

At the retreat, there was another Carolyn AND
she drove a Buick Century of the same color!

The retreat addressed the ancient
word "Acedia". Today it might
be referred to as depression,
as when you can't get out of it
by yourself.

We passed these daffodils on the
way to our meals. I think the open
ones show how acedia might  feel.
This photo of the new buds gives us HOPE!

One option was learning about
planting from seeds. Loved it
as it took me back to my childhood
roots and my Daddy's gardens.
Camp Stevens grows a lot of fresh
vegetables for their meals.

He showed us how to mix the soil.
How to order seeds and remember
that seeds are living things.
How to make the little beds and when
to transplant the seedlings to the garden.

This tree was back at the Oaks.

I was hoping Julian would be full of
fruit trees in their glory, but it was
a little early for the apples and it's
probably a good thing. The orchards
were bare and severely trimmed. I
did not get a photo of them.

This beautiful hallway was in another
cabin, so after everyone had left,
I wandered around and saw more
of the camp and artwork of Jim Hubbell.

I found the labyrinth. To be made
with stones as the one in Scottsdale
was made with stones, that is where
the similarity stopped. This one was
on a steep hill, circuits close together,
 a large center, and shady among the trees.

The original chapel was destroyed by
forest fire. This new one is in stone with
wooden planks for the pews and was
created by Jim Hubbell.
His whole idea is to let God in. Even the wall
has pieces of glass, large and small, and
crevices for light to come in.
They do have a canopy for rainy days.

St. Francis

I hope you can see the tree house
in this magnificent tree.

A big emphasis of the whole
camp is to conserve our natural
resources. We kept all our food
scraps for the compost pile and
each bedroom had a trash can
for paper recycle.