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1997-1998


Life was great. We wanted to spend more time at the oasis, listening to owls, enjoying the ambiance, so we built a small screened cabin in 1997. I planted more trees.



I was cataloging an impressive number of bird species...and planting more trees. I just couldn't stop. It wasn't long before we didn't dare plant a vegetable garden for fear of running out of water for the trees. Late in 1998 I felt the need for another tank, just to be sure we wouldn't ever run out of water (for the trees).


After the cabin flooded a couple of times, we elevated it higher. Called "fine-tuning." It has never flooded since.


Starting the third pond, dubbed the "stucco" tank because I ended up stuccoing it all by hand.




Rocks that we felt were too big to put in the dump truck and haul off (for filling dips in the road) we piled up and I covered with colored cement, sort of a sculpted creation.


We built the tank in the winter, but we didn't work in the snow. Here's the big "Permalon" tank during a snowfall.