Another of your "small" projects involving creativity, then intensive time and labor, plus additions and corrections. You imagine it and then make it happen!
It’s quite a story, all the effort you put into creating a cistern in the desert with the mountain view and the travails over the years that made it so hard to maintain. You are philosophical about the animals that raided it, and forgiving about the migrants and “coyotes” who took their sips but left trash. It seems like a memory that will stay close to your heart. My son Tyler whom you mentored loves those mountains, and going camping there.
The first night I camped on The Propiddy, I encountered three illegal immigrants who had walked from Douglas, 50 miles south and were heading to San Simon to look for work another 50 miles north. They were out of water and spoke no English, but I gave them water and they headed on into the night. They were simply unprepared for the desert journey they had started on.
Tyler was one of my longest and most enjoyable mentees. I am happy that he finished his Ph.D.
Well Walter, once again you show yourself as able a man as I've ever encountered. I tried something similar in Colorado, building a small catchment on a steep slope. It silted up and nothing remains of it today and the property was sold. But oh, those days when I could hall bags of Portland cement up the high angle hillside on my twenty year old back! I very much admire your generosity of spirit toward the various beneficiaries of your labors.
Thanks, Michael. Happy to know another cement-hauler! I actually built a rock dam on the creek too, lined it with plastic, covered that with sand. The first big flood filled the whole thing with sand. I had the good sense not to pull a Sisyphus.
Walter- I wouldn’t have known how to navigate some of these obstacles you encountered, let alone when you mentioned: “ A year or two later, to keep the future water clean, I built a sand-filled filter system drained by perforated pipe on the cliff shelf above the cistern. This greatly reduced the entry of silt and sand from the cliff.” I love this piece of writing because it feels like I’m right there with you. I appreciate it.
Walter, there may be no way of estimating the amount of earth and wood you have moved over the course of your many studies and projects, but I'd bet good money that the total would be astounding.
Another of your "small" projects involving creativity, then intensive time and labor, plus additions and corrections. You imagine it and then make it happen!
Yeah, I'm not too good at imagining the scale of projects. This wasn't the first or only project that grew as it went along (https://waltertschinkel.substack.com/p/dixie-leaf-tobacco-co). But then my mantra has been, how hard can it be?
I remember reading about the wood floor project a while ago; the first I knew of your impressive undertakings!
It’s quite a story, all the effort you put into creating a cistern in the desert with the mountain view and the travails over the years that made it so hard to maintain. You are philosophical about the animals that raided it, and forgiving about the migrants and “coyotes” who took their sips but left trash. It seems like a memory that will stay close to your heart. My son Tyler whom you mentored loves those mountains, and going camping there.
The first night I camped on The Propiddy, I encountered three illegal immigrants who had walked from Douglas, 50 miles south and were heading to San Simon to look for work another 50 miles north. They were out of water and spoke no English, but I gave them water and they headed on into the night. They were simply unprepared for the desert journey they had started on.
Tyler was one of my longest and most enjoyable mentees. I am happy that he finished his Ph.D.
An impressive project Walter, with many themes and meanings flowing along with the water itself! 👏
To everything there is a season ...
The challenge now is to accept that, as you say, for everything there is a season, and that season is in my past. No more hauling sacks of cement....
Alas.
Well Walter, once again you show yourself as able a man as I've ever encountered. I tried something similar in Colorado, building a small catchment on a steep slope. It silted up and nothing remains of it today and the property was sold. But oh, those days when I could hall bags of Portland cement up the high angle hillside on my twenty year old back! I very much admire your generosity of spirit toward the various beneficiaries of your labors.
Thanks, Michael. Happy to know another cement-hauler! I actually built a rock dam on the creek too, lined it with plastic, covered that with sand. The first big flood filled the whole thing with sand. I had the good sense not to pull a Sisyphus.
Walter- I wouldn’t have known how to navigate some of these obstacles you encountered, let alone when you mentioned: “ A year or two later, to keep the future water clean, I built a sand-filled filter system drained by perforated pipe on the cliff shelf above the cistern. This greatly reduced the entry of silt and sand from the cliff.” I love this piece of writing because it feels like I’m right there with you. I appreciate it.
Thanks, Thalia. So pleased you like my writing. As for navigating obstacles, well, you just figure out how to do it. I've always liked to do that.
March of Time has a way with bright ideas.
Walter, there may be no way of estimating the amount of earth and wood you have moved over the course of your many studies and projects, but I'd bet good money that the total would be astounding.
I take my cue from the ants.
That's as good a reply as could be made!