The Demise of a Home

Things have been humming around here on the homestead. The crew has been working for the last two weeks to tear down that old trailer and I thought I would share some photos documenting the process. 

It still astounds me to imagine anyone living in this trailer. Keep in mind someone actually lived in this just a couple of years ago. Mind blowing.  I often wonder what it looked like when it was brand new. Was this the dream retirement home for an older couple? Maybe a starter home for a new family? How did it come to fall into this condition? I hail from Philadelphia where we have houses older than our country. This house was built maybe in the late 1970's or early 1980's. To me a home should stand for 100 years or more before it falls into serious disrepair. In a way it is sad to see it only as a "disposable" home and to be counting the days until it is just a distant memory. 

Free Pond Building Classes

When I bought my land I knew there was no pond on it. There is a seasonal creek that runs through the forest that skirts around the side of the property, but no year-round pond. Recently at a Meet Up group I run (Oklahoma Tiny House Meet Up) one of our members revealed she is employed by a pond company and they offer classes on pond building. The entire group was excited at the opportunity to pick the mind of someone who knew the ins and outs of creating and maintaining a water feature. This weekend is the first class our Meet Up group will be participating in and you are invited too.

Pond Pro

7901 N. Kickapoo Street

Shawnee, OK 74804

http://www.pondproshop.com/

Class begins at 10 am

Have I piqued your interest? Here is some further information directly from their website about classes and the order in which they will be presenting:

We'll cover pond and waterfall design, choosing the correct pump and filter for your desired water feature, proper techniques to make your pond and stream look natural, and we'll teach you how to care for it once it’s up and running. Topics include: site selection, design, materials, pumps, filters, fish, plants, and much more. Attendees will have the opportunity to puchase items after the class session so they can take their new found knowledge home to improve on their out-door living area.

Classes are approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours in duration and held on Saturdays from March to October. Please see the schedule below for more information. We will be happy to have you join us.

Schedule of Upcoming 2015 Classes
All our classes are on Saturdays. See start time below, all classes are free and open to the public. Classes may be held in our indoor training facility.

 = Completed Class
 

	Date	Time	Class Title
	March 7	10:00 am	Spring Start Up
	March 28	10:00 am	Pond Filtration
	April 11	10:00 am	Pond Build
	April 25	10:00 am	Pondless Build
	May 16	10:00 am	Plants/Fish/Algae
	June 6	10:00 am	Pond Build
	June 27	10:00 am	Pondless Build
	July 11	10:00 am	Controlling Algae
	July 25	10:00 am	Other Water Features
	August 15	10:00 am	Waterfalls and Streams
	September 12	10:00 am	Pond Build
	September 26	10:00 am	Pondless Build
	October 10	10:00 am	Pond Build
	October 24	10:00 am	Winterizing Your Pond

Pond Pro also offers a free monthly newsletter you can sign up for here. 

I am excited at the opportunity to participate in FREE classes that help me learn a homesteading skill. Being able to have water on your property only increases its value and usability, not to mention how attractive and serene a pond can be. I hope to see you there!