Aug 13
Journey
How the work has changed.
Problems, fixes, new versions, and lessons, kept in the order they happened.
Selected milestones
Move through the build.
A few documented moments show how Hands in the Smoke moved from making and learning into public websites and connected business systems.
Early HITS development
The work becomes a record
The first outdoor turtle enclosure and its build video established the habit of documenting the plan, the changes, and what happened next.
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13 entries
August
Support the entire pond frame
I first considered putting pavers only at selected structural points. That would leave parts of a heavily loaded wooden frame unsupported. With hundreds of gallons of water in the pond, the better plan is to prepare, level, compact, and support the entire footprint.
August
Water depth is more than wall height
The approximately 22 in raised wall does not limit the whole pond to 22 in of water. Reusing the stock-tank excavation lets portions reach roughly 2 ft or slightly more without digging the entire 4 × 7 ft footprint that deep.
Aug 5
Aug 5
Aug 6
Aug 6
Aug 13
Aug 13
Mar 21
Published the original turtle enclosure build video
I published the video from the first outdoor turtle enclosure build.
Mar 16
Published the pulled pork cook video
I published the video from the pulled pork cook.
Mar 16
Made pastrami brisket for St. Patrick’s Day
I made the pastrami brisket on March 16, 2026.
Apr 13
Published the pastrami brisket video
I published the video from the pastrami brisket cook.