Friday, June 1, 2018

A Busy Week

A Rainy Week
Spring is the time that the ponds get spruced up, cleaned up, new plants and new filter material for the filters and that is what I have been doing..or rather, having others help me to do in between the bouts of rain and cold we've had.
The pond is nearly crystal clear  after just 4 days with the filter on. I have to replace the big bucket I
use but, the old one, rigged up a bit, is working in the meantime.
Making your own filter is the only way to go for clean, clear water and saves you hundreds of dollars on a big pond.

Here are photos for this week's Friday Foto Friends and Skywatch Friday .

In the photo below you can see the mint that spills over into the pond.
While they don't eat the mint itself, they do suck the algae off the roots. 
You can hear the sucking noises as they do it! It's so cute.
These fish are not tiny as they seem. They are big!Some are over 20 years old.



The big pond is not all that big really. It is 10 feet long by 8 feet wide by 4 feet deep.
The little pond is 5 feet long and a bit over 3 feet wide and 2 feet deep.
I am in the process of planting around the little pond right now and finally got the fountain hooked up.





Here is a view of the little pond from my front window.



Plants like this below, a perennial, will go around the pond. Most are in now,  but more fillers are   needed to fill in the gaps. Most are perennial plants.
I like it jammed packed if possible.




One of the Rugosa, beach rose, is huge now and about 14 feet tall and very wide.
  The other grows on the side of the house and climbs up the chimney. They are native and grew of their own accord.
It blooms only once a year unlike other roses, and leaves behind rose hips.
      In the foreground is one of the Wisteria which grow like wild fire in this sandy soil.


 Just some weekly happenings... Batting practice for the Little, who hit a home run with bases full  and lunch with friends.
The little has a mean swing. That ball went flying. 
Did you play baseball? I played as a kid. I was always the short stop.



Cedar trees make good places to hang planters


And to hang hammocks





By the sea, machines get filled up and scratched by the blowing, drifting sand.



Sand drifts into the back of the Pepsi machine and little birds and animals leave their footprints.
A stray autumn leaf that hid there all winter is safe and secure in its Pepsi home.



And then there is the sky which sometimes seems endless.



Or even when I monkey around with it. The clouds are all real but  I couldn't resist adding the face with Photoshop because that little cloud was peeking out in just the right way.
I've shown this one before, but it makes me chuckle.


I like this photo below because of the sun reflection on the road.
You can click on it to see it full sized.


Even blurry from a moving car it can be pretty.


And another  blurry photo taken by me at the shopping mall of a watercolor sky.


Thank you for visiting and please come again.
Tomorrow's post will be  Literary Pearls which I've not done in a while.
PS... Click here to learn how to make a cute little spring in your garden.
I will also help with plans for your pond and explain to you how to make a powerful homemade filter.

21 comments:

  1. Happy Friday Annie. As usual your photos are fantastic. I would have love to have a pond like yours when I still had my home. Love the photo of The Little playing ball. It must have been great to see her get a "Grand Slam". I did play ball. I played catcher and pitcher in school and on the streets with my brother and his friends. They loved my playing as I was also a switch hitter. LOL! Have a day and weekend of blessings my friend.

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  2. The little face looks very cute in the sky !

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  3. Hello, lovely sky and photos! I like the cute face too. Happy Friday, enjoy your weekend!

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  4. Oh how lovely, Annie. Thank you for the smiles on this balmy Friday...it seems summer is upon us here in western NY. No rain here, yet, it sure is pea soupish though. lol---- Hope you have a lovely day friend. smiles

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  5. Thank you for sharing...so enjoy your photos !
    The Little has come into her own...so many talents !
    Have a wonderful weekend , my friend

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  6. I love your ponds and fish. So fun to see. Such beautiful skies and I love the little guy in the sky.

    Hope you have a great weekend!!

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  7. Well, gee whiz!! Your photos take the cake! What beautiful and peaceful pics. Love your flowers and the pond. I bet those fish think you are the best for taking care of their water. Congratulations on the home run. Yes, I played softball and our granddaughter is also playing softball and doing a really good job at hitting and stopping the ball in right field and covering the first base. I love to watch them.

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  8. I love your ponds. I think I need to do something like that here, but would have to get some cooperation from others to do it...I love the one you have with the bench and fountain...so peaceful. Like a Secret Garden!!!! Your clouds and sky watch photos are great...even the little man peeking out of the clouds is fun and cute. Now, is that hammock in your yard? If so, here I come! Ha ha! I love hammocks. Used to have one, but it finally rotted and we never replaced it. Love to see your "little" at bat...happy days. You amaze me that you have such active kids at home, and yet you paint and do so much...and I know you have your physical limitations. You put me to shame...but I'm a lot older...that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it! Have a blessed day dear friend.

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    1. Pam, I do recommend raised ponds as they are just easier to care for.
      Just plan out the area, and how large you want it to be. Surround the area with bricks, rocks, whatever as high as you wish. Its nice if you can sit on the wall.
      Fill the wall with top soil...plan out the plastic pond liner and insert it.
      Then you wait til the earth settles a bit.. water it well first, then plant it, fill the pond with water, put in a filter and fountain (mosquitoes do not live in moving water) then add water plants. Mint grows well, so do Iris and of course water lilies :).
      If you add fish, expect raccoons and birds and snakes to eat them.. heart breaking really and would be more so in your area. My fish are too large for most predators except herons but I have bushes hanging over that keep the fish from view (Scotch broom and Wisteria)
      Another cute idea is a small spring where animals can drink. I have a post up on that too. Its super easy to do and looks so cute.
      http://lemonscottage.blogspot.com/2016/06/a-little-fountain-you-can-make.html

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  9. Thank you so much for your beautiful photo's Also the blurry ones. Beautiful isle life! And what a great pond.

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  10. Hi Annie, I always enjoy your pictures. Your place looks so peaceful. The baseball picture reminded me of me around that age. Have a great weekend. Hugs

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  11. Oh I had no idea that the fish can live that long. I think I'd like a pond someday! I love all your fotos today. Thanks so much for joining in. Happy weekend to you! 💜

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    1. There are Koi that are hundreds of years old.
      Happy weekend!

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  12. Lovely collection of shots. I'm very fond of ponds and koi, love sky photos and my fav is the little guy art

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  13. Beautiful sky shots. Love the face you added! You have a beautiful view from your front window!! Have a great weekend.

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  14. Beautiful fish and beautiful sky shots, especially the last. The face picture brought a smile to my face.

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  15. Very beautiful pictures of the sky and the pond, the colours of the fish are striking!The little inhabitant of the cloud is so funny :)) Best wishes for a nice week! Sandrine

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  16. I enjoyed seeing all your photos Annie. Lots to see and enjoy. I see there is also lots of work with the pond and the garden. It's good if you enjoy the work and even if you don't enjoy the work, I know you enjoy the view. It's lovely. Those fish are large and it's awesome that they are thriving. Do they stay out all winter?

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    1. Thanks Joy, yes they are out all winter long. Since the pond is deep they are good. I also use a pond heater for the coldest days since the pond does freeze over and they need a hole for gas to escape.

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    2. Very interesting. The fish must be very hardy.

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  17. Such lovely views by the bay and endless skies!!

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