The Coffee House

[Gary A.]

@Gary A. Your day sounds like mine. Lots of spring work to get done. We held final services for the Crepes murdered in our spring pruning rampage. All the shrubs, ground cover, fruit trees are now pruned for the year. Flower beds mostly cleared out, still have to spray and put down mulch. Need to clear out one entirely, removing the cotoneaster that has become sickly and unruly, and rebuilding the retaining wall. Then it's on to the yards, for fertilizing and reseeding some areas. Need to get it all done before the pine pollen starts, making life outside unbearable.

Pretty much ... While Gary attacked the pond, Mary Lou pruned the south side grapes, the Thompsons and Zins. Gary isn't done with the pond, he has one and possibly two more hoses he needs to retrofit, one underground with pipe and one above ground. Because of the old hoses failing, the waterline would noticeably drop overnight. This morning the waterline appeared stable. Mazel Tov.

 

[smoke665]

@Gary A. Your day sounds like mine. Lots of spring work to get done. We held final services for the Crepes murdered in our spring pruning rampage. All the shrubs, ground cover, fruit trees are now pruned for the year. Flower beds mostly cleared out, still have to spray and put down mulch. Need to clear out one entirely, removing the cotoneaster that has become sickly and unruly, and rebuilding the retaining wall. Then it's on to the yards, for fertilizing and reseeding some areas. Need to get it all done before the pine pollen starts, making life outside unbearable.

Pretty much ... While Gary attacked the pond, Mary Lou pruned the south side grapes, the Thompsons and Zins. Gary isn't done with the pond, he has one and possibly two more hoses he needs to retrofit, one underground with pipe and one above ground. Because of the old hoses failing, the waterline would noticeably drop overnight. This morning the waterline appeared stable. Mazel Tov.

My wife has wanted a pond similar to yours, but your descriptions of the work in maintaining it make me realize that my idea of a pond of a couple acres or more would be more suited to my purposes, while providing storage for lawn irrigation and fire protection. I've got a draw, that would make a good location. I need to rent a dozer for a couple weeks to do some maintenance anyhow, might be a good time to build one.

 

[Gary A.]

Gary doesn't think the maintenance effort comes close to the daily visual pleasure and mental relaxation delivered by the pond. Gary puts in about an hour a week cleaning the skimmer filtration. Once a month an hour plus cleaning the pressurized filtration. The hose replacement is after six+ years of usage. Gary's koi are huge and wonderful and in the evening they will breach creating a flash of color combined with a crash of the splash. A friend has a koi pond which he claims requires no maintenance just a filtration system about the size of 55 gallon drum. Gary's pond has evolved from a Home Depot preformed pond to his 2000+ gallon pond. Gary pieced it all together over time as it went through a few intermediary stages and self-learning. If Gary was to do it all again he'd most likely get some professional help on filtration. Out here, similar to a lawn or pool care service, one can employ a pro to maintain the pond.

Gary's first 'koi' pond was stocked with large expensive koi. But these smaller pond would get fished out by Egrets, Herons and raccoons. Gary's present pond is about four+ feet deep and hungry creatures cannot reach the fish. Often, from the living room, Gary would see Egrets walking/stalking the edge of the pond and the fish in the deep end giving the bird a finger. Gary hasn't lost a fish in this pond due to his negligence or ignorance. All the koi in the pond were purchased at Petco and were about three inches long and cost about six bucks each. The koi are now gigantic and bird proof per their size, dunno about racoons.

 

[smoke665]

@Gary A. we had a swimming pool at the old house. Initially when the kids were young, I had no problem with the expense and labor of upkeep. Eventually though as they grew, it got less use, and when they moved away, it became a real chore that I grew to hate.

 

[Gary A.]

Buenos Dias Coffee Hosers. Last night Mary Lou, Maggie and Gary Netflixed Megan Leavey. The true story of a Marine Dog handler, Meagan and the dog, Rex. Both were wounded in Iraq. A good and touching story, four stars. Maggie gave it five stars as she was completely entertained by Rex's side and telling of the story.

 

[Gary A.]

@Gary A. we had a swimming pool at the old house. Initially when the kids were young, I had no problem with the expense and labor of upkeep. Eventually though as they grew, it got less use, and when they moved away, it became a real chore that I grew to hate.

The pond has continuous use per the koi. For Mary Lou and Gary the pond is similar to watching movies and shows on Tv, a ton of entertainment value that we can see through the patio windows and a few feet away from the edge of the patio.

Gary rarely, maybe only twice, tested the water. After the initial water conditioning at fill-up, all Gary does is fill it due to evaporation or seepage (old hoses). The fish have thrived.

(The skimmer is amazing and removes most all floaters before they become waterlogged and sink. The skimmer has a front net basket which needs to be hosed out when filled and the over-sized bottle brushes behind the net basket requiring hosing. Easy-peezy, but tedious. Gary's pond is surrounded on all sides by trees and foliage which significantly up the maintenance game. If one installs less foliage and man-made shade structure(s) there would be a ton less maintenance.

 

[smoke665]

@Gary A. Primarily because of travel we lean more toward "naturalscape" our planting beds, lawns, trees are all minimalistic in upkeep so we don't worry about being gone. I would however like to install irrigation that I could operate remotely when needed. The rural water district we are on though is just to expensive for irrigation, hence the pond idea.

 

[JonA_CT]

Jon also has a pond in his back yard. But that's just because it is spring in New England. Although...I wouldn't go as far as to call it a vernal pool. I'm assuming you have those down in your neck of the woods too, @smoke665 .

I got about 3 inches of snow last night before the rain set in. With the strong sun and warm temps today, it's melting before my very eyes. I have a feeling that @SquarePeg had to break out Beauty this morning though.

 

[Frank F.]

I went on a long walk with an old friend to a quarter I used to live in when I was a child (I know every corner and what is behind it). I love it that rents there are still cheap and many poorer people live there in relative peace together with very few rich people and a lot of middle class. It is very green there but the city did not put any significant money into developing the quarter for 30 years, they are only just starting to. Cheap housing is also a matter of architecture and this house features some interesting solutions:

 

[SquarePeg1]

Jon also has a pond in his back yard. But that's just because it is spring in New England. Although...I wouldn't go as far as to call it a vernal pool. I'm assuming you have those down in your neck of the woods too, @smoke665 .

I got about 3 inches of snow last night before the rain set in. With the strong sun and warm temps today, it's melting before my very eyes. I have a feeling that @SquarePeg had to break out Beauty this morning though.

We only had about 2” left in the front of the house when I went out there at 11. Much higher out back where it’s drifty and shady. I did use Beauty but more because I wanted to make sure she worked and burn a bit of that full tank while I could than because of the amount of snow. Most of my neighbors just pushed it aside with a shovel or ignored it and are waiting for it to melt. Normally after a storm it’s a symphony of snow blower motors but not today.

 

[smoke665]

Jon also has a pond in his back yard. But that's just because it is spring in New England. Although...I wouldn't go as far as to call it a vernal pool. I'm assuming you have those down in your neck of the woods

Due to elevation most everything runs off. However on one side of the property we border a 20 acre swamp, that was created by a natural basin, with no outlets. It stays wet year round. I once buried a C4 dozer one summer when I got a tad to close to the edge of it. Not sure how deep the basin is, as when the top dries up and crusts over, a soupy mix remains underneath. Not someplace you want to be walking around on.

 

[davidharmier60]

We are visiting with my Aunt and Cousin.
Good time is had by all.
No snow but it's pouring rain.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[Gary A.]

Another lovey day. It is noon and 70F out here. Gary may forgo all yard work/work/et al ...grab Mary Lou and Maggie and head out to the beach.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Snowed a little Sat. way earlier than it was supposed to, but was mild enough to be half melted by evening.

I got Vanilla Cupcake Goldfish Crackers. They're a little too good, I shouldn't have brought them into the house. My thinking was they're little, if you don't eat too many... Those are as close as I'll get to pets or ponds.

 

[smoke665]

I got Vanilla Cupcake Goldfish Crackers. They're a little too good, I shouldn't have brought them into the house. My thinking was they're little, if you don't eat too many...

It just isn't fair, the things that taste good aren't good for you. Why couldn't Brocoli taste like chocolate?