Country Escape's 2nd pond - Goldfish only

[CountryEscape]

I also had a party line when I first got married, but only for about 6 months. Never had one prior to that when I was living with parents. Lived in country when got married, they were not quite all the way up to date yet. LOL
Yep, I remember only having to dial the last 5 digits, and I used to memorize all the office numbers when I worked at the law office. I could blurt them all out, probably 50 of them. Now, we only have to dial the 7 numbers, if it's within our area code, then the extra 3 plus 1 if outside area code.
Ahhh ... the time's are a changing ...

 

[callingcolleen1]

We have to dial 10 numbers now just to call the other side of town! Does anybody have to dial more than 10 numbers for a local call?? Just wondering, maybe in the really big city's.....

 

[CountryEscape]

The ludwigia that I tossed into the kiddie pool is blooming nicely. I think all the flowers are enjoying our spring showers this weekend.

Went to an auction just a few miles from my house yesterday, and came home with total of 57 electric pole insulators, mostly blue, some green and some clear. Tried them out on the deck and along flower bed, with a C9 light underneath, just to see how they would look (realize the C9 will get far too hot, but just for a few minutes, had to turn them on to see the look).

Took a while to wash them all, and got a few cuts as the glass was chipped in places, but I like the look. Going to try to find LED lights at the same 12" intervals to make this permanent.
Also found this small hand pump, and got it for $7.50! I was excited!

I also talked the brother and sister into selling the windmill. It's a 10' tall tower, strong enough for the 6'4" brother to climb to show me how the top comes off. I got it for $40! The tail is missing, but will have a metal one made to replace it, or maybe a wood one, not sure which will last longer. Comments on that? I figure the wood will wear out first, even if it's painted and/or varnished. Going to repair the tower and fan blades, and want to write "Country Escape" on both sides of the tail. :blueflower: Sorry, forgot to take pics of it while it was still standing, so will post pics after it's painted and I get concrete slab poured where it will go .... decisions decisions on where ...

 

[CountryEscape]

Also got this little 2' step ladder for $1, and walk behind hoe for only $4. The hoe/plow will go in the flower beds somewhere ... not sure where just yet, but that's the plan.

OK, found these bugs on ALL of my Asiatic lilies out front, and then located them on almost every other plant in front flower beds - petunias, burning bush, hibiscuc. They look like infant bag worms. Anyone ever seen them? They were doing huge amount of damage on the Asiatic lilies in just a day (noticed them yesterday).

And, I was super excited this morning when I noticed a lily that opened is my beloved Georgia Peach that I got from Addy last year! I was beginning to think I had mismarked the pots, and had given them all away. They are just a little later in blooming, but it will be well worth it.

Also, other lilies are blooming - light blue, pink, and "red" (dark pink)

Caught this black swallowtail on the Liatris flower. They love this flower, even more than the butterfly bush! Glad I planted the bulbs last year. Going to move some to other areas of the yard/garden to spread the fun!

 

[CountryEscape]

Excited! Saw the little tri colored shubunkin that I talked the pet store out of couple of weeks ago, and had not seen since! They had it in their plant tank, and usually never sell a fish out of that tank, as they draw people to look at the plants, and hopefully buy them. They just pick out the prettiest feeders, and I wanted it! Was feeling really bad, thinking it had died, and now spotted it. Also wondering if the other tri colored fantail is maybe lurking someone under the lilies or in the "garage shelves", too!

 

[capewind]

Let me know if your GA Peach that you have left doesnt do that well. The ones you sent are just starting to bud up. Will mark it, and in the fall, divide them, and send some back to you. We're only getting one bloom at a time, but it has been blooming for about 2 weeks now. I have a pale yellow that is just as slow to start, well, slower. One bloom so far, but it was worth the wait (it is pale like the GA Peach). Our whites havent bloomed at all yet .. your pink is doing better than everything but those reds ... I think you grew those reds on steriods! 5 red blooms today, and at least another 5-6 buds just under the surface of the water... Wonder what those reds would do if fed???

 

[gardengirl]

I just checked on it this evening and it had bloomed.
[sharedmedia=gallery:images:3167]

The little yellow blooms are on a plant called Water Fringe, or Floating Heart. This pic shows the flower more close up, and the "fringe" on the edge of the petals.

Triple water fringe.JPG
They float on the water, can be started in a pot, and grow from there, or simply put the roots in between rocks on the edge of your pond in the water. I have it growing in my stream, and in a pot in the goldfish pond, and in between the rocks. All places it is growing well this year. Kind of takes a year to really establish itself. Like most plants, the first year it works mostly on the root system, so the following year it's everywhere! I have plenty, if you want a start of it I'd be happy to send you one. :blueflower: If you PM me your name and address by 8 a.m. tomorrow, I'll send some out to you in the mail tomorrow. Had an extra cutting when I got plants out this afternoon.

 

[CountryEscape]

GG, they are like my lilies, wait until AFTER I leave for work in the morning (8:30) and are done BEFORE I get home at night (5:15). Grrr .... so I have to admire and take pics on the weekends. Once it gets going, you will have tons of flowers on it. This is I think the 2nd year in my pond, and wow, it's going great guns!

 

[gardengirl]

I am just surprised that it bloomed so soon. I just got it from you last Wednesday. It must be very hardy.

 

[pond maven]

Just saw your post about your auction goodies. I love auctions, used to go the them when we lived in North Dakota. Haven't been to any since coming to east
I think your windmill would be OK even with wooden tail since there are still wood windmills across the country, standing after all these years.

 

[sissy]

Haven't been on that much but getting caught up and like your finds ce .I have the hoe also and love it I bought the LED christmas type c 9 's last year from walmart they came in 25 section but they were not 25 feet like they said they were only 18 feet long strands .

 

[CountryEscape]

18' long strands would work, Sissy, so I will watch for them this year. I just don't want the lights 4" apart, which is what the LED cheap light strands are that I have extras of.
Pond Maven, my sisters in Milwaukee, WI area say they never hear of estate auctions. They have estate sales, where they have everything marked and you walk through and buy. Then the second day things are maybe 25% off and the third day 50%. I guess they sell things that way. Just would be really hard to do that with all the stuff that seems to be socked away in the barns on a farm. LOL We overflow the house and basement and start stocking things in the barns around here, which makes for real treasure finds at auctions. I love it!
Got the paint for the windmill. Going to use Rustoleum gloss white for the stand, maroon for the windmill and tail, then either have someone professionally do it, or I'm going to write on the tail, "Country Escape", as that has been my long desire to call my "farm" Country Escape. When my daughter and I had show dairy goats, my "herd" name was Country Escape. All kids born and registered in my name started their name with Country Escape. I figure anywhere I live will be my "country escape", so why not! Daughter says to write it in cursive ... we shall see. Going to ask the neighbor to make me the tail. He has sheet metal business with his family, so it will be nothing for him to cut one out for me!

 

[gardengirl]

I cant wait to see this windmill. Mine is all rusty but still spins. I love to go to yard sales!! This past Sat. I bought 8 outfits for my next grandchild to be born next month. It cost me $10 and they were Gymboree and Mcdonald outfits. Didn't even look worn. Newborn outfits are usually only worn one time anyway. We have a local auction house that has car auctions once a month and a lot of estate auctions in between. They post a lot of the items online so you can look before you go. I haven't been yet. I think I would have to have a lot of money to go.

 

[CountryEscape]

Well, the best part about large auctions at farms is you never know what you will find. My problem is that I always find something that I just HAVE to have, and then there is something that will take forever to get to, so while I'm waiting, I might as well browse and shop! And, then something goes WAYYYYYY too cheap, even if you don't need it, you HAVE to buy it, cause it's so cheap. Good thing I didn't get the 4 year old LG front loading washer and dryer. Both on pedestals, and they went for $900 for the pair! But, my 34 year old Maytags are running just fine, and for just me, I don't need anything fancy anyhow!
I've been trying to download "bug" pics since Sat., to no avail. My computer is running soooo slow ... tired of watching it "thinking ..." Maybe tomorrow will be better!

 

[gardengirl]

Yeah that's exactly why I would think I would need lots of money! too many things ya wanna buy! not necessarily need either.