Country Escape's 2nd pond - Goldfish only

[CountryEscape]

Very pretty, Addy. I had no idea to put it in the bog. Silly me! Fishy probably told me to, and I forgot. I planted it on the north side of the house, thinking it was a woodland plant, and needed more shade. That side gets early morning sun, and late afternoon sun. I don't think I have anyplace on my property that is full shade ... except maybe under the huge white pine tree with branches all the way to 12" from the ground! LOL
Keith, when I bought my house, went to the basement, turned on the light (the house had been empty for 1.5 years), and one room had over 30 of the wolf spiders on the walls and floor! I freaked out, sprayed my trusty Home Defense the following day, and poof, they were all dead. About 3 years ago, when I built my first pond, I was smooshing wolf spiders left and right. Then, I was convinced to leave them be. Heck, people were telling me they would catch the suckers in the house and release them outside! Yikes! Well, I still don't allow them into the house, but have learned to let them hunt freely outside. Once I relaxed about killing them, I have become quite fond of them. No desire to touch one, but no longer scream when I see one either. Guess I'm "cured".

 

[callingcolleen1]

Gosh that stream turned out really REALLY nice with the blocks and the lights CE! Just amazing!

 

[j.w]

You have learned well what we have taught you grasshoppa (CE)
Spiders are our friends. They catch lots of bug that will harm our plants.

 

[callingcolleen1]

and they might just eat bad bugs too!

 

[Fishylove]

Very pretty, Addy. I had no idea to put it in the bog. Silly me! Fishy probably told me to, and I forgot. I planted it on the north side of the house, thinking it was a woodland plant, and needed more shade. That side gets early morning sun, and late afternoon sun. I don't think I have anyplace on my property that is full shade ... except maybe under the huge white pine tree with branches all the way to 12" from the ground! LOL
Keith, when I bought my house, went to the basement, turned on the light (the house had been empty for 1.5 years), and one room had over 30 of the wolf spiders on the walls and floor! I freaked out, sprayed my trusty Home Defense the following day, and poof, they were all dead. About 3 years ago, when I built my first pond, I was smooshing wolf spiders left and right. Then, I was convinced to leave them be. Heck, people were telling me they would catch the suckers in the house and release them outside! Yikes! Well, I still don't allow them into the house, but have learned to let them hunt freely outside. Once I relaxed about killing them, I have become quite fond of them. No desire to touch one, but no longer scream when I see one either. Guess I'm "cured".

Yeah they will grow on land if it's a moist area, but do best in water.
I HATE SPIDERS! There just putting that out there lol
I don't go out of my way to kill them, and I really don't like em in the house.
Anyone else here having a bad problem with ants!?!? I get rid of on size and it seems like a weeks later more show up, only they are a different size Stupid things....
Oh and we got our first dragonfly today!! I hope he stays around!

 

[j.w]

I don't bug the bugs here and they don't bug me. Course I don't really want them in my house so out they go in a little cup to the bug bush out front. I've had some dragons visit here but this is the first year of the net up and wondering if they will not like it cuz they can't zoom around the top of the pond w/o navigation skills now. We shall see.

 

[callingcolleen1]

I do the same thing JW, catch the odd really big and scary looking spiders with a cup and slide paper under cup, and move them out side to catch things in the garden.
Working on the front yard pond and flower beds now, some of my lights, the strings of blue small lights are solar strings from last year. and they still work!!

 

[j.w]

I gotta let everyone of the spiders outside no matter what size as I envision in my mind them starving to death indoors. I somehow feel the need to rescue everything from demise. Maybe I have a touch of OCD or I'm just nuts
I bet all of your neighbors love taking a nice nightly walk by your house Colleen
I wonder if you have inspired any of them to get out and fix up their yards nice after they see yours?

 

[callingcolleen1]

The neighbors two doors down, who just moved in recently, are trying to keep up with me and they have started a little flower bed out front with a few light too!

 

[CometKeith]

Colleen, It looks nice but I wouldn't do that in front of my house because I wouldn't want the attention, but everyone is different. There is a house in our neighborhood that puts up a Christmas tree that looks like it is going through their house and out of the roof. Almost every year it ends up on tv when they show select homes in Chicago area with interesting Christmas decorations on the 10:00 news. There is another house that has a putting green in its front yard. There are some other notable homes too that have unusual things going on that everyone in the community knows about. All you need to do is mention the house with murals of birds in the brick on the front of a certain house and everyone knows which one you are talking about!

 

[callingcolleen1]

I plant and put thing directly out front, just to attract the attention of everybody who walks down the street. I am a happy person for the most part, very friendly and talk to strangers all the time who happen to walk by. I love the kiddies that come to look, and the mothers with the kids in strollers, they all comment and love what I have done. I want to put a little bench out front right by the sidewalk, so people can sit and enjoy the yard if they are tired. This handicap guy walks by almost every morning like clockwork, and he hobbles along with his crippled legs with crutches. People frequently drive by slowly and look, some even stick their heads out the window and shout out how they love the yard! It is a old neighborhood, lots of poor people, some are crack addicts, but nobody ever seems to steal my junk! I have this old wind operated windmill that lights up when the wind blows, I paid like 50 dollars for it way back in 2003 I think. I was afraid that somebody would steel it, but nobody ever has! It has gone threw hail and brimstone storms, got banged up over the years, but it still works just great! If somebody must have it, then so be it, at least I got my money out of it from years of enjoyment!

 

[CountryEscape]

I need to do some planting and beautifying more in front, but I figure since where I live not many drive by, my favorite place is in the back with the ponds. Going to make a hill of some sort out front this fall maybe, just to dress it up out there!
OK, so we're talking bugs, and I had to show you this teeny tiny grasshopper! Spotted him when he jumped, and then told him to stay put so I could get my camera. LOL Well, he was still there, but I had to ask him to jump so I could focus in on him again. To give you a perspective of his size, the piece of mulch he's sitting on is just barely over an inch long.

Here's a bumblebee on salvia (or is it lavender? I get those mixed up all the time). I used to be scared to death of them, but now I love watching them come to my flowers for nutrition!

I have noooooo idea what this bug is. When I approached it with the camera, it lifted the orange part up and down, like a threat, but then held still. I can't tell if it's a cocoon getting ready to open, or what! If anyone knows what it is, I'd be thrilled to find out.

And, this is quickly becoming my favorite water lily. I got it from Addy, think it's called Perry's Orange Sunset. The pic does not do it justice. It has about 4 different shades of pink to yellow going on. And, do you see the Damselfly on it? Is she laying eggs on the lily petal? Saw my first full sized dragonflies today, too. None would hold still to be photographed, though.

 

[Fishylove]

The lilly flower is So pretty CE. None of mine have bloomed yet, don't have a whole lot of luck in that area, maybe not enough sun? Idk.
I got some mares tail today, it's an underwater plant, it's neat looking, I just hope the stinkers leave it alone.....

 

[CountryEscape]

Something is chewing on the lily plants in the koi pond, but I'm thinking it's the turtle that was there last weekend. Found lots of pieces of lily leaves in the skimmer filter. Haven't seen the turtle since last Monday, and no more leaf pieces in the skimmer. Koi have been really going at the edge algae lately. The Creeping Jenny that used to hang over the edge into that pond has all be chewed off now, which is fine. I think they leave the Penny Wart alone with it grows into their pond, can't remember about the parrots feather. They do well leaving the lilies alone, though, so I'm happy.
Speaking of lilies, all my plants have super small leaves this year, except the Georgia Peach. So, I'm going to fertilize them all tomorrow, and then toss any extra tubers into my farm pond, see if I can get them growing out there! Going to be hard to get them out far enough so they are deep enough and they won't freeze, though. I'm not keen on doing that but do have rubber boots that go up to my knees! Water is warm enough, I'm just not liking the idea of critters getting into my boots when I'm in over the tops of them. Lots of small fish and frogs out there, but that's what I figure keeps the heron happy when he/she shows up.

 

[callingcolleen1]

My water lily's are just starting to make pads, I have a few pads right now, but no sign of any buds, too early for that here.

CE That bug looks like it is from Mars!!