Pond in the foothills

[MitchM]

There is no contamination.

 

[Big Lou]

That's good.

We I was very, very young my father took me to a pond deep in the forest. He said it was a brick foundry pond. If I remember correctly there were old bricks everywhere. Point of the story is somehow this pond was so clear and best of all was full of pan fish. I only remember going once. My father was a true outdoorsman. He passed at 44 when I was 10. In those short 10 years we spent what seemed like a lifetime exploring, fishing and hunting in the then unspoiled woods and waterways of South Alabama. Such wonderful memories.

 

[MitchM]

For me, memories involving interactions with nature are some of the best memories.

 

[waynefrcan]

Nice locations, I need a wife that isn't a city girl.

 

[MitchM]

My wife was a city girl.
She sometimes wishes she still lived in the city, but the benefits have outweighed the drawbacks.
I'm very lucky.

 

[Big Lou]

My wife is also a city girl but oh how I love her, 36 years in a few days. She likes nature but no camping.

 

[waynefrcan]

Great mines total city

 

[CountryEscape]

I was born/raised in the city, married and moved to the country. Divorced now, but would have no other way than living in the country. I just wish my "country" was as beautiful as yours, Mitch. If I could drive a couple of hours and find your mountains, hills, woods, streams, lakes/ponds, I would be happy, but that's just not in the Illinois landscape. Going to UT in early December to see my new grandbaby, Aspyn, again, and will surely have a trip or two to the mountains involved, I'm sure! My daughter moved to "her mountains" 5 years ago and never looked back. She says I live "on the prairie" and will never return to "flatlands". I can't say I blame her. Just wish she was closer. Loved your pics, Mitch. Your dogs are so beautiful. You are the only one with that breed and it's fun to see their huge bodies and thick fur. Bet Bear was hot after his long walk, as I see he took at dip in the pond as well.
Around here, there are "fish trucks" that bring fingerlings and larger fish to local pick up points. You simply need a large container (55 gal rubber trash can is what we used) to collect your purchase, and then bring them back to your pond to be dumped in. That's how they stock ponds/lakes around here! Would that work, or you have no way to transport a large container back to this pond, perhaps?

 

[MitchM]

I was born/raised in the city, married and moved to the country. Divorced now, but would have no other way than living in the country. I just wish my "country" was as beautiful as yours, Mitch. If I could drive a couple of hours and find your mountains, hills, woods, streams, lakes/ponds, I would be happy, but that's just not in the Illinois landscape. Going to UT in early December to see my new grandbaby, Aspyn, again, and will surely have a trip or two to the mountains involved, I'm sure! My daughter moved to "her mountains" 5 years ago and never looked back. She says I live "on the prairie" and will never return to "flatlands". I can't say I blame her. Just wish she was closer. Loved your pics, Mitch. Your dogs are so beautiful. You are the only one with that breed and it's fun to see their huge bodies and thick fur. Bet Bear was hot after his long walk, as I see he took at dip in the pond as well.
Around here, there are "fish trucks" that bring fingerlings and larger fish to local pick up points. You simply need a large container (55 gal rubber trash can is what we used) to collect your purchase, and then bring them back to your pond to be dumped in. That's how they stock ponds/lakes around here! Would that work, or you have no way to transport a large container back to this pond, perhaps?

Good morning, CE!

I use GPS collars when the dogs and I go off leash, and while I log about 1 1/2 miles through our forest, the dogs log about 3 miles in the hour or so that we are out and about. They are like on a big rubber band to me, they go back and forth about 100 yards from wherever I am. We came across 3 whitetail deer which the dogs took off after, but were quickly outrun.
Seeing the deer is a good sign while we are out, it tells me that there are no cougars in the immediate area.
Because the dogs are constantly on the move, they get pretty hot, so I guess they like laying in the stream, water, silt, mud and all. They love it.

Our big pond is fed by a spring and stream. It also has an outflow to natural waterways, so Fish and Wildlife won't let me stock it with farmed fish in case they enter the natural waterways. Transporting live wild caught fish (trout) is against the law, so the best I can hope for is maybe some fish swim upstream to the pond.
For now the pond is a source of bugs and plants for local bats, ducks and geese. It would be great if we could re-introduce a beaver family though!

You have frogs and snakes that I wish we could have, plus of course kids and grandkids. You are very fortunate!

 

[MitchM]

My pond is 100% iced over this morning!
I'm not ready!

(It won't last, but it's a reminder that winter is soon.)

.

 

[waynefrcan]

No ice for me

 

[MitchM]

My pond water temperature was only 39f this morning, so it only took a slight breeze to ice it over.
If you have a fenced in yard Wayne, that's makes a big difference in protecting your pond from heat loss.

 

[addy1]

Burr 53 at home, 82 here

 

[waynefrcan]

True, I'm farther North but closed in. I think you have your location warmer then should be at 4b.

 

[callingcolleen1]

No ice here yet, but come Tuesday that could change as we will have a light freeze with temps down to minis 7 Celsius.