Ponds in Canada

[callingcolleen1]

Happy Ground! Ponds are doing great, fish did not see there shadow cause there was no clouds! Winter has been mild so far, ponds required very little heat when compared to some years.

Yesterday I melted a hole in the ice of the bottom pond with just a little running water, small hole that opened in the ice yesterday is now much larger today.

 

[j.w]

Forgot it was groundhog day today. We had sunshine here so ours must have seen his shadow but think it only goes by what the Phil hog sees!

 

[callingcolleen1]

Yes mixed that up, if there is clouds they can't see a shadow, duh me! We had clouds his morning but by afternoon they were gone. I need to feel the warmth of the sun and hear the birdies chirping loudly. I miss the nice fun by the pond and excitement of early spring bulbs, feel and smell the earth after a spring rain.... oh spring will be here again, and I will rediscover the pond and rocks as I ways do.

 

[sissy]

well here we are headed back up to the 50's by tuesday and the rest of the week

 

[callingcolleen1]

Were are going to the 40's this week with no extreme cold in forecast, thank goodness, cause I need an early spring for a change.
Got big plans for the yard as usual. Must get started on my seeds too!

 

[callingcolleen1]

Today by the pond, fish are still very sleepy and dreaming of spring. Water still cold at 32 degrees. Fish not moving around to much, with the water still so cold, they are still breathing much slower, as their body metabolism is slowed down right now. Fish not fed since last fall, and it will still be a long while before they are fed puppy chow food again.

 

[Mmathis]

Colleen, was just reading through your "blogs," [and enjoying every word]. The part about caterpillar dung caught my attention, and wondering if that's what I've been seeing this past week or so: little blackish splotches all over the ground. Or something along those lines -- there's nothing right now for caterpillars to eat, so maybe not.... I don't recall ever seeing these splotches before, but then, since this is my first time for a pond, I'm out more and more attentive to anomalies.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Well Turtle mom your going to have to "investigate" and see what it could be. Not sure you have the same bugs down there, but the caterpillers we have here start showing up in the late spring, and they leave little tiny pellets everywhere. They don't last all summer cause they change into some moth later in the summer. They can come in very large numbers and eat lots of the freshest green leaves, make nests of cobwebs in the trees where they sleep all together, by the thousands! People here hate them and spray chemicals to kill off everything in sight, including there selves! I am lucky nobody sprays around my house, as I hate chemicals and happen to like the caterpillers. I believe the trick to gardening and ponding, is to create a very natural balance. It took years to properly balance my pond with all the different types of bugs, everything from water Striders to dragonflys and even leeches! Did you know horse leeches suck from both ends and don't drink blood but live off tinys "buggy" things in the plant! Opps off topic, that's another story.....


Yes, back to the black blotches you are finding on the ground... my first thought is to see if they are located around trees mostly, then you can examine the trees for further clues. Look to see if anything eating the trees, or perhaps some other critter may be involved.
You will have to examine the area and reportany new clues cause now I am wondering.... humm

 

[Mmathis]

Around trees. Looks like something that was semi-solid before it hit the ground, and they do look like they fell. Some "splotches" seem to have a granular texture, but some not. The "splotches" are about the size of my pinkie finger tip. Hope that's helpful. Haven't seen any unusual bugs or critters around, and nothing is leafing or blooming yet.

 

[callingcolleen1]

It's hard to say, cause I have never been way down south where you are, except to Cuba. The droppings could also be coming from some small animals such as birds or maybe lizards or snakes. I know you have many different animals down there than up here up here in Canada, so you will have to make notes and date it on calendar and keep looking for more clues.

The Perpetrator 's may have left the " Scene of the Slime" and may not return till next year, sometimes these puzzles take time to solve. If you don't figure it out this year, next year look at your garden " calander of events" and see if you can see it "coming", like snakes suddenly waking up after a cold spell and leaving the underground den all at the same time, ... and then all having a poo in the area, not saying it's snakes, just an example. Bugs also come and go, they suddenly can show up after they all hatch or after the metamorphosis, and leave droppings of all kinds and shapes. A garden calander of events can be very helpful for next year.

 

[callingcolleen1]

I am so very excited I can't StAnD it!! I got a feeling spring is just around the corner for sure! We all look so very colorful, and some of us are deep red, orange and velvet shades of midnight. The long winter outside in the winter sun with the fresh pond greens to eat, make us look much more colorful than the fish kept inside. The pond is lushes and green, just so soft, with velvet strands of fresh green spring algae, that waves and moves like a sea of grass that we love to hide in. The water is very crystal clear, you can see up to the water surface and see the big blue sky! Water temperature is now 35 degrees Fahrenheit. Love my Ponds in Canada!

Today by the "Middle Pond".... there's the Pond Caretaker! She's mean and forgot to feed us all winter!

 

[addy1]

I am going to text them, tell them to hide until that meanie starts feeding again!

 

[callingcolleen1]

Awe those fishy are telling fishy stories ... jeepers, you would think I have not fed them for 4 months! (Ok, maybe I have not fed them for a long time) but they got lots of nice pond "algae salad" they should be eating this time of the year, but they are waking up cranky and craving "food in a bag" like the rest of us, even though we know its not the best! He he he, bad fishys running loose all over my thread!

 

[gardengimp]

Gee Colleen, pretty impressive you taught your fish to type!

 

[callingcolleen1]

Actually Poppy had a paw in helping the fish, fish told Poppy they would split the dog food right down the middle... 60/40 with her this spring, if she bought out the tablet when I was not looking! Poor Poppy, she can't count and she always gets sucked into fishy pondside deals!