The pond dig has begun!

[addy1]

I lose a bunch in the summer. I only worry if the auto fill does not keep up.

 

[CountryEscape]

Last weekend, the water in both of my ponds was so crystal clear. Not sure if it was because it got cooler, or just because I was looking at the right time with the sun shining at the right angle, as ponds have been very clear all summer. Koi still think they need to be fed, but only feeding them cool water food, and only every other day. I just have to not go look at them on the off days. LOL

Shamu still thinks my job is to toss food directly into his mouth. He is the only one that does this open mouth thing, begging for food. He's the one with his mouth wide open in the previous pic, too. The others come to the surface but don't open their mouths.

This is Lucy, the red-head. I actually got her from the local pet shop and she is probably my matriarch, although she was not the largest when I got her. Shamu was the largest fish the first year, but she has outgrown him, or maybe it's just that she is a fantail, and he is regular fin.

This pic the koi were all at the bottom of the pond, where it is nearly 4' deep, to give you some idea of the clarity of the water.

 

[Big Lou]

Beautiful CE, really beautiful.

 

[tbendl]

What Big Lou said. Stunning pictures and Koi.

 

[MitchM]

Looks great, CE.
I'm pretty sure that the clear water is helped by the cooler temperatures.

 

[CountryEscape]

Yep, I figured the cooler temps were putting the algae at bay, and I'm feeding less, too, so that is helping. Fish are acting pretty much the same, although the bullfrogs have been AWOL for the last few days. I thought maybe they would be out this evening, since it got to be about 80 today, but haven't seen one yet!

 

[callingcolleen1]

Those are just beautiful pictures CE. Fish look very pretty and hungry . It must have been nice warm sunny day. The sun up here is getting so low over the horizon now that it barely shines directly in my pond these days.

 

[CountryEscape]

The sun is somewhat lower for us, too, Colleen, but it never gets so low that it doesn't shine on the ponds here. They are not nearly as hungry lately with the food, maybe because food is the cool water variety, or maybe because the water is cooler. I usually let the fish let me know when it's time to quit feeding them altogether. When the water temps get cold, they don't even come to the surface when I walk out there.

 

[callingcolleen1]

The further north you go, the lower the sun is on the horizon in the winter. Right now sun rises about 8 am and sets at 6:16pm. The sun gets so low here that it barely makes it into the pond these days. However in the summer we get longer sumer days than you, as the opposite happens. .. in the summer the further north you go, the longer the days get. The summer sun does not set on our horizon till well after 10:30 pm. If you go north of the 57th Parallel, (north of Peace River AB or Dawson Creek BC area (where I was born ) the sun never really sets completely, it just gets really low like twilight and then starts to rise again.

 

[CountryEscape]

I think our longest days begin around 6 a.m. and end around 9 p.m. It seems like all of a sudden the 9 p.m. becomes 7 p.m., and then quickly becomes 5 p.m. :-( I don't care for the time the sun is going down now, and in a week, I'll really hate it, as it will be dark when I leave work at 5 p.m. Ho hum ... such is winter in the midwest! But, it could be worse, as you can attest. Right now sunrise is just before 7 a.m., but sunset is probably 6 p.m. Guess we get an extra hour from what you have. Next weekend, when we "fall back" those times will be 6 a.m. and 5 p.m.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Sun rises here at 8am and sets 610pm. I think also that cause I am in valley and there is hills to south and east, about 1 and 2 books away, and sun so low that it makes it seem even darker. I hate the turn clock to fall back too

We also had hard killer frost couple days ago. Now time to pull out dead stuff put of gardens. Halloween weather should warm back up a little for the day. I just want one halloween where everything is not dead in yard! Never happened to my knowledge up here in Medicine Hat.

 

[tbendl]

It's just super tough to come home in darkness.

 

[HARO]

It's just super tough to come home in darkness.

Especially when you LEFT in darkness!
John

 

[callingcolleen1]

I know I am happy that I work later shift these days, and then I have morning and early afternoon off to spend time in what little sun we have these days.
This time of the year can be depressing so I try to make the most of what little sunlight we have. Think positive, spring comes quick after Christmas excitement. Every day gets longer and stronger after Christmas.

 

[sissy]

I know it was a real concern when children are going to school when it is dark and getting home when it is dark .Not safe for them especially when a lot of them have working parents also .