Claude Monet was quite taken with water lilies. The French Impressionist of the late 19th and early 20th century, brushed some 250 canvases with his splendid oils depicting the water lilies in his flower garden in Giverny. At long last, our little garden pond is now blessed with a blooming lily and to behold this magnificent flower, you can see why Monet was so obsessed with these … [Read more...]

I am a Certified Frog Farmer. Got my certificate in the mail today from the US Department of Agriculture. Not really, but I deserve it. This spring, I purchased 6  tadpoles from Springdale Gardens in Greenville hoping that 1 or 2 might eventually make it to frog-hood. Not one or two, but all six have now lost their tails, grown some legs and have perched themselves at various ambush points in … [Read more...]

  We now have four very small bullfrogs in our goldfish pond. We put six tadpoles in the pond back in April and I believe that four successfully became frogs and the others may be on the way. We have had frogs before, and I always assumed frogs didn’t need any help eating things. Afterall, if they can get in in their mouths, they eat it. A friend told us that he once fed his frogs live … [Read more...]

  It may be too soon to tell for sure, but so far the two Night Guard Solar Pest Control lights we installed have kept the critters away – namely a thieving raccoon that was getting in our pond, eating snails and fish, turning over water plant pots and making a general nuisance of himself. We installed two lights – facing in each approaching direction and there have been no more … [Read more...]

Every year since we moved into our current house back in 1973, the peonies have bloomed around Mother’s Day. The previous owners had an affinity for these lovely red, pink and white beauties and had thriving beds near the carport and in the back near the patio. They are still there. The blooms can be sort of scroungy looking. They begin to fall apart about a day after they bloom, but there are … [Read more...]

We installed a small fishpond last year. Nancy had 8 goldfish that had outgrown their 35 gallon tank. The new pond, about 350 gallons, was perfect for the fish, but I really wanted it not because of the goldfish, but because I love frogs. Each year, I had either caught a tadpole or two or bought some and put them in the small pond. And each year, they became frogs and then left. I had hoped that … [Read more...]

  Like Lazarus coming forth from the tomb, our goldfish have emerged from the depths of our little pond after a winter hibernation and are now most active. Quickly, I took an inventory and discovered that we lost 5 of our 7 large goldfish (I suspect a raccoon raid), but the little ones born in the pond last summer all seem present and accounted for – but I’m not really sure. I can’t get … [Read more...]

We had 7 large goldfish going into winter. We now have two. About a month ago,  things were stirred up in our goldfish pond and water plant pots overturned. That means one thing – raccoons. Obviously, one got in the pond and caught most of the dormant fish. Last summer, coons raided our pond and ate all our large snails – and at about $5 a pop. But no more, or at least we hope there will be no … [Read more...]

Last summer and fall, Nancy and I bided our Covid-induced leisure time by sitting beside our goldfish pond sipping cocktails and watching the frogs and goldfish enjoy their new digs. But for the past 2 months, the frogs have vamoosed and our goldfish have migrated to the deep part of the pond and out of sight. That’s when we decided to spend our evenings beside the fire pit, or should I say the … [Read more...]