Brokensword's bit of pond heaven [Deleted]

[Relic]

I used to have this rule; if I walk past a garden bed, and I don't mean slowly, and SEE a weed, I pluck it out and TRY not to pull more that are smaller, around it. Then I saunter onward, hoping this whole process can be done in half a day. I found that while I LOVE seeing absolutely NO weeds, it can get tiresome to ALWAYS see the little weed sprouts. That's why I do the 3 day marathon in the early spring and quickly put down mulch wherever the perennials aren't thick enough to smother MOST weeds. My aim is by mid summer, when temps are dang hot, I can just wave at the remaining weeds that were too good at camoflauge.

Once upon a time, when I first built the house in '87, and probably for 10ish years thereafter, I'd get 36+ flats of annuals and every Memorial Weekend, weed and plant. Over the years, I decided it was both too much money and a lot more work, so perennials began entering the picture. Now, 34 years later, I'm down to half a flat of annuals and some for my wife's pots by the driveway.

But you know what? I'd not trade the garden and what it brings both visually and inner peace-wise, for that condo/getaway many in my area have. The pondhouse is sort of the crown on the garden's body now and for sure, I'm blessed to be a part of it!

View attachment 145051

When we built the house (1986) we covered the yard in sod - typical for our little suburban neighborhood. Then I spent the next 15 years slowly killing off sections of grass and replacing with bushes, ground cover, perennials, etc. Now the entire yard is grass-free, with tons of mulch all around. I usually refresh the mulch every 3-4 years and last year it took 750 bags. I can walk around an hour every day and pull weeds - many just baby oak and elm trees - and never reach the nirvana state of "weed free." This past summer I had 279 potted plants outdoors to keep watered each day, too. (Texas heat can dry out a pot fast) But I wouldn't trade it - outside in the planted world is my happy place...

 

[addy1]

In AZ I had to baby plants, in MD everything grows and does not stop! Vines, weeds, poison ivy etc.

 

[brokensword]

Neither would I.

To "weed" my yard, it takes weeks, then it is a start over.

I quit weed wacking fence lines, now what grows there grows there. Mainly escaped bog plants.

4 of the large plant areas are "weeds" that birds, bees, bugs, critters etc like. I do a bush hog in the spring after I check for praying mantis egg cases. Then everything grows again lol. I collect seeds from the weeds and toss them out in the spring.

We MIGHT hire someone to maintain a bit of the yard that is near the house. My hands are incapable of caring for some of the areas, weed pulling, running equipment etc.

But I still mow, still run my tractor, still groom with some arthritis friendly clippers, can never give it all up.



Enjoy it now, never thought my hands would give out on me. Luckily it is not rheumatoid, just plain old osteo. You learn to adjust how you do things. And tumeric is a hand saver great anti inflamatory

I hear ya, in spades! I knew your hands gave you issues (typing), can't imagine how you'd even feel after doing a ton of weeding!!

I think a huge reason for weeding, in my case, is if I can't see the 'flowers' I painstakingly planted and waited to grow because weeds had taken over, it seems counter-productive, so weeding is more a necessity for those reasons. Hence why I've gone to more and more perennials as they are thicker and less weeds can overtake them. But I also understand how valuable all your wild patches are with bees in mind; I'd be doing the exact same thing, but probably have all the wildness a distance away and isolated by itself so any weeds could just stay in their place and help the bees while not affecting the 'other' gardens I'd rather visually be around! My son was into bees for a bit but from listening/reading your posts, the amount of energy and maintenance seems daunting. I surely have enough gardens to support a hive but am NOT fond of even THINKING of getting stung, which has happened almost every year in my line of work; the worst are those nasty wasps/hornets/whatever that build their nest in the ground and I CAN'T see them until AFTER I run over their nest! HARD to stop or get away on a moving piece of machinery while trying to NOT get stung even more. Once, I had to lock the handles and flee, nursing my stings until they left my mower alone long enough for me to get back and get it out!

I think doing ANYTHING yourself from a maintenance pov is priceless; the responsibility and purpose brings a lot of self gratification and of course, in most cases, when I DO something, I get a very positive feeling, even if I have to do it 10 times until it's 'right'! Ha!

I've been taking turmeric daily for about 5 years now, ever since my son convinced me and my wife to entertain thoughts of going vegan (actually, whole food plant based diet). Hard at first just getting around decades of habit and taste, but now? there's only a couple things I still crave and occasionally give in to. So, already on that train and didn't know turmeric would help with the hands in the future--GREAT to know and thanks for that. I've been taking 1/4 tsp a day; this is enough for ordinary reasons, does this coincide with your understanding? DON'T get me started re the health benefits of WFPBD and conventional western diets--it's one of my 3 passions to pass on!

Re my yard; I've been cutting lawns now for 41 years and figure my yard count is near 82K cuts. I can easily foresee me continuing for at least the next decade but beyond that? Don't know. Dad died at 66 and though he ate badly and didn't listen to docs, this thought is still in the back of my mind as I still have his genetics! But just thinking of 'someone else' cutting my lawn seems impossible. Sort of an ingrained part of me now and even as I approach retirement, I still wonder if I shouldn't keep some of my accounts and just keep going. There's this 'old guy' in the neighborhood that has done exactly this and I shake my head thinking; 84 and cutting other peeps' lawns--not sure if he's a good example for me or not! Then again, he has NO schedule, never cuts when it's scorching, hardly see him when it's in the 30s F, and his pace is glacial compared to mine! We'll see how I feel in a couple of years, I guess! I SURELY don't want a lot of time to contemplate how I might make the 'pondhouse' larger, ya know? My wife is already using this as a poke to get us to move down south somewhere (she's from Texas and has NEVER adjusted to Mi winters! heh heh) but I keep resisting, until she brings up the fact that down south, I could enjoy the pond for more months! Clever she be, yes, clever!

 

[brokensword]

In AZ I had to baby plants, in MD everything grows and does not stop! Vines, weeds, poison ivy etc.

ya picked the right state, then!

 

[brokensword]

When we built the house (1986) we covered the yard in sod - typical for our little suburban neighborhood. Then I spent the next 15 years slowly killing off sections of grass and replacing with bushes, ground cover, perennials, etc. Now the entire yard is grass-free, with tons of mulch all around. I usually refresh the mulch every 3-4 years and last year it took 750 bags. I can walk around an hour every day and pull weeds - many just baby oak and elm trees - and never reach the nirvana state of "weed free." This past summer I had 279 potted plants outdoors to keep watered each day, too. (Texas heat can dry out a pot fast) But I wouldn't trade it - outside in the planted world is my happy place...

HEY!!!! PIcs or it didn't happen!!! But tell you what, post them in the General forum so more peeps will see and oggle! I'm sure you can come up with some witty 'pond-like' title for the thread and Ian will look the other way!!

 

[addy1]

So, already on that train and didn't know turmeric would help with the hands in the future--GREAT to know and thanks for that. I've been taking 1/4 tsp a day

I changed to the liquid turmeric they sell at costco, qunol, for me it works better than the pills. I started tumeric xxx years ago, can't recall. But I sure can tell when I don't take it. Also been taking triple flex, saves my knees, which some doc wanted to do surgery on them when I was in my late 20's. Still no surgery lol.

 

[j.w]

I take the Qunol 750 mg's per pill 3 times a day and also Resveretrol and omega 3's all 3 times a day. Does the trick for me and has been for many years. I walk 6 miles every day rain, shine snow and ice. Ask @addy1 she knows I'm hooked on walking and riding my bike (ride 30 to 40 miles) when it's not raining in Spring, Summer and Fall. Walking you can do in any weather. We cut our own wood, make our own mulch from tree branches on out property. We have a ton of Doug fir all around our property. Makes really good mulch. Love the outdoors and all outside work is more important to me than cleaning inside! Body is holding up pretty darn well so far. Do have a stiff neck but I can live w/that. Exercise helps. If you don't keep moving you will freeze up fast is my motto!

 

[Sisha]

Absolutely beautiful. I'm still tweaking after 16 years. I don't think it ever ends

 

[brokensword]

Absolutely beautiful. I'm still tweaking after 16 years. I don't think it ever ends

I begin to believe that's a lot of the 'fun' of it! I think when your hobby gets stagnant, i.e. NO change whatsoever, that's when the interest starts to die off. As long as you're involved, it'll keep it's original allure!

Thanks for the nice words and glad you could enter the 'brokenswordverse' for a bit!

 

[brokensword]

Had a request for pics of my fish, so here's the current koi listing...the gf are shubinkins, comets, sarassa comets, and one fantail. Haven't cataloged those, yet. Overview, then some larger pics below in next replies.

 

[Dimelius]

Had a request for pics of my fish, so here's the current koi listing...the gf are shubinkins, comets, sarassa comets, and one fantail. Haven't cataloged those, yet. Overview, then some larger pics below in next replies.

View attachment 145336

Thanks!!! Some of em are really stunning

 

[brokensword]

Thanks!!! Some of em are really stunning

HA, just SOME??? I know, know; beauty is in the eye of the beholder! I'll get closeups posted in a minute; arranging them now...

 

[Dimelius]

Yea, coz I love more and more sanke, showa and kohaku...love the white/red/black mix...and some reason love sarasa and shubunkin goldfishes

 

[brokensword]

These will be in the order I got them;

Donna - hi utsuri

Amy - hi utsuri

Rose - shiro utsuri

Matty - doitsu ki matsuba

Spot - sanke

Key - ki utsuri

Shiro - shiro utsuri

Buki - Yamabuki ogon

Shoey - shusui

Ochie - Ochiba Sigure

Martha - showa

Ghost - kikokuryu

Orca - shiro utsuri

Goshi - goshiki

Ogon - platinum ogon

Kujack - kujaku

Miss Sprinkles - gin rin shiro bekko

Lemon - hariwake

Miss Marbles - butterfly sanke

Blondie - hariwake

 

[brokensword]

continuing;

Oakley - goromo

Ginny - gin matsuba

Bumblebee - showa

Chester - doitsu aka bekko

Clara - showa

Yellow wing - gin rin ochiba sigure

Dot - sanke

Becca - shiro bekko

Sunny - hariwake

Cinnamon - ochiba sigure

Starburst - butterfly hariwake

Darcy - goromo

Jackson - Kujaku

Adam - Heisei Nishiki

Chiba - ochiba sigure

Linus - kumonryu

Autumn - goromo

Stinger - ki utsuri

Daryl - goromo

Ginger - aka matsuba

Zippy - shusui