Ok...just got back from BFE (the new house. Koi Cottage? LOL). Scrap wanting parrot feather! I have more than enough. More than I want. More than I probably need. LOL
And nix the water celery too I think. I think that is what I was pulling out by the handful from all over the place.
I will save the money I would of used on them... and get a good "What the hell is this freaking water/bog plant?" book. LOL
Koi are funny creatures. They are still wary of us, even with liberal sprinklings of cracker crumbs. They do however get great joy of sticking their heads half out of the water to laugh at me as I try to perch on slippery algae covered stones to trim bushes at the top of the waterfall. They especially like the squeeky noise I make as I beat large amounts of biting ants off of me while falling on my ass in the streambed. Yeah... they are SOOOOO helpful. I could just imagine them doing the "Go ahead... jump! Don't worry... we will catch you!" mantra.
I look like a lobster and am sore all over... but can now tell that there are indeed 2 decent waterfalls! BTW: waterfalls work MUCH better when the streambeds leading to them are not impeded with gunk, debris, and branches that make the water divert to the outlying ground! Who woulda thunk it! LOL
We took a good half wheelbarrow of algae, rotted pinecones, and leaf decay from the bottom of the top pool. Smelled GREAT. NOT! The water of course is all crappy again now (I did backflush the filter until the water no longer resembled greenish tea and topped off the pond as a partial water change before I left) but it should help in the long run. Doing so, we displaced, then returned, 5 salamanders, 3 tadpoles, and something else that was very slimy and fast!
4 wheelbarrows of plant trimmings were removed as well. I shaped the trees. We now have trees that no longer look like bushes... and bushes that are no longer trees! LOL
Note: Creeping spruce is a great ground cover. It is low growing, dense, virtually weed-free, and a nice bluish green color.
Addendem to note: Creeping spruce is a favorite nesting spot for ants, prickly, has hard to cut branches, and causes you to itch.
Addendem to addendum: Scratching yer butt for an hour after sitting on creeping spruce covered rocks while you try to trim a rainforest of overgrown plants makes people at the gas station look at you funny.
More FYI:
Bees like salvia. Bees take it personally when you keep cutting the flowers they are actually on. Bumblebees are like F-16 piolets. When annoyed...they may not bomb yer ass... but they WILL buzz the tower to the point of distraction!
I desperately need food. More later if you all are not bored yet. Just tell me to shut up when you get sick of my rambling!
