Water feature and creatures
As forestweather reported yesterday, work on the water feature in our back yard is progressing, but not without horror and tragedy. The water feature itself is two rigid tubs, one about 7 x 4 feet, the other 4 x 4 feet, with the smaller one positioned higher so that water will fall over the edge into the lower pond, then be recycled (pumped) back up in a continuous manner. Should be quite lovely once it is finished. Kim has been working really really hard on this for several weeks.
I covered the larger pond with a plastic tarp, tucked in at the edges and held down by sand bags, before we went on vacation, in the hope that it would prevent rain from filling the tub. Unfortunately, it did not: instead, rain filled about 5 inches, but well below a ledge... and with the steep, smooth sides, there was no traction for the chipmunks who wandered into the tub. Yes, the horror and tragedy! Four bloated little bodies.... I am pretty good with the sick and dying, but once creatures get to the "really dead" state, well, I'm no pathologist.
At any rate, Kim bravely removed the bodies to the brush pile. We were then able to lift the tub out of the ground, dump the nasty water at the end of the garden, and set the tub to dry in the fresh air. Kim pounded the soil flat beneath the tub, then added a layer of sand for support, and we replaced the tub. I bought a 4-foot long level to help her get it set right, and that seemed to make a good difference from the 8" level we'd been using before. (By the way, do you know how hard it is to find tools-or anything else-not made in China? It's a challenge.)
Out of the tragedy has come joy: the larger tub has water in it now that is within a couple of inches from the rim, high enough that the squirrels are able to drink from it. I will probably put a dish of water out for the chippers later today-even though 4 died, there are still many (many!) running around. Our cat is at this moment perched on a step-stool, looking out through the patio sliders, enjoying the constant activity. In fact, she expressed no interest in coming to my office this morning. Dullsville, apparently.
I covered the larger pond with a plastic tarp, tucked in at the edges and held down by sand bags, before we went on vacation, in the hope that it would prevent rain from filling the tub. Unfortunately, it did not: instead, rain filled about 5 inches, but well below a ledge... and with the steep, smooth sides, there was no traction for the chipmunks who wandered into the tub. Yes, the horror and tragedy! Four bloated little bodies.... I am pretty good with the sick and dying, but once creatures get to the "really dead" state, well, I'm no pathologist.
At any rate, Kim bravely removed the bodies to the brush pile. We were then able to lift the tub out of the ground, dump the nasty water at the end of the garden, and set the tub to dry in the fresh air. Kim pounded the soil flat beneath the tub, then added a layer of sand for support, and we replaced the tub. I bought a 4-foot long level to help her get it set right, and that seemed to make a good difference from the 8" level we'd been using before. (By the way, do you know how hard it is to find tools-or anything else-not made in China? It's a challenge.)
Out of the tragedy has come joy: the larger tub has water in it now that is within a couple of inches from the rim, high enough that the squirrels are able to drink from it. I will probably put a dish of water out for the chippers later today-even though 4 died, there are still many (many!) running around. Our cat is at this moment perched on a step-stool, looking out through the patio sliders, enjoying the constant activity. In fact, she expressed no interest in coming to my office this morning. Dullsville, apparently.