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April 1 - No joke! john thought the koi in the big pond might all be dead. The gold fish in the small pond had been swimming around for several weeks, but john could see the koi mixed in with the string algae and not moving. Some were even on their sides. john went out today (it is beautiful outside) and most of the koi were swimming in a school. There was so much more water that it took more time for it to warm.
john now has the main line for the new irrigation system plumbed all the way to the path. It took some work to make that happen as he had to go through the basement wall, under a deck walkway, and beside the deck to get to the path.
April 25 - It rained yesterday and last night again. john has been hard at work on the irrigation system and has two zones done (out of about 10). He sees irony in the fact that he cannot work on the irrigation system due to rain.
At least, john can catch up on the website. Starting last week the blue heron has been coming to zenpond off and on. A couple of days ago, he brought a green heron with him/her. john has started called them "Bonnie and Clyde". He isn't sure which one is Bonnie and which one is Clyde. In fact, they could be "The Sundance Kids" or "Thelma and Louise" for all he knows.
Last night, john thought he heard a noise outside. Sure enough the frogs are back. john and joyce enjoy hearing them, but the neighbors do not. These frogs sound like an un-oiled wheel, but john doesn't believe they are tree frogs, as they are about the size of a biscuit and are dark green and are not in trees.
Part of john and joyce's fence is down as a neighbor to the south is putting up a new one. This fence will match the one john and another neighbor built last Spring. It will look great and be a "good neighbor fence" too.
john and joyce went to a nursery a couple of days ago and purchased another Japanese Maple. It is beautiful and will look great on the right side of the small pond. They also purchased five new Moonshadow Euonymus. These will go into the new sunny area created when the Bradford Pears trees were removed last fall. The hostas will be relocated to a shady area. Unfortunately, the hostas look great where they are, but will not look that way for long. The good thing about the Euonymus is they are usually evergreen throughout the winter.
Two or three ducks are usually swimming in zenpond. The other day john and joyce were watching television when they heard a pecking sound. They looked around to see a male duck knocking on their patio door. He wanted in! He was so determined that he went around to the other windows to see if he could come in that way. Since he could not, he went back to the patio door and pecked on it some more. john and joyce wondered what he would have done if john had opened the door. This duck was so tame! He and his mate are the ones that spend alot of time swimming in both the big pond and the small one. She seems to be always talking away no matter if he is nearby or not.
It is nearly the first of May, the time when Mom duck usually brings her ducklings into zenpond. john is not ready for them as everything is dug up for the irrigation system. john isn't sure what to do. Last year, the small ducklings did not come, but later eleven young ducks showed up. That was a lot easier.
Here's a map of zenpond:
April 28 - john and joyce have a friend of a friend with a website selling lotus. The website address is: