Of a Fish Pond in the Front Yard

Here is the promised slide show of the pond.

Click on view larger above to choose between slideshow or scrapbook view.

Here they are, somewhat in chronological order. Many of you have seen the pond in its days of glory. So glad I took pictures of it as soon as I got the digital camera. I didn't think then that some day more than half of the pond would be drained and filled in.

It was a lot of maintenance, and I mean back-breaking maintenance. I suppose if Steve had the proper equipment he could have solved the problem differently, but when the pond leaks to within 12 inches of the bottom, and the fish are just barely swimming around, something drastic has to be done.

He tried patching it, he tried working with the pump, but could not find the source of the leak. It recurred too often. Finally, he gave in, relocated the fish temporarily, then filled in the hole.

That was about four months ago. There's grass growing where it used to be, but the little pond remains. It looks strange, though. I'm used to seeing a longish, over 30-foot length pond in the yard, but, as you can see in the last two photos, now there is a pond a third that size.

The fish do not show any signs of trauma from having been moved, and now that winter is approaching, they will settle down at the bottom and wait for the frozen season to pass. Still, when I look outside our front window and see the markings of what used to be, I feel sad. It's like a surgery has been performed, something removed, a big scar to show for it. I do miss it.

I'll take pictures of the winter pond when the snow covers its frozen surface. In the spring, all will come alive again. There will be renewal. Come back and visit!