Big Bonnie

plays with her buddies

until they see the camera and pose.

The water garden is pet friendly but instead of swimming today

Bonnie just took a big drink.

Thought I had a leak but the dogs drink and swim often.

Have to add water about every three days.

Glad I can accommodate their needs and wants.

Sometimes You Just Have To Paint An Elephant

Worn and weathered, a little like me, 

sometimes you just have to spruce up a little.

I painted a latex house paint base

added details with acrylics

and stained the entire job.

Looking much better now.

Babies!!!

Look closely

through the rain drops

through the water...

You can see my baby fish!

They are called Fry.

Is that because when they grow they are best Fry-ed?

I have two water gardens...one with Bluegill, a native fish, and one with Koi.

I do enjoy my water gardens.  It's soothing.

Under The Waterfall

Life moves on.

Reflecting

Saturday's Critters with Eileen

Reflections With Lizzy

Spring pond with Lizzy

Top pond

water garden

Lizzy

Top pond reflections

Lizzy at the New pond definitely not thinking about swimming.

The Other Side Of Stoned

My life just brims with daily excitement. 

Last week I did a clean up from eroded soil, plant debris and dog play on one side of one water garden.  A few days later I did the other side.  We've had some warmer days lately.

Don't fear water gardens!  This is just something I do every year or two with the rocks.  The only regular maintenance is removing leafs, pulling weeds and topping off the water now and then.

 Another OCD sort with my Mt Ida crystals

Likes together 

Fossils and I suspect some sort of rapidly cooled rock...

Fun with rocks and rusty wire

You knew I had to throw some weird in there!

Solid and safe.  People and pet access improved and expanded.

Now we wait for rain....

Of All The Things I Needed To Do

I chose playing with rocks.  I wish I'd taken a true before picture but did not think until I starting unloading the rocks from the stump.

When I first built this garden for Dad, Hubby made me a stump chair.  The years and critters have worn it down so I thought it was time for it to move on to another purpose.

The removal left a hole.  Flats rocks were gathered to extend the walk.

My ever present partner, Ms OCD, had me sort like kinds.

First collection rocks were separated from working rocks.

Round rocks, cave rocks, crystals and conglomerates had to be grouped.

Fossils, metamorphic and iron ore Ms OCD sorted and played.

At quitting time you could not detect where the stump had been. The animals and people have a solid clear area to approach the water to drink, swim or just enjoy the view.

Empty pecans, pecan limbs, leafs and other natural debris were picked and raked away to join my compost or my burn pile.  Yep, that's the stump sitting behind my bench.  Couldn't bring myself to remove it completely...yet.

The Koi

welcome 

the warm days

and food.

Tufted Titmouse

I think

A very talented Tufted Titmouse...triple T.

Bird seed everywhere

and it comes for dog food.

Could be those bossy Cardinals be keeping it away.

Visit Eileen for many Saturday's Critters throughout the world.

Changes

had every critter scrambling to get a meal before the weather worsened.  The valley was full of crows but they are more alert than me.  Not one picture was good.

The Cardinals were busy gathering nuts in December

Lots of activity in the old pecan tree

and the rain began to fall

Birds blended easily

and this guy decided to hide

Want to know the weather?

Just watch the animals and they'll tell.