Gardening and A Fish Named Hardy

Unless you are new here, you know that we recently made a HUGE move!! From southern California to the very northern tip of Idaho. Sandpoint, Idaho to be exact. A place where it SNOWS. A lot! That will an important fact later on in my gardening story.

The house we bought has a million dollar view! Absolutely spectacular from sun up to sundown and even the night sky is amazing.

Unfortunately, the house and surrounding 10 acres has been neglected for about the last 10 years.

That means a lot of work needs to be done. We’ve hired contractors to do all the main heavy duty things like windows, new doors, carpeting and new siding. The gardening though I’ve been tackling. SLOWLY. First, I just turned 60. I now officially make that NOISE when I stand up. I also found muscles that I didn’t know I had. I thought gardening was supposed to be relaxing. Not sweaty, HARD WORK!! Today I am sore!

As I am gardening I am constantly thankful for the previous owners vision. Every single day a new and different flower emerges as another dies off. I have a constant explosion of color all the time. I’m also extremely thankful for the drip system!! Just the front of the house is what I consider my garden. I’m not all wild-crazy-Idaho 10 acre farmer. That’s way more work than I want.
At the very end of the garden, behind the red tree;  is a Koi pond. A green, disgusting pool of water. I decided to empty the pond and fill in the hole. First, I tried just pulling it out of  the ground. It did NOT budge. Little did I know this thing was DEEP. REALLY DEEP.  Gloves on, bucket in hand I began emptying. This water was so gross. THICK. Think jello that hasn’t set yet.

EWWWWWWWWWW. So gross. I dumped the water over the big granite rock towards a pine tree.  When a flash of orange went wiggling down the rock I groaned out loud “ahhhhhhhh crap!” So, this very overweight, 60 year old climbed down the rock and under the tree to fetch “Hardy” As in very hardy fish that not only lived for TEN YEARS people!!

But also lived in frozen water!?! Thick green water!! (Not because we are putting Hardy Board Siding on the house. Just a funny quinky-dink). BTW, this may not look like a big drop, but it’s about a 5′ drop down at the tree.

Helping Hardy

I finished emptying the pond, half heartedly cleaned it up. Filled it back up with the hose. (it’s well water so no chlorine) Thought for sure all that trauma would send Hardy to Heaven. It did not. It’s been a week. FINE!!! You win. Bought Hardy fish food. Ordered a solar pond pump and some lily pads. When Alice arrives in Idaho for her vacation I think we’ll go find Hardy a Laurel.

This is a 1.8W kit keeps the water moving so that I won’t so that Hardy won’t have green, jello water.

So, this kit is probably a little too small for the pond, but honestly, I didn’t want to spend a lot. I just wanted to keep the water moving.  So, this particular pump is probably best suited for a birdbath. However it does keep the water moving.

There are 4 different sprinkler heads to give you a different water flow; think more of a water fountain look. There are pieces that fit together for deeper water, again I’m thinking more a bird bath deepness. The pieces snap together. It takes a strong hand to get the them together. Which is great because my nature friends won’t be able to bite the top off without dragging the entire thing away. (which just may happen!)

What I do like is the extra long cord (12 FEET long!!) that goes from the solar plate to the pump itself. I can loop it around the big granite rock so that my nature friends the turkey, deer and bears don’t knock the whole thing into the pond.  I can also bury the cord under my newly spread wood chips. It’s a nice clean look. (not the pond but, the pump!)

The minute I walked outside with the pump the solar panel caught sunshine and the pump started to work. The small suction cups on the bottom of the pump seem to hold well, the pump hasn’t moved. The water is rippling and Hardy is swimming around happy as a well…….. a fish.

Just an FYI; the pump does only work when the sun is shining. There is no back up battery.

This Fish!

Hardy is still doing great. I guess tomorrow I’ll head into town and buy some gravel for the bottom. I am a sucker for a fish that has defied all odds!

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