Our little fish pond

We have a tiny fish pond built into our deck, and it is restful to watch the fish when we sit outside at the end of a workday. I love these long spring and summer days with plenty of hours of daylight left at the end of the day.

Getting the pond going took a little work. We lost one batch of fish because we didn't have the water plants well enough established, and racoons ate another batch. We used heavy cinder blocks in the bottom of the pond to give the fish a place to hide from predators. It took us a while to get the pond to be a proper little eco-system, but all the plants and fish are thriving now. There is always some concern about mosquito breeding due to the West Nile virus, but the county gave us a free mosquito eating fish. I would hate to have to drain our little pond, so hopefully the mosquito eater will do his job.

Aside from being just another little bit to share with you, one day I plan to do a "fish pond" quilt. I like to use things from my yard and garden as inspiration, partly because it is a favorite and peaceful place, and partly because it is so easy to go on outside and take some digital pictures.

The green/red/branch/ blossom thing I am working on now takes its inspiration from the bouganvilla plants. We have planted several of those over the years. You will see them pretty much everywhere in Southern California, and sometimes in more colors than the most common magenta. The project is looking much better, but I want to get farther along in the process before sharing again. Thanks so much for your input. I did laugh when Mel said she didn't like black, gosh who would have guessed that (wink). I didn't get rid of it altogether because I am liking the drama, but red is taking a much greater role.

Hope you enjoy your visit to my little corner of the world.