Watery Mistake

This started out as a lovely little water feature to fill a need until I could take the subject seriously enough to make a larger one.  A simple pan, a simple pump and some rocks.  Then I had to have a spitting frog and that is when the trouble started.  

I noticed  that the pan was half drained in the morning and attributed that to a thirsty raccoon or deer.  

Ok, simple enough to turn the motor off at night and refill it in the morning.  Then the motor wouldn't start the next day.  

Ok, I'll use the back-up pump.  Oh wait, two days later, it's not pumping.

Ok, fine, I really like the sound of the water so I'll go get another pump.  Luckily I run into a water gardener at McGuckin's who gently explains to me that the pumps need to be cleaned out.  

Oh.

Well, the new feature hasn't been installed yet because the Yard Man is busy working at his real job, so right now, what I have is this algae pondlet.  I know it's up to me to change the water and clean it out, but I get busy, all right?

I hope the children don't find out how I'm wasting their inheritance in the garden.

Red Flag Warnings

The National Weather Service has posted a Red Flag Warning for most of Colorado in advance of a rain/snow event that arrives tomorrow:

SOUTHWEST WINDS THIS AFTERNOON WILL BLOW AT 20 TO 30 MPH WITH
GUSTS TO 45 MPH. THESE GUSTY WINDS COMBINED WITH TEMPERATURES IN
THE MID 70S TO LOWER 80S AND RELATIVE HUMIDITIES FROM 7 TO 15 PERCENT WILL CREATE CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR EXTREME FIRE BEHAVIOR
THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.

Aye Yi Yi! 7% humidity! I've been making sure to have plenty of water around the yard for all the Spring visitors we're having and today the fountains were set up. Don't get all excited...these are for the sounds and for the birds, not for the looks. The one in the picture is my favorite because it's a solar fountain. The photo was taken early morning with a spray about 3 inches high but now at mid-day, it's more like 6-8 inches high. It came with different nozzles but this is the one I can hear from my window. Plow and Hearth (on sale) was the source, but I don't think they carry them anymore.

Another fountain hidden behind the sage bush is simply a big stainless steel bowl that I had for kids' crafts. The smallest pump and some plastic hose stabilized with some decorative rock does the trick. Come to think of it, I got a cheap and tacky fountain deeply discounted at a grocery store one year, took it apart and used the pump that came with it for my first homemade fountain. It was cheaper than buying a pump at the hardware store.

Saving Water

Here's our new cistern for the front yard. I wanted to find something that wasn't so obtrusive as our big bright blue bargain one in the back. This one was in the back lot of Murdoch's Ranch and Home Supply in Longmont.

We probably got hosed by the cost: $40 (cf $12 for the big bright blue bargain one - but we had to install a tap in that one). This one came with a lid. It has some nice Greek writing on it. No matter about the Kalamata olive smell inside. That will wash away.