Rocks

(This is from February.   I didn't realize I hadn't posted it yet.)

Winter always gives me a clean slate.  This time of year, when i can clearly see and access the rocks on our property,i move them to my water feature project. 

I am planning to create a natural looking rocky cliff behind my pond...with a place to sit. :)

Pond Liner Disguise Ideas

Phase II of the pond is dug and filled...but, more than a year later, the vast majority of the liner has yet to be hidden.

For a while now, I have thought of hiding the liner in various ways to make it look as natural as possible--this particular spot, I would like to make look as though the water has carved it's way under a rock.  Before I forget (which I doubt I will), I thought I'd better post this as inspiration (although, the final version will look quite different, I am sure).

(Unfinished) Pond in Winter

The pond project got delayed by my herniated disc late summer.  I am happy to report that I am nearly asymptomatic for almost a month now.  I am hoping to be able to work on hiding the pond liner, adding a stream, more pools, a waterfall, and a wetland.  Here's hoping my back holds out for all of that.   :)

Here is the pond in its current state.  I long to be able to post an AFTER shot. :)

Pond Progress

The spring rains did me in.  I had the hardest time trying to keep up with mowing.  There were too few days without rain--and of course, the grass grew fast and high, so it always needed mowing.  The mugwort (my nemesis) took off this year, too--to towering heights.  Eventually, I got around to sickling the mugwort on the slope.

My pond project kept getting put off.  Originally, I had planned to dig out a "spillway", in early spring, to make the pond look more natural...and to make it look bigger as well.  Having the pond appear to spill into a wetland would allow me a larger spot in which to grow water-loving natives (like Iris versicolor, swamp milkweed, and marsh marigold).  That section has yet to be dug out.

Since, I still haven't hidden the liner, perhaps that isn't a bad thing (but, I would rather have had it dug, planted, and functioning--I can hide the liner as I find the time).

Despite having had lower back pain for three weeks prior, last week, I finally started digging out a section of the pond that ended up shallower than I had originally expected (and the surrounding bank much higher than I had intended).  I thought there was a good bit of excess liner, that would allow me to extend the depth and length of the pond on that end.  I was wrong...sort of.

I was able to make it deeper...and a little bit longer...but not as wide as I had dug out for.   I had held the water back with the liner and a 2X4...but, when I was nearly ready to rework it, it started spilling in onto the old carpet I was using for a protective underlayment!  There was not enough liner for that section.  Soon, I was standing in  inches of water, my shoes and socks soaked.

I ended up bracing the liner and holding back the water again...and leaving the whole mess for the next day.

The following day, I decided to add another piece of liner to the newly created section...I made a higher section

that will make it seem like a natural shelf worn out from running water--an extension of the stream (that I will later create--"Phase III").  It will hold water which will end up making the whole section look more natural.

I was thrilled to have a curious frog or two come watch what I was doing!  Up until now, the five or so bigger frogs, jump into the depths at the hint of my approach.

Even while standing, unexpectedly, in the pond water the day before, I knew digging out more than I needed would end up being worth it.

There is a long way to go...and what I have done will get tweaked, but having a natural-looking pond and streambed is just a little closer to a reality.

Another Moving Rocks Post

 With all of the rain we've had--I swear it has been four months with only an occasional day with part sun...and, more recently one full day of sun...and, twice, two days in a row without rain (or only in the morning or overnight).  So, with that, and working my regular job, an interpreting assignment twice a week, and Jeff and I teaching a class one day a week, there has not been much time for me to do much of anything outside.  :(

So, I was so happy that the weather cooperated, today, on my only day off during the week...and thrilled that I pushed myself to change into work clothes and go outside.

I finally got around to hauling some more of the rocks that I got over the summer.  My goal is to create some natural-looking rock outcroppings along the slope that leads to my pond & streambed project.  I'm hoping I can create a cliff-like look.

Nothing is set in stone yet. ;) ...but I got a chance to play around with some possible groupings.  It needs a lot, lot, lot more work to make it look right...but it felt great to get out and WORK! 

I plan to put down some rubber roofing under the rocks, create cliff-like outcroppings, and a sandy soil over the rubber roofing, and add scree around the rocks.  Here's hoping that I can make it look natural...and create a nice-looking spot for a streambed and waterfall(s).

I stayed out until dusk became rather dark.  I've missed being out there...and I'm hoping to get in better shape again.  Here's hoping I can do more before the ground freezes here.  Then, once winter hits, I hope I enjoy the reprieve.

Hauling Rocks

After leaving the rocks I brought home (back in August) where I dropped them, today I began hauling them to the backyard slope...where, eventually, I will piece them together (the best I can) to create the look of a rocky cliff outcropping.   My goal is to create a rocky cliff with a stream and waterfall ...as l running through it.

Here are pics of the cliff where I got them...

Here is a little inspiration from a local, natural stream:

 Here are about 1/3 of the total I collected.   I dropped them mostly haphazardly on the slope above the pond.

Too bad I didn't get at least twice as many rocks...but, hopefully, the final result will look natural.

A few rocks seem to naturally fit together, but time will tell if I have an eye for piecing this puzzle together.

Phase II...in progress...

After buying a liner last year, I never got around to digging the pond--my focus was on planting the meadow (I've yet to post about the trials and tribulation of establishing my native meadow over the past two years--I hope to post about that before too long).  As I recall, the heat of the summer kept me from digging later in the summer, but I did end up breaking ground on December 25, 2015 since the ground had yet to freeze and I had no concern about the heat. 

This summer, I am smart enough to get up early and work in the shade before noon...now I'm well on my way to digging Phase II, my largest pond ever--still not as large as I'd probably like; from all I've read, the biggest regret of any pond owner is that they didn't make it larger.

Honestly, I can't even remember how large the liner is, but I recall thinking that I could make a pond approximately 17' X 5'or 6' ft...with a depth at some point of 3 ft or so.  Time will tell.

If, somehow, I end up with a larger pond, I hope to buy a larger liner and use the one I have for a wetland.  As you can see, I'm winging this.

Working and Reworking

Although, I've posted very little in regards to the pond and streambed project that I've been working on, I have made a good bit of progress.  Normally, I guess I'm too tired to post...but, today of all days, when I should not feel up to posting, I am.  After walking for an hour and a half this morning, I went out after lunch and spent almost seven hours unearthing mini-boulders an flipping, nudging, and dragging them into place--well, only one is actually in its permanent position (I think).  I've actually moved it several times already trying to get things right.

Last week, I'd spent a good bit of time creating a pleasant-looking arrangements of rocks for a spillway/waterfall.  Unfortunately, when I ran the hose to overflow the upper section, the water didn't fall as planned.  That will all need reworked too, but since today I was not in the frame of mind to work on the mechanics of it all, I gathered rocks and worked on creating an outcropping that will never have a stream cascading over it...so creativity and not mechanics was my focus today--just what I needed.

 This rock is much larger than it appears in the photos...and like an iceberg, most of it was under the surface. :)

 At least these are much closer to the pond than most rocks I've moved in the past three years.

 I placed a large log in the hole that was left.  After covering it with soil it should be a long while before it decays and the ground sinks.  I'll deal with that when it happens.

 I still feel as though I'm running out of rocks for this project...I keep finding ones I've stashed away, and there is still a pile I've yet to pull from...but, I'm still seeking out LARGE ones which I need to make it look natural.  I pulled this one out of the hillside...and I think I know exactly where it will go!

 Here it is at the bottom of a path I created earlier this year (and never documented in the blog).

After flipping it end over end up the path, I was able to employ my handy, home-made rock mover again and wheel it to join the others...and one step closer to its final placement.

  Getting closer.  I swear, before I began digging and moving all of these rocks into place for the past several weeks, I'd not have been able to move this one.  Maybe, in another couple of weeks, I'll be able to move that one I swore I'd never tackle again.

It really should've been a two man job, but, as I so often do, I push myself...and I made it...it is actually in place now (but not in the picture), but needs readjusting tomorrow...or when ever I find I have the energy and motivation again.

 This is my old pond from when we lived in an apartment.

 I was able to move the moss-and-plants-topped rocks into the new pond...

Not bad, if I do say so myself. :)  Just one thing to add...there was a frog using the "old pond", and, after taking out the plants and rocks, I kind of relocated him to what I think are much nicer digs.  That means I'm up to five frogs now.