Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey
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flowerbug
Super Self-Sufficient
how is your pond edge holding up? did your fix help?
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frustratedearthmother
Sustainability Master
Hear they're very tame to handle!! Maybe you could saddle up and ride.
There is actually a man here in town who has a small herd. He bought ducks from me at one time. He told me buffalos were the gentlest creatures on earth. (I had to confirm that he was talking about "water" buffalos, lol.) Maybe a slight exaggeration from someone who was biased, lol. However, if I ever run into him again, I'd love to pick his brain. Doubt it's something I'd ever actually pursue, but ...
The berm that I hastily threw together around most of the pond looks like it worked to contain the itty, bitty fish. Previously I could see minnows who had escaped into low lying puddles after a heavy rainfall. Didn't see any escapees after the hurricane. I think it worked!
I may wet a line this evening when I go out.
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frustratedearthmother
Sustainability Master
Did find a few minutes to fish. I need somebody to tell my baby bass that I’m trying to catch catfish!
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- #14,045
frustratedearthmother
Sustainability Master
Oh my goodness! Some days are NOT good goat days!
Can you give me a hand here? I seem to be stuck!
Can you give me a hand here? I seem to be stuck!
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- #14,046
frustratedearthmother
Sustainability Master
Hot, hot, hot! When is this agony going to end? Triple digits Fri. Triple digits Sat. Triple digits today and humidity is always off the charts! Just had to get that off my chest...sigh.
Bought a couple of fish traps the other day. They're small-ish net type thingys. You put bait in 'em and the fish swim in the holes and can't swim back out. I'm trying to figure out if there are a bunch of mudcats in the pond. Some folks consider 'em a "trash" fish, but they are definitely edible.
I left the traps in overnight and pulled them this morning. Not one single catfish... Eleven bluegills, zero catfish. I guess that's ok, lol. I like using the traps as opposed to trying to catch them with a pole because I don't like hurting the bluegill and the bass when I'm only trying to get the cats. I can see that I'm going to be overprotective of the fish, lol. I mean, I take care of them every day - just like the other animals around here. I don't want them hurt! But, when it's time to harvest them I don't have a problem with that - especially since there are plenty out there.
I miss having a garden... Going to start looking for some containers I can toss a few seeds in. Maybe I can have a tiny little fall garden. Can't make real plans until we get an answer about DH's health. CT scan tomorrow.
Bought a couple of fish traps the other day. They're small-ish net type thingys. You put bait in 'em and the fish swim in the holes and can't swim back out. I'm trying to figure out if there are a bunch of mudcats in the pond. Some folks consider 'em a "trash" fish, but they are definitely edible.
I left the traps in overnight and pulled them this morning. Not one single catfish... Eleven bluegills, zero catfish. I guess that's ok, lol. I like using the traps as opposed to trying to catch them with a pole because I don't like hurting the bluegill and the bass when I'm only trying to get the cats. I can see that I'm going to be overprotective of the fish, lol. I mean, I take care of them every day - just like the other animals around here. I don't want them hurt! But, when it's time to harvest them I don't have a problem with that - especially since there are plenty out there.
I miss having a garden... Going to start looking for some containers I can toss a few seeds in. Maybe I can have a tiny little fall garden. Can't make real plans until we get an answer about DH's health. CT scan tomorrow.
Mini Horses
Sustainability Master
Self sufficiency!
At my old farm, we dug a nice pond. My DSIL liked to fish...not so much eat. He'd brought several bass to that pond!! We had a nice system, until turtles found it.
. I'll eat turtle, not fish 
alas, several turtle were removed by a 22. Yeah, caught taking those tiny baby ducklings! 
Had to stop that.- Thread starter
- #14,048
frustratedearthmother
Sustainability Master
Self sufficiency!
I thought a lot before I spent the money to put in this pond. You are absolutely right! That was definitely one of the reasons behind going ahead with the pond. Fish taste good! I've seen one turtle out there. I'm ok with that. No ducks on this pond except for a pair of wild ones I see occasionally. They seem to split their time between my pond and the neighbors. I'm kind of surprised that they didn't raise a brood, but I never saw babies.
Another reason was the water itself. I do have a well. I do have a generator. However, even with a generator what happens if the pump breaks? The pond has water and the critters won't die of thirst!
The grands have mentioned that they'd like for this house and property to stay in the family even after I'm gone. I hope that is the case and I know they'll love having the pond here if things work out that way.
Last, but not least... This reason was spurred on by losing DD. Life is short. I've always wanted a pond - so now I have one. I don't regret one dollar of the expense - worth every penny for the happiness that it brings.
flowerbug
Super Self-Sufficient
some of the big voracious snapping turtles i would not mind keeping under control in a pond but there are some beautiful painted turtles i'd want to leave alone if possible. even as wet as we can be around here the area has been ditched enough that it is rare to see a turtle. in all the time i've been here i've only seen one on our property.
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- #14,050
frustratedearthmother
Sustainability Master
The one I've seen is a medium sized red-eared slider. I've got no problem with him. A few turtles can be ok for a pond according to Google, lol.
OH MY GOSH! I am so excited and proud of ME! Remember the flat tire on my lawnmower? The tire had come unbeaded (is that the right term) or it had broken the bead....well anyway....I'd tried to put air in it and of course it wouldn't hold so...
I got on Google and looked up all the ways to re-seat a tire. Most of them suggested something that kinda looked like a lot of fun, but maybe a little dangerous. They consisted of spraying a flammable product inside the tire and throwing a match at it. For whatever reason I guess the heat would expand the tire and re-seat it. Nope - too scary for me. I figured I'd probably burn my face off if I even tried that! So, I delegated that particular procedure to "last resort."
I saw another idea to take a ratchet strap and wrap it around the middle of the tire and ratchet it down really tight. That forces the edges of the tire out. Kind of like a "muffin top" for those of us who might put on some clothing that might be too tight around the waist. You can cinch down that waist, but the overflow has to go somewhere, lol. Anyway, I tightened down on that ratchet strap and started to try to put air in the tire. POP!
It popped right back on the bead and you coulda heard me yipping and hollering a couple miles away. I was so HAPPY that it worked!!! Still excited, lol. Hardest part was getting the ratchet strap off because the air in the tire made that strap a whole lot tighter. Entire process was less than half an hour and that included looking for the right tools, finding a strap and then getting the strap off!
Tire is back on the mower and I guess mowing will commence soon enough!
OH MY GOSH! I am so excited and proud of ME! Remember the flat tire on my lawnmower? The tire had come unbeaded (is that the right term) or it had broken the bead....well anyway....I'd tried to put air in it and of course it wouldn't hold so...
I got on Google and looked up all the ways to re-seat a tire. Most of them suggested something that kinda looked like a lot of fun, but maybe a little dangerous. They consisted of spraying a flammable product inside the tire and throwing a match at it. For whatever reason I guess the heat would expand the tire and re-seat it. Nope - too scary for me. I figured I'd probably burn my face off if I even tried that! So, I delegated that particular procedure to "last resort."
I saw another idea to take a ratchet strap and wrap it around the middle of the tire and ratchet it down really tight. That forces the edges of the tire out. Kind of like a "muffin top" for those of us who might put on some clothing that might be too tight around the waist. You can cinch down that waist, but the overflow has to go somewhere, lol. Anyway, I tightened down on that ratchet strap and started to try to put air in the tire. POP!
It popped right back on the bead and you coulda heard me yipping and hollering a couple miles away. I was so HAPPY that it worked!!! Still excited, lol. Hardest part was getting the ratchet strap off because the air in the tire made that strap a whole lot tighter. Entire process was less than half an hour and that included looking for the right tools, finding a strap and then getting the strap off! Tire is back on the mower and I guess mowing will commence soon enough!
