Beauty, Destruction, New Birth

Hello everyone,

This is going to be one of if not the single most unusual postings I have ever made or attempted. Over the last few months I have been providing you with very frequent emails entitled " Bedroom Project " with a lot of photographs of the bedroom project progress. I have made mention about a lot of outside yard work being accomplished. That was true but that was not the complete story because I was working on a special surprise project which I will now tell you about although it is not totally complete and I suspect that some people may have dropped a few hints.

Most of you know that in most every where that Jan and I lived we had some type of water feature even if it was a small aquarium. Our favorite was always the koi/lily ponds such as we had in our backyard here in Ohio. We spent hours working with the plants and fish and just sitting and listening to the water as it cascaded down the waterfall. At different times we had some very large koi fish which were 18 inch or longer and were very tame. Jan given each one of them a name. She could sit down by the edge of the pond and snap her fingers and the koi would come up to the top of the water where she was seated and she would feed them one pellet of food at a time. They would take it from here fingers. Our first We bought from Lily Pons in Maryland. Those fish were killed when lightening struck the pond. Jan was devastated. Our next koi were bought in California when we were visiting  Bami and Janice and were brought back with us on the plane. They were packed in a small box with some ice and a little battery operated air pump. Can you imagine what would happen  if I attempted to board a plane with a contraption like that now a days.The six fish were about four inches long and grew to be the size I mentioned above.   They also grew to be very large and she would feed them by hand also. When she was diagnosed with cancer and was hospitalized I spent 24 hours a day with her for several weeks . During one period the temperature dropped to well below freezing and since I had not put the heater in the pond it froze over solid several inches thick and the fish suffocated. They were never replaced.  When she died March 22, 2011 and all the family was here for the funeral I asked the men to dismantle the waterfall and put all that material into the pond which they did. Later I had dirt delivered and placed on top of the rocks in the pond and made a butterfly garden.I realized later that this was a knee jerk reaction and I regretted it. My thought at the time was that the caring for the pond cleaning it, keeping the leaves out of it, cleaning the filter was going to be too much for me to handle by myself. So I gradually started thinking about resurrecting the pond and bringing it back to life. But how? When I started the project of converting the plant room into a downstairs bedroom for myself and the workers started the work I asked one of the foremen on the job if any of their laborers ever wanted any extra work that I was needing someone to do some yard work for me.  I wanted someone to clean the flower bed, put down new mulch and replace some rotted rails and posts in my fence. One of the guys was very eager to do the work so I put him to work and soon I realized this was my answer as how to reactivate the pond. I asked him if he would like to dig the dirt out and remove all the rocks and explaining that it was going to be very hard work and I did not want him to start if he felt he could not finish the job. He was very eager because he liked the idea of creating something that was going to be beautiful. I was amazed that it only took him a few days to remove all the dirt and the rocks. I had him clean all the rocks and for reuse As the demolishing started on the plant room I started selecting certain boards to use in rebuilding the frame of a new water fall. I built this new frame a piece at a time and he would move it from the garage out to the pond and put it in place. In all there were 5 pieces that were fastened together. Next we put a padding on the frame work followed by a rubber liner to keep the waterfall from leaking. Now he brought in a buddy to help him move the stones that had been taken from the pond and started building the rock sides of the waterfall. I really had a hard time of just sitting and watching as he selected and placed the stone in concrete. Once in a while he would ask what I thought and I might suggest that he use a different stone or turn it over or turn it around but I managed to keep my hands out of that work and just guide him and he did an outstanding job.

The problem I discovered was that the original liner had some holes punched in it with the rocks that were thrown into the pond and they had to be patched which was successfully done. However there was one large tear in the liner that has been a challenge to fix so it does not leak I am now on my third fix and hoping that this one works if it doesn't I will probably wait until spring to fix it. It is extremely hard to work with the liner when it is cold. I really wanted to get the pond planted for next springs growing season but I guess that  may have to wait. The following are some photographs that might interest you.

 Dismantling of old water fall. Steve works on removing rocks and some plumbing. Bami is 

 tearing down the equipment storage part of the falls. Not sure what Bryan and Daniel 

are doing.

 Here you can see some of the rocks that have been thrown into the pond.

 I am watching Bami work.

 Bami and I watch Bryan remove a board.

 Lots of watching. I think I heard a few remarks that this was not meant to 

be taken apart as many nails as there are in it. That's me, if two would do 

then four would be better.

 Working and watching.

 I am talking on the phone. Notice that was before I lost a lot of weight.

 Charlie shovels up small pieces and talks about how cold it is.

 Still shoveling.

 Steve is determined to get that piece of plumbing out of there while Daniel tries to loosen a board. Progress is being made as you can see.

 I am supervising and thinking that is not how I would do it.

 I watch Will, Bryan and Steve hard at work.

 Bami gives Daniel a hug.

 Nearing completion as Will hammers on something.

 Bami is applying some muscle and leverage to the removal of this board 

and rock. I think they are winning.

Will watches Bami and Steve use heavy equipment. I think Steve 
thinks Bami's effort are funny. These post never  did come out 
because they were cemented in and had to be broken off. The 
new falls has been built around them and covers them.

 Pond with all the dirt and rocks removed

 Pond with all the dirt and rocks removed as seen from the opposite end.

Dirt that was removed from the pond being used to raise the level of the yard to control 

flow of water in the yard.

Patching tear in original liner

Affixing protective covering to waterfall frame to protect it from getting wet. You see this on the outside 
of houses before they put the final siding on the house.

Affixing the rubber liner to the waterfall frame. You can tell how many drops or levels the
falls have. Shawn is my main yard worker and Walker is his friend who basically comes along
to help a little and keep Shawn company.

Trying to get the liner to fit just right on a corner of the falls.

Initial trial run to see how the water would flow. This is about the volume of water that 
will flow down the water way.

 Rocks are being placed around the falls. I just can't help but brag by asking you to
just look at the size of the ferns and the elephant ears.

Rocks are being placed around the falls.                      

Side view of water falls. It is built with a few flower pots built into it. Note the large white 

pipe at the bottom. That is so I can run my drip water tubes and landscape lighting wire 
lines under the falls. Also note the small white pipe at the center bottom. That is for 
drainage of one of the flower pots. There are also several rocks that are shelves for sitting flower pots on them. The concrete blocks will also serve as planters.I have learned a few things over the years.

 Completed water fall. The water flows out from under the rocks on top and you never see the 

source. Mulch will be applied all around the falls.

 Trail run with low volume of water.

 Closer view of lower portion of falls. Finishing touches have to be made for the bottom piece of rubber liner. 

Here you can see some of the fence repair work that has been accomplished.

Well this is my big surprise. If I have fixed the leaks I will move my fish from the fountain 

into the larger pond along with the lilies I have in the fountain. I want to get a lot of moss

 to grow on the water falls and I have plenty of it in and around the yard to transplant. 

The Lord willing this will be a " looker " next spring and summer.You will have to come 

and see it.

Remember that God loves you so much that he sent His Son Jesus to live a sinless life 
and to die on the cross for each of us so that if we will confess our sins and receive him 
as our saviour we will live with Him in Heaven for ever and I also love you.

Grandpa Bill