The Pond Leak

Monday of this week started with a power outage. Of course, winter arrived at the same time! The house was very cold.

Our landscape lights blew out and when we went to reset them, we found out that the app we use for them is no longer available.

The man came to install a new power box for our solar panels (which we have been waiting for for some time), but he could not test it so he had to go away and could not get back until the end of the week.

The pond pump stopped and the water level in the pond dropped drastically. When I went to check to pump, the plastic tubing that runs underground and up a hill to the waterfall was brittle and snapped at the skimmer housing. We learned how to dig it up and splice it, and did so on that very cold day.  However, the next morning we noticed that the water level had dropped seriously low in the upper pond and we called the pond and garden people who had helped us with the tubing issue the day before. We were advised to turn off the pump altogether, which we did. We moved the four gold fish that like to live in the upper pond into the lower pond where the water level was stable.

The water level continued to fall. The pond repair/builders are waiting on negative Covid test results so are not able to come help us with this. This morning I found one more little fish hanging out with very little water. I picked him up with my hands and moved him to the lower pond where swam away to join the school.

Luckily, at this time of year outdoor fish are semi-dormant. They don't eat or make waste and they don't move around a lot. I put an oxygenator in the pond that I had in the shed, and while I'm not sure it will help, at least it might. I guess now we are just waiting. I am very thankful that I don't have expensive koi! 

I am also thankful that the heat and lights are back on and the solar panels are running again. The landscape lights are still a problem, but that is a small thing, really. 

I am sorry for the birds who keep coming to the maple tree above the stream that carries water from the upper pond down to the lower pond. They love to step in that stream and bathe and drink. (And I love to watch them!) Today, the cardinals kept coming and standing pitifully on the dry rock bed. 

Well, after all these sorry pictures and my woeful tale, here is a little picture of some gorgeous glass birds I saw at the museum shop! Aren't they just delightful?