Messages

1

Wakin, Shubunkins and Goldfish... / Re: Babies???

« on: December 31, 2008, 05:17:29 PM »

   Thanks for the replies. Sorry it took so long to get back! When I can't see my fishies (hiding during the cold weather) I don't check in here quite as often.
   I guess I need to get some plants that give some coverage.
  Anyone have ideas for a mostly shady area?   TIA   Nancy

2

Wakin, Shubunkins and Goldfish... / Babies???

« on: December 04, 2008, 06:44:04 PM »

    When can I expect babies from my MUTT goldies? What can I do to give them the best environment for this?
  I read all these boards and everyone is finding babies all over the place! I've had comets, shubs and regular goldies off and on for a few years. Usually 4-5 out of 10 each year survive the neglect of the winter/critters.
  I just have a 4x6' above ground preform with several plants, mostly stand up ( cat tails, unicorn grass, umbrella fern)
    TIA   Nancy

3

Pond Chat / Re: Meet Gladys.....

« on: November 21, 2008, 07:32:08 PM »

   I think you and Gladys need to go to the garden forum http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/ and go to "garden junk". They will be all over Gladys!   
   She's great!     NT

4

Wakin, Shubunkins and Goldfish... / Re: My fish woke up

« on: November 21, 2008, 07:24:34 PM »

   Well, the temps have plummeted to the 30s in the morning and the fish have retreated to their milk crate in the middle of the pond, so I guess I don't have to worry til spring.
  I did put a little food in while it was warm one day, but figured they had plenty of gunk to feed on if needed.
  Jees! No pond, no gardening, now what!!!!!????????

5

Wakin, Shubunkins and Goldfish... / My fish woke up

« on: November 16, 2008, 05:18:07 PM »

  Well we've had several days in the 80*s around here. Very unusual!
   With the cooler weather, the fish kind of disappear for most of the winter and I don't worry about feeding them til spring weather starts warming up.
  I don't know if I should feed them now that they are "awake" and active
. I'm sure the weather will cool back down soon and they will go back to their coma-like state.
  Should I give them a bit to eat, or just let them eat all the lovely gunk on the bottom of the pond?
  Nancy

6

Wakin, Shubunkins and Goldfish... / Re: The pond and some fish today - pictures

« on: September 26, 2008, 06:53:53 PM »

   I like your above ground pond! This is what I'm going to have to do to have a permanent pond. I can't dig where I am without some sort of machinery. Can you tell me about the construction of it?
   I was also noticing the lounge chair/bench holding plants in front of the pond. Is there any carving on that piece? It looks a lot like some of the furniture my DH makes at Reed Bros Hand carved furniture.   TIA   Nancy

7

Carnivorous Plants... / Water and soil ?

« on: August 30, 2008, 06:23:40 PM »

  I have 3 plants that were a trade last year for a children's book about C plants .
  They live next to my pond.
  I was really good about getting filtered water for them for awhile, then the rain started and I didn't have to worry about it for awhile.
  I've been feeding them pond water this summer, but I'm wondering if untreated well water would be OK? The water tests OK, but it is pretty minerally (sulfer smelling).
   I'm pretty sure they need to be potted up pretty soon. Do I use regular potting soil? I have  succulent/cactus mix, or should I do a special mix?
   TIA   Nancy

8

Wakin, Shubunkins and Goldfish... / Re: My happy goldfish

« on: June 20, 2008, 07:04:32 PM »

What size is your pond?
  I've got a 4x6' ish,  and have a shub, comet, 4 goldies and up to a dozen feeders that have grown a lot this year! No orange color though!    NT

9

Pond Chat / Re: Something new

« on: May 18, 2008, 05:30:58 PM »

That's what she said. We just tied several branches together and tossed them in. We don't have algae yet (just filled it Friday), but maybe it'll prevent it!   NT

10

Pond Chat / Something new

« on: May 17, 2008, 05:10:02 PM »

   We were at the pond store today (very dangerous even for us small goldie ponders) restocking our pond. We were looking at the barley straw for algae when the lady told us someone who frequents their store said she uses lavender tied in a bunch rather than the barley straw and her pond is clear as a bell!
    Well, shoot! I'm cheap! I'll try free V.S. 5.99 anytime!
    Has anyone tried this?
    It's much prettier than a sack of straw floating around.    Nancy

11

Pond Chat / Re: Mothers Day Gift

« on: May 17, 2008, 04:59:42 PM »

   May I send you my Dear Daughters' names and addresses? They could use some Mothers Day lessons from you!
  Good Job!   Nancy

12

Wakin, Shubunkins and Goldfish... / Poor lil guys!

« on: May 15, 2008, 06:20:39 PM »

   We started cleaning out the pond last weekend. It was totally neglected all winter and VERY gungy.
   We were very surprised to find to goldies hiding down deep in the muck!
   DH put them in a 5 gal bucket and I told him to make SURE they were in total shade, cause we were in for a heat wave.
   Damn! The bucket was right in the mid day sun and it hit 103* today! Poor lil  guys were goners! :'(
   Well, I'll finish cleaning and re-stock this weekend if it cools off some.   NT

13

Chit Chat / Re: 30 Minute Meals?

« on: May 10, 2008, 07:07:20 PM »

  I'm not sure what you want to cook in 30 min or less, but most meals I make are 30 min prep or less. The cooking time may be another 30 min, but all I have to do is set the timer on the oven or toss the hubby outside to do the grilling! LOL
  I enjoy using fresh herbs and veges with most of my meals. I pick fresh herbs and mix and match them for grilling (spring and summer) and broiling/GF grilling (fall and winter)
  You might want to look into the reluctant gourmet cooking forum
  http://reluctantgourmet.com/forum/  and look into those kind of meals, or ask about them.
  The people there are just as wonderful as the people here!
    Nancy

14

Carnivorous Plants... / Re: New fan of CPs! Bartering!

« on: May 10, 2008, 06:17:40 PM »

  Well, after losing my last camera for several months, we finally bought a new one and we're trying to figure out how to work it , let alone learning how to post pictures!
  When I was on AOL I could figure it out fairly easily. 2 cameras,2 computers and 2 different servers later, I'm baffled!
  There's alot of new growth, but I still have to decide where I want them to live for good.  Nancy

15

Pond Chat / Re: More of Turtle emjoying glorious California days agan

« on: February 29, 2008, 06:27:17 PM »

 I live in the lowlands and have many vernal ponds.
  The frogs make a noise that visitors are frightened of! There are thousands of them! (frogs, not visitors)
  We don't even notice the noise of the frogs during a rain, but visitors are freaked out asking what that HUGE noise is!!!!
   Nancy

16

Wakin, Shubunkins and Goldfish... / Re: New wakins

« on: February 26, 2008, 07:50:15 PM »

  They're just lovely, but with my black pond, I would never see them again! LOL   NT

17

Pond Chat / Re: time for our "annual" what do you plan to do in your garden/pond this year??

« on: February 15, 2008, 06:12:57 PM »

   Well, garden wise, my DH is a wood carver and carved a sign for a guy with a new nursery,so he owes us a whole bunch of hours to work on our yard.
  We're working first on the potager garden, adding new beds and paths. We're not sure whether to use gravel or bark for the paths. Any opinions?
  We have acres and acres of horse field on the wind side, so it's not easy to keep the weeds out.
  Pond stuff, I did find 3 fish still alive and starting to explore, but the pond is still at about 48*.
   I'm going to have to drain it and clean it, cause the algae is massive!
  Just went to the Chiro, so NOT this weekend! LOL  Nancy

18

Pond Chat / Pond temps up and down

« on: November 13, 2007, 06:17:10 PM »

  Well, here in No CA (North of San Francisco, zone 8ish), we get days that can go from the mid to upper 70s, then drop into the 30s!
  I checked the water temps a couple of days ago, 50*! Today, 60*!
   I have a really hard time NOT feeding the fish, but know from reading that I should stop at about 50*.
  How do you handle this kind of fluctuation in temps? Just see how active the fish are?
  TIA   Nancy

19

Chit Chat / Re: Fimo for Christmas (handmade mini ornaments)

« on: November 10, 2007, 06:16:49 PM »

  I used to make my xmas $ by making ornaments from flour/salt/water dough and painting them with model airplane paint when I was 11 or 12!
  I made different ethnic "kids" a boy and a girl (so I could sell 2 instead of 1, good sales technique, huh?)
  I sold those things for $1 each! This was in the late 60s/early 70s.
  I would make $50 or more at my dad's office alone!
  Fun stuff!   NT

20

Pond Chat / Re: HAPPY HALLOWEEN....

« on: November 01, 2007, 06:31:12 PM »

  Dang! I'm waiting for pics from a friend to be e-mailed to me of my DH's pumpkins from Peir 39 in San Francisco. My batteries went dead!
  He did portrait pumpkins of John Lennon, George Harrison, Lucciano Pavaratti (sp) Those were the dead Rock Stars, then the movie monsters for this year were Jack Nicholson in "The Shining" and King Kong.
  You might be able to see his Jimmy Hendricks on www.viewfromthebay.com  go to archives. and look for pumpkin pandemonium.
  The funny thing is that DH is a pro pumpkin carver, but we've NEVER had a trick or treater!
  Nt

21

Pond Chat / Re: Whoooo.... cruise pictures.....

« on: November 01, 2007, 06:17:56 PM »

   Looks Like you went with the whole fam-damly!
  That's how we've gone on the 3 cruises we've been on. FIL paid for the whole family to go!
  What I loved was that we could all meet at the formal dinners, but be together OR apart the rest of the time! (most of the time we preferred apart! LOL)
  St Thomas looks beautiful! Glad you had a great time!  NT

22

Pond Chat / Re: Once again in SoCal it's snowing....UPDATED

« on: October 26, 2007, 07:12:20 PM »

  My DH's Uncle Art unfortunately lost his beautiful 4 Bdrm home at Lake Arrowhood.
  He was luckily, insured!
  Many people in the canyons can't get fire insurance cause the fires rip through those canyons like crazy!
  My BIL and wife and my MIL are in the Lake Forrest area. Still safe as far as I know!
  Nancy

23

Pond Chat / Re: The Parrot Feather Divide

« on: October 26, 2007, 06:45:03 PM »

  DH and I always say "If your memory goes................................Forget it!"

 I have a "memory stick" recorder that I LOVE. It was supposed to be for recording data for work, but it has 3 dfferent cattegories and I can use 1 for work, 1 for home and 1 for anything else.
  Love love love it!

24

Pond Chat / Re: ~ A little "WATER FEATURE " addition to a drab backyard (pics)

« on: October 26, 2007, 06:30:53 PM »

  That's very nice considered the postage stamp sized yards that come with those Mc Mansions these days!
  Whatever happened to "starter homes"??????
  A 2-3 BDRM house with a YARD with hopes to move UP to a better home.
  Amazing!
  Nancy

25

Chit Chat / Re: Fire on the Hill

« on: October 23, 2007, 05:57:55 PM »

  Nice.  I have FIL in Pasadena (safe), BIL and family and ill MIL are in Lake Forrest. The fire is a couple of miles away with no calls for evacuation.
  Unfortunately, an Uncle lost a beautiful 4 bdrm home at Lake Arrowhood (San Bernadino CO)
  We're in No CA, ready to roll if we have to to get to SO CA!
  DD is on her way to So CA Sun for some police training, and will make sure everyone is OK.

26

Chit Chat / Re: Update on move.

« on: October 22, 2007, 08:04:43 PM »

  Well, I had asthma and got bronchitis on top of that. My Doc didn't realy lecture, but said "I'll just be treating you for this more and more"
  DH had tried a couple of times to quit, but with me still smoking in the house....
  I finally decided it was time. DH got all excited, but he didn't think I was serious, so he kinda cheated for a week or so
  We bought the patch, after the first week, cut them in half and only used them for about 3 weeks.
  Alot  of the reason for the 2 of us to quit was watching my MIL go down with COPD and emphysema. She is on oxygen 23/7 and still goes out for a puff or 2!
  I'm very proud to be 61/2 yrs without cigs!
  I also know that I CAN"T go back to smoking ! I can't be one of those that "just have a smoke from time to time "socially"! Not me!
  The only way I will smoke a cig again is if I'm diagnosed with some sort of fatal illness!
  I've even had a Breast cancer scare, and haven't gone back to the smokes!
  I was a 2 pack a dayer. If I can do it , so can you!
  Good luck! Nancy

27

Wakin, Shubunkins and Goldfish... / Re: An odd behavior

« on: October 22, 2007, 07:28:30 PM »

LOL! Fatty seems to be able to stay near the top once Shubby gets him up there!
  Do those fat little fan tails gulp air in order to stay on the surface to eat?
  The Shubster seems very aggressive chasing everyone around these days! When is breeding season? I thought it was spring?
  Nancy

28

Pond Chat / Re: The Parrot Feather Divide

« on: October 21, 2007, 06:09:43 PM »

   My boss says "when your memory goes..............................Forget it!"
  Anyway, for work I have this great little recorder about the size of a cell phone. I call it my memory stick. I record anything I need to remember, work or home. It takes just a few seconds to review in the morning and after work.   Nancy

29

Wakin, Shubunkins and Goldfish... / An odd behavior

« on: October 21, 2007, 05:53:42 PM »

  I had several GF disappear due to some sort of critter. I painted some chicken wire black, covered the pond and got a new batch of little guys.
  One that I couldn't pass by was a fat little fantail. He looks kinda like a pumpkin with Groucho eyebrows! LOL.
  Anyway, he seems to have a bit of a hard time wiggling himself up at dinnertime and I've noticed that Shubby, my largest fish will get his nose under Fatty and push him up toward the surface! I've seen this on several occasions! Once Fatty is up to the surface, he seems to be able to stay up there fine.
  Is this a fish "helping" another fish, a mating behavior or a pecking order type behavior? I've seen the big Shub getting his nose under other fish as well.
  Any ideas?  Nancy

30

Pond Construction & Filtration / Re: UV or not to UV?

« on: October 18, 2007, 06:08:05 PM »

   I'm pretty new at this, but between the filters and the UV my pond water cleared right up!
  This is the right time of year to purchase them on sale. I got my UV last year at about 1/2 price. I've heard of alot less.
  Nancy