Messages

61

Pond Chat / Re: pump

« on: July 07, 2009, 09:04:54 PM »

What is an s/g filter?

62

Pond Chat / Pictures Fourth of July 09

« on: July 04, 2009, 04:30:38 PM »

Thought I's share some pond pictures from today...  Hot today here in the Pacific NW!!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v143/finnpond/FourthofJuly2009Pond003.jpg?t=1246750158

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v143/finnpond/FourthofJuly2009Pond016.jpg?t=1246750353

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v143/finnpond/FourthofJuly2009Pond006.jpg?t=1246750411

Take Care...  Dave

Hmmmmm...  Thought I was posting it with pics, looks like I just attached PhotoBucket site...

Gotta go to a BBQ...   Later

63

Chit Chat / Re: This is Salman Rushdi's wife Shadama Lakshmis. Oh my God!

« on: June 23, 2009, 03:01:05 PM »

What burger are you talking about???????   

Dave

64

Chit Chat / Re: Memorial day

« on: May 25, 2009, 08:23:21 PM »

Oh Man Bullfrog ....  Got to me this time...  Been 40 years since I left the US Army (at age 20) and this holiday is still the toughest to get through for me..

Dave

65

Chit Chat / Re: Treated lumber deck around your pond?

« on: May 21, 2009, 06:00:29 PM »

I work with treated wood power poles and there is alot of mis-information out there... State of Florida did a study on playground equipment made from treated wood and the effects on human physical contact with it...  Not very conclusive that it was really any danger...  However the treating industry did change over to the copper based treatment...  And now have gone to even other treatments, boron, sodium flouride, .....

Every pier or dock in lakes, oceans, etc. from the 1930's on, have been made world-wide from creosote or the arsenical based chemicals..  I don't know what the solution would be if they had to replace all that wood...  Cut down more forests to replace it with a treatment that could be even worse...  Granted our little ponds don't have alot of gallonage but with the amount of circulation they get from our pumps and water changes, I'm not really worried myself of contamination... 

Once again, if it doesn't feel right to you, don't do it...  But I haven't been aware of any plant or fish kill from having it in water...

Dave

66

Pond Chat / Re: Lots of pictures from around the yard and my slopes are filling in some....

« on: May 06, 2009, 04:46:09 PM »

Very, very beautiful...  Spectacular.... What pump (pumps?) do you use for that WaterFall?

Dave

67

Pond Chat / jw... Plant ID

« on: March 29, 2009, 09:59:08 AM »

 
Hi jw...  Didn't want to hijack the potting thread...  Large tall red plant is Lobelia Cardinalis... It does just as well or better out of the pond and is perennial (likes water), Split Leaf by skimmer Buddha is a Ligularia, we like the tropical look but it does not like too much sun and needs lots of water... I've now got it in a pot in the pond with just "wet feet" (perennial also)...

Most everything is hardy/perennial; Tasmanian spurge, Hot Lips Salvia, Aster, Delphinim, Creeping Jenny, dianthus, Hebe (it got bit this year with the snow) and what we call Donkeys's Tail groundcover (some kind of very hardy succulent with yellow flowers in the Spring)... Hosta in the creek and WF come back every year bigger than last...

I bring the Taro in for the winter and it does fine in the garage with just occasional waterings...  We plant bare-root impatiens in the WF and around the edges for color spots, along with petunias, salvia, and coleus and that's about all the annuals we buy each year...  Tried to make a conscious effort to go with perennials just so there's less "knee time" in the spring!!!!

I also go out back of our place and get native sedge every couple years, there is no stopping it and it stays green thru winter and summer in the pond, only the pot keeps it from getting too large...

Take Care...   Dave

68

Pond Chat / Re: My Potting Recipe...

« on: March 28, 2009, 04:21:46 PM »

Hey jw... 
I've used Joyce's recipe here in Olympia on my Chawan Basu (I got it from Johns) and it did well..  Unfortunately it looks like I left it in too shallow of water this winter and I think I lost it during the Big Freeze ...  I've replaced it with some lotus from Kat and Lawanna, however, so I'll be giving it another go here soon...  Love the look of the aerial leaves in the pond, and of course the blossoms are uniquely special....

Actually snowing as I type ....  I'm way ready for spring...

Dave

69

Pond Chat / Re: dkoinut... Pic of 50 g ST?

« on: March 28, 2009, 07:53:49 AM »

Howdy...  I've got 2 inch PVC right now, but if I do this I'll probably go larger...  Pond is 4500 gallons or so, 32 X 14 at the longest and widest...

Thanks...  I wish I knew how to enlarge your drawing....

Dave

70

Aquatic and Terrestrial Plant Exchange / Re: LOTUS Chawan Basu, Emerald Daybreak, Holy Fire, White 1000 Petals

« on: March 27, 2009, 05:38:36 AM »

 
Holy Fire arrived safely....  Thanks a million!!!!

Dave

71

Aquatic and Terrestrial Plant Exchange / Re: Spring lotus sale....lots of varieties....

« on: March 27, 2009, 05:37:10 AM »

 
Got mine also...  Looks great!!!!

Dave

72

Pond Chat / dkoinut... Pic of 50 g ST?

« on: March 26, 2009, 06:37:02 PM »

Hi ...  Just wondering if you have a picture or drawing of how you made your 50 gallon Settling Tank....  Been on my mind to do this for a few years and now I'm ready...  I have an external Sequence pump and Savio skimmer but am thinking of plumbing my retro BD to the settling tank ...

Thanks for any help...

Dave

73

Pond Chat / Re: Worm Bin Castings for Potting?

« on: March 22, 2009, 09:15:55 PM »

Thanks Annette...

Yup, we've been using it in the garden for several years, but it is pretty rich, I nearly killed our rhubarb by putting it around the plants, maybe a little too close...

Think I'll hold off and not take a chance on my lotus that are coming...  I'll give it a try on some of my Water Lily divisions though...

Dave

74

Pond Chat / Worm Bin Castings for Potting?

« on: March 21, 2009, 07:53:07 AM »

Howdy All...

Well I have some Lotus starts coming from a couple good AP folks, and I'm going to be dividing my Water Lilies soon also...  Just wondering if anyone has used worm bin castings to pot up there water plants? 

Don't know if it would be too "Hot", or maybe I should mix it with some of the composted manure Joyce talks about...  I don't want to kill my new plants!!!!!!!  but I do have a "winter's worth" of some good black worm compost...........

Thanks for any help...

Dave

75

Chit Chat / Re: Anyone go hiking in Washington State?

« on: March 17, 2009, 07:38:04 AM »

Howdy...

There are lots of great hikes...  You might not want to gain too much elevation if you're coming soon...  It's been kind of a late winter, with snow lower than usual...

Check out the National Park Service website...  www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit ...
 or www.explorehoodcanal.com/hiking

Lots of hiking right on Puget Sound with water and mountain vistas available also....  Google Puget Sound Hikes...

Dave

76

Chit Chat / Re: Why do you live where you do?

« on: January 18, 2009, 11:18:39 AM »

We also were born and raised in Washington...

I dragged my wife away from here for career/work related reasons on a 20 year odyssey....
Pipeline work in Alaska, 8 years in Hawaii, 8 years in Florida, 2 years in Utah and we would always spend vacations and time off back in Washington State...

Finally realized family and friends were all getting older and so were we, so we made an all out effort to relocate back to God's Country here in the Pacific NorthWest... We are now going to "visit" all the beautiful places we've lived in, but it's a great feeling to be able to see relatives and friends whenever we get a chance and not have to plan a long trip and time off in advance...

So glad we did, as I just lost my little brother last Tuesday, and am able to be here with everyone ...

Dave

77

Chit Chat / Re: My new hobby!

« on: January 18, 2009, 10:57:42 AM »

 

Oh what memories...  All my grandparents immigrated from Finland, and I remember visiting my Dad's Mom in the UP of Michigan where in the basement there was a loom just like yours...  She would make woven carpets like you show and then give them to all... 

We would actually use them as carpets on the floor, and I've always wondered why...  Now I would put them on a wall if I had them!!!!

Beautiful work Karen, and good for the soul...

Dave

78

Chit Chat / Re: Hey Finnpond....Ridgeline Advice Needed!

« on: January 16, 2009, 07:29:55 PM »

Hey Joyce...

I don't post there at all, maybe once.....  but FinnRidge is my username...  Looks like you have actual folks that have purchased some of the products available... 

I have heard the OEM Honda Tonneau is very nice...  However, just like anything else OEM, expensive...

Dave

79

Chit Chat / Re: Hey Finnpond....Ridgeline Advice Needed!

« on: January 15, 2009, 08:58:09 PM »

Sorry Joyce...  Don't have one yet, but have looked at the ones available...  It's a hard decision and I have not been able to make a choice so far.....  Just make sure you can open the "trunk" when you install it... Some of the rails on the side inhibit the full range of motion of the trunk lid...

Good Luck and keep me posted as to what you decide... 

Dave

80

Chit Chat / Re: #1 song the day you were born?

« on: January 09, 2009, 02:14:40 PM »

 

Hmmmmmmm....  "Woody Woodpecker"   by Kay Kyser......    Somehow seems very appropriate....

Dave

81

Pond Chat / Re: Elephant ears seem to be edible

« on: January 07, 2009, 07:35:55 AM »

 

Oh man Mikey!!!!!  You've just made breakfast mandatory......  MMMMMMMM....

Dave

82

Chit Chat / Re: Dinner with LeeAnne

« on: January 06, 2009, 08:07:28 PM »

I'm still surprised they speak to me after the failed Rainforest Cafe dinner in Anaheim. Don't meet me and MikeW at a bar and expect to make it to dinner. LOL

Now I know I'll make the next PNW Partay!!!!!  Louielouie!!!!

Dave

83

Chit Chat / Re: Bill's New Truck!

« on: January 05, 2009, 03:38:23 PM »

Thanks for the invite LeeAnne...  Came close to making the last one, then had something come up.... I'll make the next one if at all possible....

Dave

84

Pond Chat / Re: Elephant ears seem to be edible

« on: January 04, 2009, 06:54:57 PM »

Hello Everyone...

We also have the colocasia, now that I've looked at all the on-line info I can (thanks Joyce)...  We have the EE in our upflow garbage can filters, in pots on our deck, and in the ground at the edge of the pond...  We also grow ti leaves as an indoor plant, as it is low light tolerant and we like the looks of it (probably have 15 large plants, and steal Tammi's stalks when we are in Hawaii, just kidding, but I have good friends that give me plenty when we're there) ...  When we trim the ti leaves we vacuum seal them and freeze them, also that's the same thing we do with the Elephant Ears/Colocasia leaves.... 
Of course we don't eat them raw, but if they were poisonous I'd have been dead 25 years ago, because I LOVE Laulau...  and have eaten great quantities in my lifetime... 

Just want to allay fears here, don't eat it if you don't want to, but you can if you soak it for a day or cook it....

Dave

85

Chit Chat / Re: Bill's New Truck!

« on: January 04, 2009, 05:45:59 PM »

 

Bill has also got great taste!!!!  I've had mine for 16 months, since Labor Day 07, 55,000 miles and what a great vehicle....  I use it for work, which entails lots of power company transmission right-of-ways, freeways, back country roads and bad weather.... It is so comfortable to drive, as compared to all the F150s, 250s, and Rangers my company has supplied over the years...

Congrats... I'm sure he's loving the all wheel drive in the snow.....  They really do well in it....

PS...  There is a Ridgeline Owners Club forum that has lots of info and mods...  Although it looks like you got the RL with ALL the BELLS and WHISTLES!!!!!!   www.ridgelineownersclub.com

Dave

86

Pond Chat / Re: Elephant ears seem to be edible

« on: January 03, 2009, 04:46:53 PM »

Uh......  I buy the pork butt roast and sea salt, cut the Ti leaves and the Elephant Ear leaves, de-vein them, wash them, then give them to my beautiful wife, ...  Voila!!!!  A couple hours later, after I've helped shred the pork, it's ready!!!!!   Simple!!!! and sooooo gooood.......

When she returns this afternoon I'll post the real thing....

Dave

87

Pond Chat / Re: Elephant ears seem to be edible

« on: January 03, 2009, 03:11:47 PM »

 

Might be a different species, but we use the leaves of our "Elephant Ears" to wrap the pork in to make our home-made "Kalua Pig"...  I believe they are the same as the Taro Leaves that they use in Hawaii for Lau Lau and Kalua Pig... 

Don't know if ours is alocasia or colocasia, but we eat it and it lends a terrific flavor to meat...

Dave

Edit...  Well I tried to attach it but it was too large....  but check out "taro leaf" in Wikipedia...  Used throughout the world as an edible vegetable...  Just make sure you cook it!!!!!!

88

Pond Chat / Re: Show Me Your Snow Covered Ponds!

« on: December 24, 2008, 12:22:20 PM »

 

Most snow on this side of the Cascades since 1962!!!!!  Now it'll rain and flood the whole countryside.....

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!

89

Pond Chat / Re: Water feature finally finished

« on: December 23, 2008, 05:58:54 AM »

Wow!!  Leeanne... What a great job!!  Are those basalt columns from East of the Mountains???  God, that had to be a tough job to drill thru them!!!!  Way to go Bob!!!!

Yep, we finally ended up with 14 inches of snow here at my place in Olympia...  I kept my pump running 24/7 and all looks OK, I can only see the creek and waterfall tho, as the pond is ice and snowed over...

Merry Christmas....    Dave

90

Terrestrial Gardening / Re: Oh No! A panel blew out of the roof of my greenhouse and it is snowing

« on: December 18, 2008, 04:32:07 PM »

Oh, Oh.....  Watch out Leann, we are just getting hammered here in Olympia with snow (7 inches of wet stuff)!!!  I hope you can get something sturdy on it soon (plywood?), because all this crap is heading your way!!!!

Take Care....  Dave