Author Topic: Hello from Palm Springs! (Read 3293 times)

-Greg- · « **on:** September 27, 2006, 11:16:25 AM »

Just wanted to say hello to everyone, I am glad I found this site, as it looks like alot of friendly people. Just a little about myself. I live in Palm Springs, CA. I moved here from Michigan about 16 years ago (my blood has definitely thinned!), I am a facility manager for Ford Motor Compainies west coast special services, we work on protoype Fords of all shapes and sizes for the marketing and advertising divisions. I am currently building a pond/stream at our new house, this will be my 3rd, and this one is the largest yet, although not that large compared to some peoples on this site! I had built one at our last house about 4 years ago, then last year when we moved, I had to build a temporary one at the new house, so that we could bring the 2 frogs and 3 fish along (catching the frogs was a task!). Anyway, they have all lived in the temp. pond for over a year while I designed and built the rest of the back yard, now hopefully by this weekend I can move them into their new home (pics to come this afternoon). Anyway, I look forward to chatting with everyone!

Greg

MikeW · « **Reply #1 on:** September 27, 2006, 12:23:31 PM »

Welcome Greg -
Do you play with tropical lilies at all? Probably could have 12 months of blooms out there (modest attempt to hide jealousy)
How big is this new pond to be?

Cheers,

Mike

Cindi · « **Reply #2 on:** September 27, 2006, 12:34:07 PM »

Welcome from a fellow Michigander, can't say as I blame you for leaving the cold! LOL!! Looking forward to seeing some pictures.

Krista · « **Reply #3 on:** September 27, 2006, 12:49:06 PM »

Welcome to the board! Can't wait to see all your pictures

Mikey · « **Reply #4 on:** September 27, 2006, 01:14:43 PM »

Welcome aboard Greg. Looking forward to seeing your pond construction photos.

-Greg- · « **Reply #5 on:** September 27, 2006, 01:32:42 PM »

Went home at lunch and filled the pond, checked for leaks...then layed the newspaper for the stream, layed the liner down, then started adding the rocks, and took some pics as well..

http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n205/dstgunkel/Pond/

Teresa · « **Reply #6 on:** September 27, 2006, 01:55:27 PM »

Photo number five shows a really big pond in the background

Welcome! Glad you found this place. Looks like a really nice house and the pond is going to be wonderful!

-Greg- · « **Reply #7 on:** September 27, 2006, 02:21:31 PM »

Here is a picture of the clean slate that I started with last year in July, then, a link to my home page with all of the construction picures. Teresa, on my homepage, there are two links "pool" and "pool 2nd phase" that shows the building of the "big" pond!! Mike, at the old house, If I remember correctly, I had one "Dauben", one "Tina Uber", and one "H.C. Haarstick", all were purchased from Van ness water gardens, I used their fertilizer tablets, once a month in each container, they all were beautiful! I will try and dig up some photos. I wish I would have brought them with me when we moved! Anyway, I ordered a few new ones for the pond today, I hope I have the same success..

http://web.mac.com/gunkel04/iWeb/The%20Gunkel%27s/Back%20Yard.html

Jerry · « **Reply #8 on:** September 27, 2006, 02:51:46 PM »

Welcome Greg, we do have some so cal ponders here as well as desert ponders.
You will enjoy this site. As you noticed it is a friendly group

-Greg- · « **Reply #9 on:** September 27, 2006, 03:00:47 PM »

Thanks Jerry, I am learning so much today just from reading past post's, infomation overload! But I can't seem to get enough...

CT · « **Reply #10 on:** September 27, 2006, 03:10:34 PM »

Welcome Greg! Beautiful view

Looking forward to seeing your finished pond
Kay

Ky Kim · « **Reply #11 on:** September 27, 2006, 03:55:23 PM »

Hi Greg and Welcome.

Wow, what a place to play and build. I totaly clean area to get it just the way you want it. I saw that pool, wow. Keep the pics coming.

Kimberly

-Greg- · « **Reply #12 on:** September 27, 2006, 04:11:25 PM »

Thanks Kay and Kimberly, Kimberley, all of my relatives are from Covington and the surrounding area's, I don't know if they have skyline chili in Lexington or not, but when I was growing up, we used to go to Kentucky at least a dozen times a year, and each time we ate Skyline at least once, if I remember correctly, we used to go to the one at Price hill, probably a little TMI, but you never know!

tinkster · « **Reply #13 on:** September 27, 2006, 04:36:02 PM »

WOW! What a beautiful place and VIEW you have. Its just not fair

Just had skyline chili tonight.. I live in Ashland KY.. They have all you can eat 3 way Spaghetti on WEd.. one of our favs....

Please keep the pictures coming!

tinkster

-Greg- · « **Reply #14 on:** September 28, 2006, 09:35:04 AM »

Last night I got most of the rock border stacked, and the stream is now flowing! But after looking at the rocks, I have decided that the round rocks and boulders do not go with the square edges of the quartz rock, so I went and picked up a truck full of quartz, and tonight I will remove all of the round rock, and re-line the edge of the stream with the quartz. Tinkster, once every couple of months I buy a case of skyline in cans from a guy in Cincinnati, we always have some on hand, so no only do my kids love it, all of their friends as well. I make it just like they do, although only a 3 way, but tons of cheese, ect. last time the guy even sent me a box of the crackers!

http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n205/dstgunkel/Pond/

Sean · « **Reply #15 on:** September 28, 2006, 10:49:41 AM »

Welcome Greg!

Cheers,
Sean

-Greg- · « **Reply #16 on:** September 28, 2006, 11:00:49 AM »

Thanks Sean, I have been to Vancouver a handfull of times, great architecture in the city, and beautiful country side, my favorite was when we went to Torfino Bay and did a Ford Ranger commercial, it was beautiful up there!

Greg

Sean · « **Reply #17 on:** September 28, 2006, 08:56:53 PM »

Glad you like it here Greg. We are big it seems for the film industry. People are calling us North Hollywood with all the productions that are going on.

I liked your city as well but heat stroked slightly. I don't know if I could ever get used to that heat.

Cheers,
Sean

Jonna · « **Reply #18 on:** September 28, 2006, 09:02:47 PM »

Hello there from down the road a bit in the Cathedral City Cove. That's a beautiful pond and a fantastic view that you have.

I'm wondering if the tropical lilies will bloom all year here, I'm not here in the winter but I've told my friend to take pictures. Here's what my pond looks like now, I built shade for it as I was afraid the fish would cook. It'll be nice if we get back down to double digit temps again, it was 106* here today. The pond water is holding at around 80* this week, it got down to 78* when we had those double digit air temps but is up to just above 80* today.

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 29, 2006, 09:52:15 AM »

Hi Greg and welcome.
Lovely blank slate you've got there and the view is great.

My father lived in PS for almost ten years, I really enjoyed my visits there, reminded me of Phoenix where I grew up. I miss Los Consuelos (sp) Wish he hadn't moved.....

Sean, if you moved there, especially if you moved in fall your body would acclimate. My father's certainly did and he is having trouble with the cold living here again even after three years.

-Greg- · « **Reply #20 on:** October 02, 2006, 09:53:40 AM »

Jonna, your pond and deck is awesome! At our last house, my tropical lilies bloomed through the winter, however the night lilly did not. In one of you previous posts I noticed that you travel allot towing your jeep, we are RV and jeepers as well, although not to the same extent (kids in school, etc), Last year we went jeeping in Sedona, AZ, it was beautiful, so much so that we are going back there for Thanksgiving! LeeAnne, you are correct about becoming acclimated, it seems anytime the temp drops below 70 now I freeze! However when it is 100 or above, I am quite content..

Jonna · « **Reply #21 on:** October 04, 2006, 02:50:37 AM »

Thanks. Your pond and stream are looking really good, great work. Did I mention that I love the view?? Fantastic spot.

We love living in the RV and having the jeep to explore, they seem to go together. Sedona is truly magical and beautiful, it almost doesn't look real. We've spent a week there twice and I'd love to go back. We were supposed to leave last week for Albuquerque but something came up. So, I'm still here with my pond and really enjoying the cooler temps. It didn't even get to 100* today for the first time in a long time. I agree that if the temps are below 70* I am freezing and want to head south.

I'm glad to know the tropicals bloom all winter, we have friends who stop by here and enjoy our spot when we are in Mexico and my friend comes over to check on the pond and feed the fish.

Here's how backwards the seasons are here for you northeners, today I was in Lowe's and they are selling tomato starts. It's the season to plant tomatos and other vegetables now as they won't burn up. Even I thought it odd to see all these little tomato plants and basil and lettuce that just came in. I was seriously tempted to put a cherry tomato in the skippy, I think it would do fine but there really isn't anyone to eat the tomatoes and they would make a mess.