Paper Osprey (owl kite at the pond)

ok. SO. Let me begin by saying that we have stocked the pond with 1000 fish/ 800 hybrid bream and 200 catfish. Will was very worried that his 1000 little fishies were going to get gobbled up by birds. He was, in fact, very very worried about this. He talked about a plastic owl. I reminded him that, as in the summer, when we were worried about crows in the corn, the town of Zachary has no plastic owls for sale. And I sure wasn't going to wander around Baton Rouge looking for a plastic owl. So, he did some 'research' and found a kite site on the 'net that he thought was promising.
He ordered the paper bird. The Osprey (which, I think, really deserves his very own name.).
Will spent an entire evening bent over the table in the kitchen glueing the bird together, bending the wings ever so slightly, and reading about 'teaching it to fly' (seriously). Here he is: He is in the front room because he is taking a break from 'flying' over the pond. He has been in and out of the house several times since his maiden voyage, by the way. But I digress. So Will takes his newly-glued bird out and he cuts the longest tallest bamboo pole you'll ever see. He ties the bird-kite to the end of the pole by a relatively short string. He stands out on the dock and waves it around (this is kind of awkward with a 20-ft bamboo pole) and 'teaches' it to fly but don't laugh! This actually works! From what I can glean, the wind 'shapes' the birds wings permanently so that it can 'fly' anytime the wind picks up in the future. I mean, what do WE know? Back to the bird coming in and out of the house: Will is worried about the bird and the 'weather'. So, if it looks like rain, especially heavy rain, he goes out and collects the bird. Now, I can't see us doing this indefinitely but I guess it's a new thing and all that. He has sunk three pieces of pipe in the ground at different places around the pond, so he can move the bird from time to time, thereby fooling the other birds. Right. (He just places the end of the bamboo pole down into the PVC pipe). We have heard and seen the Kingfishers and they are there and they know about our tiny fish. And they have come for them. So this is an attempt at scaring them away. We were, at first, heartened by the prospect. Although the pictures aren't that good (lots of light) here is the bird over the pond: Looks pretty good, doesnt it? I must say, though, the other day I came home from work and found the dog laying by the pond, and a big white crane standing in the pond, probably full of little fish - and the bird flying above. Oh, well. Usually that particular dog (Sweetie) barks at ANYTHING that flies, be it a bird or an airplane or whatever. But she wasn't doint it this day. To close, let me say that we have gotten a LOT of rain the past few weeks, and the pond is not completely full, but is getting there. Here it is, replenished:

Fall crops! YEA!

...it's been a month since I have posted here. Much rain (good thing for the pond) much rain (good always for trees and bushes) much rain (almost not a good thing with baby crops, but we'll take it). After the Spinach and Lettuce Scare of 2006, I am happy to report much lettuce and the beginnings of a good spinach row. I don't know about you, but I eye the greens in the supermarket with much trepidation these days. Many good things in the garden, but much of it is way, way soggy tonight, and I hear the rain coming down again. But that's ok. Before this spate of low-pressured-ness, Will was pulling the sprinkler around and dragging hoses, and it was a pain. And the trees were hurting, and there was no way to get to it all. In addition to beans and squash and MUSTARD GREENS! we will have little yellow potatoes soon, and other wonderful fall-type produce. We have flowers again, which is so nice. August kills them all, and it is sad to have no flowers to cut. We have accidental zinnias, from the row I pulled up (these were not planted, believe it or not). I did plant one other fence-row of them, but they're not nearly as nice. And, in a moment of loneliness, when Will was out of town, I got down and planted a row of French Marigolds. Will later fertilized them and did all of the mulching (thanks) and now they are the bright spot in the garden. I like this last picture: One of Will's sisters gave us a bunch of little metal signs for the garden. I like this one best, and move it around to the area that is most inspirational at the moment. Bad lighting, but it says 'INDULGE' ...More later; about Will's big paper/plastic owl kite. But I must take pictures first...