the Pond that Bruce Built

You may remember that back in February my brother Bruce came out for a bit to help with Greg's recovery. But Greg, who was supposed to still be bed-bound, had been less than obliging, by being overly mobile. Not able to get exercise by carting Greg about, my brother decided to carry Greg's whims instead. Greg wanted a pond? Well, still wintry though it might be, Bruce would dig him a pond. Three days of hard labour (and cushy observation) ensued...not only was the soil solidly rocky, but Bruce hit a mysterious layer of brick about a foot down as well. You will observe from the pictures that -- surprise surprise -- the vision of a pond was not miniscule either. But now, the realized vision is quite beautiful....Greg and the cat and I all spend much time out beside it. As does quite an abundance of wildlife.
Here follows a pictoral journal of 'the Pond that Bruce built' -- even we, looking back at the photos of what once was (or, perhaps, once was not), are amazed.


Tools of the Trade.....
Bending the pickaxe....

Nothing like an audience....

getting deeper.... and contentedly deeper....


And now, for some 'before & afters' ....







































































The pond has, as you can see,
entirely transformed this part of Pré Borel.
And as it gathers all manners of creatures --
feathered, furred, webbed, and wingéd --
we are mesmerized into the education of creation. Insights
we once had as children about frogs or dragonflies emerge from the depths. And new delights dawn on us. Gargantuan dragonfly nymphs, metamorphising damselflies (look for the photo of the yet-colourless damselfly on the lilybud, with its former brown nymph-case wetly clinging to the bud below it), the cheek-bubbling frogs who sing back at us...until they realize it is us, and then go sulkily silent. (!) Our three tiny pond fish have ballooned into small beasts, and seem to have started multiplying...at least, there is certainly a plentitude of newly arrived fry, which have to have come from somewhere. And there is the algae of course. During the hot weather it almost did us in, insistant on daily renewal. But it has slowed to a managable pace now...arguably providing an even 'pleasurable' occasional evening diversion...
so here follows a plethora of photos....










It is easy with 'close-ups' for things to look 'perfect.' But that's not the current reality. However, we keep on being reminded that training our eyes to take in those details so easy to ignore in life's scurry-about -- such as the filagree tracing of the shadow of a dragonfly wing on a red leaf .... or even, for starters, that dragonfly -- convinces us that the current reality is certainly filled with, at least, the aroma of possible perfection.
































Thanks so much Bruce, for bringing all this
to Pré Borel.