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Nature is Perfection

Swedish House Mafia – Greyhound – Promo Video Mixing Music and Drinks

Purple Lilly Pond

I am so glad my spouse talked me into using the above ground container approach as opposed to digging a hole in the ground in our backyard. The agreement was …we wound see how it went as a test case with the option to expand later if successful and easy to manage long term.

Using aboveground containers allows me to see up close and very personal all the plant and animal activity at eye level.  A ground level pond seems like it would be less visual and interactive as a hobby. Being a scientist myself I enjoy learning how stuff works. I am constantly looking up and learning new stuff.

There are just a few challenges … managing water quality, mosquitos breeding in standing/stagnant water and rapid algae growth (up to 5 feet a day). Using the container approach water quantities are smaller and easier to manipulate and maintain utilizing small water plants known to filter the  waste nutrients from the water rather than a physical mechanical filtration system.

I keep Mosquito Fish in my containers and they eat the mosquito larve before they grow into flying mosquitos that can transmit infected blood that can cause serious diseases/death to humans and animals. Another mosquito management approach I found at most nurseries is a product called Mosquito Dunks. Biological mosquito control ie not a man made chemical and won’t hurt fish or aquatic plants.

Algae grows rapidly in sunlight and standing water and appears in three basic forms in pond like environments (1)green water- single celled free floating makes pond look like “pea soup” (2) the long thin green string or hair like type and (3) slime – the kind that grows on the sides of container and rocks etc.  I am mainly growing Lotus plants and Lilly plants which thrive in a still environment so a waterfall or moving stream  design are a bit incompatible unless you have lots of property to provide both together.

All this information is available via the internet with simple searches.

A list of plants shown in the Large Water Pot – Lindsey Woods Purple Lilly, Parrots Feather, Dwarf Parrots Feather, Mosaic plant, Water Hyacinth, floating clover and Azzolla.  A Bamboo fountain that utilizes a small “micro” water pump (25-30 gals/hr).  The one shown is a solar fountain pump and only works in direct sunlight (tho it has a long cord and can be easily moved around) and we love it, tho at night no sound of water trickling.

Almost any container can be turned into a water garden by simply plugging the whole of any pot using GE Water Proof Silicone.

Bricks are used in large pots to raise/adjust the plant water level needed for each plant to thrive.  Most aquatic plants are kept in containers and don’t typically get planted or grow from “the bottom of a pond” as one would suspect.  Water plants don’t typically co-mingle in the same shared soil similar to the way land plants do.  In nature there is a natural transition from pond bottom to shallower water then into Bog plants.

It was so entertaining to watch as he appeared to be intoxicated walking and falling all over  inside then buzzing away.

Cactus Flower Visitor

Inside each tiny seed holds the genetic coding for the orchestration of each event. The seed pod from my first Lotus Green Maiden appear ready to drop its’ seeds any day. I will make a seperate post about the seed pod. The Lotus seed pod may look familiar as it is often used in dried flower arrangements because of its exotic appearance.

This picture shows four (4) Lotus Buds in 3 different container pots.

The front pot has two Lotus buds. ( at 5 O’clock and 10 O’clock)

I discovered the second bud just tonight. Things grow so fast in the water garden and I am constantly surprised.

I first saw this flower while walking in my neighborhood six years ago. The owners of the property offered me a piece of the cactus to take home
I feel so privileged to witness what I think is a rare event for this cactus
On the evening of June 13th the two buds began opening slowly. It was fully open the next day by morning. It remained open until @ 2pm and then it began wilting and closing.
I love Love LOVE Nature! She is spectacular!
From my internet searches I believe this is Echinopsis Haku-jo. I am not 100% sure so if you know about this plant/flower please let me know what it is.
Thanks
Deanne

Mind Body Connection

Many have said to me that they know people who were always very positive thinkers, but they still got sick, how do I explain that. My point has always been that it’s not just about positive thinking, or wishful thinking, or about being in denial, or even just hanging with positive people. Although a positive disposition and hanging with positive people really does help a lot! But what I’m talking about is more like a complete shift in the way we view illness, our physical bodies, and our physical existence here. It’s about no longer viewing the illness as some external event that just happens to you, or is attacking you. It’s about no longer seeing yourself as the victim here. It’s recognizing that your internal state is the true you, not your physical body. It’s recognizing that your body is communicating with you at all times, even through presenting an illness, and it’s about working TOGETHER with your body to get to the root of what it is trying to communicate, and becoming aware of what your spirit/soul really needs right now, in order to heal your body.
No doctor can heal a wounded, sad, or unfulfilled soul. Only YOU can.

Scully

Last week my cat Scully crossed over Rainbow Bridge and joined her best cat friend Buddy, along with her dog friends Skippy, Kona, Cash and Hayden. I am still very sad and miss her terribly. Nikki’s Facebook entry (also posted on her web site blog) about compassionate euthanasia was very helpful in guiding me through the process. I have had Nikki do readings with my animals in the past however, this time I felt more capable in my abilities to listen to my intuition and be guided by it. I felt I was able to tune in to Scully and make the best decision for her as she had stopped eating and become frail to a mere 5 lbs. Her eyes looked bright up to the end and I knew she wanted to stay with me in this world but I couldn’t let her suffer any longer. She seemed so content to be in my lap and hands.

Scully sat on my chest and purred the whole time while I slept for weeks on end doped up on pain meds after surgery on my broken leg. Scully would purr so sweetly. Her fur was as soft as silk. I miss her so.

About 4 years ago, after attending Reiki I class taught by Nikk, Scully began sleeping on my hands. Hands heating up is a common phenomenon after taking a Reiki class and receiving an attunement.

Harmony (my Greyhound with the corns on her paws) would chase Scully around the living room and down the hallway every evening like clock work. It was so funny and I knew they were good friends. I think Harmony is missing Scully also.

Harmony plays with Scully

Scully and Harmony

Scully