Didn't really wont to bring this post back up to the top but i thought I would pass along how things have been going and since the pictures of my pond where already here I brought it back to the top . Well one word would explain a lot, that word would be COLD here in middle TN, at least colder then what we are costume to, but nothing to whatsome of you have been having to deal with. My pond being mostly above ground and in the middle of my yard has faired rather well considing everything eles frozen solid around here. I had no choice but to pertect the pond from the cold in what ever way I could find. See pictures above of my above ground pond. The coldest day was during the night this past Saturday with a morning temp Sunday morning of 4 degress, with windchill of -10 Burrrrrrrrrr.. The cold weather moved in the first of last week, snowed some, but the temps and the windchill was what had me veryyyyyyy worried. I purchased a duct brown canvus type tarp that would fit over the entire pond all the way down to the ground and used stretch cords to secure the tarp down around the rail road ties and had the pond pump about a foot below the water surface for water movement. I had already taken down the stock tank bio filter due to the fish death's I had early in December. Well when Saturday came and the weather forcast was giving out near 0, I went out and put another heavy duty tarp over the pond and stretch cords around it again. I tested the water before I put on the first tarp and everything looked good, but I was worried since the pond has been covered now for about 6 days yesterday, I could here the water moving due to the pump so I knew it wasn't frozen. I went out and undone one corner and tested the water and all the readings looked purfect and I turned off the pump for a few minutes and had to use a flashlight to see if the fishies where alive and doing ok..They where just fine and seem to have survived this cold spell without any problems. The tarps saved my little pond form a total disaster I sure. To my surprise there wasn't any ice that had formed in the pond during the last 6 days. I had night mares dreaming of my pond freezing solid and expanding and busting at the seems pushing out the rail road ties and being nothing but a big block of ice. I counted 13 kio, and goldfish and no one was floating. So maybe I can relax at least until the next round of old winter blowes in. Sandy

Wow! That is Beautiful! I know for sure it was focusing on putting out Foliage! It has more than I've ever saw! Congratulations!

I've rented what used to be step-uncle's house and have had a substantial garden (actually, about three, now) for several years. I figure that I can live here, 30 km. (20 mi.) from the city as long as I can drive. I'm thankful to be enjoying good health: it's seldom that my body tells me, "Listen, you darned old fool - you can't DO that any more!". Had a pulmonary emboloism last fall, but apart from some discomfort and some pain for part of a day, alleviated with rat poison, I'm pretty well functioning as before. I rather figure that I won the lottery - for clots hitting one's heart cause heart attacks ... and hitting one's brain cause strokes. In the lung ... pain awoke me in the early morning, but when I was upright the pain went away, and after most of a day in emerg., finished with a shot of blood thinner, about 20 min. after which my breathing pretty well returned to normal ... and now I'm on the pill - well, a pill a day for five days and half a pill for each of the other two. Good wishes for a fruitful retirement, folks. And do some things to help build a better and happier community, not only here but world-wide, for we have some serious problems to which we need to attend. ole joyful

I haven't started sowing anything yet this year, didn't get it together to start anything in January, and now there is literally 5 feet of snow where the containers usually go! (Some of that came down from shoveling the roof) The snow is unbelievable the past month. But normally I put the perennials, trees/shrubs, etc. that need some cold stratification on the east side of the house under the shrubbery and they get morning sun only. They usually need little care in that location. The annuals, veggies, heat-lovers, etc. which I usually sow in late March/early April go on the south side of the house along the foundation. They get more sun and warmth there, but I have to be more careful they don't dry out and fry. Hopefully most of the snow will have melted by that time!