Nancy, I have been to the Home and Garden Tour before and it is increadible. I can't go this weekend, I have a family funeral to attend otherwise I would have to be there. For 5 dollars it is a steal. I have always put my pump in some sort of container even if it is only a milk crate lined with window screen and filled with gravel, then wrap the pump with quilt batting to keep out the gravel. What does a pump casing look like? Some sort of metal box? I will see what I can find. Yes I have put misquito dunks in the "cesspool" even though there is lots of wildlife around it. When we get closer in the clean up and can get a water sample I am gonna have it tested to see if there is any way fish will survive. I might put in some goldies, we will see. For now misquito dunks will have to do. When we bought the place the grass was already hip high in the back 1 and 1/2 acres so we didn't see all the JUNK that was strewn around until we hired someone to brush hog it. I have vowed to hubby we will never buy another piece of property without it being mowed, especially since I am the lawn mower :) The man that brushhogged for us did the upper banks and the outer area but the pool itself is lined with trees and brush so thick we can't get to it (I can see tantalizing glimpses though). I am considering putting in a water hyacinth and some duckweed to get it started. I think to much hubby says. hahahahaha.

I only use soapy water for aphids,and i check for them every other day or so. Anyone have any tried and true remedies for skunks?? About 5 years ago we had new sod laid in the backyard and it has done real well til this year.This year the skunks have destroyed it.We put down stuff for grubs and that been over a week ago and they are still digging everynight.The yard looks like HE** We've been in this house over forty years and this is the first time we've had this problem. I"ve been over to the lawn forums as well and think i also posted there, Kathi

Oh, I missed a sentence up there LOL, that is the bush/tree with the deck that we cut down. The SO was cutting it while I was taking pics. I had to get them taken before he cut down all the tree/shrubs in pic #2 because I wanted before and after pics. In pic #10 if you look in the background at the bottom of the hill you can see one of the neighbors houses, this is the one I want to block the view from. I am planning on planting some fast growing trees in a line. In pic #9 on the right side of the pic is my holding flowerbed we put in too, I am using it as a nursey bed for young plants. I didn't take a pic of my WS containers LOL. Dan, tell the kids I said thanks for thinking about me, but I think we will leave the scratching and rubbing to lavish on them! LOL. Bunny, I am a country girl through and through, I can't stand the thought of living in the city although we did consider it but only for a minute. I like being in the country and NOT seeing my neighbors everytime I go outside. At the other house the trailer park folk would pull up chairs to watch us that I think that is 1. RUDE and 2. CREEPY, WHO does that? Joan, I am so totally pleased to be here. It is a small country house and it could use some work but I am tickled to finally have a place that I am surrounded by nature and not homes. We even have a nice size front porch to sit out on when we get it cleaned off LOL. It is so peaceful here, with the exception of the little &^*&^* that run up and down the main dirtroad on the trail bikes and 4 wheelers but if I had one I would be too! hehe. I am just so pleased to be here. A lot of folks wanted to see the place and this thread was the easiest way for me to share. In the front yard where that little ridge is, we are putting a flowerbed in there too, to make it more level. Can't understand WHY someone would make a cut out section in the front yard but someone did! Crazy is all I can say. Ok, well, thanks for the comments. Have a great night. :) Fran

You're lucky - I have always wanted to see one of them, but have never had the opportunity. Check the link below for info on the Bolas spider in CA. Tucker Here is a link that might be useful: Bolas Spider