NO BIG DIG WOES, NO 48236

My water’s green, sun caused it, too much algae and not enough plant coverage over the pond’s surface. The fish don’t seem to mind. In order to see them my wife bought a plastic feeding ring, a medium-sized floating peace sign that the fish attack every time we cross the bridge. They’ve been conditioned to think a few fish pellets will be tossed their way.

Davey’s family gave us an expensive beige umbrella to cut down on the algae by blocking out the sun’s intense rays. One of those fancy jobs, where you crank it to a certain point and it turns and tilts to the angle you desire. I staked its heavy wrought iron base into the dirt, but the wind got a hold of the umbrella and beat it to the ground nonetheless. Now I’m thinking Davey’s family should’ve taken it to Texas, what with 100+ degree temperatures near Houston.

Other than that, the pond is structurally sound. No big dig woes. No water leaks. Last tally: approximately 1 grand spent on the project. This weekend I’m going to lower the water level and extend one section another two feet, just enough to place a large skimmer. Once I’m finished, the pump (which sits near the bottom of the pond on a red plastic milk crate) will be housed inside the skimmer. I’m hoping to cut down on unwanted debris floating in the water. Again, another strategy to battle the algae.

Today’s picture is a close-up of me on the bridge. Do you think my wife and I should have a garden tour? She's a master gardener and knows how to show off our landscaping designs. Or maybe I could model it off in "Better Homes & Gardens," or keep it local with www.Signaturemag.com (although my zip code isn’t 48236). I’ve never been one to shy away from the camera. It’s all about the presentation, isn’t it?