Tranquility Spreads

I have been working on making our yard look less generic but it can be hard when you have a big dog and a 5 year old, both who love to deconstruct anything.  I have a small corner that I have set aside for myself to promote tranquility and relaxation, something that is a bit fleeting in our house.  The whole idea started with a silly little miniature pond form that I was given at a friends garage sale.  I got home and looked around and had an idea to tuck it in under the bird bath.  So when the wild hair strikes, I get to work!  Paul came home to a hole and all kinds of other mess but by the early evening I had a pond, of sorts.

I loved it but got annoyed at how artificial and hokey it looked to me sometimes.  I realized that I have, at times, impossible standards to which I hold my own efforts and this was one of those times.  If you know me at all, you can probably guess what I did the next weekend....I made the pond bigger!  Good call.

Now this year I was inspired by some river stones and a downspout ramp, you know those things you put at the end of your downspout to run the water a little further away.  I had some issues with the water fall that I installed and I was sure that this little $3 thingy would solve them all!  Last weekend I went to work and was inspired yet again when I was done.  "I should add more plants and flowers to make it look a little more natural."  Max and I were off to Home Depot to dig through their perennials sale bin.  I think that we scored!

My pond is much bigger and now is surrounded by poppies, buttercups, and various other flowering plants that will spread and bloom and make this growing corner of my world a little more peaceful and pleasant.  As you can see the water is a calming Caribbean blue and both Max and the dog can't really break anything.  Max likes to put the little rocks in the pond and get in it up to his elbows......fine.  The dog likes to drink out of it.....OK.  I saw some birds hanging out and a squirrel having a little sip...this is all good!  If you are ever in my neighborhood, feel free to stop by and we can share a tranquil aquatic moment. Who needs calgon when you have a waterfall!