If I'd known how long it would take to fill the dang pond, I'd have left out the island...time will tell if it actually adds to the overall picture.

My "digger" convinced me to make the swimming area EXTREMELY shallowly sloped...a mistake, as now I've 25% less than 2 feet deep. Again, if it ever fills, I'll have good depth in this area, but for now, I fight pondweed and algae continuously.

I'd probably not add the hydrant below the pond...it's not added anything, and the water stinks to high heaven coming out, but it may pay off someday.

I'd have planned and budgeted for the dry hydrant in the second pond and not relied on the local FD to cough up the $$$ for it...as it's not gonna happen.

In a lifetime, the average driver will honk 15,250 times. My wife figures I'm due to die any day now...