Several friends not mine, I don’t have any… people either hate me or don’t know me yet, but moving on, have asked why an idiot like me would try to build ponds when putting my shirt on NOT inside out and NOT backwards is an engineering accomplishment for me (ask my wife).
I think the answer lies with my mom. My mom was a nutcase, I would say eclectic but then we would have to have 30 minute discussion on its meaning and proper use so to avoid it I say nutcase. In her chaos and insanity, my mom love wildlife. Our house resembled a zoo more often than not. For several years growing up, my mom would call in the dogs and put out 2 extra bowls of dog food and watch the raccoons come in and eat mama and the babies first and after her the rest. My mom would occasionally take us fishing but more often than not forget on purpose her pole. She would open up her book and listen to the birds. If we forced her to fish she would throw out her line with no bait or lure. For years I thought she was the ‘unluckiest’ fisherperson in the world.
Unfortunately my mom passed away before I started down the pond road but even still her influence runs through me and into my kids. The kids are young but my son wants to be a farmer and paleontologist and my daughter wants to be a zoologist rehabbing rescued birds. For me, her influence is seen in the picture. What better way to spend the day than with your son (or daughter) getting your line wet catching walleye, smallmouth and catfish from your ponds while the wildlife (deer, birds, frogs, etc.) do their thing?
It has taken a lot of time and there is still a lot of work to do but when I look at the ponds, I see my mom’s reflection.
Miss you, mom…wish you were here…no fishing pole required!
here comes winter, time to start planning for next spring. Again, thanks to all for inputs and insights over the 4 year. Thanks for good inputs, Bob Lusk, Bill Cody, Ewest, Dr. Willis, and maqny others and the ridiculous inputs, teejay and others. Truely, without them, I would be even more lost than I am. Happy Holidays
