Pond update

The pond has occupied lots of my time and thoughts as I search for frogs, enjoy the sound of running water and admire the flowers or vegetation. I was fascinated yesterday by the two different colours of frogs - the one on the rock obviously brown, but can you see the one almost on the log at the top of the frame? He's the same green as the water hyacinth and hard to spot.

This fat fellow was typical of the frogs I found yesterday afternoon, four of them sitting on top of the water hyacinth leaves looking like some sort of strange flower. All were this spotted bronze colour except for the tell-tale green around their mouths.

I was completely surprised yesterday afternoon when returning from Clarksburg village where the local Lions Club held a duck race - (My duck got lost in the weeds once again - I've never won that $1000 prize!) I found six water hyacinths in bloom. They usually appear one or two at a time and I'd thought their blooming season was over. But apparently not. I had made some space in the pond, removing some of the plants and giving them away to other ponds, because it is supposed to be covered up to 75 percent with some sort of vegetation for aquatic health and to prevent the growth of the strings of algae that can drown a body of water. I wonder if that prompted the bloom? I still only see the odd goldfish in there once in a while as they search for food and flash a brilliant orange or white. They seem to like nibbling on the long fibrous roots of these plants.

A closer look at the flowers of the water hyacinth - quite lovely  I think - one or two sort of look like the faeries that I've seen painted in old children's books - hands high in the air as if celebrating.