Some people have beautiful ponds and average koi. Some people have ugly ponds and beautiful show koi. Whatever your reason to keep koi or have a pond in your backyard  – if it makes you happy, that’s what counts. Our children think we’re crazy and are convinced we’ll end up with a moat around our house. Maybe. All I can say is that puttering around the yard and ponds on the weekends and after work is a lot of fun for us. It’s a pasttime we can do together and so satisfying to see something we’ve created. Building the pond and keeping koi is a constant learning challenge. Another little fun fact we learned this weekend was that an aerator in the pond keeps the water very clear and tackles algae before it gets a foothold. Today I’m a little worried about missing koi but hoping they have found a new hiding place in the pond. So there’s always something going on at the pond. After all the rock moving , planting and other garden tasks – sitting by our little project makes me very happy. Finding something you love to do with someone that you love is precious time. Who wouldn’t want to spend a lot of time in pursuit of happiness?