The last bushes have been put into the ground, the shade feature might get done this week and we’re also waiting for the last few koi to come home this week. Now the ponds are purely maintenance and there’s not much work except to watch the koi, stay on top of the weeding and monitor water parameters. I suppose we could work on our shed but that may be next year’s project. There are a few small projects but nothing that takes more than a Saturday afternoon. The pond digger is going through large scale pond building withdrawal and I’m feeling a little antsy as well. We keep kicking around the idea of a winter greenhouse pond that the koi can use instead of being in the garage. They definitely are not coming into the garage this year.

So yesterday we bowled and moved some of the koi. I’m enjoying watching my little experimental shiro utsuris (which is even better when the heron doesn’t make off with one for a snack). Wild Bill has lost all the sumi but you can still see it under the skin. Super (who lives in the upper pond) has sumi that comes in and out over a week or two. Black Jack has gotten pretty fat in two months. My favorite right now is Billy the Kid who is looking good now. Not sure if he’ll keep his good looks over the next few years.

The upper pond koi pretty much do their own thing and like to eat. I think they’re kind of bored since there’s really nothing interesting to play with in the pond. They nibble on the algae and that’s about it.

The little guys are always swimming around and like to float in front of the TPRs. They look like they’re surfing in the water. Not too much playing in front of the skimmer like some of the tosai we have had in the past.

With the warmer temperatures, string algae comes back. The pond digger thinks it’s easier to scrub while he’s in the pond and it’s nice to cool off. I don’t swim with the koi – maybe I will this summer.