Return of the Swamp Thing

A spontaneous pond cleaning turned me once again into the Creature from the Black Lagoon, or barring that, at least the Swamp Thing. Six hours spent mostly in a pond cleaning out winter sludge and muck, with the remaining time spent repotting water plants, turns one into a rather disgusting and smelly abomination. And no, once again, I did not take a picture.

It was time for a spring cleaning of the pond, that’s for sure, but what really prompted it today was yesterday’s trip to the Wildflower Center Plant Sale. I didn’t quite get there at my normal early time, so I now know what it’s like to be at the back of the line (note that everyone is admiring the bluebonnets off to the side of the path).

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Not only that, but I had to park way off in a neighborhood close to the highway, so it was quite a trek with my little wagon. But this line is nothing compared to the one at check-out. I’ve never seen it go to the back of the sale area before (comparable to a full block or two distance), and the wait was so long — I think for some it took close to an hour just to check out!

But I enjoyed myself, and I did get to visit with a couple of fellow Austin garden bloggers and other friends. I controlled myself and only took a wagonful home, and this time it included some pond plants — hence my venture into sludge and slime! Had it not been dark by the time I got everything done, I might have taken a picture after all… but only of the pond, not of the Creature.

Happily six of our nine goldfish made it through the winter. I’ll find out in the morning whether I managed to kill any of them with my massive pond cleaning.

And now it’s time to go enjoy a margarita and help my back recover from my day in the swamp…

5 thoughts on “Return of the Swamp Thing

  1. Great minds must think alike. Yesterday was my swamp thing day, too. Amazingly, I like the process though my back complains. How does your family feel about the algae/black goo look and smell? I usually wear the yummy perfume for a couple of days– can’t seem to get it off my hands and feet. Anyway, my hub doesn’t seem to mind, or at least he doesn’t complain (smart fella.) (:

  2. I’m sure your pond is beautiful. On my former property, I had a pond dug and it was one of my favourite spots on the 4.5 acre lot. No fish, but lots of frogs and deer at its edge. 🙂

  3. Your labels are NICE! I should only be so organized.
    I loved all those buggy photos…but not the spider ones. I get chills just looking at those.

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