The highlight of my day is when Ash and Sadie play tag after dinner...
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Dinner with my Dad... I wish!
It was that time again... when the sun begins to drop in the sky, and all the shadows and colors make that "pre-sunset" shift, bellies start to growl, and little boys and little schnauzers start to get twitchy and a little jumpy. Yep, dinner time.
I walked into the kitchen tonight, wondering what I could whip up fast. Ash was getting sleepy, and much earlier that his normal bedtime. You see, it has been a fun day. Ash and I went to Sea World to join a friend of ours and give the kiddos a play date. It was a blast. But our morning started about an hour earlier than we are used to and the sun was super warm (and oddly draining). The car ride back wasn't quite long enough so the usual nap was shorter. And we had to run an errand... we added some fish to our pond today. A 6 inch white goldfish, a 5 inch red goldfish and a 4 inch koi. But I'll tell you about that later, in another entry.
Back to the task at hand, as I started looking in the cupboards to get some inspiration for dinner, I saw the bag of loose chai tea Rich got me while we were in Australia. OOOOOhhhh how I LOVE Chai and all the spices in this delicious little drink. And, cooking is more fun when you are sipping on a lovely beverage, so I nuked a quick cup of hot water for the tea leaves and spices to infuse while I prepared the meal. I had put a few chicken breasts in the fridge to thaw before we left this morning, in case I got the cooking bug tonight. Good thing too!
So, there I was, salivating waiting for my tea and it hit me. Chai Chicken! Is there such a thing? I'm not sure... but I was about to find out. Into the spice cupboard I went and out came: extra virgin olive oil, whole black peppercorns, coconut milk, whole nutmeg, red curry from Cambodia, coriander, ginger, ground nutmeg, Jamaican Allspice, Cloves, Cinnamon, Himalayan Pink Salt Crystals, Tri-colored peppercorns, mint flakes, fennel seed, thyme, rosemary, aniseed, and orange blossom honey.
I looked at my counter, and it hit me. This was a meal my Dad would love. For just a moment it felt like he was right there with me, experimenting with all these yummy flavors, and not 943 miles away. My heart tugged a bit.
When I was little, I LOVED going to the grocery store with my Dad. And honestly, I still do today. Going with Dad is fun. You see, he's quiet... but adventurous. I really cannot remember a single time when he didn't get something new. He is good like that, to try new foods, new flavors, new brands, and new treats. Don't get me wrong. Mom was always fun to be with too, especially when she'd bust out a HUGE brick of cheese and whack Nikki and Oliver upside the head with it for not minding her. I mean, she was raising 4 kids, and running a house. The woman was busy! (Thanks Mom for always making Dad take one of us with him. It was so much more than just giving you a much needed break, it was an opportunity to make memories I absolutely cherish!)
While Ash munched on a banana, I got the jasmine rice started on one burner. On another burner I poured a little oil into the pan and dropped in about 8 whole peppercorns. There's just something fun about hearing peppercorns pop when the oil gets warm and knowing how delicious their flavor is making that oil. I added a can of coconut milk. Then threw in a few nubs of nutmeg. You know what a nub is right? Those little chunks that you end up when you've grated the nut as far as you can but just can't bear to throw it away, even though it is too small to keep rubbing on the grater without leaving a piece of your fingers with it. I've always just thrown them back into the jar, hoping one day I'd know what to do with them. Well, today was that day. YAY! So, as the oil, milk, pepper, and nutmeg started to simmer and blend and fuse and transform into a magical base, I went to town on the other spices. They all went into my mortar and pestle to be ground up into little bursts of an amazing scent. Once finely ground, into the milk base they went. Mmmmmmmmmmm, it was smelling soooooooooo delicious! The chicken was chopped into 1 inch cubes and added to the base. As the sauce began to reduce, I added the honey. And I wondered which kind of honey it was again that my Dad liked. I know he has a favorite... but I can't remember what it is. Clover? Mesquite? Orange Blossom? Cactus? Can you even make a cactus honey? Ack. I'll have to ask him which one his favorite is again. I have 3 different kinds in my cupboard. They're from The Honey Stand in Pine, Arizona and SOOOOO good.
It was just about done, but needed something else. Yeah, I know, as if 14 spices was not enough. It needed something more to the texture. Something crisp, yet softened. Like... AN APPLE! After a quick dice of the fruit, and a fast simmer with another douse of honey, it was ready. My kitchen smelled absolutely Divine.
It tasted even better than I had imagined and hoped it would!!! And the chicken was perfect! It was so moist and not overdone - which is a TOTAL rarity for me, unfortunately! (Click on the pic below and you can see the whole, but shriveled peppercorn. Soooo yum!)
Ash liked it too. He had THREE servings!
Eating with both hands, he piled in that rice and apple and chai chicken creation and devoured it!
It was super easy, super fast, and super delicious. And clean up was pretty quick too! Although, if you're not careful, the longest part can be putting all the caps back on the spices.
But this can be avoided if you have a good kitchen partner... like a spouse, or a roommate, or a boyfriend/girlfriend. Or, you can do a little wiggly jig to the Toddler Tunes playing on Pandora to entertain a little person and still make clean up fun.
Come visit us Dad. I'll make this for you. You'll love it.
And I love you.
I walked into the kitchen tonight, wondering what I could whip up fast. Ash was getting sleepy, and much earlier that his normal bedtime. You see, it has been a fun day. Ash and I went to Sea World to join a friend of ours and give the kiddos a play date. It was a blast. But our morning started about an hour earlier than we are used to and the sun was super warm (and oddly draining). The car ride back wasn't quite long enough so the usual nap was shorter. And we had to run an errand... we added some fish to our pond today. A 6 inch white goldfish, a 5 inch red goldfish and a 4 inch koi. But I'll tell you about that later, in another entry.
Back to the task at hand, as I started looking in the cupboards to get some inspiration for dinner, I saw the bag of loose chai tea Rich got me while we were in Australia. OOOOOhhhh how I LOVE Chai and all the spices in this delicious little drink. And, cooking is more fun when you are sipping on a lovely beverage, so I nuked a quick cup of hot water for the tea leaves and spices to infuse while I prepared the meal. I had put a few chicken breasts in the fridge to thaw before we left this morning, in case I got the cooking bug tonight. Good thing too!
So, there I was, salivating waiting for my tea and it hit me. Chai Chicken! Is there such a thing? I'm not sure... but I was about to find out. Into the spice cupboard I went and out came: extra virgin olive oil, whole black peppercorns, coconut milk, whole nutmeg, red curry from Cambodia, coriander, ginger, ground nutmeg, Jamaican Allspice, Cloves, Cinnamon, Himalayan Pink Salt Crystals, Tri-colored peppercorns, mint flakes, fennel seed, thyme, rosemary, aniseed, and orange blossom honey.
I looked at my counter, and it hit me. This was a meal my Dad would love. For just a moment it felt like he was right there with me, experimenting with all these yummy flavors, and not 943 miles away. My heart tugged a bit.
When I was little, I LOVED going to the grocery store with my Dad. And honestly, I still do today. Going with Dad is fun. You see, he's quiet... but adventurous. I really cannot remember a single time when he didn't get something new. He is good like that, to try new foods, new flavors, new brands, and new treats. Don't get me wrong. Mom was always fun to be with too, especially when she'd bust out a HUGE brick of cheese and whack Nikki and Oliver upside the head with it for not minding her. I mean, she was raising 4 kids, and running a house. The woman was busy! (Thanks Mom for always making Dad take one of us with him. It was so much more than just giving you a much needed break, it was an opportunity to make memories I absolutely cherish!)
While Ash munched on a banana, I got the jasmine rice started on one burner. On another burner I poured a little oil into the pan and dropped in about 8 whole peppercorns. There's just something fun about hearing peppercorns pop when the oil gets warm and knowing how delicious their flavor is making that oil. I added a can of coconut milk. Then threw in a few nubs of nutmeg. You know what a nub is right? Those little chunks that you end up when you've grated the nut as far as you can but just can't bear to throw it away, even though it is too small to keep rubbing on the grater without leaving a piece of your fingers with it. I've always just thrown them back into the jar, hoping one day I'd know what to do with them. Well, today was that day. YAY! So, as the oil, milk, pepper, and nutmeg started to simmer and blend and fuse and transform into a magical base, I went to town on the other spices. They all went into my mortar and pestle to be ground up into little bursts of an amazing scent. Once finely ground, into the milk base they went. Mmmmmmmmmmm, it was smelling soooooooooo delicious! The chicken was chopped into 1 inch cubes and added to the base. As the sauce began to reduce, I added the honey. And I wondered which kind of honey it was again that my Dad liked. I know he has a favorite... but I can't remember what it is. Clover? Mesquite? Orange Blossom? Cactus? Can you even make a cactus honey? Ack. I'll have to ask him which one his favorite is again. I have 3 different kinds in my cupboard. They're from The Honey Stand in Pine, Arizona and SOOOOO good.
It was just about done, but needed something else. Yeah, I know, as if 14 spices was not enough. It needed something more to the texture. Something crisp, yet softened. Like... AN APPLE! After a quick dice of the fruit, and a fast simmer with another douse of honey, it was ready. My kitchen smelled absolutely Divine.
It tasted even better than I had imagined and hoped it would!!! And the chicken was perfect! It was so moist and not overdone - which is a TOTAL rarity for me, unfortunately! (Click on the pic below and you can see the whole, but shriveled peppercorn. Soooo yum!)
Ash liked it too. He had THREE servings!
Eating with both hands, he piled in that rice and apple and chai chicken creation and devoured it!
It was super easy, super fast, and super delicious. And clean up was pretty quick too! Although, if you're not careful, the longest part can be putting all the caps back on the spices.
But this can be avoided if you have a good kitchen partner... like a spouse, or a roommate, or a boyfriend/girlfriend. Or, you can do a little wiggly jig to the Toddler Tunes playing on Pandora to entertain a little person and still make clean up fun.
Come visit us Dad. I'll make this for you. You'll love it.
And I love you.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Saturday, August 06, 2011
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Naptime Buddies
It's not uncommon for Ash to join me in the kitchen while I'm preparing a meal, eating, and then cleaning up after it. Or cleaning out the fridge, or cupboards, or scrubbing the oven and stove. It's a pretty familiar room to him, and one we spend a lot of time in.
Lots of the time, he sits in his highchair and munches on little puffs. They're awesome treats. They're easy on his sore and teething gums, full of nutrition, and easy for his little fingers to grasp. Sometimes he just plays with his trucks until they find their way over the edge (which usually doesn't take very long, remember that whole dropping phase I mentioned...). But he's also got his trusty little buddies in the room with him. When he was about 6 months old, Ash was introduced to his new Friends - the Monkey, the Rhino, the Wheel, the Spinner, and all the fun musical noises that come with them when they bounce. This chair is worth far more that we paid (which at the time I thought was outrageous). He has spent HOURS in this, very happy, and very entertained. It's been used in the bathroom while I showered, in the living room while I folded laundry, upstairs while I worked (a life that seems so foreign now), but is usually in the kitchen - right smack in the middle of the floor. This way, we can still talk to each other and make eye contact, and sing, and all that good stuff.
Today, he was bouncing along - hard as usual - to where the sounds of the springs are actually louder than the music. I took advantage and slipped into the living room to get the front entry swept and change over the loads of laundry. Then suddenly, it was silent. All I could hear was the hum of the dishwasher. This seemed very odd. Extremely odd. So I quickly, but calmly and quietly, walked into the kitchen to find Ash face down and out cold. Taken completely by surprise I laughed out loud and he didn't even flinch! Luckily, my camera was still laying on the kitchen table and I captured a few shots.
Just as I was putting the camera down, with a jolt, he threw his head back and began jumping again - but with his eyes still closed! I gasped. Back forward his head went, legs still jumping, and finally it rested on the side. With just little twitching legs.
You know, I've read in books and online that a child is like a light switch - when they wake up they go right back to what they were doing. After witnessing this, there is no question! I contemplated just leaving him there, to sleep so peacefully with his naptime buddies but it looked so uncomfortable (I was having flashbacks of falling asleep in my desk at school). I figured I'd spare him from waking up to a kinked neck and puddle of drool. I gently slid my hands down under his arms and as I began to lift him up his legs started to jump again - at the same time his little head laid down on my shoulder. These are one of those moments when your heart skips a beat and you loose your breath. I softly started up the stairs - and his little legs just kept on bouncing! When I gently laid him down in his crib, to get a good nice nap in a cool and dark room, I just stood over him to soak it in... and just as I was turning to walk away, I got one last frog kick.
Ash, I could have never in a million years imagined just how much I would love you. Sweet dreams lil man.
Lots of the time, he sits in his highchair and munches on little puffs. They're awesome treats. They're easy on his sore and teething gums, full of nutrition, and easy for his little fingers to grasp. Sometimes he just plays with his trucks until they find their way over the edge (which usually doesn't take very long, remember that whole dropping phase I mentioned...). But he's also got his trusty little buddies in the room with him. When he was about 6 months old, Ash was introduced to his new Friends - the Monkey, the Rhino, the Wheel, the Spinner, and all the fun musical noises that come with them when they bounce. This chair is worth far more that we paid (which at the time I thought was outrageous). He has spent HOURS in this, very happy, and very entertained. It's been used in the bathroom while I showered, in the living room while I folded laundry, upstairs while I worked (a life that seems so foreign now), but is usually in the kitchen - right smack in the middle of the floor. This way, we can still talk to each other and make eye contact, and sing, and all that good stuff.
Today, he was bouncing along - hard as usual - to where the sounds of the springs are actually louder than the music. I took advantage and slipped into the living room to get the front entry swept and change over the loads of laundry. Then suddenly, it was silent. All I could hear was the hum of the dishwasher. This seemed very odd. Extremely odd. So I quickly, but calmly and quietly, walked into the kitchen to find Ash face down and out cold. Taken completely by surprise I laughed out loud and he didn't even flinch! Luckily, my camera was still laying on the kitchen table and I captured a few shots.
Just as I was putting the camera down, with a jolt, he threw his head back and began jumping again - but with his eyes still closed! I gasped. Back forward his head went, legs still jumping, and finally it rested on the side. With just little twitching legs.
You know, I've read in books and online that a child is like a light switch - when they wake up they go right back to what they were doing. After witnessing this, there is no question! I contemplated just leaving him there, to sleep so peacefully with his naptime buddies but it looked so uncomfortable (I was having flashbacks of falling asleep in my desk at school). I figured I'd spare him from waking up to a kinked neck and puddle of drool. I gently slid my hands down under his arms and as I began to lift him up his legs started to jump again - at the same time his little head laid down on my shoulder. These are one of those moments when your heart skips a beat and you loose your breath. I softly started up the stairs - and his little legs just kept on bouncing! When I gently laid him down in his crib, to get a good nice nap in a cool and dark room, I just stood over him to soak it in... and just as I was turning to walk away, I got one last frog kick.
Ash, I could have never in a million years imagined just how much I would love you. Sweet dreams lil man.
Hazzard Zone, Hard Hats Required
I've been on a cleaning spree lately - and a deep clean. Now that I'm home from Australia and Idaho, and will be in my own home for a while as we just renewed our lease, I've got the nesting bug.
I know I'm lucky, because my little man doesn't mind playing with his toys and entertaining himself while I'm going to and fro from room to room doing little projects. He's watched me the last few days use the vacuum to its fullest - including every attachment on every surface both vertical and horizontal. He's watched me sweeping and mopping and shaking rugs and scrubbing every surface in this home.
Depending on what project I'm working on kinda dictates what room and toys he'll be playing with. Upstairs is pretty much free game. I close the doors to the "non-baby-proofed" rooms and set up a barricade in front of the TV and all the electronics (it's not pretty, but it's functional). Using the coffee table, sofa cushions, and the protective clock (it's a singing, moving, waving arms clock. And it kinda spooks him. I'm taking advantage of this to keep him away from the DVR and Stereo), and so far it's working. Pretty soon he's going to figure out how to knock cushions down, that the clock is actually a fun toy, and that the table is thin. But today, the fort is solid and I can buy a little free time where only one eye is on him.
Today I got the scenting bug. So, I busted out my essential oils and baking soda and let the magic begin. I created a mattress / bedroom scent using only lavender. Then I created an upstairs scent for a gentle freshness using the Body Shop's Tobacco Flower (don't be fooled by the name, it is scrumptious!). And for the front room and stairs, I got creative using coconut, lemongrass, grapefruit, and spearmint. I think it is divine! While Ash took his first nap, I dusted the rugs and carpets below and let the aroma sink in while the laundry got done and Sadie's kennel and corner were cleaned.
Rather excited with my accomplishments, once Ash woke up I was still on the scrubbing mission. Now, when the little man wakes up, he likes to be able to move around. Once the barricade was assembled, I went to work on the stairs to suck up that heavenly white powder concoction. Just as I made it to the last of the stairs, I felt a kerPLUNK and a stunned sensation. And it hit me, I HAD JUST BEEN HIT! By one of Sadie's bones - the big hard ones! You see, Ash has recently developed quite a fascination of dropping things - from his highchair, from his crib, from his playpen, from his car seat, and most assuredly from the balcony of the loft. It's a daily activity to watch each of Sadie's toys, and raw hides, and Ash's cars and blocks and pretty much anything that will fit between the banisters fall all the way to the bottom and make a loud noise. This makes Ash laugh and squeal. He absolutely loves it. And until this moment, I thought it was funny. Sure, there has been a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that something is going to get broke, but he's been pretty good to only throw from one corner and it's pretty safe - even within bouncing distance. But today, I just happened to be in the perfect spot. When I looked up, so dazed and confused, he wasn't even looking - he had no idea he'd just dropped a bomb on my noggin. He was already loading up for the next round. By the time I made it back up the stairs and around the landing two more objects had joined the bone (and my pride).
Poor Ash and Sadie. Changes are sometimes difficult. They are both getting used to the new locations of these little toys... on the first floor.
I know I'm lucky, because my little man doesn't mind playing with his toys and entertaining himself while I'm going to and fro from room to room doing little projects. He's watched me the last few days use the vacuum to its fullest - including every attachment on every surface both vertical and horizontal. He's watched me sweeping and mopping and shaking rugs and scrubbing every surface in this home.
Depending on what project I'm working on kinda dictates what room and toys he'll be playing with. Upstairs is pretty much free game. I close the doors to the "non-baby-proofed" rooms and set up a barricade in front of the TV and all the electronics (it's not pretty, but it's functional). Using the coffee table, sofa cushions, and the protective clock (it's a singing, moving, waving arms clock. And it kinda spooks him. I'm taking advantage of this to keep him away from the DVR and Stereo), and so far it's working. Pretty soon he's going to figure out how to knock cushions down, that the clock is actually a fun toy, and that the table is thin. But today, the fort is solid and I can buy a little free time where only one eye is on him.
Today I got the scenting bug. So, I busted out my essential oils and baking soda and let the magic begin. I created a mattress / bedroom scent using only lavender. Then I created an upstairs scent for a gentle freshness using the Body Shop's Tobacco Flower (don't be fooled by the name, it is scrumptious!). And for the front room and stairs, I got creative using coconut, lemongrass, grapefruit, and spearmint. I think it is divine! While Ash took his first nap, I dusted the rugs and carpets below and let the aroma sink in while the laundry got done and Sadie's kennel and corner were cleaned.
Rather excited with my accomplishments, once Ash woke up I was still on the scrubbing mission. Now, when the little man wakes up, he likes to be able to move around. Once the barricade was assembled, I went to work on the stairs to suck up that heavenly white powder concoction. Just as I made it to the last of the stairs, I felt a kerPLUNK and a stunned sensation. And it hit me, I HAD JUST BEEN HIT! By one of Sadie's bones - the big hard ones! You see, Ash has recently developed quite a fascination of dropping things - from his highchair, from his crib, from his playpen, from his car seat, and most assuredly from the balcony of the loft. It's a daily activity to watch each of Sadie's toys, and raw hides, and Ash's cars and blocks and pretty much anything that will fit between the banisters fall all the way to the bottom and make a loud noise. This makes Ash laugh and squeal. He absolutely loves it. And until this moment, I thought it was funny. Sure, there has been a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that something is going to get broke, but he's been pretty good to only throw from one corner and it's pretty safe - even within bouncing distance. But today, I just happened to be in the perfect spot. When I looked up, so dazed and confused, he wasn't even looking - he had no idea he'd just dropped a bomb on my noggin. He was already loading up for the next round. By the time I made it back up the stairs and around the landing two more objects had joined the bone (and my pride).
Poor Ash and Sadie. Changes are sometimes difficult. They are both getting used to the new locations of these little toys... on the first floor.
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Our backyard paradise!
This is exciting. It has been a fantastic day in every way imaginable. It started out as a gorgeous morning. An orchid I've kept on the patio that has been dormant for almost a year suddenly came to life. Three flowers are blooming and there are still two more buds!
I was going to water the plants and flowers while Ash splashed in his watertable. As I opened the gate to get to the hose on the side run, the momma dove that has been sitting on her eggs shrieked and darted off.
Sadie chased the poor bird and I felt so bad for her! When I turned around to see her nest, there was a baby dove freshly hatched, as it sat all nice and wet next to its sibling, still in the shell. Instant awe. This little mama has had quite a few babies born here and it is so amazing each time.
As we played in the water, enjoying our backyard, I went to inspect... wait, I should catch you up first. When we moved into this house, it was just after the owners had purchased it. They're a great couple who secured this little spot as their retirement home (luckies!) and after a grueling and very popular open house, selected us as the tenants. (I'm not sure if me being 7 months pregnant, arriving 20 minutes before it was supposed to start, securing a "private viewing" haha, and then parking it out in the backyard for the entire open house had anything to do with it, heh). One of the charms was the backyard. It was landscaped tropical, with super low (pretty much non-existent) maintenance, and a pond. Well, the remains of an old dried up pond with the potential to be an amazing pond. :) One of the conversations with our landlord was to get it back up and running, if possible.
It started out looking like this:
Lemme tell you, this has not been one of the simpler tasks. The pond that stands today is the third pond that was installed. The first two leaked. Over a period of about 6 months, we finally have our little waterworks! And it is beautiful.
That is, until it started to grow little critters that are multiplying like there is no tomorrow! At first (being the naive pondy person), I thought they might have been tadpoles. But they don't just appear out of nowhere, right? So a few days went by, and each morning and evening I would go out to assess our little water critters and see their condition.
Ok, so back to the story. On this particular day I took one look into the water and panicked - what was only 25-50 yesterday was about 200 today! Not knowing what these things were, I knew I had to find out before we had some kind of amphibian takeover.
Using an empty baby food jar (I kept these, knowing they'd be great for some craft project - but never imagined they'd be used as scientific swamp sample devices), I dipped it into the water and had a much better viewpoint of the little swimmers. They are bizarre! With giant round heads that taper into a slimy slender body that ends with a little point and have these feathery white wispy arms all the way from the neck to the tail waving the entire time. And they move so oddly too. Kinda like a jumping bean - it jerks from each spot with a propelling type result. Sorry, I have no idea how to describe it. You'll just have to watch for yourself:
Anyhoo, after I finished the head shot session of our newest little residents, I knew something had to be done. Partly fascinated, and partly petrified, I loaded Ash into the car and headed to a local pond specialist. Sure enough, she confirmed they were indeed not tadpoles, but mosquitoes. ACK!!! For about 2 seconds I was starting a mini heart attack as I imagined how infested our little paradise was going to be and there would be no more water playing sessions with Ash in his pool, or BBQs for dinner, or star and moon gazing at night, or bird watching, or.... and then she kindly said "that's ok, I give out mosquito eating fish for free" and started walking over to a gorgeous little tub filled with water lilies and water hyacinths. As she opened a bag and started to pour in the water and little fish, instantly, a sense of relief poured over me. Ash and I hung out for a bit longer to learn about the water plants and how easy they were to take care of : Per my new heroine, you just "drop them in the water, let them get sun". That's it. Seriously. We learned about adding goldfish too. Pretty much the same as the plants. God knew what he was doing when he made his little water gardens. It wasn't going to be so difficult after all to create our own little ecosystem in our pond. Air, Sun, Water, Fish, Plants, and Algae.
As soon as we arrived home, we made the quick introduction of our new friends and gave them a little house warming party. It was thrilling. :)
They immediately went to town chowing down on the little skeets.
About an hour later, a little bird was chirping like crazy, hoping from rock to rock on the waterfall and what seamed like almost bird-screaming was looking into the water. Could it be? Could that little bird possibly have already noticed the changes? Yep... it dove into the water and tried to get a little snack! I ran out the door and just as it flew away, there was definitely something in its beak, I'm just not sure if it was successful in getting a fish or not.
A little while later, I went out again - you know, just keeping a close eye to be sure everyone is adjusting ok. Are they eating enough? Is there chlorine in the water that can make them ill, or worse? Are they in shock? Are they still alive? Do they have their sunscreen on? You know... thoughts that a mother has.
Much to my delight, there were itty bitty mosquito fish! They must have been in the roots of the plants! I counted 9 babies, and 7 adults. I was giddy.
Sadie must have wondered what the big fascination was, and had to check it out for herself. I was in the kitchen, making dinner, and all the sudden heard a bark fest going on outside. When I looked out the window, there she was crouched down head right on top of the water barking. I laughed, hard. Then she started to drink the water. *GAG*
Over the next few days we watched as the plants got settled and found their groove with the ebb and flow of the waterfall cycles. We've marveled at the fish and how comfy they are as they've settled into their new little rock crevices. And I was ecstatic at the new dragonfly that comes to visit! It is bright red, almost orange red, and likes to sunbathe on the chain of the bird feeder.
(Click on the pic to see it in big screen. Seriously!)
I am loving this. And so are Ash and Sadie, each in our own little ways. It'll be fun to show Rich our little aquatic zoo and new life in our yard as soon as he's home. :)
I was going to water the plants and flowers while Ash splashed in his watertable. As I opened the gate to get to the hose on the side run, the momma dove that has been sitting on her eggs shrieked and darted off.
Sadie chased the poor bird and I felt so bad for her! When I turned around to see her nest, there was a baby dove freshly hatched, as it sat all nice and wet next to its sibling, still in the shell. Instant awe. This little mama has had quite a few babies born here and it is so amazing each time.
As we played in the water, enjoying our backyard, I went to inspect... wait, I should catch you up first. When we moved into this house, it was just after the owners had purchased it. They're a great couple who secured this little spot as their retirement home (luckies!) and after a grueling and very popular open house, selected us as the tenants. (I'm not sure if me being 7 months pregnant, arriving 20 minutes before it was supposed to start, securing a "private viewing" haha, and then parking it out in the backyard for the entire open house had anything to do with it, heh). One of the charms was the backyard. It was landscaped tropical, with super low (pretty much non-existent) maintenance, and a pond. Well, the remains of an old dried up pond with the potential to be an amazing pond. :) One of the conversations with our landlord was to get it back up and running, if possible.
It started out looking like this:
Lemme tell you, this has not been one of the simpler tasks. The pond that stands today is the third pond that was installed. The first two leaked. Over a period of about 6 months, we finally have our little waterworks! And it is beautiful.
That is, until it started to grow little critters that are multiplying like there is no tomorrow! At first (being the naive pondy person), I thought they might have been tadpoles. But they don't just appear out of nowhere, right? So a few days went by, and each morning and evening I would go out to assess our little water critters and see their condition.
Ok, so back to the story. On this particular day I took one look into the water and panicked - what was only 25-50 yesterday was about 200 today! Not knowing what these things were, I knew I had to find out before we had some kind of amphibian takeover.
Using an empty baby food jar (I kept these, knowing they'd be great for some craft project - but never imagined they'd be used as scientific swamp sample devices), I dipped it into the water and had a much better viewpoint of the little swimmers. They are bizarre! With giant round heads that taper into a slimy slender body that ends with a little point and have these feathery white wispy arms all the way from the neck to the tail waving the entire time. And they move so oddly too. Kinda like a jumping bean - it jerks from each spot with a propelling type result. Sorry, I have no idea how to describe it. You'll just have to watch for yourself:
Anyhoo, after I finished the head shot session of our newest little residents, I knew something had to be done. Partly fascinated, and partly petrified, I loaded Ash into the car and headed to a local pond specialist. Sure enough, she confirmed they were indeed not tadpoles, but mosquitoes. ACK!!! For about 2 seconds I was starting a mini heart attack as I imagined how infested our little paradise was going to be and there would be no more water playing sessions with Ash in his pool, or BBQs for dinner, or star and moon gazing at night, or bird watching, or.... and then she kindly said "that's ok, I give out mosquito eating fish for free" and started walking over to a gorgeous little tub filled with water lilies and water hyacinths. As she opened a bag and started to pour in the water and little fish, instantly, a sense of relief poured over me. Ash and I hung out for a bit longer to learn about the water plants and how easy they were to take care of : Per my new heroine, you just "drop them in the water, let them get sun". That's it. Seriously. We learned about adding goldfish too. Pretty much the same as the plants. God knew what he was doing when he made his little water gardens. It wasn't going to be so difficult after all to create our own little ecosystem in our pond. Air, Sun, Water, Fish, Plants, and Algae.
As soon as we arrived home, we made the quick introduction of our new friends and gave them a little house warming party. It was thrilling. :)
They immediately went to town chowing down on the little skeets.
About an hour later, a little bird was chirping like crazy, hoping from rock to rock on the waterfall and what seamed like almost bird-screaming was looking into the water. Could it be? Could that little bird possibly have already noticed the changes? Yep... it dove into the water and tried to get a little snack! I ran out the door and just as it flew away, there was definitely something in its beak, I'm just not sure if it was successful in getting a fish or not.
A little while later, I went out again - you know, just keeping a close eye to be sure everyone is adjusting ok. Are they eating enough? Is there chlorine in the water that can make them ill, or worse? Are they in shock? Are they still alive? Do they have their sunscreen on? You know... thoughts that a mother has.
Much to my delight, there were itty bitty mosquito fish! They must have been in the roots of the plants! I counted 9 babies, and 7 adults. I was giddy.
Over the next few days we watched as the plants got settled and found their groove with the ebb and flow of the waterfall cycles. We've marveled at the fish and how comfy they are as they've settled into their new little rock crevices. And I was ecstatic at the new dragonfly that comes to visit! It is bright red, almost orange red, and likes to sunbathe on the chain of the bird feeder.
(Click on the pic to see it in big screen. Seriously!)
I am loving this. And so are Ash and Sadie, each in our own little ways. It'll be fun to show Rich our little aquatic zoo and new life in our yard as soon as he's home. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)