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Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008
Dead or Alive

Last summer my husband and I called in professionals to finish a do it yourself project gone very wrong. For several years the view from my kitchen windows was an unsightly hole in the ground that was one day going to be a waterfall and Koi pond. Finally with the help of Brian from Aquascapes the hole and surrounding hillside was magically transformed into a sanctuary that exceeded any expectation we had. The best part was that Brian found all of the stone on our property. I quickly dashed out to buy some fish. Every day after work I couldn't wait to get home to feed the fish and sit for long periods on the little stone bridge listening to the waterfall and staring at the pond, a cold Corona in hand. I was dreading the upcoming winter and started fretting over the fate of the four fish. How would they survive a long New England winter? I even contemplated bringing the fish inside...surely they would be happy in a bath tub for a few months. In the end in November we pulled the pump from the waterfall and put in a small heater that we were told would help keep the pond from freezing solid. There were many times during the winter that the pond was buried by six or more inches of snow. During hard freezes I would say "Oh those fish are fishsicles". I didn't believe any creature would survive. Finally this week the ice began to melt and I watched in earnest for any sign of movement. I stooped to pull a dead leaf out of the pond and to my amazement out swam Nemo, followed by Dori, Squirt and Speedy. Alive!!! I dashed to the house for fish food for them and a cold Corona for me. Cheers!