"kathy" wrote:

Very nice lady and her sweet *almost* 8th grade
daughter brought over a large painted turtle,
about the size of a salad plate.

I just noticed yesterday that I have a painted turtle in our pond that
found its way in naturally. It seems to like to keep company with our
water snake. The golden shiner minnows, trap door snails, spotted
salamanders and frogs are doing well also. I am sure the snake and
turtle are well fed. I don't have any ramps so I don't know if the
salamanders and turtles can get out.

I just removed 25 gallons of azolla caroliniana (fairy moss) which was
making it hard for the fish to feed on the surface insects. I also put
in my first lotus, a yellow cultivar of the native American lotus
(Nelumbo lutea).
--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
18,000 gallon (17'x 47'x 2-4') lily pond garden in Zone 6
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA