We are moving toward october and the pond here in Jackson is
announcing the change in light (not temp as it is still in the 80's in
the day). The lilies have fewer leaves and the hyacinth is slowing in
its growth. I can no longer toss an armful a week. The parrots
feather has slowed to a crawl in its growth.

How are other ponds doing as fall and winter get moving?

October is usually my crazy time and with working it is even worst now days
as I try to squeeze all my winterizing into just the weekends... and this
year I badly need 1 day to rest. The 1st weekend in Oct. we had rain and
cold all day on Saturday and the worst wind & dust storm on Sunday that
I've seen in probably 15 years! So I could do nothing. This weekend comes
along and they say we're going to have record low's for the date. I hadn't
even taken the taros out of the pond, so Friday after work I got them out
and wrapped them and the stock tank pond in a plastic tent, the idea being
water in the stock tank will keep the tent somewhat warm. The taro is
covered with aphids this year, and I didn't want to bring them in before
treatment. So they're sitting in their tent with one of those hanging pest
strips. Best idea I ever came up with.

I also had to wash off the tropical hibiscus tree and bougainvillea to
bring inside to the living room, then muscle that 7'x4' tree thru the
slider, with DH's help. It is fuller and greener than ever, with lots of
buds. DH said, "Why don't you keep it pruned back?" To which I said, "I did
this year and apparently it liked it." It is lush with foliage and buds.

Saturday I mowed the lawn and cleaned the pre-filter on the koi ponds. I
sure was lacks about that this year. I think this was only my 2nd time
cleaning it, but it wasn't bad considering.

My purchase of Matala pads from Joe's koi arrived. Hoping next weekend to
put the filter into a modified or even slow flow and clean the one chamber
that will hold the new Matala, 2 blue, 2 gray and 2 of the open cell foam
sandwiched between. I just can't remember which chamber went thru winter
last year. I'm going to have to start writing things down. :-( ~ jan

PS. Sorry for the long post, Verizon dropped newsgroups and "being Oct."
and the time squeeze, just now got geek son to set me up with a free news
group acct.
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us