”Parting Words from Moristotle” (07/31/2023) tells how to access our archives of art, poems, stories, serials, travelogues, essays, reviews, interviews, correspondence….
Jim, thank you for the humor. Having noted Covid seems to display its own sense of humor by striking people who impugn it, like the minister who proclaimed "God is stronger than Covid-19" then died from Covid-19, I hope you don't become a target. The odds are something like 99.67 to 1 in your favor, so I like your chances.
Of more importance--to me at least, since I am adding another water feature to my yard--that is an awesome waterfall in the background of your photo! Is that natural or pump powered? If pump, how many GPH?
Yes, Covid is important, and I apologize for digressing from the focus of your post, but water features in the yard are essential.
Paul, your remark about the importance of a “water feature” in the yard has determined me not to take my own fountain out of commission, as I had been planning to do because its vase is heavy and my body has yearly been growing less strong and more vulnerable to injury during the task of setting it up for another year. I am determined to set it up this year too. Thank you.
Morris, or you could just abandon the vase and build a great waterfall like Jim's. I'm currently adding two ponds, two waterfalls, and another 135 feet of stream between them. That's in addition to the way too small pond and 75 feet of stream we already have. More water = less mowing.
Paul, while I love Jim’s waterfall (which I have visited) and admire your own landscaping achievements and projects, I am not likely to transform our small back yard’s layout to accommodate a rock waterfall. I could (and might yet) simply ask the amigo we engage to mow and edge and fertilize our lawn to help me handle the vase and set it up atop its pedestal in the fountain’s very heavy 4'-diameter basin. (To protect the vase from freeze damage, I store it in our garden shed over winter, and I protect the basin by covering it with a tarp.)
I have a waterfall, too. It accounts for about a third of all my outside maintenance, and I can only run it about seven months. Still, I keep the south windows open a lot, so I can hear the water. Paul, I'd never imagined you in the role of large-scale water gardener. Very eenteresting...
Chuck, yes, I was also a bit surprised I took to it at scale, and I think it is safe to say my wife is dismayed at this point. In retrospect, however, it may have been inevitable. On my own initiative (everyone else thought I was nuts) I became a self-taught fly-fisher by age 10, studied forestry & fisheries in college, and spent years writing about nature topics as well as adventure sports--and I still love outdoors exercise, in just about any kind of weather. Pick, shovel, rocks, water, sense of accomplishment, progress you can actually see, (and perhaps most importantly) less grass to mow: pretty much checks all the boxes.
So how big is your waterfall? Any advice on pump GPH, EPDM rubber liner vs others, best filter options, major issues? Maybe Morris could launch a whole new blog section on water-related small-scale engineering.
My waterfall drops over a 9' retaining wall into a small pond with a stone bridge. The pump is rated at 1300 gph, which works out to 900 gph at a height of 9'. I'd love to have far more flow, but even this one draws 150 watts. Not trivial when you'd like to run it 24/7. It's also a little noisy. I never considered using anything but an EPDM liner. What alternatives are there? Lessons learned: In general, water features are high maintenance. Think twice. Don't build it under a tree. Mine is shaded by a 60' Scarlet Oak, and most of that maintenance is leaf scooping. I use about 50 gallons a day. Most of that is splashed onto the rocks and evaporates there. A nine foot drop is quite splashy. It is a magnet for wildlife. Mostly birds, but occasional raccoons and bobcats, and one critter I would have sworn was an otter, save that there is no otter habitat within a mile. Keep this in mind if you plan to have fish! I do have to pull the pump out every fall, since letting it freeze into the ice seems a bad idea. It's right outside the patio door. As I said, I really like the sound of water right out the door.
One more thing: work hard at sealing leaks in that liner, and protecting it. I have know three expensive water features (e.g. next door neighbor's) that have been abandoned because they couldn't find and fix all the leaks.
Nine-foot drop? Goodness, that is a serious waterfall! Maybe you could write a "joy of the sound of falling water" piece someday and share a photo? Apparently I have been very lucky because so far I have suffered no leaks--despite my first pond being more than 15 years old and having deer walk in it several times a week. That convinces me EPDM--and a good underlayment--is the way to go, but some people swear by some sort of woven polyester. "Experts" tell me I will need something well upwards of 3500 GPH for my ongoing build so I am building a solar array as time and budget allow, can't imagine what the electric bill would be to run a pump that size.
Paul, you suggest that “Maybe Morris could launch a whole new blog section on water-related small-scale engineering.” Yes, maybe. If you changed your staff status from emeritus to active (which you certainly are these days!), and if Chuck and you share responsibility for the column, collecting submissions and channeling them to me for final editing and scheduling for publication. I will have my own fountain going by noon today, so I could write about that and submit it to you and Chuck for consideration...?
My muse seems to like the suggestion; she just suggested a title: “Water Music.” She also urges us to welcome not only engineering pieces, but also poems. In fact, Paul, you have already suggested that Chuck could write what your description (“joy of the sound of running water”) indicates might be a piece of chorale music, with lyrics. That might even be what inspires my muse....
I doubt I have enough to say about it. Regardless, I'll try to dig up picture. Morris, how do I send you a picture a) from my phone, b) from my computer? It won't be current. The waterfall won't be running for a few weeks yet, and the garden will be a bit bare for weeks more.
Jim, I bet you didn’t expect there’d be much of a commentary on your masking your butt! The photo even led to my starting my water fountain up yesterday.
Jim, thank you for the humor. Having noted Covid seems to display its own sense of humor by striking people who impugn it, like the minister who proclaimed "God is stronger than Covid-19" then died from Covid-19, I hope you don't become a target. The odds are something like 99.67 to 1 in your favor, so I like your chances.
ReplyDeleteOf more importance--to me at least, since I am adding another water feature to my yard--that is an awesome waterfall in the background of your photo! Is that natural or pump powered? If pump, how many GPH?
Yes, Covid is important, and I apologize for digressing from the focus of your post, but water features in the yard are essential.
Yes the fountain is pump powered.I don't know the GPH.
ReplyDeletePaul, your remark about the importance of a “water feature” in the yard has determined me not to take my own fountain out of commission, as I had been planning to do because its vase is heavy and my body has yearly been growing less strong and more vulnerable to injury during the task of setting it up for another year. I am determined to set it up this year too. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteMorris, or you could just abandon the vase and build a great waterfall like Jim's. I'm currently adding two ponds, two waterfalls, and another 135 feet of stream between them. That's in addition to the way too small pond and 75 feet of stream we already have. More water = less mowing.
ReplyDeletePaul, while I love Jim’s waterfall (which I have visited) and admire your own landscaping achievements and projects, I am not likely to transform our small back yard’s layout to accommodate a rock waterfall. I could (and might yet) simply ask the amigo we engage to mow and edge and fertilize our lawn to help me handle the vase and set it up atop its pedestal in the fountain’s very heavy 4'-diameter basin. (To protect the vase from freeze damage, I store it in our garden shed over winter, and I protect the basin by covering it with a tarp.)
DeleteI have a waterfall, too. It accounts for about a third of all my outside maintenance, and I can only run it about seven months. Still, I keep the south windows open a lot, so I can hear the water.
ReplyDeletePaul, I'd never imagined you in the role of large-scale water gardener. Very eenteresting...
Chuck, yes, I was also a bit surprised I took to it at scale, and I think it is safe to say my wife is dismayed at this point. In retrospect, however, it may have been inevitable. On my own initiative (everyone else thought I was nuts) I became a self-taught fly-fisher by age 10, studied forestry & fisheries in college, and spent years writing about nature topics as well as adventure sports--and I still love outdoors exercise, in just about any kind of weather. Pick, shovel, rocks, water, sense of accomplishment, progress you can actually see, (and perhaps most importantly) less grass to mow: pretty much checks all the boxes.
ReplyDeleteSo how big is your waterfall? Any advice on pump GPH, EPDM rubber liner vs others, best filter options, major issues? Maybe Morris could launch a whole new blog section on water-related small-scale engineering.
My waterfall drops over a 9' retaining wall into a small pond with a stone bridge. The pump is rated at 1300 gph, which works out to 900 gph at a height of 9'. I'd love to have far more flow, but even this one draws 150 watts. Not trivial when you'd like to run it 24/7. It's also a little noisy. I never considered using anything but an EPDM liner. What alternatives are there?
DeleteLessons learned:
In general, water features are high maintenance. Think twice.
Don't build it under a tree. Mine is shaded by a 60' Scarlet Oak, and most of that maintenance is leaf scooping.
I use about 50 gallons a day. Most of that is splashed onto the rocks and evaporates there. A nine foot drop is quite splashy.
It is a magnet for wildlife. Mostly birds, but occasional raccoons and bobcats, and one critter I would have sworn was an otter, save that there is no otter habitat within a mile. Keep this in mind if you plan to have fish!
I do have to pull the pump out every fall, since letting it freeze into the ice seems a bad idea.
It's right outside the patio door. As I said, I really like the sound of water right out the door.
One more thing: work hard at sealing leaks in that liner, and protecting it. I have know three expensive water features (e.g. next door neighbor's) that have been abandoned because they couldn't find and fix all the leaks.
DeleteNine-foot drop? Goodness, that is a serious waterfall! Maybe you could write a "joy of the sound of falling water" piece someday and share a photo? Apparently I have been very lucky because so far I have suffered no leaks--despite my first pond being more than 15 years old and having deer walk in it several times a week. That convinces me EPDM--and a good underlayment--is the way to go, but some people swear by some sort of woven polyester. "Experts" tell me I will need something well upwards of 3500 GPH for my ongoing build so I am building a solar array as time and budget allow, can't imagine what the electric bill would be to run a pump that size.
ReplyDeletePaul, you suggest that “Maybe Morris could launch a whole new blog section on water-related small-scale engineering.” Yes, maybe. If you changed your staff status from emeritus to active (which you certainly are these days!), and if Chuck and you share responsibility for the column, collecting submissions and channeling them to me for final editing and scheduling for publication.
ReplyDeleteI will have my own fountain going by noon today, so I could write about that and submit it to you and Chuck for consideration...?
My muse seems to like the suggestion; she just suggested a title: “Water Music.” She also urges us to welcome not only engineering pieces, but also poems. In fact, Paul, you have already suggested that Chuck could write what your description (“joy of the sound of running water”) indicates might be a piece of chorale music, with lyrics. That might even be what inspires my muse....
DeleteI doubt I have enough to say about it. Regardless, I'll try to dig up picture. Morris, how do I send you a picture a) from my phone, b) from my computer? It won't be current. The waterfall won't be running for a few weeks yet, and the garden will be a bit bare for weeks more.
ReplyDeleteChuck, send me photos by email attachment. You have my address. “Enough” is however much satisfies YOU.
DeleteSorry, I forgot to put a name in.
ReplyDeleteJim, I bet you didn’t expect there’d be much of a commentary on your masking your butt! The photo even led to my starting my water fountain up yesterday.
ReplyDeleteMy butt hasn't received this much attention in years!
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should flaunt it more!
Delete