Saturday Part 1 - Friend or Foe?

Well, to say we've been busy would be an understatement.  We are crazy busy, with no immediate end in site.  But we need to make hay while the sun shines.

I'm breaking down the events from this past Saturday into a few different posts.  I hate having a post that is too long and loses your interest.

The guys decided Saturday was just as good as any other Saturday to clean out the pond filters, set up a new fountain, and remove any large debris that lay lurking at the bottom of the pond.  All of a sudden I get a call, "Laura, grab your camera!". 

I was instructed to take a photo of this strange worm like thing that was all over the pond filters, so we could look them up back home and figure out if we have a problem with the pond.  These very tiny, bright red worm like, creepy crawlies, were all over!  We were a bit worried.  Are they a parasite?

 

As it turns out, it's a friend!  These tiny red creatures are actually blood worms.  A sign of a healthy pond.  People actually buy them to put in their ponds to help, and also provide a very high source of protein (52%) to fish. 

They get stuck in pond filters, due to their size and as a means of protection from fish.  They're too big to go through the filter, but the action of the filter;  drawing in water which includes the algae, etc. is the perfect breeding and brooding ground for these little things.  If you'll notice in the photo the longer, green pieces are  actually mini-tubes they use for protection.

http://www.bonniesplants.com/bloodworms.htm

So the pond is healthy!  The new pump is up and running and per BJ who traversed the pond in hip boots, there's a lot of fish in this pond!

What She Does Best

Miss Izzy is somewhere between 14 and 15 years old.  Not exactly sure as we adopted her from an animal shelter.  She's been a perfect fit for our family. Frustrating at times, but she's ours.

She's having trouble jumping up on the sofa, doesn't even try to get up on the bed by herself.  She's going deaf, and has some sight issues as well.  Like the best of us, she's showing her age.  Until you throw a rat at The Compound in the mix.  Then she'll offer life and limb.

Miss Izzy worked so hard on Saturday when she found a nest in the chicken coop, under the actual house.  It's not an easy area to get to.    Here's a small video of her in action.

She spent a couple of hours in the heat, working to clear them out.  The Moose actually dug out a trench she could fit in, and she was under the chicken house for what seemed like forever, cleaning out the nest.  We are once again rat free!

Now her age really showed later in the afternoon.   She actually moaned when she got up or down.  Reminded us of how we all feel on Sunday morning after working at The Compound.  She was rewarded with the thing she hates the most;  a bath!

Can't Take Less than $75

Since things at The Compound keep growing, we placed our composter on Craigslist to sell.  At first it was an ideal size, but now with all the animals we will be composing on a much larger scale.   The crazy things go for around $180 on Amazon.  Our ad is asking $100 o.b.o.  It's only a couple of years old.

Craigslist is a great resource for selling those odds and ends.  But I do have to say, you sure get enough crackpots to sort through.  Those that call wanting the item, never to show up, those wanting to send you a check with an extra $50 for all the trouble if you'll just take their check, cash it and then pay them the difference, in a check from your bank when they come over.  Or one of my favorites;  I'm on disability with a low income and can not drive.  Will you deliver it to me and I'm only 2 hours away?!  I had this one asked of me for a dozen fertilized eggs. (even if this was true, how could he possibly afford to care for the chicks once hatched?)  Why would I spend $50 on gas for $5.00 worth of eggs?

The most recent one has the Moose and I laughing this morning.  We had an offer for $60 for the composter.  We came back with "we'd take $75".   We'd like to get at least that.  Her reply:  "Due to fixed income and gas cost, can you take $65?"

Here's our response:  "Due to the cost of raising children and putting them through college, I can't take less than $75".

We may just keep the composter and raise red worms in it.