Fast rewind

All these photos were taken in the summer of 2007.

Without a big and gorgeous landscaped property like those featured in water gardening magazines, let alone the expenses and headaches to maintain a large pond, I have decided to drop the idea of this build-it-from-the-ground-up backbreaking project. No way, I did a small one once in my first house in Orange County, California, almost a decade ago. Hey, I was still young and ambitious. Never would I do it again however. Why? I’m kinda lazy.

But I still like the solitude of a pond. So a patio pond is my solution. All it costs me was twenty-five bucks when I accidentally saw it on sale while shopping for winterizing materials last fall. It came with an underwater pump that would have cost at least $40 in a pet shop.

Other accessories are mostly recycled from frozen dinner trays and gardening containers. Floating dead wood, branches, and moss for decorations are free to pick anywhere in a wooded area. The aquatic plants... ahhhhh, ahem, I have to admit I picked a handful of small ones along a creek... and they outgrew my pond.

After that, just add water and fish in, and there you go, it's almost like an instant noodle soup...