Yesterday was pretty much the first time in twenty years that I woke up on a Monday and wasn’t ready to write. Oh, I’ve got stuff I could do, but every time I sit down, I get ugly and bad-tempered. I worked all of last year with a stress headache caused by the uncertainty of changing publishers, and I’m not going to do it again. So I spent my day making a frog pond instead.
Today I’m not enthused about working either, apart from the gottas that come with a book coming out in less than a month–so I’m going to put in the plants I bought over the weekend, a fern-buying spree spurred on by spotting the tadpoles in a garden center’s pond plant display. (They gave me some! How nice is that?)
I’m concerned the area might get too much sun as one of our trees is eventually coming down, probably on top of our neighbor’s car as well as taking out the electrical pole the city just replaced. (The city said they’d take it down this spring, but they lost interest. Funny how that works.) And when the tree goes, the pond will get six hours of hot afternoon sun instead of three hours of it. Good for the pond, bad for the ferns. I’m trying to plant accordingly.
It’s hard to see, but it’s only about five inches deep, so it should warm up nicely and get those tadpoles to frogs in no time. I’ve got lettuce in there for them since it’s a new system and there is nothing decaying for them to eat, and when they come out, if they don’t roam too far, they get to live in a pesticide free garden.
The liner itself I got at a home improvement store, cheap and easy, being one of those shallow liners you put in a half whisky barrel. Putting it in was even easier since I’d had a pond there before. It feels good having water over there again. But no fish. This one is for the frogs alone–though on second thought, I might put in some minnows to eat the mosquito larva.
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Just so you know, tomorrow is the last day to order a signed/ personalized Drafter from Nicola’s and get in on that September 1st shippment. You can still order after that date, but I might not be in again before I go on tour to sign them, and you’ll have to wait till I get back. (Shirts are nearing a cut-off as well.)
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Or, you can order from B&N and get a pre signed book that way. Either one works.
Kim Harrison 
Some time we need a day or too to play, and the ponds the perfect place. You will feel the vibes to write soon enough but till then enjoy nature while it is still warm enough for winter is coming! hugs and looking forward to more pictures of frogs!!!!!
So happy about your success!
Remember- you do good – infinitely better than just doing something well:-)
Hello froglets! You are going to have such a nice life in Kim’s little paradise. (And I think minnows is an EXCELLENT idea. Don’t care for mosquitos, myself.)
Haha I love how you procrastinate!
I put a pond in a few years back, I have a few frogs move in every year, but, this year it’s full of small frogs!!! Yesterday, my Boyfriend said he counted 5! When I’m stressed, I will just sit by the pond watch and meditate while listening to the frogs sing in the rains.
From my frog pond to yours . . .
“Listen” Beyonce
Your brain is telling you to take a rest. Puttering in the garden is always my favorite way to de-stress.
I have a swimming pool and the tree frogs are always around it. They are horribly loud. Last year I bought a half whiskey barrel and put some goldfish in it and a hibiscus plant and a spiral rush. My grandaughter who was 2 spent all summer in front of it. This year I begged for a real pond. I had bought a 3 tier fountain but discovered it had to have clear water. Got the whiskey barrel going again with a little fountain in the middle this year. 6 new fish a new grass plant. And finally my husband dug me a 35 gallon pond right beside the porch. I have hostas all around and got some rocks from our creek. 6 or 7 more big goldfish. Came out one morning to a spring frog. Then a week later 6 big bullfrogs were in it. So annoying. They were breeding and filled it full of millions of tadpoles. Got no frogs out of it. I think all the goldfish ate them. My spring frog is still here, but the bullfrogs all took off after they bred. I love it. It has a fountain in the middle also. Its so relaxing but my husbnad doesn’t like it, He says he has to pee everytime he gets close to the house
😀 Your last sentence made me laugh out loud. 🙂
Leopard frogs moved into my goldfish pond a few years ago. Generally, I love their morning and evening croaking, and they also help control my fish population by eating the fry. (Although, even I will admit the noise gets a bit ridiculous during mating season.)
I have had a frog pond for years. It is wonderful how much stress is relieved by the little guys. One year I actually had a frog who during a rain storm would hop up on the porch and sit under the large umbrella with me.
I like the idea of frog ponds when installed correctly and fits with outdoor life…nice slow walks in woods listening to the different sounds of live animals..but living next door IN A NEIGHBORHOOD to a in ground pool not taking care of “frog pond” is NOT OK!!
I always found a walk in the woods calmed me when I was feeling like that but hey, frog pond is cool too! If you cant change it don’t stress over it, you will just get grey hair faster…
Boston has a Frog Pond too 🙂
http://bostonfrogpond.com/