Whiskey Barrel Fountain - How to Make It

We have had ours for several years now and really have enjoyed it. We like drinking our Sunday morning coffee out on the back porch next to it. Here is how to make a whiskey barrel fountain.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5064762_make-whiskey-barrel-fountain.html

Pond Waterfall Leaks

For the umpteenth time we re-did our pond waterfall. Well, maybe it was four times that we re-thought that waterfall. Each time having to remove bolder after bolder out of the way - very heavy stuff and back breaking work. You see, we kept losing water and couldn't figure out why. Finally I did some serious research. The first three times we "fixed" the waterfall never did we realize the liner was key. We had used the liner for the actual pond section only. We had constructed the waterfall out of three flat pieces of flagstone built in a stair step fashion. We piled rocks all along the sides all the way down the waterfall. Each time we made sure the water was being directed onto the stone pieces and no water was splashing out. Well, I guess that wasn't right. Somehow, even though the flat rocks were pointed downwards and water was flowing into the pond, we were still losing water.

After seeing several pond layouts online, a really good site had all the waterfalls being constructed on top of the liner. Not a separate liner, but the same liner that the pond was built around. We remembered we had rolled the extra liner up when we built the pond. So when we removed all the bolders again and unrolled the liner, we had plenty of length left to place under our waterfall. We then proceeded to replace the bolders this time on top of the liner then rolling the extra liner up on the outsides of the bolders, and low and behold we have not lost any water!

Hopefully this will be the last time we have to build our waterfall....

Bully the Bullfrog

Look what I found when giving my backyard pond a facelift. Tucked inside a concrete block, I stuck my hand in and he slimed me. Since we apparently disturbed his habitat, we placed Bully behind a rock to make him feel like he was hidden. As we worked we kept an eye on him. Once the pond was finished my husband placed him on top of the waterfall where he promptly jumped into the pond. I'm not sure how a bullfrog makes it to town, but here's the proof. Looks like we have yet another pet!

How to Grow Lemon Balm

Growing the herb lemon balm is pretty simple. All you need is a large planter, a couple of lemon balm plants or a packet of seed, and Miracle grow potting mix. I picked this planter up at Walmart for about $25.00. (It's plastic but you can't tell it!) After a couple of seasons your efforts will look this this. I actually had some chives and a couple of other herbs planted, but as you can see the lemon balm won.

How to Choose the Best Perennial

And here it is:















This perennial is called a Gaillardia. The common name is Arizona Sun. I have been pleasantly surprised by it. We bought two from Lowe's last summer and they stayed green throughout the winter here and then promptly began blooming in April of this year. This year both plants are three times their purchase size. I'm thinking I need about 4 or 5 more to complete my front border. I really like this! I have not seen them at Lowe's so far this year. I'm going to keep checking back though and if I can't find them Burpee carries them online.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4917745_choose-perennials.html

How to Host a Crawfish Boil

Every year, or almost anyway, we have a crawfish boil at our house. Crawfish season runs from February to May each year. As long as there have been no hurricanes during crawfish season the mud bugs should be plentiful. We were unable to host a crawfish boil in 2008 due to the numerous weather patterns. Here is an article that will outline how to do this and also a link to another site that gives more detail on how to cook crawfish.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4871195_host-crawfish-boil-party.html