The Little Pond is where the Beast and her minions live. Often, man-made water features require maintenance and chemicals to keep the water clear. Not mine. Here the water is naturally filtered through four feet of gravel at the back of the big rock, which is then pumped up through the hole in the boulder and pours into the koi’s pool. When it was installed, I was told to fill the gravel area with water plants, as that would mimic a natural wetland’s cleansing system.
I put in a number of plants, many of which died, and a few, for some unknown reason to me, but that made much sense to Lily Dog, required removing. She pulled them out and shredded them. However, Lily left the water celery alone and it took off. Koi eat it, so the fish’s area stays clear, but by mid-summer the roots become too tangled and the foliage too thick, and it actually traps sediment instead of removing it. Over the years I’ve pulled it up, but the water celery comes back stronger and fuller.
This year I have a new tactic. It’s not only the Beast that likes to eat it.
I’ve been taking the goats over to the pond and letting them graze.
The boys are knee-deep in goat heaven.
They don’t know they’re working. Let’s not tell them.
Love the goat equivalent of a milk moustache!
That “mustache” is pine sap coated with dirt. They’ve been stripping the bark from a pine sapling and it’s a messy business.
Go “Green” boys!
The ultimate recyclers.
happy goats!!
It’s never a bad day if you’re a goat.
I love your labor force!
I’m just the underling Goat Maid.
It’s a win-win-win for you, the boys and the Beast!
Yes :)
Is that against “kids” labor laws?
Hah!
It’s so great to see the Goat Boys hard at work, though it appears that anything to do with eating is NOT work to them! I’m so sorry Terry, I’m still having trouble with the ‘gentlemen’ word.
That sign is definitely a case of “don’t believe everything you read.” They’re still “boys” to me, too.
I didn’t realize you had a pond too! You have all the “coolest” stuff… lucky chickens, lucky goats, and lucky you!
I agree. Very lucky.
Your secret is safe with us! Great goats.
I’m sure you’ll be hearing from their agent soon.
Haha. What a great idea! Wish I had some goats to take care of my unwanted plants..
I have some out-of-control invasive garlic mustard. Do you rent out your “boys”? Then again, I wouldn’t want them to bring any seeds home in their hoofs. I love their boyish grins :)
Goats eating water celery? Sounds like a good, gentlemanly activity to me. Genteel enough that it doesn’t strike them they are doing actual work. Hah!
I love it!
I’ll bet their breath is very fresh!!