My gardening year just keeps getting more and more interesting...
So I show up at one of my customer's houses yesterday and begin my usual work at her place. I walk around the property and began weeding in various beds. Then I walked over to her pond (it's a large 10,000 gallon pond with one very large waterfall and one small waterfall)... I began working at removing the GREAT abundance of parrots feather (a pond plant) that is in the pond this year. I looked up at the large waterfall and it was barely going... so I walked over to the skimmer (where the pump is housed at the edge of the pond, which supplies water for the waterfall) and removed the lid... LUCKILY by using the hoe that I was holding in my hand.
As I lifted the top of the skimmer off two muskrats were staring up at me!! I jumped back and let out a little yell... I've never seen an animal other than the fish in or near the pond. I quickly called the owner and she came out with her father-in-law. By the time they got out there the muskrats had slipped into the water of the skimmer. I wasn't sure how long they could hold their breath, but I knew they had to come back up at some point. I started sticking my hoe into the water of the skimmer and one came out and slithered away... then a few minutes later the other one jumped out.
It took awhile to get the skimmer cleaned out... they had chewed down most of the reed grass that was growing in the pond and stuffed it into the skimmer for their nest. After I got it cleaned out and the pump going again... wouldn't you know it... one of the little stinkers started to swim back into the skimmer thru the water hatch. I slammed my hoe down into the water nearly killing supper (JUST KIDDING!!!). I stood in disgust wondering HOW I'm going to keep these little rascals from making a new nest. I can't put the catch net back into the skimmer (it's what catches anything larger that might float into the skimmer) because the "rats" had chewed a dozen holes in it. I'll have to order a new one.
I turn and figured I better check the skimmer for the small waterfall, just in case. As I slip the lid off of it... THERE THEY ARE!!! And they scurry away into the pond again. And like the other net, full of holes. But, at least there is no nest in this skimmer (or at least there isn't one YET!!).
While the homeowner and I are there talking I realize the lotus plants (a 10'x8' area full of water plants that have a beautiful flower on very tall stems with large round leaves) look as if a large gust of wind came thru the middle of them.... Usually at this time of year they are full and thick, the leaves and flowers standing 4'-6' out of the water. But, now there was a 4-5' wide section completely laying on the top of the water. MUSKRATS!!!!!! They had destroyed the lotus plants!!
And then of course I visit my customer today that has had the mole and vole problems this year and now the MOLES are back... brand new trails leading everywhere. So I'm on the phone getting someone over first thing in the morning to set traps... it's never ending!!!!
I think the animal world is getting back with me because of the whole raccoon thing last fall...
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