Loons Lost

 Such sad news - Gretchen Farnsworth just sent me a notice this afternoon, as follows:

Hi Jane,

I’m was glad to see both the article on wake boats and some response about the increased number of wake boats even just in our few years here. Along with shore line damage there is the danger they cause for our loons on the pond. We lost the chick at the corner of 2 & 15 very early on and when we were down that way people were racing around the loons in the middle pond and speeding through the no wake zones. In the last week we’ve lost our young chick on the main pond. I don’t know if this was the eagle, snapper or boat but some of the jet skis don’t seem to pay much attention to what is around them, lately many have kids riding them at top speed. I think Joe’s ponders need to decide what type of life style they would like to promote for our small pond. 

I know how many people feel about our loon chicks, and I'm very sorry none survived this year. There are apparently too many threats for them to safely reproduce here now. There are some things we can try to control, i.e., try to educate people about watching out for the loons when they are jet-skiing or water skiing, and ask that they give the birds plenty of space. We cannot do anything about natural predators such as large fish, hawks or eagles. It is very sad.

When we were on the pond watching the Sunfish race yesterday, we saw two eagles flying overhead and heard the loons protesting loudly when we were at the north end of the pond. We didn't see any actual contact between the loons and eagles, but the loons were certainly alarmed. Not a good combination.

Well, my porch is officially finished except for the screens. I had expected the screens
would be ready this week, but Randy told me today they told him "about two weeks" when he spoke with them last week. That's about two weeks later than the said when they measured for them. Oh, well. In the meantime, I am using the porch whenever I have a moment, watching Ben clear brush to start digging the pond. The barrier to keep earth, rocks and debris contained is in place, and the brush piles are growing. It will be interesting to watch, I'm sure, but I may not have many photos because the ground is pretty moist and it isn't very good walking. I'll see how it goes.

They put the handrails on the steps (top picture) and got the trim (middle photo) put in place on the inside. I will still have to stain and finish that, but that is no problem. Saturday I put together two of the chairs I have had waiting since the very beginning of the project. The first one took almost an hour and was cumbersome, but the second one, which was identical, went together in about 15 to 20 minutes. I have one more, a recliner, but I think I'll wait for Jamie to give me a hand with that one. It is difficult to line up screw holes unless there are two people, and I'm betting the recliner will be a lot more complex. Part of the problem I had with the first chair on Sunday was that I couldn't read the numbers on the diagrams easily. All the parts were well numbered and the diagrams would have been fine if the printing had been clearer. Part of it was probably my eyesight, but even with a magnifying glass it was hard to distinguish a 2 from a 4 or 3 because the print was very small and fuzzy. There were no actual written directions, so I had to go by the diagrams. I got it done - two black wicker rockers with coral cushions. The folding web type chair in the lower right corner of the photo is temporary, and I think the blue and white captains' chairs over in the corner may be put in reserve to use "as needed." I am going slowly in putting furniture out there as I don't want to defeat the purpose of the whole project and ruin the view and air circulation. I'll have to try a few possibilities, I guess. In the meantime, my plants love it out there, as do I!