I am looking forward to April. Not just because it might have stopped raining and warmed up a bit by then, but because I have a feeling we have come to the notice of the water deities through our research for the weekend workshop… and I am getting fed up with being a plumber and dealing with aquatic mishaps.
It has all been about water lately, from pond, hot tub and aquarium, to broken bathrooms, leaking sheds and a washing machine that cheerfully floods my kitchen yet again whenever I attempt to repair it. And that is without the saturated lawn that has developed a pond of its own and squelches underfoot, or the flooded roads and fields.
And then, this morning, when a pale and watery sun hovered indecisively in the sky, I arrived at my son’s home to find him, dressing-gown clad, watching the pond…
“I’ve just witnessed a miracle…” I thought he was joking, but, looking at his expression, it appeared not. He had opened his bedroom blinds forty-five minutes earlier, only to see a dead fish on the side of the pond. It was one of the big goldfish and, given how low the surface of the water is compared to the path where it lay, it hadn’t got there by itself. Bird droppings big enough for a pterodactyl gave the culprit away… the heron had called.
The old pond was almost impossible for the herons to get at, but the new layout, while much more accessible, we hoped would still prove too difficult for the great birds to use as a sushi bar. Apparently not. The heron had probably been scared away by the opening of the electric blinds, but too late to save the poor fish that lay in a pool of blood and scattered scales.
Even so, my son went out to see if there was any hope. It takes him a while though so held little hope himself… what would take most people seconds, takes many minutes for Nick and fish do not do well out of water… and there was no way of being sure how long it had lain there.
By the time Nick made it out to the pond, the fish lay still, not even a flicker of the gills to offer a sign of life. There was no point returning it to the pond… it was way too late for that. He sat by the fish to wait for my arrival to dispose of the corpse.
Forty-five minutes after he had first caught sight of the fish through the window, as I pulled into Nick’s street… the dead fish began to flap about on the path. As quickly as he could, Nick scooped up the erstwhile corpse and returned it to the water. By the time I let myself into the garden, it was swimming normally and you would never have known there had been a problem apart from the blood and scales it had left behind. No wonder Nick was looking gobsmacked!
While that was indeed cause for celebration, it would appear that two of the babies Nick has been nurturing had provided the heron with a first course… Though we still live in hopes that they are hiding in the weeds, they were such friendly and curious creatures, used to anything approaching the pond being a source of food rather than the other way around…
So, I spent all morning on fish watch and erecting a makeshift heron fence around the pond. Then walked the dog in the rain and saw the muddy pawprints pooling on my nice, clean floor once again…
Seriously, I may have to write about some of the ancient springs around here, just to get the undines off my back. It is either that or roll on April…
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
I’m glad about the revived fish, Sue, and sad about the other two. And mud on a clean floor.
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The mud seems to be a permanent feature this winter, Audrey.
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It’s either too wet or too dry these days. Or at least that’s how it seems.
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Yes… though my lawn would be happier with something in between 😉
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Sue, I’ve got goosebumps reading about Nick’s fish coming back to life! 😀 I hope the baby ones are still hiding safely. You both sound so close which is always special. I’m with you for April and Spring can’t come soon enough! Our lawn is slowly becoming a water meadow … maybe we should let it be just so! Hope your water problems sort! Take care! Xx
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Thanks, Annika. One of the babies we thought was lost poked its head out of the weeds today… so it is not quite as bad as we thought. With all the water around, though, I hope the heron decides to fish elsewhere…
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What an amazing story. Sorry you are still so water-logged. It’s drying up here and we had a frosty sparkling morning. I’m trying not to think we might have turned a corner – that would be tempting fate.
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Yet more cold and rain here today… but spring is happening regardless.
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Ancient Chinese curse: “May you live in interesting time.” Curse be damned! I’ll take interesting with the miracles!
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So will I … I’ve had enough of the other kind 😉
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Hmmm ….I have been getting into the Slavic goddess Živa over here – she is the ‘waters of life’. Just sayin’ Hope things get better for you …
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The rain is what makes our land so green… but I just wish the waters of life need not fall from the heavens quite so much 😉
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So pleased about the fish, shame about the rest though.
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Apparently, in cool conditions and with even a small puddle of water, a goldfish can survive out of the pond for up to three hours… we will know now.
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Nature is so wonderful. Like frogs playing possum.
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She always has the odd miracle up her sleeve 😉
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Glad about the revived fish, but sorry about the two baby fish.
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Only one of the baby fish, it seems, the other came out of the weeds today.
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Herons can lay waste a pond in no time. How nice that your arrival can trigger a miracle! 🙂
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I’m taking no credit for that one 😉 But I’m glad it as no worse.
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What a clever fish – playing possum! 😀 … rain, rain, and more rain here too … bugger ‘interesting times, I say! …. grrrrrr.
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A couple of days on and he seems no worse for the experience. 🙂
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Reblogged this on Loleta Abi Author & Book Blogger and commented:
Oh, wonderful, Sue!
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Thanks, for sharing, Traci. There’s an update on the heron’s visit today. 🙂
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I’ll check it out!
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🙂
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Roll on April. As for the fish what an amazing recovery💜
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It got even better 🙂
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Wow! That is amazing! On the other hand, I’m sorry to hear about your water woes. Love and hugs, my friend.
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I seem to be getting through them… or I hope so 😉
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