To every thing, there is a season.

The smaller of my two stock tank ponds blew a leak. It was midway up the sidewall, so I was able to rescue the two big comet goldfish before I started tearing it down.

The little mosquito fish also was found and rescued, but not before the water was stirred up with lots o'muck. He was looking pretty gill stressed when I got him out. These are the fish that will bury themselves in the bottom duff to escape predation, so for him to let me scoop him up, he was pretty done in. We'll see if he makes it. No bets.

The water lily that threw flower after flower the entire summer last year was not in any pot, it was living in the bottom debris and quite happy down there. I hope I didn't break any essential roots when I pulled it out, because that plant has made me quite happy. Hate to repay that with negligence!

Kind of bumming that of the two ponds, this was the one with crystal clear water and perfectly healthy fish. Absolutely successful ecosystem. Dang it.