Water Lily

This is our third summer in this house, the first water lily photos I posted here were from Jan 2011. 

I had always thought we had one pond that homed yellow water lily's and another that homed Pink I was stunned to see this beautiful fancy flower pop up in amongst the yellow this week.

This one is a much more elaborate and ornate flower than the other two and there is another bud surfacing too. :)

* edit * I later found out that this is called a Monet Lily

Fish in frozen Ponds

On frozen mornings I am sometimes able to see glimpses of the larger fish who sit on the bottom and hide themselves in the plant life down below the layer of ice, waiting for the sun to work its magic.

In the second pond the plants sit in suspended animation poking through a sheet of ice, the top section thawing and showing gem like dew drops hanging from them.

While the bulk of the plant sits serenely below the surface viewed as if behind glass, untouchable and still.

There is so much wonder in a frosty morning if you can brave the chill for a little while. x

Water Spiders

Sorry I didn't come back with more berry posts. The pace of life has picked up around here and I am barely blogging on either of my blogs. :)

These pond Spiders are amazing the skate across the water with such speed and agility grabbing unsuspecting insects at the water before they even realise what is happening.

we also have baby Goldfish swimming around in there which intrigue me!

Pond reflection

Pond Flowers

Water Lillies

All of these photos taken on different days, at different times from different angles too.

The flowers close up at night.

See the rock on the Lily pad? An experiment by my son who was at first astounded and is now blasé about it as it has been there for well over a week through rain and shine.

Frost!

Yesterday we had a big frost. I posted some pictures on my other blog.

As I walked around the frozen ponds checking if the fish were Ok and looking for the best angle, I looked down to see these amazing ice formations! I couldn't see them unless I stood directly over them, hence the reflection of me and my camera in these images.

These formations really make me catch my breath and think about how amazing mother nature is! I'm thankful she showed me something so beautiful and intricate on a cold and frosty morning!

Introducing ...

Big Orange one and Big Orange two. These are the original inhabitants of the algae pond. They now also share their abode with Large white and little red.

After the rain

the fish swim closer to the surface

The emerging bulbs seem to stand taller and straighter

and rain drops cling like accumulated glistening jewels.

Fish

Just two of the Many elusive hard to Photograph Fish.

Dragonflies

he was of the most brilliant Blue, I couldn't get behind him in the morning to try and capture it

This Red one stopped by the Algae pond in the afternoon.

and the blue one came back too though I didn't really capture the colour.

In the Water

the first pink Water Lily I have seen here :)

We have a procession of Yellow constantly on display.