Double B Ranch - September to December 2024

HEY!
My brother said 'come on over! We will drink a few beers,shoot a few doves...'.

WooHooo!!!

...it's all good, until..

H
Hello Mr Game Warden!
Neither Bill or I had the proper hunting license.

OK - this is the start of pond version 2.0.
Pond version 1.0 was my first attempt at remote water. It was a leaky stock tank that I never got around to burying the pipe.
A hard freeze took care of that (and a waste of pipe...grrrr).
My idea with pond version 2.0 is to use the natural low spot at the 'Cobb draw'

This area floods in a hard rain, so I had to secure the float valve and protect it in some way.
That concrete L is anchored to the bedrock with rebar

Let's fill it up!!

This is Jerry Birdwell. He's a Geologist/Archeologist, and contacted me about doing a test excavation for Native American artifacts.
There's a spot on my property where I've found several arrowheads and lots of flint chips everywhere

They were great guys and I learned a lot about the native people who lived in this area for 1,000's of years.

Unfortunately, they didn't find enough to warrant a full scale excavation, so it was just a one day visit.

No, I did not find this on my property.
Jerry was kind enough to give it to me

I'm still trying to fill up this spot

But in the meantime, it's such a beautiful day....

Yeah, I think I'll take a break.

...still filling...

Most of this area is bedrock, so I'm hopeful it will hold water

Looking downstream

Unless I'm at a happy hour somewhere, I'm usually in the blind when the feeder goes off.

Already some signs of life around pond version 2.0

A beautiful 8 point buck

OK - if everything works - I'd be happy with this much water
However....there was a problem.
Too much water was seeping back into the earth.

My well pump runs on a pressure valve. When the line pressure drops, the pump kicks on.
With all that water seepage, my well pump would kick on about every 90 seconds and run for 10 seconds.
I did the math, and ....we can't have that.
So I put in a timer so the pump would only run about 12 hours in a 24 hour period.
...but still...

Meanwhile, let's enjoy some nature

This is the view from my newest blind. See the feeder down there?

Hey - some turkey in the yard!

CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO OF THE TURKEYS IN THE YARD

The smallest arrowhead I've found...or it was one at some point

Pond version 2.0 is a failure. I can't have my well pump running so much
Welcome to pond version 3.0
I am going to dig a hole, and use a heavy duty pond liner.

OK, we have a hole

And I have a very beautiful helper this weekend!!

Jacqui and I cleared the hole of any rocks or roots that might puncture the liner.
We put down the underlayment (a thick fabric) and then the pond liner

Well, ok. Let's tap into the water line we ran for pond 2.0 and start filling up version 3.0

Here we go...

Once it was full, and I knew where the water line would be, I started putting rocks along the perimeter.

I want it to 'look natural' - or at least as much as possible.

Until I could finish the perimeter, we put temporary rocks there to hold and protect the liner.

Still a lot of work to do....

I love having the help - but we need more rocks

I haven't used my hydraulic crane attachment in a while

Yep, that's how some of the larger rocks got moved.

And I tried my best to bury and protect the water pipe and float valve

Making progress, and moving more rocks

I tried to make a 'beach entry' with these rocks.

Took a break from moving rocks and spent some time in the blind. Got this nasty guy (and it wasn't a bad shot - that's the exit wound)

If I'm going to all this trouble to make a natural looking pond, I might was well have a waterfall

So I got a neat water pump that runs off solar panels

CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO OF THE WATERFALL UNDER CONSTRUCTION

I came across this while looking for rocks...
I don't think it is, but it sure looks like a fossilized dinosaur footprint

More progress.....but it's a lot of work to get each perimeter rock positioned just right.
It takes some dirt work, and I'd occasionally use the backhoe

...I could do something like this perhaps

Hey Wes!!

He came up one weekend and ...we didn't get much accomplished....which was fun

Now THIS is how you move big rocks

I have an idea for the waterfall

My tractor struggled a bit with this big guy

But I managed to get it where I wanted

There is a certain time during fall when some of the trees change color.
Here's a few pictures where I try to capture some of that beauty

CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO FROM THE COBB PASTURE OF THE TREES

OK, enough wandering around and looking at trees - let's finish this waterfall

CLICK HERE TO SEE ANOTHER VIDEO OF THE WATERFALL STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION

You get the idea....I work some...I relax some.

CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO OF A CUTE LITTLE ARMADILLO

Austin joined me - and we finally got out the bow and arrows

No, we are not shooting my truck - see the hay bails?

Austin's a natural.

It's getting there...

Lauren, Austin and Trey joined Jacqui and I between Christmas and New years

Hi Jacqui~!

Done!
I still have to clean up and finish the perimeter, but at least the waterfall is done.

CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO OF THE FINISHED WATERFALL