May is here and I’ve been swimming outside since March, admittedly in some pretty cold water (60o and up). When it was too cold to do laps, I just netted detritus from the top and cleaned out our bottom-cleaning robot. As the water has warmed (it’s a glorious 70onow), life has returned to its waters.
So far this month, I’ve removed three dead voles and a dead rat stuck in the robot (yuck factor there), several frogs, a juvenile snake, and the usual assortment of spiders. I’ve also netted a goodly number of frog eggs.
Our pool area when the weeping cherry is in bloom.
I am always accompanied to the pool area by my two 
faithful companions, Elijah Moon and Angel, in case you were wondering. Angel walks around on the pool deck, guarding it for me, while Elijah sprawls upside down on the warm pavement with his legs stretched out. Hedonist.
Yesterday, while skimming off the pool, I put my hand into the water and was stung by a bee floating by. I pulled out the stinger, but today my index finger looks like a sausage. I’ve got to be a little more aware of what’s floating by, I guess.
Today while doing laps, I came across two things that told me summer was coming: pink feathers from cardinals, who like to bathe in the water when it’s warm enough, and a water strider.
I have a space in my heart for these little fellows. In order to make money when I was an undergraduate, I took a job feeding water striders kept in a large tank in the basement of Clapp Laboratory at Mount Holyoke College. Three times a week, I’d head down into dark and damp to dump containers of fruit flies on the surface of the tank water.
The Gerridae are a family of insects in the order Hemiptera which includes water striders, water bugs, pond skaters, water skippers, or jesus bugs. Gerrids have the unique ability to walk on water because they are anatomically built to transfer their weight to be able to run on top of the water’s surface.
They are aquatic predators and feed on invertebrates, mainly spiders and insects that fall onto the water surface. So our outside pool is a gourmand’s dinner table for them – it has small flies, ants and spiders in abundance. Last year’s water strider grew to an enormous size before disappearing. Perhaps it was eaten by a large spider, since these also can walk on water for short distances.
Every day is a chance for a new discovery while I’m swimming. Bring on summer.
A lovely post! Your garden looks wonderful
Thanks, Terry. It looks like this for about 2 weeks each year and after the “pink snow” of petals from that tree, we spend a long time cleaning all of it out of the pool!
fascinating; our pond is beginning to buzz, with three newts spotted and the water boatmen, like your striders I suppose out in force. Glad to say ours is just for the creatures with me having no intention of getting into it! Brave woman
The pool is gorgeous, despite the critters – it’s fairly large so I can spot them pretty easily.
Yes, always best to avoid too much interaction!
Great Scott! Who needs a zoo when such animals are in ones pool? Who needs to see a magician when such magic is in ones own backyard!
Thanks for seeing the magic in it, Bruce! I do love the beetles and the stick insects I find in the pool – they get removed carefully.
While reading your post , I always feel refreshed. Keep it up. Superb selection of words. You created picture infront of eyes
Thank you my friend!
Welcome ! I would love to know your comments on my blog too !
I never knew pools were such havens for wildlife! And you’re so comfortable with sharing the water. I think you’re right that summer is on the way. 🙂
I try to honor all forms of life, Diana. Even when they sting me!
A graceful and respectful approach to life, Noelle 🙂
Noelle, I want that picture of the pink tree in bloom. I want to paint your beautiful backyard.
I’m jealous! Although I do have a very nice large toad who climbs around the edge of my patio. He doesn’t seem to be making enough of a meal of the slugs and snails there, though.
I fished another BIG frog out of the pool yesterday – poor thing was cold (it’s been in the 60s here) and was sitting on a loop of our bottom cleaning robot. He didn’t even complain when I picked him up!
Ah, the best pool is one that serves up a variety of “wild life”; for appreciating such — Nature’s offerings — is when we know we are truly alive!
Thanks for stopping by! I love my pool for what it offers everyday – today it was more than a few spiders and one frog. Never a dull swim!
Oh dear, any dreams I might have had about having my own pool have just gone hehe. I love swimming it must be wonderful 😊.
I never thought we’d have our own pool, but the weather here in NC is generally warm to hot for eight months of the year and packing up to drive to a pool somewhere got old quickly. This way I have a place to exercise every day most of the time, and we kept our kids at home because their friends would come here! When you finally settle, you could consider getting just a lap pool – small and not so expensive and sometimes they can even be indoors!