Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Water!


Outlanders are always surprised at how much surface water we have, despite the statistical facts of our definite aridity. After all, I live in the heart of the "Great American Desert" as it was known to the over-excitable 19th century pilgrims who couldn't wait to be somewhere else.

We have little lakes everywhere. Thousands of them. Unfortunately many of them are alkali ponds and no good for anything but avoidance. But we also have plenty of sweet water ponds and lakes, scattered all over the place. In early spring and late fall they are covered with migratory waterfowl.

This one is on one of the ranches where I hunt deer.

3 comments:

Miz Minka said...

With all those lovely ponds for breeding, just how bad are the mosquitos in your neck of the woods? Do the mosquitos stay away from the alkaline ponds?

Anonymous said...

I like ponds. If you fly over North Georgia in a light aircraft you'll see hundreds of ponds scattered everywhere.

Rio Arriba said...

Miz M., Sometimes they can be pretty bad. There is a small wetland that comes and goes just east of my place and on a still summer night they can be pests. Mostly, though, we have enough steady breeze to keep them away.