The Saga of the Pool Cover
I finally got the cover on the pool a few weeks ago. The weather had been working against me for some time. Either it would be rainy (and I didn't want to wrestle the cover in the rain) or it would be windy (and I didn't want to wrestle the cover in the wind). Then the trees would dump a bunch of leaves into the pool and I'd have to spend the rare nice weather day frantically cleaning out the leaves in hopes of having sufficient time to get the cover on. Finally I got ahead of the leaves and got the cover out. I dragged it still rolled up across the lawn and commenced unfolding it.
That's when I noticed the holes. It became apparent that some time in the past six months a rodent family had taken up residence in the cover and did so by chewing its way through several layers of pool cover eggroll. I even found a nest of dried grasses and chewed up pool cover bits, which I tossed onto the lawn.
Apparently the rodent family was still in residence. Mommy Mouse has three babies in tow (securely latched onto nipples). In her search to find a way off the cover, she ditched one of the babies. I managed to scoop him off the cover with the leaf skimmer. He was young enough his eyes weren't even open. By this point, Mommy Mouse was on the edge of the pool, trying to climb down the outside of the cover. This is a great idea, but the cover ends about 2 feet above the ground. I was able to sort of catch her on the way down with the leaf skimmer, but then the other two babies fell off. I tried to use the leaf skimmer to re-direct Mommy Mouse back to the babies, but she was far too panicky for that to work. I ended up gathering up the babies in the spot where the dropped the last two, tucked them under the nesting material and hoped for the best.
The next morning, when I went out to remove the siphon hose from the pool, the babies were gone, but the nest hadn't been disturbed, so perhaps Mommy Mouse came back for them after all. I took the nest and put it back into a corner of the garden shed (where the pool cover had been stored). With any luck, Mommy Mouse and her babies found themselves a new safe nesting location.
Speaking of critters....it would appear that the Rose of Sharon seed pods are a great place to hang out if you're a bug.
Fall Colors
The leaves are spectacular this year. Although the sun brings out the fire in the leaves, I think the rain brings out the intensity and depth of color.
That's when I noticed the holes. It became apparent that some time in the past six months a rodent family had taken up residence in the cover and did so by chewing its way through several layers of pool cover eggroll. I even found a nest of dried grasses and chewed up pool cover bits, which I tossed onto the lawn.
I fairly quickly got the pool cover unfolded into a half-moon shape and started dragging the fold up the side of the pool. Once the mid-way fold is onto the pool, I essentially float the cover most of the way on, then unfold the top half the rest of the way. The whole process is not unlike putting the top crust onto a pie. I got the cover installed and that's when I noticed things weren't quite right.
The next morning, when I went out to remove the siphon hose from the pool, the babies were gone, but the nest hadn't been disturbed, so perhaps Mommy Mouse came back for them after all. I took the nest and put it back into a corner of the garden shed (where the pool cover had been stored). With any luck, Mommy Mouse and her babies found themselves a new safe nesting location.
Speaking of critters....it would appear that the Rose of Sharon seed pods are a great place to hang out if you're a bug.
Fall Colors
The leaves are spectacular this year. Although the sun brings out the fire in the leaves, I think the rain brings out the intensity and depth of color.
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