Cleaning the pond....

I spent a bit of this afternoon trying to clear the pond of the growth that  spread across almost half of the surface.  

We have  cleaned  it at least once since it was dug about 25 years ago, but not recently and the amount of growth - and the carpet of root and soil in which it is embedded - is somewhat daunting.   It is going to take more than a couple of attempts at the edges, what is what has happened so far.

The task reminded me that I had photographs of the work being done to put it in place (in around 2001 I think)  and I have chosen one of Cathleen, Cailean and his friends to contrast with another taken from virtually the same spot today.  

Of  course the last time I tried to clear out some of the lilies, I fell in , so I am being a bit more cautious now. .