Build it and they will come

This past Spring we finally started construction on our backyard pond. It was completed by Memorial Day weekend and has really grown in nicely. All who visit the pond, including the creatures that now reside in the water and around its edges seem to really enjoy time spent here.

Soon after it was filled with water, massive numbers of dragon flies in at least seven different species began to appear flying over the pond each day.  This large one landed on my niece's hand several times before I snapped this photo.

Zoe showing no fear...

....as it lands on her again.

Olivia and Zoe hunting for frogs.

Olivia showing her prized green frog.

Luke captivated by the water trickling from the hand pump.

Mr. Green Jeans back on his rock.

We caught a dozen Sunnies at the township pond and dumped them into ours.



Within weeks that fish were spawning and had laid hundreds of eggs which quickly turned into fry.

Tadpoles were abundant throughout the summer, this was the second group laid by toads.

Here's a tadpole turned toad that just made its way onto land.

As the first summer comes to a close we're all looking forward to see what new surprises lay ahead.

Buried treasure

Who hasn't dreamed of finding a buried treasure at one time in their life?  I know I have!  Most of us think of antique coins or battle field relics when we think of treasure, but how many people would get a thrill from unearthing an old motorcycle.

Here's an old 45 cubic inch Harley

    

This appears to be an old WW2 cycle

Here's an old Indian motorcycle

Another old 1930's Harley

Some treasure can be found without much digging...

I love this old Harley "Panhead" chopper!

 This last motorcycle (shown below) is a late 1930's Harley. It was found and restored by a man and his son who live in Australia. I met the owner online after he bought one of my motorcycles on ebay.  He later sent me me photos showing the before and after condition... 

  ...when found it was in a sorry state to say the least...

It just goes to show you that one man's junk is another man's treasure!

Restored to original condition.

The tree that the apple fell from

  My Dad was an awesome guy. He had a love for all things mechanical which he passed down to me.

Big Joe showing who's boss in 1975

Army 1950

Here he is (center) working on a Jeep during the Korean War years.

                                                 

    After the Army, he married my Mom and went back to work at his old job as mechanic at Mickey's Alignment Service in West Philadelphia, near the old garage his father once owned years before.

                       

at his work bench while working at Mickey's

                                             

Dad and Mickey Sr.

                                                           

 After retiring from Mickey's and staying home for a few years, he returned back to work repairing construction equipment at the Masonry Company where I was also employed.

     

On the weekends he was a steady fixture at my house repairing my equipment.  Either on a Saturday, or Sunday morning after arriving and drinking a cup of coffee, we would make our way out to the shop where he would dive into the job of the day fixing anything that needed repair.

"every shop has to have a vice" he always said

                                                     

giving my lawn tractor some TLC

                                                   

checking the oil level on my Electra Glide

                                   

building a new picnic table

                                                         

Dad and Mom renewing their wedding vows in 2006

we sure do miss him!

                                                         

Close-ups

   Today was cold, but not too cold to roll the panhead out into the driveway and get some good pictures of it in the warm afternoon sun.  I thought I'd take something different for a change, rather than the old classic 'ten foot from the bike shot'.  Here's the results...

                                     

                             the dash panel housing that sits between the gas tanks

the famous HARLEY DAVIDSON tombstone tail light

                                                             

the bicycle style kicker pedal where it bolts up to the kicker arm

the 'waffle' style hand grip and logo

 Here's an array of color tones used on the same photo which was 

shot with the camera sitting on the ground, starting with the original color photo. 

                                                 
                                               ....and my personal favorite below...

...lastly, an Andy Warhol inspired poster of all color tones!