recovery Archives - Water Shapes

Back in Action

I'm finally at work again, more or less on a full-time basis - and grateful to report that things are going well: My lower back has stabilized and strengthened, I am mostly pain-free and, although I've been slowed by the four-week hiatus, I am back to my work and workout routines and

A Bumpy Road

Well, I've gone and done it again. It was Saturday, June 29, and I'd decided to throw an extra bit of sweat equity into our home-remodeling project by digging up and removing what had become a non-essential gate on one side of our house. It was an old, metal-framed assembly that

Nature’s Ways

When a pond's fish shift to spawning mode, all sorts of things start happening in a hurry -- in turn whipping new pond owners into a frenzy right alongside their fish. At these times, Mike Gannon counsels restraint and helps novices recognize and follow what's happening.

Breakout or Breakdown?

I'm freshly returned from the International Pool|Spa|Patio Expo, loaded with memories and impressions and ready to set my course for the year to come. I had the editorial conversations I needed to have, conferred with old friends and new acquaintances and met with multiple suppliers to

Floating islands were a novelty ten years ago, but now they're established, well-researched systems that have proved their value in fixing damaged ponds and lakes. It's all about restoring food webs, says Bruce Kania -- and learning to grow fish instead of mats of algae.

Transition Water

I live beside a lake on a property that also includes the headquarters for my business, Floating Island International (Shepherd, Mont.). The lake serves as our laboratory, and my near-constant proximity to it means that I've gotten to watch how the water has changed through the years. It's been an upward spiral: The water keeps getting clearer, cleaner and

Water’s Power

Designers and builders tend to think about water as a beneficial feature, an artistic medium, a resource for exercise and hydrotherapy and beauty and awe. You all experience that water at its contained, controlled best and know exactly how much joy and delight flow when people are in or around water as part of their daily lives. But this material, as has often been stated in

2016/10.1, October 5 — Distant Beauty, Pond Liner ABCs, Shotcrete’s Place and more

THE ESSENTIAL E-NEWSLETTER FOR WATERSHAPE DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND BUILDERS October 5, 2016 www.watershapes.com FEATURE ARTICLE…

Shaken Loose

Every time there's an earthquake in any populated place on the planet, my heart and thoughts go out to those who made it through the experience and to the families and friends of those who didn't. The recent deadly quake in Nepal is another in a long line of seismic events that trigger memories of my own experiences when the ground has started

2012/11.2, November 21 — Rippling Glass, Backyard Battles, Rainwater Harvesting and more

November 21, 2012 …

Stoking the Mojo

By now, most of us have noticed or at least heard news of the onset of a much- anticipated rebound in the economy. Most watershapers I speak with confirm that it’s true (although to widely varying degrees) and that they are indeed experiencing increases in business – both with new contacts and old leads that have come back into play. I write those words knowing that you may or may not be convinced that this is the real thing. After all, we’ve learned some tough lessons during this recession, not the least of which is to be wary when pundits offer predictions that they seem perfectly willing to adjust from week to week. At present, however, most of these economic gurus are