I ordered the liner from a distributor for Anjon. Shipping from St. Louis was the appeal and the price was right. While waiting for the liner, I appealed to the local carpet shop for permission to raid their dumpster. Within days, I had plenty of carpet liner, an ideal liner underlayer. I was ready for the liner to arrive, which it did in a few days.

With the help of an able bodied friend, the liner was placed in three pieces and the first filling begun. That liner is hot, even in the early summer sun. I have a burn on my arm to prove it! Wear long sleeve shirts if you can stand it while laying your liner.

All went smoothly. Little did I know that this step would bite me in the ass later.

When everything was well along the way, i.e., rock beds laid and liner disguised, I discovered a mysterious leak at the sharp bend in the stream bed. I spent several days disassembling and rearranging until I discovered the two stray pleats that were allowing water to escape. GRRR. Spend plenty of time testing the stream before rushing into rock placement.

I also had a hell of a time leveling the pond edges. I admit I was in a hurry. Seeing that liner in place and seeing the water put me into a ponding frenzy. I used logs to create the final edging support because I had them from some tree cutting I did to create some open sunny time in the afternoon. But logs aren’t uniform...

I knew that the margins were going to be an issue at the beginning because I wanted to construct a rock face cliff from concrete. I knew there was going to be a big reveal on the high side of the lower pond. I wanted to achieve that limestone stripper pit look characteristic of many naturally occuring  ponds in this area.

I did have a problem trying to decide what kind of margin to create for the rest of the lower pond. Did I want an entirely natural look or make a transition to a limestone flat capstone look or......

6/26/01: Well, I decided on the natural look. Using tubes of sand as a stable base over which to lay the liner and upon which to lay weathered fieldstone, the perimeter of the lower pond is shaping up.

The point is that even with a plan, the reality of the situation is only revealed as you actually do the work. That is part of the fun of creation - seat of the pants decisions based on solid general principles. The late Bob Ross, the well known TV artist, used to call these kinds of good results “Happy accidents”.