Dry, then very wet

It's hard to believe that the pond out behind our back gate was completely dry by the end of August. I hadn't ever seen it dry in the 20 years since we first saw the place. Now, less than three months later, it is completely full. That's how much rain we've had. The pond is fed by runoff from the vineyard. When it overflows, the water runs down a tractor path behind our back hedge. It often overflows in winter. The pond is home to frogs, toads, and fish.

The pond is also home to one invasive aquatic plant, which is called jussie in French and was brought here from South America. It grows in the nearby river Cher, and was introduced into the pond in 2006 when, during a dry spell, water was brought up from the river to refill the pond. It's also home to more and more reeds (Eng. bulrushes, Am. cattails, Fr. massette), which are wetland plants.

Above is a photo of the pond that I took on June 13, 2003, just a week after we had moved into the house we still live in now. Below is a photo of the pond at sunset that I took on November 13, 2012 — almost exactly 10 years ago.