By Susan Ellis of Keylifejourneys

When some future generation of geologists excavate in what is now my garden, they will scratch their heads and wonder what cataclysmic occurrence brought so many different types of rock to one place. The answer is simple. They were brought one rock at a time. They hold in their vibrating solidity the memory of many a wonderful holiday experienced by me and my friends

Awaiting use, they were piled in a corner of the patio. Some years they were balanced on top of each other for decoration. One year an inukshuk was made and an area of quartz was strewn with stones "pouring" out of a ceramic urn. But this area was waiting for the great transformation.

What would be my next great project? Over some years I began cogitating and hoarding rocks. Finally I was ready, my research done and my plans made. I started digging. My creation would be a pondless waterfall. During the fall of 2007 I removed perennials and started digging the trench and hole for the underground reservoir.

In the spring of 2008 the construction began. I had bought all the parts individually. There was no kit; there were no instructions from an expert. I would use what I thought I needed and work out the kinks as I went along. Having accepted so much help from friends in the collection of rocks I decided the making of the waterfall would be the work of my hands alone

The first version was flowing in time for my annual Canada Day BBQ on July 1st and all summer the tinkling of water and movement gave me and the local visiting birds much joy.

I continued to ponder. Plans are afoot for next year's incarnation. Oh the river bed part and the reservoir are fine. I will reconstruct the falls and plant ivy and climbing vines around the beehive of bricks at its back and sides. I like that idea. I can see in my imagination the water spraying out from a jungle of green next year. Will Tarzan come calling? I think not…