A Fountain At My Oasis

"But I don't mind / as long as there's a bed beneath the stars that shine / I'll be fine." -Oasis

This is a summer for staying home. I'm committed to doing my part to stop Covid in its tracks, and deeply grateful to our worldwide scientific community for sending us such a simple and clear message about what helps. 

Stay home as much as possible.

When you must go out, keep six feet away and wear a mask.

In this spirit, I've come to see my home and my yard as my bubble, my sweet spot of safety and satisfaction. My oasis, if you will.

And I've recently had a revelation.

A proper oasis needs a fountain.

So here's what I did.

I ordered a solar fountain, a set of rubber stoppers, and a big ceramic pot.

Waiting for everything to arrive was the hardest part of the job.  

When that blessed day finally came, I approached my task with the anticipation of a thirsty camel smelling water in the air. 

I put the pot in a sunny spot, tucked a rubber stopper into the drainage hole to, um, prevent drainage, and filled my soon-to-be-fountain with fresh, cool water. 

As the hose did its job, I took the solar fountain out of its box, clicked the nozzle into place, and turned it on. 

When the water filled, I set the fountain into the water and whoosh! 

A gentle spray rose up from the surface, glinted in the sunshine, and fell back in tinkling drops, soft and soothing as a Saharan sunset. 

Here, see for yourself:

Now, I'll be honest. The jet on this solar-powered baby is not exactly Niagara Falls-worthy. What I hear, when I relax nearby, is a gentle trickle, rather than a resounding burble or a significant splash.  And I know that to really get the powerful stream needed for full auditory enjoyment, I could hire an electrician to hard wire a proper fountain into place. 

But I don't mind. 

For a small investment and a minimum of fuss, I'm now enjoying the sweet music of water at my own private oasis, and as long as there's a safe place for me here at home, I'll be fine. 

P.S. The musical fountain at my private oasis reminded me of this band and this song, 

and I hope it puts a smile on your face as it did mine.