Flying into Concrete

Concrete, Washington, that is. Recently, our good friend David came to visit us in Bellingham. Looking at his charts, he found a small airport with an unusual name, Concrete. Unfortunately, when David arrived, so did a weather system, so he and Wayne never got to fly into Concrete.


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Yesterday, Mom and I "flew" to Concrete in Bertha (her Buick). From Bellingham, we headed south on I-5 to Highway 20 at Burlington. The North Cascades Highway first takes you through Sedro Wooley and then winds along the wide Skagit River.

The name evolved from Minnehaha in 1888, to Baker in 1890, to Cement City and finally the city was incorporated as Concrete in 1909. The name pays homage to the large deposits of limestone and clay that were and are sought after by cement companies.










The Concrete Heritage Museum preserves the history of this unique region. They even provide guided tours in the Sockeye Express on Saturdays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Saturday is market day in Concrete. Follow the signs to the Senior Center and you will find a variety of booths selling crafts, woodwork, plants and other locally produced items. They even have a wandering fiddler for your entertainment.

Concrete is the regional center for education. A unique new high school literally bridges Superior Road. The old abandoned high school overlooks playing fields that now form a city park. It must have been the center for community activities in its heyday.

Of course, you can fly into the Concrete Airport. The 2600 foot runway is in excellent condition. Because it's located between hills in a river valley be cautious of weather and wind conditions. Parking is primarily on the grass. Walk about a half mile and you are at the city center. Each July there's a fly-in (camping encouraged) in conjunction with the Cement City Street Fair. This year the dates are July 24-26.

To make our trip a circle route, we backtracked to Highway 9 in Sedro Wooley. You drive past rural homes on large lots to Park Road just past Wickersham. This road skirts Whatcom Lake all the way back to Bellingham.

So if you are looking for a quick weekend adventure, fly (or drive) into Concrete. And I assure you, it won't hurt. - Margy

Sunflower Seastar

The cold, clear waters of Desolation Sound are home to many types of starfish. On a recent trip to Lund I found this Sunflower Seastar right in the harbour.

Sunflower Seastars have from 15-26 arms (rays) and can grow up to 1 metre (3 feet) in diameter. They are predators of the ocean floor of the intertidal and subtidal zones and eat sea urchins, clams, snails, abalone, sea cucumbers and other sea stars. With over 15,000 tube feet they can "scoot" along at about one metre per minute. If attacked, they can shed arms to get away. Regeneration takes just a few weeks. Now that's a neat trick! - Margy

The Wall

We live in a place called Hole in the Wall. In fact, we live next to the Wall itself.

It's a large granite monolith that was scoured and shaped by ice-age glaciers 10,000 years ago.

On warm spring days I love to lie on my cabin deck and gaze up the Wall to the sky above.

Thanks for gazing up at my wall! -- Margy

The Story of Scotch Broom

Each May, Scotch Broom is in full bloom here in Powell River and all along the Sunshine Coast. Most of the year it's a nondescript evergreen, but each spring it stands out in all of its magnificent yellow glory. But Broom also has a darker side. A little research led us to an interesting, if not scary, story.

Scotch Broom is a non-native invasive perennial shrub that has taken hold in many places in the US and western Canada as far north as the Queen Charlotte Islands. It was first introduced in the US as an ornamental plant in the 1800s and in Victoria, BC, in 1850. It has spread an amazing distance in a relative short period of time. It is categorized in many places as a noxious weed and efforts at eradication are taken to protect native plants, re-foresting efforts and animal habitats.

The Latin name for Scotch Broom is Cytisus scoparius. It was introduced from Europe where it was used in the “olden days” for thatching and brooms, hence the common name. The seeds that develop from the pea-like yellow flowers are prolific and grow vigorously. The plants are adaptable to many soil types. You will find it in road and logging cuts where the plants thrive in the direct sunlight. Current uses are minimal beyond ornamental value (the yellow flowers are beautiful).

In Bellingham there is a unique approach for the control of Scotch Broom. They have a Weed Wrench that can be borrowed for free by calling the Whatcom County Noxious Weed Control Board at (360) 715-7470. That must be some tool to pull out a plant than can reach 10 metres high! -- Margy

Pale Tiger Swallowtail

On Monday, I went out to see how my potatoes in a barrel were doing. I buried the green sprouts a week ago and wanted to see how many had resurfaced. Right there is the barrel was the most beautiful butterfly.

It was a Pale Tiger Swallowtail. Hopefully it wasn't laying eggs so that its large green larva could devour my potato plants. I'll have to keep an eye out for that, but it's young are supposed to like the foliage of woody plants.

I have lots of books and guides about nature up at the cabin. One I really like for insects is Insects of the Pacific Northwest by Peter and Judy Haggard. The photographs make identifications much easier than illustrations. A good reference website is BugGuide.Net. It includes "insects, spiders and their kin" from the US and Canada. There's even an active forum where you can connect with other bug lovers or get assistance with a tricky identification. -- Margy

Vancouver Groundcone

This week when I went up to water my hillside potato patch, I noticed an unusual plant pushing out of the ground at the base of a fir tree.

Using my guidebook, I identified it as a Vancouver Groundcone. It's a parasitic herb that grows with salal and obtains nutrients from its roots. While this specimen was pushing its way through the duff at the base of a tree, it was right next to a big patch of salal.

Vancouver Groundcone grows to about 12 cm (4.7 in) in height from a thick underground tuber that was sometimes eaten raw by First Nations people. They come in red, yellow and purple. Mine were a rich golden (almost pinkish) yellow. These are the first I've noticed, but the book says each one produces 300,000 plus seeds. I may be seeing more soon.

Are you interested in plant identification? I use Plants of Coastal British Columbia by Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon. I like it because it includes trees, shrubs, wildflowers, aquatics, grasses, ferns, mosses, lichens and, of course, some oddball (and very interesting) plants. In addition to the color pictures, line drawings, and identification information, the narratives include how the plants were used by First Nations people and early settlers. I highly recommend it for the casual observer as well as experienced botanists. -- Margy

Boating into Lund BC

We've had glorious good weather, a wonderful change from the cloudy, wet winter. Wednesday, our good friend John helped us launch Halcyon Days in the chuck.

We gave up our slip in the Westview Harbour. They only allow annual moorage, and we keep the Bayliner up at the cabin all winter. I called Beach Gardens, but they were already full. That was a huge surprise since visiting boaters seem down this year. I called Lund and Fran, the Harbour Master at the government dock, was very accommodating.

I had to stay in town to do grant writing, so Wayne toughed it out (yea right) and went on a cruise alone. This morning I met him at Lund. Fran got us rafted up to two other boats that stay put most of the time. If they have to get out, she or another harbour employee makes sure our boat is securely re-tied. Three months moorage was $266.96 for our 25' boat. That's quite reasonable considering we are sitting right on the doorstep of world famous Desolation Sound.

If you need overnight or long-term moorage, give Fran a call at (604) 483-4711 or on VHF Channel 73 about an hour before arrival. She'll find you a spot in her cozy little marina. Then you can head up the hill to Nancy's Bakery for a hearty breakfast, lucious lunch or just a sweet treat. See you in Lund!

Bat'r Up

For the last four years, we've had bats roosting at our cabin. They usually arrive in May and stay the summer. One of the first things I did when I returned to the cabin this week was to check one of their favourite roosting spots, under the metal roof of the propane shed. The space is pretty tiny, but I found a small Brown Bat had already moved in. It's probably a male, because the females usually group together to raise their young. And that's usually up under our cabin roof. It can get pretty noisy both at dusk and dawn when they wiggle in and out.

It was hard to get a picture, but here's the little guy under the roof of the propane shed. It's amazing he wants to be in such a confined space. I usually think of bats in large caves. It must also get extremely hot on a sunny day right up next to the metal.

From past experience, we know they will stay until September. That's how long it takes to raise their young and get fat on the local insect population before they fly off to their winter homes. I guess losing a little sleep is a small price to pay when you get to see nature up close and personal. Besides, they take care of a large part of our flying insect problems. Do you have any experiences with bats? I'd love to hear your stories. - Margy

Slip the Surly Bonds

This week's contribution for Skywatch Friday was inspired by the famous aviation poem High Flight by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Eighteen year old Magee was an American who crossed the border into Canada to volunteer for the Royal Canadian Air Force. In 1941, he was assigned to the 412th Fighter Squadron at Digby, England.

He was inspired during a test flight in the new (then) Spitfire V to the high (then) altitude of 30,000 feet. He included the poem in a letter to his parents shortly thereafter. At the age of 19, Magee was killed in a mid-air collision with an RAF trainer.

I often think of this verse as we fly through and around the clouds. It truly feels like you could "touch the face of God." -- Margy

Texada Island Quarries

Nearby Texada Island is well known for its rock quarries.

My quarry photos come from Texada Island, just off the coast from my home in Powell River, BC. Texada is the largest island in the Strait of Georgia running from Powell River south to the Sechelt Peninsula. It is 50 kilometres (31 mi) long and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) wide. The west side of the island forms the border of the Malaspina Strait, a popular passage for boaters heading for the anchorages of Desolation Sound.

Texada was named by José María Narváez during the Spanish explorer's expedition of 1971. In fact, there are many Spanish place names in our area. In 1876 iron ore was discovered on the island, followed by copper in 1898. In 1910, the Pacific Lime Company and BC Cement started limestone quarries on the island.

High quality marble from Texada went into building construction here in Canada and in the States. You will find marble quarried on Texada on the facing of the Vancouver Post Office. There are still active quarries on Texada including the Blubber Bay Quarry, Imperial Limestone Company and Texada Quarrying. Limestone is used in aggregates, cement grade limestone, agricultural lime and many other products.

Texada Island is more than just quarries. It is a quiet, rural destination for residents and visitors alike. Take a ferry from Powell River to discover the historic villages of Van Anda and Gillies Bay, the wonderful campground at Shelter Point, and many hiking and ATV accessible back roads, and over 100 kilometres of pristine coastline to explore. -- Margy

Every Day is Christmas on Lopez Island

On a recent trip to Lopez Island, Wayne and I walked from the airport to the marina to get lunch. On the way, we passed a unique mailbox.

As you can see, every day is like Christmas on Lopez Island.

Lopez is one of the San Juan Islands off the northern Washington coast. It can be reached by air (your own plane, Kenmore Air or San Juan Airlines) or sea (boat or ferry). Lopez is one of the most rural of the San Juans, even my friend Susan and her husband have a farm there. Walk or drive the quiet back roads and you'll see lots of interesting mailboxes. Come and see for yourself. -- Margy

Blossoms and Bumble Bees

Spring brings beautiful blossoms, both natural and from the nursery.

No matter which, bumble bees love to suck the nector from within.

Last year, they took up residence in my daffodils.

This year my pansies are a favourite. Don't you just love Spring? - Margy

Flying to Newport, Oregon

Wayne and I took advantage of two nice spring days to fly our airplane 997. She's been getting too much hanger time and was rearing to go.

The weather was warm, so headed to one of our favourite camping spots, Siletz Bay, Oregon. The Airport is about two hours south of Bellingham, just enough time to get our rusty flying skills back in shape. After a wonderful dinner at the Side Door Cafe, we crawled into our tent for a good night's sleep to the sound of surf breaking on the nearby shore.

We got up and wanted to go somewhere for breakfast. We called Astoria, but the Runway Cafe is no longer open. These are tough times for general aviation, and airport restaurants are closing left and right. As we were packing, a local stopped by and suggested Newport, Oregon.

Newport Municipal Airport (ONP) is on the Oregon coast. If you are flying Victor 27, you pass right over it. The 5398' main runway is lighted with several instrument approaches. The FBO has a nice new building, it's a busy Fedex regional hub, and has commuter service to Portland by SeaPort Airline using the super cool Pilatus turboprop.

When we arrived, Jimmy, the "Boss" of FBO Line Services was there to greet us. He helped us get started with fueling at the self-serve pump, pointed out a handy parking spot, and arranged for us to take one of the FBO's courtesy cars.

And not just any courtesy car, an ex-police cruiser (a Crown Vic no less!). We drove over the bridge into the City of Newport for, by this time, lunch. Jimmy recommended Georgie's Beachside Grill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It was a great choice. I had the razor clams, one of my all time favourite meals, and Wayne had an oyster club sandwich. YUM! But way more than we could eat, even as hungry as we were. On the way back to the airport, a scruffy looking guy gave us a simulated pistol shot with his finger. Was it my antennae that gave me away?

You can be sure Wayne, 997 and I will be returning to Newport again. Next time we plan to stay the night and enjoy the beach, sun and some more great meals! Hey Jimmy, keep the Crown Vic warmed up for us. See you soon! -- Margy

Utopia is More than a Place

Between our float cabin and the rock wall is a protected pool. In the summer, the water is warmed when the sun reflects off the dark rock, making a perfect, natural swimming pool.

And what would a swimming pool be without pool toys. This is our new one. It's called the Poolmate Utopia Lounge. Even though the water is still bone numbing cold, I can float around my pool on Utopia.


We purchased our Utopia online from Overton's for about $70 USD. I love the stablility and the durable nylon cover. Because the lake water is still cold, I've only used it in the chair configuration. If I cross my legs I can float around the pool without getting wet except for a bit of my butt. When summer arrives and the lake water warms, I can flip the padded seat out and use it in the lounge configuration while I float around and read on nice sunny days. And boy, am I'm really looking forward to that! -- Margy

Best Chopsticks in Bellingham

Last night Wayne and I went to the Mt. Baker Theater to see the St. Petersburg String Quartet. Before the concert, we went to dinner at the nearby Best Chopsticks Chinese restaurant. Best Chopsticks is located at 121 Unity Street in downtown Bellingham.

Best Chopsticks serves lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm and dinner Sundays from 5:00 to 9:30. Lunch is until 3:30. That's important because that's when their lunch special is available. For $5.95 you get soup, rice, a fried wonton and one of 26 entree choices. It's hard to get a fast food burger for that. At dinner, specials start at $7.95. And they allow you to make substitutions for the entree. How good is that? Wayne got the Sweet and Sour Pork and I had the spicy Kung Pao Chicken. They also have an extensive menu of entrees and sides.

After a few cups of tea and fortune cookies we made our way over to the theater is a light drizzle. Good food and good music, a nice way to end the day. -- Margy

Spring Garden Harvest

My tradition is plant my annual vegetable garden during Easter week. This year we were at the cabin for the whole month, so I spread it out a little more than usual. Even though we had cool weather for the start of spring, the recent warm spell has everything starting to sprout. For the first time in several years, all of my seeds came up with no problems. I was even able to do some thinning already.

One thing I love about my spring garden is my flowers. The most predominant ones are the daffodils. When everything else is still underground, they are bright and sunny.

In May, we to be back to the States for a short time. Our asparagus was just starting to come up and I didn't want it to go to fern while we were gone. So I got out my trusty knife and cut them all off just below the soil line.

While some of them were a bit small, a few were approaching grocery store size. They made a great side dish to go with our steaks the last night at the cabin. A fitting end to a great stay, but we'll be back soon! -- Margy