#ThrowbackThursday: Spring Gardening

Our float cabin on Powell Lake, BC.

Wayne and I aren't at our float cabin right now due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. We've decided to shelter in place in Bellingham, Washington. We are safe, but I dream about my favourite place on earth. So I've decided to share some memorable times with you on #ThrowbackThursdays.

My original "garden."

On shore we have cliffs and forest. In addition, critters love to devour tender shoots. I've always liked to grow vegetables, so I had to think of a new way while living in a floating environment.

At first I had a "garden log." I added herbs and lettuce in the log's notches. The sprouts were doing fine, but one day when we returned from town everything was gone. The culprits were Canada Geese. I guess they love fresh vegetables too.

My float garden in Spring 2007.

In 2002, our good friend John built a float with four raised beds and a central walkway. He added netting and Mr. Owl to protect new sprouts from birds. When not in use, the float is pulled out to the log boom for protection. For easy watering, I have a solar powered bilge pump and hose. The perfect solution.

Here are some memorable gardening pictures from the past. You can also explore the Gardening category on this blog.

Bumblebees in my daffodils on a cold 2008 spring morning.

One bumblebee still sleeping and one that has crawled out to warm in the sun.

Bunny has been refreshed twice over the years in 2010 and 2014.

Wayne gave me Bunny on Easter 2002, the first year of my float garden.

My garden was highlighted on CBC Radio's North by Northwest in 2013

Willow Yamauchi, originally from Lund, come to do our interview for CBC.

It was also selected for the 2018 Powell River Library Calendar.

My float garden was "Miss January" in the Powell River Library 2018 Calendar.

The raised beds and walkway needed replacing in summer 2019.

New cedar boards outside and in.

This picture became Up the Lake's book cover and our company logo.

Blue sky, spring showers, a double rainbow and my garden up the lake.

Do you have any stories about gardening? Do you have any hints for gardening in unique situations? Let us hear from you. -- Margy


Want to know more about off-the-grid living? Take a look at Wayne's books Up the Lake and Farther Up the Lake. Both are in print and ebook formats at online booksellers. If you have a Kindle or the Kindle app, Up the Lake is free in most countries.