Surprising Snow

This winter has been surprisingly mild. We had a cold blast with lingering snow in November, but it has been pretty docile since.

This morning I woke at the cabin to an unexpected snow storm. Not the bitter kind, but a warm, wet one.

It lasted until noon, then turned to rain, washing the lovely white mantle away. -- Margy

Home Again Jiggity Jig

YEA! Today I get to go home. Homecoming is always sweet, no matter how long the absence. Don't you feel that way? Wayne and I discovered our float cabin by chance in 2001 and haven't wanted to be anywhere else ever since.

Since we've been retired, we've been there almost year-round. Well, that is until this year for me. Mom's back surgery and recovery have kept me away from home for over four months. She is doing much better, so this homecoming will be especially sweet!

Wayne is going to drive me to the South Terminal at Vancouver Airport to catch the Pacific Coastal flight to Powell River. From there it's only a 25 minute flight up the Sunshine Coast, a fifteen minute drive to the Shinglemill Marina, and a 25 minute boat ride up Powell Lake to my cabin in Hole in the Wall.

What will I find? I know my floating vegetable garden needs some attention. I never got it put to bed for the winter like last year, so I will need to pull all of my old root crops and chop everything up for the compost pile. I hope my strawberries have survived the cold without being mulched. Maybe I'll use some of my carrot top clippings to cover the roots for the rest of the cold season. Will our resident squirrel still be hanging around looking for peanuts? Will any of the birds returned yet? What will I find?

Actually, it doesn’t matter. I'll find the best place in the whole world. Our cabin on Powell Lake inspired my husband Wayne to write the Coastal BC Stories series. You too can head Up the Lake and Farther Up the Lake through his books.

Do you have a place that inspires you? Maybe it is where you live, or a vacation home or destination. Maybe it is that special place to sneak away to when you want to be alone. Let us know about it and why you like it so much. -- Margy

What I Found

Wayne and I left Bellingham at 10:00 a.m. so I could catch the Pacific Coastal flight from the South Terminal at Vancouver Airport to Powell River. Twenty minutes later I was on final approach for a pretty emotional homecoming. I drove straight to the Shinglemill Marina and was up the lake and in my cabin by 2:00 p.m. Sometimes I forget how easy it is to get from one place to another.

I immediately did a walk around the decks and out to the garden. It was almost like I had only been gone overnight rather than four months. And thanks to Wayne, everything was ready for me to enjoy three days of relaxation.

Yes, my garden needed work, but Wayne had helped by cutting down my asparagus last fall. My strawberries were still okay. Their dead leaves were acting like a natural mulch. My carrots, chard and a bit of spinach were doing so well I decided to leave them in at least for now. Only the woody beets had to go.

I didn't see any birds or squirrels, but I put out some seeds and peanuts just in case. Then this morning I woke to a surprising snow storm. A beautiful way to end the short stay in my little home up the lake. Thank you to Dave and Marg for a lovely dinner back in town. And thank you Jeanne and Wayne for making my whole trip possible. -- Margy

Easy Peasy Crochet Scarf

I wanted to make something special for my good friend Jeanne for Christmas. We are both originally from sunny Southern California and this Pacific Northwest winter weather chills us a bit, so I thought a crochet scarf would be perfect. You see, I'm a beginner even though my mom is an expert. Some things run in the family, some take a little longer and more work.

I found this pattern for a single crochet scarf at the Lion Brand Yarn website. They called it a Wedding Favor Scarf. I call it an Easy Peasy Crochet Scarf. Here are the directions.

Easy Peasy Crochet Scarf

ch(s) = chain(s)
sc = single crochet

SCARF

Ch 121
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across - 12o sc at the end of this row.
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, working in back loops only, sc in each sc across
Rows 3-14: Repeat Row 2. Fasten off.

FINISHING

Weave in ends.
Add fringe if desired.

I chose to use Lion Brand Homespun in Fiesta colour. It made a beautiful, nubby, multicoloured scarf. The yarn is twisted with a tight thread holding the twists in place. On the down side, I found it very difficult to use and hard to pick up the back loops without splitting the yarn. On the up side, it hides a multitude of errors. Not a bad thing for a beginner like me.

Do you have any patterns to suggest for a beginner like me? My hook is itching to get started again. -- Margy

Winter Warmth

When it's cold and wet outside ...

Bro likes to soak up a bit of winter warmth in front of the blazing wood stove up at the cabin.

Did you know that Bro is famous? He plays a staring role in all of Wayne's Coastal BC Stories books. On more than one occasion, John (Bro's pet parent--but don't let him hear I called him that!) has been approached by someone saying, "Isn't that Bro? Then you must be John." Even though John is a very private person, I think he likes having a famous dog in the family. -- Margy

High Flying Skies Over Bellingham

As a follow-up to my post yesterday about flying, I am sharing some sky shots from our airplane 997.

Squalicum Harbor, the Bellingham home to many private and working boats ...

and snow-capped Mt. Baker in the distant background.

Come "slip the surly bonds of earth" with me. -- Margy

The Annual Inspection

What do you do when the skies are gray, and the weather isn't tempting for a flight? Schedule an annual inspection for your airplane. Being on a winter cycle isn't a bad thing for us here in the Pacific Northwest.

Every airplane is required to have an annual inspection, and the aircraft's manufacturer has a maintenance manual that spells out what must be included. A certified aircraft mechanic and/or facility does the work. Here in Bellingham, John Ring, owner of Whatcom Territory Aero Service, and his chief mechanic Joe take care of things for us.

Aircraft owners can do some items in preparation for the annual inspection or assist along the way. But for us, we develop a "squawk list" to let the mechanic know about problems we are experiencing in addition to the airworthiness directives for inspections, parts replacement and components that have reached their end of life.

There are two exceptions to an annual inspection. The first is for aircraft used to carry persons for hire or flight instruction. They are required to have a more frequent inspection every 100 hours of engine time. The other exception is a progressive inspection that results in a total inspection of the airplane within a calendar year.

Flying is a very safe activity when all flight safety and maintenance precautions are taken. Wayne maintains very detailed records for 997 to make sure we are ready to go when good weather finally arrives. -- Margy