The Beginning for a Floating Garden

You've heard me mention my floating garden. On shore we have cliffs and forest. In addition, little critters love to devour tender shoots. I've always liked to grow vegetables, so I had to think of a new way for my float cabin.

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 loved fresh vegetables too.

The next year our good friend John built a special float for me. It holds four raised beds with a handy walkway in the middle. Netting and Mr. Owl protect the developing plants from birds.

When I'm not gardening, the float is pulled out to our front log boom where it is protected from nibbling critters. To make watering easy, I have a solar powered bilge pump and hose. The perfect solution. John usually comes up with them.

Due to lots of rain, the nutrients in the soil are leached out. Each spring I augment it with peat and mushroom manure. Several times throughout the growing season I add plant food. I get pests, but I don't use insecticide.

I have a few flower bulbs planted for spring color. The daffodils are my favorite. Strawberries border two of the beds. They've made it through several winters. Two beds are bordered by herbs. I have them in buried pots to minimize spreading. The mint, thyme, parsley, sage, rosemary and basil all survive through winter.

My annual crops include onions from sets, green bunching onions, carrots, spinach and a variety of lettuce. These have always been good producers.

You can read more about my gardening exploits and other aspects of float cabin living in Wayne's book Up the Lake available in print and Kindle formats from Amazon, and many other online booksellers.

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

Snowy Days

Making a snowman with Mom.

I was born and raised in Southern California. The weather there was pretty consistent throughout the year, maybe just a little cooler in the winter, but rarely any rain. Last night we had a gentle snow storm and woke up to glittering trees outside our window.

Our cat Stick Tail got his first taste (and paw-full) of snow. We thought he might be a Norwegian Forest Cat that escaped from the Cat Show at Pomona Fairgrounds. If so, his heritage sure didn't kick in.

Wayne grew up with snow in upstate New York. He swore he'd never return to snow country, but after 34 years in the "non-weather" environment of Los Angeles, he too is enjoying the seasons again. In Powell River we occasionally get snow.

But, you normally have to go to higher elevations to enjoy snow country activities such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and snow quadding. Here are some snow shots from this winter.

For now, we love having distinct seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter. Maybe after another thirty years we'll tire of them, but I don't think so. -- Margy

The Power of Mother Nature

Thanks to a sunny day, Wayne and I got a long awaited quad ride. Our friend John's quad was still in the shop (his carport), so we went on our own. John has been our guide to the back country since we came to Powell River. His suggestion for today's solo was Khartoum Lake.

We've been to Khartoum several times. The first was by kayak up Lois Lake, through the Lois River and into Khartoum Lake. That trip we camped at the Forest Service campsite. We used the same campsite for the book launch party for Up the Main, the second book in Coastal BC Stories series. Friends came by car, truck and quad for a lakeside fire and BBQ.

Large trees snapped like matchsticks.

Today's trip was a different kind of experience. This winter brought devastating storms to Coastal British Columbia. Our quad ride up Stillwater Main and Third Lake Road to Khartoum Lake was through a path of destruction. High winds snapped and uprooted huge second growth trees. Sections of the roadway looked as if they had been logged, but the ravaged stumps told a different story.

Washed out bridge covered in rocks.

The bridge near the Khartoum Lake campsite was washed out. The approaches were gone and the center packed with huge boulders and logs. Imagine the power that caused it. Runoff from heavy rains must have been blocked upstream.

When the water was released, the river's level raised, washing out the bridge and scouring trees in its path.

Tree bark stripped by the raging river.

Sometimes, when we are sheltered in our city homes, we forget the true power of nature. A trip just off the beaten path can be an awakening experience. -- Margy

Sunshine Coast Trail

In a small town like Powell River it's guaranteed you'll see someone you know everywhere you go. I'd been trying to catch a Pacific Coastal Airlines flight to Vancouver, but had no luck due to persistent fog.

On the second day at the airport, we ran into Don, an acquaintance of Wayne's from the Chamber of Commerce.


During our wait, we learned that Don and two of his friends were founders of the Sunshine Coast Trail. This long distance hiking trail runs from Sarah Point (near Lund) to Saltery Bay, a total of 180 km.

The Sunshine Coast Trail was built and is maintained by dedicated volunteers in the community including the non-profit Powell River Parks and Wilderness Society (PRPAWS). Wayne and I have hiked portions of the trail in all seasons, but have yet to travel its entire length.

The Trail is well documented at the Sunshine Coast Trail website. The Sunshine Coast Trail Guidebook (recently updated) by Eagle Walz (another founder) is excellent. It's available for purchase at the Visitor's Centre.

Winter is a good time to hike portions of the Sunshine Coast Trail. Forest roads take you to excellent entry and exit spots. The woods are quiet and often shrouded in snow. Under the trees, hiking boots are fine, no snowshoes are necessary.

Read about some of our hiking adventures in Up the Winter Trail. In the chapter "Truck Got Stuck" you can read about hiking the Appleton Creek section of the trail. In "Winch It" you can read about a quad ride that took us near a southern portion of the trail along Suicide Creek. And then there's a hike we took just to see Old Gnarly in "Little-Big Storm."

You can purchase Up the Winter Trail in print and Kindle formats at Amazon or other online booksellers, locally in Powell River at Coles or Breakwater Books.  For more information we invite you to visit PowellRiverBooks.com. -- Margy

Woodstove Cooking: Cabin Cake

Using a frying pan with hot rocks was successful for stovetop cornbread, but I wanted to do some baking that just wouldn’t work as well in such a small “oven.”

I found a Coleman Camp Oven, but the price was a little high. Then I found a wood stove version that got me thinking.

I found a toaster oven at the Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store for $5.00 with a one week guarantee which I immediately voided by removing the plastic siding, stripping out the wiring and taking off the bottom drop-door. I place the stripped oven on top of my KOZI wood stove. The heat radiates up and is trapped in the oven compartment. I regulate the temperature by stoking the fire or letting it die down. It isn’t an exact science, but the price was right.

My first recipe was from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook. “War Cake” has ingredients that fit wartime rationing, and I needed one with no eggs. I made a few modifications and call it my Cabin Cake.

Stovetop Cabin Cake

¼ cup raisins
1 finely sliced and chopped apple
2 tablespoons margarine
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon cloves or allspice
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup water

Heat ingredients together in a pan until melted and the raisins plump. Cool slightly.

1 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and then add the wet mixture. Stir until blended. Add ½ cup chopped pecans (or walnuts) if desired. Pour into a greased and floured 8X4” loaf pan and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees in a conventional oven.

In my wood stovetop oven it takes about one hour. When a toothpick comes out clean, it is done. I serve warm slices topped with whipping cream. A great winter treat! -- Margy

Wind Damage in Hole in the Wall

This week the fifteenth major storm of the season passed through Powell River and Coastal British Columbia. The best part, however, was the noticeable lack of wind. This season has been plagued by unprecedented severe winds that have caused extensive damage and residents have been without power and communication.


I thought you might be interested in seeing the results of a late December storm in the Hole in the Wall. When the area was logged about 10 years ago, these trees were left as a buffer at the edge of the lake. There just weren’t enough of them left to withstand the onslaught.

During the same storm we lost our chimney and two cabin anchor cables, and we were the lucky ones (see “Weathering the Wind” from January 9). Every year there are major storms, but everyone says the frequency and intensity this year is unprecedented.

Here’s hoping calm days aren’t far away. Want to read another Powell River extreme weather story? “Little Big Storm” can be found in Up the Winter Trail available through Amazon, major online booksellers, and www.PowellRiverBooks.com. -- Margy

Woodstove Cooking: Cornbread

Wayne and I were pure "cityfolk" when we discovered Powell River. We had to learn more self reliance, especially living in a float cabin on Powell Lake. We've had lots of help from our friend John, but in the kitchen, I've had to do my own experimenting.

We have a propane stove and refrigerator, but our KOZI wood stove is going all day and night during the winter. It provides us with heat, but I hate to see all that energy go to waste. So, I started experimenting with stovetop baking. I've tried several methods. The first successful one was using a frying pan and rocks.

I needed a heavy metal pan with a flat, recessed lid. I've become a second-hand store fanatic. My favorite in Powell River is the Hospital Auxilliary Economy Shop next to Scotiabank. One day I found this pan for only $4.00. I grabbed it quick. To keep things from burning on the bottom, I use a wire rack inside. Next I needed a small cake pan to fit inside. New ones have handles that make them too big. I went to another second-hand store and found the perfect 8" pan.

First, I heat the pan and smooth rocks I gathered from Sandy Beach near our cabin. I thought of using rocks as an extra heat source after reading dutch oven recipes. I can't use hot coals in the house, but hot rocks serve a similar purpose. I rotate heated rocks throughout baking to keep the temperature higher. The recessed lid keeps the hot rocks securely in place.

My first success was cornbread using the recipe from the cornmeal bag cut in half. My results vary based on the size of my fire. One drawback to stovetop baking is that you need a hot fire. We've been known to open the door to let some cool air in on baking day.

KOZI Stovetop Cornbread

1/2 cup cornmeal

2/3 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

3 tablespoons oil

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat together the milk, egg and oil. Add to the dry mixture and stir to combine. It will be thin. Pour into an 8" greased cake pan. Bake 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees in a conventional oven. In my frying pan on the stovetop, it takes about an hour. I leave it covered for the first 30 minutes. After that, I leave a crack in the lid to let the steam escape. This allows the top to brown more easily, but does extend the cooking time.

Sometimes it gets very crispy on the bottom (which we love) and not as cooked on the top. Lots of butter and honey make it good no matter what. -- Margy