Stormy Weather

This time of year our weather swings from stormy to sunny. At the beginning of the week it was wet and windy. Looking towards Grief Point you could see the clouds building to a climax.

And the ocean was responding with rough seas not fit for man or boat.

Take a look at my post from Wednesday to see how this tug struggled with his load waiting for better weather. -- Margy

Bedding Down for the Winter

It was time for my garden to go to bed for the winter. On the few sunny days I had at the cabin last week, I worked hard to get the last of my produce out (potatoes and garlic) and seeds saved (carrots and beans). Once that was done, the herbs were trimmed and the asparagus ferns cut down.

My raised beds on the garden float are only about 10 inches deep. I worry about my asparagus roots freezing and getting damaged. So each year when I cut the ferns down, I save the feathery tops to place on top for mulch. In addition, this year I pulled up part of my old strawberry bed (it needs to be replaced with younger stock), and spread the leaves under the fern tops for extra protection.

So far mulching has worked well, and in late May the new asparagus shoots are ready for a tasty meal.

This has been a record year for my floating garden. It made the news in:

• Sunset Magazine's Facebook contest
• Duane Burnett's website
• Our Canada Magazine

It'll be a hard (but fun) year to follow. -- Margy

Saving the Load

Last Monday, Wayne and I were getting ready to take Pacific Coastal Airlines from Powell River back to Vancouver. It was quite a blustery day, so we weren't looking forward to a bumpy ride.

When I got up at about 8:00, I saw a tug with it's large load heading south when I got up. I assumed they were going to tie up near Grief Point and wait out the storm. When I looked out again at 11:30, the tug was struggling with its load. We had to leave before the resolution, but here is what I saw.

The tug was the Pacific Fury. The Pacific Fury was built in 1969 and is 19.32 metres in length. With her 1,440 brake horsepower engine, she can handle a gross tonnage of 118. She is one of seven vessels operated by Pacific Cachalot Ltd. out of Campbell River. -- Margy

YVR to Powell River on Pacific Coastal Airlines

When time is short, and we want a fun travel experience, we fly between our home in Powell River to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) on Pacific Coastal Airlines. When we are traveling north from Bellingham, we catch our flight at the South Terminal where parking is plentiful and easy. It is only a 25 minute flight up the coast, but the views of Vancouver Island, the Strait of Georgia and the glaciated Coastal Range are superb. Come fly with me and see.

Pacific Coastal Airlines serves many Vancouver Island, Coastal BC and Interior communities. One place I want to fly to someday is Masset on Haida Gwaii. Maybe I could even meet Carolyn of Living on the Edge. She makes her island home seem like a great place to visit and live. -- Margy

Simple Seed Saving

Yesterday you read about my carrot seed saving experiment. It was two years in the making. Here's a more simple seed saving experience.

If you've been following my blog, you know my garden space is limited to four raised beds on a cedar log float and containers on the deck of our cabin. Even with that small configuration, it provides Wayne and I will quite a variety (if not quantity) of fruits and vegetables.

One of my more successful plants grown in a pot is green beans. I've chosen Scarlet Runner Beans for several reasons: 1) they climb tall, 2) the beans can be eaten or canned fresh, 3) the large seeds are good in soups and chili, 4) the seeds can be dried for storage, and 4) the lovely red flowers are attractive to humans and hummingbirds.

Wayne doesn't cook many vegetables when he's alone at the cabin. So, when I returned, there were lots of beans dry on the stalks. The hard pods crack open easily to release the large seeds inside. To make sure they are completely dry before storage, I leave them out for a week or so on shelf in the warm cabin. Then some will go into paper envelopes and labeled for planting next spring. The rest will be used (after soaking) for hearty winter meals.

Do you save seeds? What are some good ones you collect and keep? -- Margy

Hummingbird Migration

Most birds migrate south for the winter. But this hummingbird flew all the way north from Seal Beach, California, to spend his winter (and all future seasons) at our float cabin on Powell Lake.

When I was in Southern California earlier this month, I played hooky from work and went to the beach. After an afternoon lounging in the sun, I found Up Up & Away Kites up Main Street. And inside, I found this wonderful whirligig. Doesn't he look great in his new British Columbia home? -- Margy

Wild Horses in the Sky

The end of summer has come with changeable weather. One indicator in the sky is mare's tails. They are wispy high altitude cirrus clouds that can be an indication that stormy, windy weather is on the way.

Cirrus clouds are made of water vapor that has formed into ice crystals. They are high clouds, about 8,000 metres (26,000 ft.) above sea level. Varying wind speeds at different altitudes cause the wisps to be pulled out in the characteristic horse tail configuration.

And at sunset, they paint the sky with a wonderful warm strokes. -- Margy