Diary for Apr - Sept, 2005

This was the week of the Brant.

Brant is a small species of goose that spends a brief time here on its migration. Since the end of last week, dozens (probably hundreds) of flocks of these birds have been streaming north in front of our house. Their flock is somewhat irregular, not the tight V formation of the other geese. And they fly quite low over the water, sometimes just above the surface. In fact, they don't seem to like to fly over land at all. Its been quite a show watching them pass by with their rapid wing beats.

I'm hoping the brant are just flying to their feeding site and returning later in the day, although I've only seen them flying one way. If they are truly migrating there won't be any left for the annual Brant Festival in Parksville next weekend.

This has also been the week of the pollen; a yellow dust that has thinly coated our metal roof, and patio. The pattern on the cement blocks shown above is pollen residue after a recent rain; it has nothing to do with the similarly coloured daffodils on the side. It emanates from the trees in the area, but I don't know from which specific species. Actually, the pollen has been in the air earlier. My sinuses have detected it for the past three weeks and I won't be disappointed when this phenomenon is over.

But there were events this week more disturbing than simple pollen. More shoreline trees in the neighbourhood were mutilated and destroyed. This is the scene two houses north of us. The remains of one tree lies on the beach, partially in the water. Another was bucked into smaller pieces and left on the beach. Apparently it improves the view.
Despite my personal dismay, I still scurried to retrieve the logs that had been cut into firewood lengths and carried every one of them up the path to my house. Around here, good firewood is scrounged whenever the opportunity arises.

Oh well, onto other happenings: Swan counting season is over, but on final visit last Tuesday I found another first (for me); a Greater Yellowlegs "Tringa melanoleuca" feeding on the mud flats. ( And I know it was a Greater, not a Lesser Yellowlegs because it was bigger than the Killdeer plover that stood beside it).

And for those not interested in birds, how about whales. Last Wednesday a Grey whale was seen on the east side of the island, down by the boat launch; a very strange occurrence since they normally don't visit these waters, and they normally don't travel alone. It was seen by several people and identified by a professional biologist. Its length was estimated at 8 to 9 meters which would indicate it was not yet mature. Probably one of those crazy teenagers out "doing its own thing".

On Saturday the Denman Conservancy sponsored another herbal walk. A very knowledgeable herbalist conducted a 2 hour tour around Filongly Park describing the medicinal herbs growing in this area, and the applications for which they are used. Fascinating, but the strong cold wind and the developing storm caused the expedition to quit a little early. This has been quite a stormy week, with strong winds and a lot of rain. With the dry winter however, we are not complaining about spring rains.

Thanks to a storm earlier this week, I was forced to remain indoors and finish some commitments. The Denman Conservancy website is now updated with the latest reports. And only a week late too (Sorry John).

Fortunately the continuing storm did not harm the piano concert Saturday night, in fact the accompanying sound of wind driven rain on the roof added to the ambiance. Internationally renowned Robert Silverman gave a great performance in our community hall. We're extremely fortunate to have such high caliber artists perform here, (thanks Turid).

And finally, the core of Downtown Denman; the Denman Island General Store. Originally built in 1908, this establishment has continued to be the commercial heart of Denman. Over the years a cafe has been added to the north side. And it has been given the additional role as the local liquor outlet. But its basic functions as a post office, gas station, grocery and "dry goods" store remain almost unchanged. Even its basic structure has had very little change over the past 97 years.

Somehow its very comforting in this world of Walmart, McDonalds, and rapid change, to have this beacon of consistency at the gateway to our island. A great many of us living here sincerely hope we can move slowly enough to retain such historical legacies.

Week ending April 10, 2005.

This is not a pleasant sight. Its a hideous war scene; a battle zone.

Last spring Marit bought an attractive Chinese Lantern plant, "Physalis alkekengi" for this corner of her garden. But in the autumn, after learning that it was invasive, she dug it out. Roots and all. She thought.

This week we noticed several sprouts that looked like that chinese lantern, and discovered that a vast underground network of thick white roots had spread widely. Shocked, we counter-attacked. We took no prisoners. The roots, some of which are shown laying on the driveway, were added to Wednesday's garbage collection.

No composting; we didn't want any remote chance of this surviving and spreading. I thought briefly of potting a few roots and giving away to people wanting free plants. But there's nobody we dislike that much. If you're ever offered one of these as a gift, react as you would to an approaching vampire.

At the other end of her garden, spring is proceeding in a more civilized manner. Several clumps of tulips have survived from a late planting over a year ago. How late was it?; New years day when they went into the ground.

This past week we've been doing a lot more planting. I've put in a number of trees; several more lilacs, a maple (Acer ginnala), a Serviceberry (Amelanchier), a Robinia "freesia", and a rooted cutting that Marit took last fall from some unknown large tree in Filongly Park. The Robinia may be a problem; planted too close to the house, and capable of growth to 70 feet. I'm relying on the poor clay soil in the area to slow its growth.

Marit has been adding more heathers, rhododendrons, and ornamental grass, as well as transplanting many existing plants to new locations. And she has found places to spread dozens, maybe even hundreds, of young off-shoots from her older plants. After all, she "couldn't just throw them away", could she?

She has also been trying to make the root cellar more attractive. If even half the offshoots that she's embedded between the logs manage to survive, it will be an interesting structure. The current state of planting is shown below. Barely discernible on the right, wearing its red ribbon, is the Robinia, securely bound between two posts. (After all, we wouldn't want it to escape).

This has been quite a different spring than last year. I was talking to Wes Piercy, the local farmer, who told me that last year he had his fields plowed and crops planted by this time. Now after 18 cms of rain in the past couple weeks, he can't even get the tractor into the fields. "We wasted our good spring weather in February"

Another storm approaching this morning gave Mike and I a problem on the monthly waterfowl survey. It wasn't the developing rain, it was the wind. Waves were too high for us to be able to detect the birds swimming offshore. We were forced to postpone the project until the seas calmed somewhat. Tonight's winds are forecast to be up to 70 kms, so it will be at least a couple days before we can survey the current state of water birds in the area.

Meanwhile, I can report the exciting (probably only to me) news that the violet-green swallows returned on Wednesday and checked out their old house. Looks like the whole family returned, although only two of them will use the bird house. Maybe I should try a second one on the same pole?

The male hummingbird started his courtship dives; soaring high up and diving down in a loop making a loud whirring sound. I knew the girls must have arrived and sure enough, the same day a female appeared at the feeder.

The white-crowned sparrows that came sporadically to my feeder all winter may be settling in for the summer season. I've seen them in a corner of the property singing their territorial song. I hope that means they're staying. Sometime I'll explain why this species is special to me.

And finally, I want to welcome Keith Walker and Wendy Stewart; two new residents (probably the newest) of Denman Island. We've had earlier communications when they discovered this website, and a couple days ago they dropped by to say hello in person. Kieth has a website at www.dulcemelos.ca/index.asp, with a Denman Diary under Personal.

As we say on Denman, welcome to paradise.

Week ending April 17, 2005.

Be careful what you pray for; you may get it.

When winter ended with a long warm dry spell, we were all very concerned. "We'll need lots of rain this spring" we cried, "or we'll go dry". Well, we have had rain. I don't dare plea for warm sunshine for fear that I may be answered excessively.

This has been another week of storms with temperatures cold enough for more snow in the mountains. Sunrise last Thursday was the only day clear enough to take a picture across the water.

Landscape development has been hampered by the weather. But last shopping day Marit did come home with a carload of plants. And when the weather eased, she was out performing a marathon of planting between showers.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to take a vacation from planting either. A mail order package arrived from Vessey Seeds; 15 hardy geranium roots that had started sprouting. They had to be planted immediately. So I too was dodging raindrops trying to get each of them properly positioned in the soil. (It was difficult; I suspect Canada Post deliberately kept the package upside down so that the shoots would grow up into the roots.)

Anyway this fine expanse of bark mulch is now teeming with hardy geraniums, except for the area beneath the tree which is full of hostas. Can't see them? Trust me and I'll show the proof in a couple months. Hmmm, even the maples are invisible right now.

One quick confession; I made a mistake. The Robinia "freesia" (a Black Locust cultivar) I planted two weeks ago was in the wrong place. Not only was it potentially far too large and fast growing, it apparently has a bad habit of being brittle. Large branches potentially snap off in a wind storm. Not a good combination to have beside the house in a few years. So I banished it to the... I mean, I relocated it further away, to better display its background beauty.

More problems with the birds. The crows in particular. I knew I had a problem earlier when they sat on the power line and watched me sow the peas. I thought I would keep my plants safe by covering one row with "reemay", a spun cotton fabric, and protecting another row with netting. Well, they've simply pushed and reached through the netting and eaten the new sprouts. And they've been pulling off the reemay cloth; even shredding it and carrying it away for nest material.

Another potential predator of my seed beds had shown up just outside my fence. Those turkeys have been attracted to the seed that the visiting neighbour has been distributing. So far my fence has kept the turkeys out, but they're wild, and they fly.

The hummingbird problem is my fault. We've had lots; Marit saw as many as 6 at a time at the feeder. And I let it go dry for half a day. The dominant males were quite tolerant, and came back shortly after I refilled it. But the females have been slow to return. The indignant ladies can be very unforgiving when they feel slighted.

The coming 5 days are forecast to have much improved weather. I hope so; its a very busy time, and a monumental week.

Week ending April 24, 2005.

Denman Island's newest senior citizen.

Yes, last Wednesday we celebrated my 65th birthday; cake and coffee with a couple neighbours on the back deck. Earlier in my life this was the day that I never expected to happen. April 20, 2005 was always so far in the distant future, I would never reach it. Now the unbelievable has happened, and I have my gold card to prove it.

The benefits are great. Free ferry rides. Cheaper haircuts. Lower chiropractor fees. And more tax deductions. Getting old doesn't seem so bad at all.

Earlier, on Monday, another occasion; Marit and I celebrated our 41st anniversary. Celebrated? Well, we observed it anyway.

Even without the anniversary and the birthday, it was quite a week. The weather switched dramatically bringing sunshine and warm temperatures. A prelude to summer. We set a new record yesterday with a temperature of 24.7 degrees (76.5 Fahrenheit). For me that signals two urgent requirements; SPF 30 sun screen lotion, and frantic garden preparation.

The potatoes are all planted. Three kinds of peas are planted; some have now sprouted. The first sowing of lettuce, cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli are in. But I'm still waiting with the beans, squash, carrots, and cucumbers. Weather here can be fickle.

And for that tree I previously had to move, I planted a replacement; An Italian Prune Plum. I thought that the location was ideal; next to the house. I had a better chance of defending it against predators.

Incidentally, the picture (above right) is not new garden work, it's an old whim that I planted last fall; the roof of my root cellar.

Another major task at the onset of summer is deck maintenance. Our synthetic planks don't require painting or finishing, but they do need a yearly cleaning of algae and bird droppings. It's a huge job spread over several days, and Marit took it on this year. Voluntarily. With all the scrubbing and all the transplanting and weeding she has also continued doing, her knee is now throbbing. And her only medication that eases that pain has been in the news for months, warning about potential serious side effects.

A couple weeks ago in the garden, we were at war with a Chinese Lantern plant. It counter-attacked last week. New sprouts from a deeper network of roots. And once again we've disrupted the flower beds in our pursuit of botanical genocide.

Perhaps I'm a hypocrite, but on Saturday I paused in this exercise of floral ethnic cleansing and joined the Earth Day rally here on Denman. Everyone was urged to voluntarily abandon their cars and walk (or bike) to the community school at noon. Part of crowd is shown here. We were urged to write and mail Earth Day messages to the Prime Minister of Canada. (I suspect he has other priority concerns right now, like survival). There were prizes for those walking the longest distance, (and for their dogs). Its a pity we only live a kilometer away; I could have used a challenging hike. (Incidentally, there didn't seem to be any reduction of cars on the road that day.)

Our bird situation is now quieter. The crows have stopped eating my peas and shredding my fabric covers. In fact they now stay out of my yard entirely. I won't describe my training methods because they probably aren't in the spirit of Earth Day. But we are now peacefully coexisting. At a distance.

Turkeys are still not allowed in the yard. But one hen turkey has selected a location just outside my fence hidden from the road by blackberry bushes, to establish a nest and brood her eggs. It will be interesting to see if she succeeds. If she's still there next week I'll try and get a picture. Turkeys are not known for their high intelligence. But I do wish her luck.

Stay tuned for the continuing saga of "As the Turkey Turns".

Week ending May 1, 2005.

Mayday. And the month of the big gardening effort.

Even here on the balmy west coast, most of our vegetable plantings don't begin until the soil has been warmed by the May sunshine. Often we're fooled by a warm spell earlier in the year, and our carrot, bean, and squash seeds lay rotting in the ground when the weather turns cool and wet. It has cooled down this weekend, and even had some welcome rain Friday morning. As soon as the heat comes back, I'll plant the main crop.

Meanwhile the flower gardens continue to be expanded with bedding plants. Milner Gardens at Qualicum Beach had their yearly plant sale Saturday and we were there early. And today a friend on the island called; they are cutting back on their huge garden and needed a home for their babies. Poor Marit; she's lost track of where all of these additions have been planted and realizes that another massive relocation among the beds will be required next spring after she analyzes the display this summer.

Meanwhile we're enjoying the spring displays that have been emerging. The top left photo is a group of "species", or wild tulips. They're not as large or flashy as their hybridized cousins, but they have a charm of their own. And they naturalize better in the garden without deteriorating over the years.

Earlier this week we left the sanctity of Denman Island and journeyed to the Kitsalino area of Vancouver. Another major birthday; Erik hit the big 3-Oh. Is that the start of middle age?

Wednesday evening we were joined by Lise and the four of us went to a nearby 4-star restaurant, Adesso, to celebrate. A splendid restaurant and the food was truly delicious. Of course when I payed the bill I remembered why my favorite eatery is still "Tim Hortens".

We spent two nights in Erik's new apartment. It's a fascinating area; close to the beach, lots of trendy shopping, full of dynamic young people. I'm sure he'll enjoy it there. But I'm retired and have a life. And that life has taken a different dimension. I was glad to return to the serenity of home and the real world.

While Erik was at work, Marit and I visited my sister and brother-in-law in Whonnock. Like us, Sonja and John have a quieter rural life, removed from the city. They have a bigger acreage and in addition to a garden and orchard, they have a large flock of chickens, and a small herd of goats; (real small, 3 goats and 2 of them are a pygmy breed.) When we walked through the trails of his woodlot we were accompanied by a parade of three goats and two very large dogs (part wolf cross breeds). Interesting.

Like us, Sonja and John emphatically prefer the country life. We're throwbacks to an earlier age of wood heat and home grown food. Of course, we also both have computers and are hooked to the world wide web.

Meanwhile back at Denman, the wild turkey is still sitting on her nest among the bushes out front. The pictures I've taken are useless; the turkey is virtually invisible in the surrounding foliage. I'll try again.

The annual Denman spring bird count took place today. And I FORGOT! The group did fine without me I'm sure, but I missed the experience and the learning. Sigh; of all the things I miss, I miss my mind the most.

Yes, Marit has expressed some concern about my memory, but hers is lapsing too. If sometime this site isn't updated, it's because we both forgot it was Sunday.

Week ending May 8, 2005.

Hallelujah. Denman Island is finally joining the 21st century. High speed internet is arriving. ADSL has become available in our area. I've ordered the service and am waiting for the modem. Sometime within the next 10 days we should be screaming along at 1.5 mbps. What an exciting prospect!

In more mundane matters, today is the official "frost-free" day for this area. Gardening activities now shift into high gear. I've set out my tomato plants even though the nights are still cool. (I couldn't wait). I'm going with "Oregon Spring" and "Early Girl" this year.

And the first crop of carrots was planted. Any kind of carrot is good, as long as it's a Nantes. Bolero is the specific type of Nantes carrot that I'm trying this year. Beets and more radishes were also put in. If the weather warms up later this week I'll get the beans planted, and maybe the cucumbers.

Just one major catastrophe so far. Nothing I did, just something I didn't do. No butternut squash seeds were ordered. So I've scrounged from last year's supplies, crossed my fingers, and planted year-old seeds. If they don't germinate I can always panic and rush order a new supply.

But come to think of it, isn't it nice that my big worry of the week is squash seeds?

Marit's garden is continuing to develop. Some of the colours are even richer and deeper than those captured by the camera, and I'm often in awe of the display.

But these scenic beds are not always havens of peace and serenity. Two days ago we continued our guerrilla warfare by suppressing the fourth counter-attack of those chinese lantern plants. We will prevail!

And the spitbugs have arrived again and require a morning patrol every day. But it gives a great opportunity to check for aphids and caterpillars while squashing all those other insects.

Out in the yard, the pine siskins (distant cousins of canaries) are having such a good time eating the dandelion seeds that I hate to cut the lawn. And today a chipping sparrow (with a red stripe atop its head) showed up for the first time this year.

Yesterday was a time for recreation. The Denman Conservancy led a field trip hiking to Tree Island; a small provincial marine park off the northern tip of Denman. It's accessible by foot when the tide is low. The ecology of Tree Island is quite unique; it's basically a sand dune structure. The mix of plants is unusual, and it supports some very rare insect and flower species.

Despite the fragile nature of its structure, Tree Island has a war time legacy. It was used as a training ground for the D-Day invasion of World War II. Bunkers were built, and amphibious landing craft practiced assault attacks. We walked past the corroding ribs of one of these crafts as we crossed over on the mud flats to the island.

Today, back to the monthly waterfowl inventory. But because of the tides we had to conduct the count this evening. (This is a Very late update). We were very surprised to find a large number of Surf Scoters and White-winged Scoters were still around. They're usually up in their northern nesting grounds by now. Strange. And there were an unusual number of Common Loons still here. They were in their breeding plumage, and will probably be in the arctic within two weeks.

At the fence side, the wild turkey is still brooding her eggs. The grass has grown so high that any picture is now impossible. I have no idea how her motherhood is proceeding.

And to all you other mothers, Happy Mothers Day this May 8th.

Week ending May 15, 2005.

Shh! Any Denman residents reading this, - close your eyes now. The grand unveiling is next Saturday and you shouldn't peek before then. For the rest of you, a preview at the end. Now, back to regular programming.

Last week I mentioned that high speed ADSL was now available on the island. I've placed the order, I've installed the ADSL modem, and I'm eagerly awaiting the 18th when the service will be activated. But for now, slow dial-up prevails.

Out in the yard I've found it necessary to reclaim some land at the side of the house from encroaching weeds. More bark mulch after digging and clearing. Eventually I'll tame the area back to the fence, but the lower area towards the water will remain wild.

But that was spare time work. The primary focus in May is the garden. Veggies! The potatoes are growing nicely. The garlic looks magnificent. Two rows of garden peas have sprouted, and with no more crow predation they are reaching confidently to the netting.

The plastic tent in the background houses the most recent addition; three yellow pepper plants. I didn't dare treat them quite as casually as I did the tomato plants. The temperatures are still to cool for either of them to be comfortable.

Poor Marit is having a terrible time with some garden insect pests; sow bugs and pill bugs. Actually, they aren't insects. They're crustaceans, close relatives to crabs and lobsters. But they're bugs. They damage plants. And they eat strawberries! Suddenly gardening "isn't as much fun anymore".

But what a wonderful opportunity for the two of us to investigate organic methods of sow bug control. We could be world leaders because not much seems to be known currently. We have the challenge, and a huge population of test subjects.

Now for the peek-a-boo preview.

I was invited to assist in a project to help revitalize the old school. Two boarded up windows on the front of the building tended to give it a derelict appearance. It was felt that murals simulating inside activity would help give the building a sense of liveliness.

A local artist, Leslie Dunsmore, painted bright scenes of people looking outward. And many of the individuals depicted are local recognizable personalities.

After erecting scaffolding and demolishing the window enclosures, we mounted murals in the two windows and covered them with tarp to protect them from the elements (and from prying eyes). On Monday, glaziers will install glass over them for permanent protection. A grand unveiling with public ceremony will be held on Saturday, the 21st.

At the top of the scaffold, my partner John Milne is about to cover the one mural with tarp. Saturday should be fun; food and refreshments available at the unveiling.

This weekend will also host another event that has become an exciting tradition on Denman Island; the 18th annual Studio Pottery Tour. From 10:00AM to 5:00PM, the various pottery studios on Denman will be open to display, and items will be available for purchase. Maps will be available, at both the ferry terminal and the General Store. We've always found it to be a fun event. If you're available, plan to come over this weekend.

Oh, one last note. The turkey who had been brooding eggs for several weeks outside my fence is now off the nest. Egg shells are strewn around, and breast feathers are scattered nearby. The turkey has rejoined the flock but there are no chicks with her. I suspect that a predator, maybe a raccoon, found her and forced her away. We'll see if any others of the flock are more successful in the coming weeks.

Week ending May 22, 2005.

How can I possibly describe this week. "Blustery" and "squalls" are two of the most appropriate words to use.

All week long a continual series of squalls has been slamming against Denman, flinging sheets of water across the island. Sometimes there were breaks in between, but only long enough to lure us outside as targets. Friday I almost got the wind-dried lawn cut, but had to finish mowing in the rain. I'm sure at least 8 to 10 cms. of rain has fallen in the past 7 days.

I suspect that my son, Erik, and his two friends, Lenny and Keith, were not impressed with the weather when they came to visit for the weekend. A calm morning on Saturday lulled them into taking the boat out for a try at fishing. But in less than an hour they were blown off the water. Getting back against the wind was an adventure with my small electric engine. They needed additional "oar power".

A lot of their visit was spent indoors, where they taught me how to play "Texas Hold-em" poker. Interesting game; thanks guys. I'm sure it was just beginners luck; maybe you'll win your money back next time if you give me more lessons.

Here's a different view of our house last Monday. (In the expanded picture, the metal roof is just visible betwen the two trucks). No, they're not installing ADSL, they're just replacing a badly decayed pole.

I did get ADSL last wednesday, as scheduled. And as I "sort of" suspected, there were problems; it didn't work. After 4 hours of discussions and trials, I discovered that when the computer was built a couple years ago the software drivers for my network card had never been installed. After locating the disks and installing them, everything worked like magic. Almost everything. One more call was needed to their help line that evening to discover that a new output mail server had to be specified in my system to allow me to send e-mail.

Now its magical. The telephone can ring while I'm online. I can check for e-mail at any time without the chore of logging on. Web sites display immediately without the tedious downloads. One thing puzzles me though; why do so many people feel I should be interested in Rolex watches and Viagra?

Last week Marit censured my attempt at a sneak preview. Here, after a successful unveiling Saturday morning, is a clearer view of one mural being installed in the old school a week ago. That's John Millen working on the scaffold while I loiter with the camera.

The unveiling was a big success, with a good crowd on hand. (The free refreshments being offered may have helped sway the undecided). The temporary bright weather was fortunate, but it caused considerable reflection in the glass covering the murals. Photographs taken at the event couldn't capture the main feature; the murals.

That's about it. I'll just mention that the first fledgling robin appeared in the yard last week, fresh from the nest. Marit's strawberries are no longer safe.

And thanks Erik. You and the guys left one beer can unopened in with the fishing equipment. Mom will enjoy that with dinner.

Week ending May 29, 2005.

Yes John, she arrived here with us safely this afternoon on the 4:00 PM ferry.

It has been difficult getting my sister, Sonja Carino, to leave her version of paradise in her Whonnock homestead and come out for a visit. But today we succeeded. Sonja accompanied us on our return and has set foot on Denman for the first time. We're honoured. And thanks John for keeping the homestead running in the days ahead while she visits with us.

While we were having supper on the deck this evening we noticed that the California Lilac (Ceanothus) was not only in full bloom, but covered with bees. Crawling with bees intent on harvesting it's nectar. There were so many that their noise was almost disturbing the tranquility. This photo was just taken moments ago of Sonja and Marit checking out this part of the garden.

Our visit to Vancouver was short. We left yesterday on the 6:40AM ferry to attend a wedding in Vancouver. Actually, in Richmond, where that afternoon, Christian Sylte married his fiancee Christy. Christy and Christian; try saying that three times quickly.

A beautiful occasion. Lots of great food. And some music that even some of us old fogies could recognize.But I've discovered I've lost it. The old steps and rhythm weren't there when I tried to dance. Very disconcerting, and personally embarrassing.

I also have to admit that it felt strange getting back into a suit and tie. In fact, this was the first use made of the union tie presented to me 5 years ago at my retirement party. But today we brought our over-fed and sleep deprived bodies back to the pastoral life of Denman Island, and assigned the "glad rags" to the plastic wrappers.

Again, congratulations Christy and Christian.

This week on Denman, we have had a sneak preview of summer. After the last long weekend of cold, wind, and rain, the days have been filled with sunshine and near record hot temperatures. We only reached 27C degrees here, but the sudden change felt extreme. Marit's roses appreciated the heat, especially the "Joseph's Coat" hybrid teas shown above-right. Even these "weeds" shown to the left, California poppies and Phacelia, are suddenly thriving in unexpected locales.

All the beans were planted last week, and the pumpkins were seeded. I just noticed this evening that they are already beginning to sprout. The tomatoes have reacted a little like me; shocked at the sudden change and a bit slow to react. I just hope their potential hasn't been seriously retarded by the early cold exposure.

The next pleasant chore will be to plant two beautiful rhododendrons that Sonja has brought as a gift. We'll try and make sure that these are well watered throughout their first dry summer.

Or is a hot dry summer just a wistful thought? There's rain in the forecast this week.

Week ending June 5, 2005.

Its been a casual week. With my sister, Sonja, visiting we've spent time touring and showing the island.

We've explored Filongley Park, hiked to Boyle Point, seen the lighthouse on Chrome Rock, and visited the gift shops of Denman.

We've "done Hornby Island" from Helliwell Park to Ford Cove. We've even seen some of Comox and Courtenay, and experienced the simulated coal mine in the Cumberland museum.

A guest is a great excuse to forget chores and spend some time beachcombing. We ended up with quite a collection of moonsnail shells and sand dollars. She left on Saturday, encumbered by the additional luggage of treasures and trinkets from the island. "Hope you enjoyed your stay sis."

The garden wasn't completely neglected. Most of the crops are growing well now, with just enough rain to keep them thriving. Lots of strawberries and not much sow bug damage. Marit has a theory that a garter snake in the area is eating or chasing them away. (The corn meal may have helped too.)

In her flower garden, I'm losing track of the continuing battles with the Chinese Lantern plants that keep attacking. I think the two more skirmishes this week bring the count to eight. It's hard to find and exterminate all those pieces of root. Its a tough survivor.

Speaking of tough survivors, we were delightfully surprised last Wednesday when Dick Pollock made an unexpected visit. Dick was the first to buy and build on this street over 30 years ago. Although he only spent summers here, he was a great neighbour until he finally sold and settled full time into a Victoria condominium.

"Dick, you're really looking good for an old man."

Locally, there's another island project underway. A house in the downtown core is being converted into a health clinic. Volunteers were requested for an initial work-bee today. I strapped on my tool belt and joined in; widening doorways, demolishing fixtures, scraping out tiles. But I don't know if I can be useful when the bull work stops and the skilled installation begins. We'll see.

I hope we'll see. Marit has had flashes in her vision and has just been diagnosed by an eye specialist to have Posterior Vitreous Detachment. Apparently it's not uncommon amongst "older" people between 50 to 70 years of age. Unfortunately she has developed a small retinal tear in the right eye. It will be monitored again in 8 weeks, and if necessary will be treated with laser surgery.

I don't know if this really "keeps life interesting." But it certainly thickens the plot.

Week ending June 12, 2005.

I wish I had been there with my camera. The pictures would have been a sensation.

Last week, a deer gave birth to a fawn. It occurred across the street, in a field behind the house of my neighbours Nick and Karen, less than 30 meters from their porch. Suddenly, a bald eagle swooped down, seized the fawn, and attempted to carry it away. But with the weight of the fawn, the eagle had difficulty getting airborne.

According to Karen, the baby sounded much like a cat screaming. The mother charged, butting the eagle with her head. Fortunately the eagle was able to release its grip and escape emptyhanded.

For a long time after, the doe continuously licked the fawn's back. Karen looked closely but couldn't see any serious injury or bleeding. Eventually the fawn staggered to its feet and wobbled behind its mother to nearby thick brush. We have no update on the fawn's condition.

The floral display on our front steps is a poor substitute for pictures of that action.

By choice, I'm also not showing pictures of another major activity here last Tuesday either; a septic tank cleanout. That was an adventure of another nature.

Before arriving, the tanker had responded to another "emergency" sewage problem, but it still had capacity to clean and pump out my tanks. Almost! The incomplete job didn't bother me too much, but I found it disturbing when the suction failed while removing the hoses and effluent spilled onto the ground. (I suspect that'll be the greenest area on the property soon). I was also annoyed when the apparatus hit and damaged the bark on my dogwood. (Its a delicate tree).

To complete the fiasco, after he drove off, I discovered a large plastic section of his hose assembly laying by my tanks. I hesitated, but finally hoisted it onto my shoulder and hiked down to the ferry landing where he was waiting to get off the island. (He was appreciative.)

Instead of displaying the sordid details of sewage treatment, here's two views of a rock at very low tide. (Yes, there's a rock in the middle of the beach picture above). The final photo below is from that rock, back at the house.

Incidentally, I'm trusting that these images are displaying properly. My monitor died a couple days ago and I've temporarily resurrected an old unit from storage. Its small, distorted and smudged. And I'll have to look into replacing it next week. But meanwhile its a great excuse to whine, whine, whine.

Finally, a brief report on the monthly waterfowl survey. Now, and during the summer, there are very few birds on the water. Almost all are in their northern breeding grounds. But we did spot a high number of marbled murrelets; 30 in total. Remember them, and the controversy over protection of old growth forests? I don't know where these murrelets nest but they do live in this area.

We always find loons and today the sightings included one red-throated loon; very uncommon in our survey.

That's about it. Marit continues about the same and fills her days with weaving and weeding. Life goes on.
Oh, and its been cold. This morning was 9 Centigrade. I'll have to start putting on a fire in the mornings again and I don't remember doing that in June.

Week ending June 19, 2005.

Once a year, Denman exposes itself to the public. Ten of the more interesting properties on the island are selected and made available for viewing on a Home and Garden Tour. This was the weekend of the tour!

The event, a fund raiser for the Denman Conservancy Association, involves a significant portion of the island's population. Dozens of volunteers are required at each site during the tour. And there are hundreds, probably thousands, of man-hours preparation leading up to the weekend. For all of Denman, this is a major occurrence.

Two of the volunteers are shown in the upper left, hard at work welcoming visitors to the home of Mikell and Tobey Callahn. (Marit, on the right) and her friend Jan had the Saturday afternoon shift.

Last year, the event was held during a heat wave. This year, well, the rain ended but the clouds remained for most of the weekend.

Des Kennedy's garden (shown to the right) is always interesting regardless of the weather. And its always one of the most popular highlights. Many people want to see the source of inspiration for his many magazine articles and television appearances.

My personal favorite, (shown below) is the garden of Joan and Roger Vinnedge. Joan is, arguably, the best gardener on Denman Island; practical, knowledgable, and willing to share her experience with us neophytes. That's Joan in the picture by the way, taken by surprise.

I took advantage of the occasion to ask her about rhubarb. My crops are barely adequate, not abundant. And I learned the changes I'll have to make to my beds for next year. I'm excited. And its crazy; eager for next year's crop when we've barely started this year's harvest.

Expert advice won't help my other gardening problem. I can't remember which row of peas has the edible pod and which should be left until full ripeness. I guess I'll have to keep nibbling both until its obvious.

Last week I complained about my monitor. And I actually tried out a neat 17 inch plasma tube for a couple days. But I think I'll stick with the old 15 inch CRT for a while longer. A power higher than myself helped to decide; property taxes, car insurance, and an income tax installment all came due at once. Besides, I'm still not sure if the focus problem is the old screen or my new glasses.

A final comment about birds. I've learned to identify another bird by sound; the Swainson's Thrush. Its call is a very annoying one-note whistle. But its song at sunrise and sunset is beautiful (if you can appreciate it at 5:00 AM). It finished singing Thursday night at 10:10 PM.

And to all you dads out there, hope you had a good Fathers Day. Thanks for phoning kids. Good to hear from you.

Week ending June 26, 2005.

Oh deer. They're back.

Three times this week I've had to chase deer out of the yard. Cheeky things; even in the middle of the day while we are out in the yard. Once I used the car to chase one up the driveway. (It went fast).

Unfortunately now that they've tasted my broccoli, they'll keep coming back. So we'll have to keep the gate closed all day. Its inconvenient but it has to be done.

The author of the book "Bambi" sure got everything wrong about those walking chunks of venison. In fact, in my humble opinion (IMHO) that book is downright pornographic and should be banned! FURTHERMORE ..... what? quiet down and take my medication? oh. Okay.

Incidentally, while the deer were taste-testing my veggies, I didn't waste time fetching my camera. The picture above, taken last Tuesday, shows a deer on the other side of the fence in my neighbour's yard.

Marit went on her regular morning walk yesterday. (Warning; another deer story coming). And right on Northwest Road, which is the major road here, was a doe and her recently born fawn. The fawn was tiny, barely bigger than a jackrabbit, and it didn't want to leave the centre of the road. Its nervous mother kept trying to direct it off to the safety of the brush but it insisted on bounding up the centre line; jumping like the rabbit it resembled. Cars had to stop for the safety of the animals. Marit felt sorriest for the doe, trying to protect its misbehaving baby. She never did tell me the final details.

There seems to be a lot of major activities happening on the island currently and all of them require an army of volunteers. The most recent is the building of this children's playground beside the community hall. After a successful fund raising drive of grants and donations exceeding $60,000, the equipment and material is being installed this week. The grand opening will be held next weekend on the Canada Day holiday.

Another community activity was held yesterday afternoon; a low-tide beach field trip. John Tayless, a retired marine biology professor, gave a brief introductory talk at the old school, then led the trek at Cable Beach. It was fascinating exploring the various strata of the tidal zone. And all agreed that the beach will never seem the same after exploring the underside of all those rocks near the water's edge.

A low-key, but significant occurrence today; the opening of the produce shack. Fresh farm vegetable are available at Westisle farm, just down the road from us. I met Wes at noon clearing the brush from his sign at the road side. (He'll hate this picture). We're not his biggest customer since we grow most of our own, but today I bought some fresh tomatoes. (They have a head start in a green house). And later in the summer we buy his corn. Everyone agrees, his produce tasted lots better than the supermarket offerings.

Incidentally, for the record, our supper tonight consisted of fresh garden potatoes which I just dug, sugar-snap peas, and a salad of various letuces, green onions, and radishes all picked from our garden. Now if only the meatloaf was venison instead of store bought hamburger ...

And for anyone who will be on the island next weekend, don't forget the annual fireman's Pancake Breakfast. Yes, another fund raiser but for a great cause; life saving equipment for out fire fighters. And with the great food, congenial company, and fun antics, who minds paying for food and raffle tickets.

Have a great week, and do something memorable to finish the first half of 2005.

Week ending July 3, 2005.

Canada Day. And they made it, despite the disaster.

Erik and two friends, Keith and Lenny, intended to drive out Thursday afternoon to spend the holiday weekend here. But before they were to catch a ferry at Horseshoe Bay; disaster struck. A ferry, the "Queen of Oak Bay", lost power while docking and ran aground after plowing into a boat marina. All ferry traffic from the area was suspended.

Fortunately Erik and friends were able to "walk aboard" a ship on another route from Tsawassen and I picked them up at the Duke Point terminus. That evening the poker game was underway on the back patio. Despite the cloudy periods, weather here has been very pleasant all week. Lack of wind was great for the boys out fishing in our small boat. But for those trying to sail, it was very frustrating. The crew on a becalmed sailboat in front of our house had nothing else to do but watch as Lenny caught a large cod right beside them.

Their poker playing has apparently improved; they retrieved all the winnings I made on their last visit.They also did a great job of carrying up all the logs and firewood I had accumulated down by the beach..

Early this morning the guys went with me to the Annual Fireman's Pancake Breakfast. Such a breakfast; pancakes and bacon smothered in strawberries, whipped cream, and syrup. (All low-cal, dietetic, and cholesterol free of course). Instead of waiting for the dozens of door prize raffle draws, they wanted to start the homeward journey. So I drove them back south of Nanaimo to their ferry. (I expect we'll be notified later of all our prizes by telephone).

Another local activity on Canada Day was the "grand opening" of the new children's playground. The event was really a tribute to the residents who brought this about; the organizers, the donors, and the 65 volunteer workers who installed and created the playground during the past week. The kids seemed to love it.

Incidentally, I've been asked exactly what is Canada Day? Is it the same as Independence Day? Good question. The answer is, No. We don't have an independence day. Canada never revolted, or separated, or made a big fuss. We just evolved and adapted. And Canada just chose July 1st as an appropriate day to celebrate being a Canadian and have a holiday. That's about it.

Back on the home front, the floral display is developing nicely. The clematis jackmanii, which used to adorn the old summer cabin, is flourishing again atop its trellis. The lower trellis is share by two rose bushes; Albertine and New Dawn. Unfortunately both roses look almost identical. One of the selections should have been red. Marit feels that many of the flowering plants in her garden are thriving a bit too well. They're becoming bigger than she had expected. More moves and changes are probably in store this fall.

The raspberries have been frustrating for Marit. The netting to keep out the the starlings is an effective nuisance for people too. And the berries require frequent picking. She's also been doing a marathon of pea picking and shelling this afternoon.

The bird population is constantly changing. There's lots of hummingbirds around, but I haven't seen a mature male hummingbird since the middle of last week. The males have all left the area. I understand they go higher into the mountainous regions to feed on the alpine flowers before migrating back to Mexico at the end of summer. I imagine they just go and hang out with the guys, drink a lot of nectar, watch TV, tell crude jokes,,,, all the things us guys do.

And a new observation here for me: cedar waxwings. I used to see them in the Fraser Valley eating cherries. Here they were acting like Flycatchers; sitting on a branch, darting off to grab some passing flying insect.

I trust everyone has had a good Canada Day (as long as you didn't have a boat moored in Horseshoe Bay). For all those not fortunate enough to be retired, you have a whole month before our next made-up holiday commemorating nothing; the August 1st civic holiday.

And guys, (You know who you are), good luck with quitting again.

Week ending July 10, 2005.

At sunrise this morning, this was our roadside view.. Notice the development?

No, I don't mean the "almost ripe" blackberries along our front fence. I'm referring to the emptiness; the loss of a fixture that has stood at the road-side for 5 years. My old 1977 Dodge truck has gone to a new home. (And the neighbours are rejoicing).

That old truck had been a great work horse and the nostalgia I felt when I drove it to its final home was almost overpowering. But because of the deterioration and failing components, I had to change its name to Spuzzum. It was certainly "beyond Hope". (Yes, I realize that humour will be understood only by the locals. Anyone else may have to resort to a Google search, or write and ask me.)

Our waterfowl inventory today was extremely small. The waters off our beaches were almost empty. But we were surprised at our final counting station to discover a large group of shore birds. There were Western Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, and Killdeer Plovers feeding in the mudflats of a stream outlet.

Strangely enough, these birds were already migrating back from the summer breeding areas to their winter feeding grounds. They were the beginning of a large migration of shore birds that peaks in early August.

I said "strangely" because summer hasn't even started here yet. The weather has been cloudy and cold (well, cold enough to require more than a T-shirt outside). I talked with a young family from Baltimore this week, where the summers are often sweltering hot. They apprehensively asked "Is this normal summer temperature?" No, summer hasn't arrived yet. The picture below gives an accurate indication of the earlier days this week.

With this cool weather, the cucumbers are barely surviving, the squash is slow to grow, and the pumpkin is only crawling in its usual invasion of the property. But the zucchini has managed to produce some harvestable fruit.

Some other crops are doing well, and Marit is almost overwhelmed by the raspberries and peas. She does it all; picks, shells, processes, makes jam and jelly, freezes, whatever is appropriate, (including pleading with friends and neighbours to help themselves at U-pick raspberries). I'm astonished how she can cope; her garden, the harvest, her regular activities, a fussy husband, and still manage to help two neighbours by taking them to their different off-island medical appointments.

In the neighbourhood, more changes are occurring. Another house is for sale just two properties north of me; Waterfront, and listed at $590,000. My only comment is that my limited comprehension is unable to process the data. It does not compute.

In closing; a small tribute to the good truck "Spuzzum". It's spending its final days with other geriatric friends. And I prefer to think that it is happy donating parts for transplant into other ailing vehicles.

Here's hoping the forecast is accurate for next week; sunshine and warmer weather. May the tomatoes smile and peppers prosper.

Week ending July 17, 2005.

This weekend, summer arrived.

Some plants are wilting from the shock. And some, like the pumpkins, are taking bold leaps into new territory. In the very centre of it all (if the photo could be expanded large enough) Marit is showing her frustration at trying to keep up with the harvest of peas.

The raspberries are slowing a little. My first attempt at dehydrating whole berries wasn't entirely successful. I'll have to try pureeing them and making "fruit leather".

While digging in the garden Tuesday morning, a bee (or something) stung me on the arm. Although I didn't understand at the time, I believe it was an omen of what was to follow.

The next day, while searching for seaweed on the beach, I found myself surrounded by a cloud of bees; each one moving aimlessly, but the mass moving slowly up the slope toward the house. It settled into a fir tree next door and the bees coalesced into a large ball on a branch. It was a swarm!

I contacted some hobby beekeepers on the island who came over immediately with full regalia and equipment. The collection was amazingly scientific and precise. Not! After climbing a ladder and holding a plastic bucket under the swarm, they hit the branch causing all the bees to fall off into the pail. Then the bees were poured like water into a waiting hive and the lid put on.

That was it. The hive was left until dusk when all the stragglers found there way in to join the queen. Then it was taken away.

A day later, Thursday, heard a familiar sound at the side of the house. Another swarm, much larger, had settled into fir tree just behind Marit's clothes line. (And she had just hung out a load of wash earlier).

The bee keeper (Dr. David Scruton, a semi-retired medical doctor) came promptly again. (How is it that beekeepers have so many empty hives ready?)

This swarm was more difficult. It was wrapped around the tree trunk and had to be scooped off into the bucket. Three attempts were necessary to capture the queen, The docile bees finally became a little more agitated. This time the doctor did not escape without stings.

But Thursday evening another full hive was taken way. The swarm was 4 times larger than Wednesday's.

Friday morning I was very nervous to leave the house. No more bee problems. But on Saturday while working on a volunteer community trail construction project, one resident told of his frightening experience being stung last week while working in his yard. Like all of us he had never previously experienced a problem from insect stings, but this time he suffered a severe anabolic reaction. Through fortunate circumstances he was able to get medical treatment from a doctor within 20 minutes. A few more minutes and he would have died. He made us all think; what causes the body to suddenly become so sensitive?

I do have to relate his final comments. In the final moments before he was revived by an injection of adrenaline, he perceived a haze of green closing in from all sides. And his thought was "I've died, I'm in hell, and I have to go haying for ever".

Back to more mundane matters. I discovered a disadvantage of plastic pipes for outdoor plumbing. They don't resist a sharp shovel very well. Fortunately they're not too difficult to repair.

And there's one less house for sale in the neighbourhood. No, it wasn't sold; the owner decided to take it off the market. The process was too stressful, and they decided that "there is no better there than here". We're delighted that they're staying.

Welcome to Canada, Elizabeth and Morten. We'll see you Tuesday when you get over to the island.

My final comment; "it's too hot already!"

Week ending July 24, 2005.

Beauty and the beast.

The beauty is Marit's niece, Elizabeth, who is visiting us from Norway. The beast is one of the largest Three-Spined Sharks I have seen in this area. The shark, commonly called "dogfish", is (of course) dead.

Elizabeth, along with her friend Morten arrived last Tuesday. We've had a busy time touring Denman, visiting Tofino and Long Beach, and shopping in Courtenay. The shopping trip was "something else"; Courtenay's annual one day sidewalk sale. The main street was closed to traffic and filled with tables full of merchandise from every shop in the city. It was crowded, people everywhere; definitely not my, or Morten's favorite activity. But I did end up buying a new pair of hiking shoes.

Erik came out and joined us after work on Friday. Saturday morning the two guys went fishing on Baynes Sound. Sharks were not the only species they caught; rock-cod fillets were brought back for lunch.

And to Marit's delight, Morten is a gourmet cook. He used our snow peas, raided the spice rack, borrowed the wok, and produced a delicious stir fry. Now that's a great guest.

The three of them were out again this morning, but everything caught was released. (Incidentally, although it may not show in the above right picture, Erik needed some soothing aloe vera gel on his exposed back this afternoon).

Even in Norway, "Texas Hold'em Poker" seems to be well known. And just like the last time Erik was here with friends, all the quiet intervals have been filled with that card game. They were kind enough to include me. Although it's definitely cut into my hours of sleep, I've almost won enough to buy that new LCD monitor I've wanted.

Next week Elizabeth and Morton are going to spend a few days at April Point Lodge; a luxury fishing resort on Quadra Island. I think they're going to have a great time; guided salmon fishing trips, pampered spa sessions, and fabulous food. I'm jealous.

At the end of the week we'll be sending them back to Vancouver and their return flight to Norway. Let's hope they have a lot of good memories, as well as digital pictures, of their visit.

The summer sunshine has been with us all week and we've watched the sun set far over in the west. But the blistering 30 degree heat hasn't yet hit us. The nights still get cool. I wouldn't mind if it stayed like this for the next month.

In the garden, the raspberries are slowing, and the peas are nearing the end of production. But the blackberries are just beginning to ripen, the broccoli are producing well, and the zucchini are already out of control. Despite her busy days, Marit has squeezed in time to do some pickling nd preserving.

The hummingbirds have become very scarce; very few now come to the feeder. And many of the eagles have left for the summer; probably to the salmon spawning rivers where they spend most of the autumn.

Earlier this week I witnessed one natural drama. A Merlin, a small falcon, chased a fleeing bird into a garden net. The melin pounced on the fallen bird, secured its talons while the prey gave peeping cries, and carried off its dinner. Strangely, I felt no sadness nor exhileration. It was just the natural order of existence.

Week ending July 31, 2005.

They've just left.

Elizabeth and Morten boarded their plane at Vancouver International Airport this afternoon. Now, as I write, they should be approaching the east coast of Canada on their trip back to Norway.

It was enjoyable having them. Sometimes I felt I was the one being treated; at this final barbecue, they did the cooking. (Of course, Marit regularly spoils me every day).

In recent years, the deer population appears to be rapidly increasing. Elizabeth and Morten counted 32 of them one evening as they went for a 10K run and bicycle trip. I expected this population boom after the extensive logging on the island temporarily opened a huge grazing area for them. It's a common phenomenon; increased food supply leads to greater survival and more animals. If only our salmon population was experiencing the same growth.In their first two days at April Point Lodge, Morton and Elizabeth failed to catch any salmon large enough to keep. Fortunately on their last outing their guide found a large school of hungry pink salmon. They caught their limit and came back with 8 pinks. And as a bonus, Elizabeth now has a story of "the big one that got away".

Using my zoom lens I was able to snap this picture of Elizabeth struggling on the dock with a box containing 5 of these salmon. They took several of the fish with them to Vancouver and had a large barbecue at Erik's on their final night. The rest of the fish... well, one went on our barbecue, and the others are now "canned" in mason jars.

Now, back to our regular routines, we find the garden is rapidly changing. The pumpkin is threatening to take over the acreage; if it wasn't developing fruit along each of those vines I would have cut it back long ago. Cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage are now ready. Peas are now finished and the vines have been removed.

The bush beans have begun their massive crop, and they all come at once. Marit is almost overwhelmed. In the midst of all this bounty, we found that last year's harvest hasn't been completely consumed. We've had to empty the old packages from the freezer. My compost pile is bulging.

Raspberries are almost complete and I've removed the protective netting. Blueberries, ... I harvested the entire crop and had it in my breakfast cereal (along with some raspberries). When Marit reminded me that she has never had even a taste of our blueberries yet I felt very thoughtless, and selfish. Next year, her turn.

Blackberries are now beginning to ripen; the early season ones are biggest and juiciest. I've already had to chase away one poacher who started to pick "my" patch at the roadside. I must have learned something at the poker games; my bluffing is improving.

I placed an order for some rain as soon as our guests left for Norway. And the clouds have come on schedule. I took this picture just minutes before the rain started. Unfortunately the rain has been light, and stopped completely by early afternoon. We're hoping the clouds will get more serious tonight before the hot weather returns next week.

And my neighbour who decided not to sell his house, changed his mind again. He's accepted a new offer, signed the papers, and will move in a few months when his new condominium in Courtenay is finished. Bill has been a great neighbour.
To the new owners, welcome and I hope you will truly enjoy the island.

Week ending Aug. 7, 2005.

Hot and dry. But it cools down at night.

Typical August weather. The small amount of rain last weekend dried before it could penetrate the soil. The grass is now changing to its summer colour. Sometimes I think of the author Erma Bombeck who wrote a book called "The Grass Is Always Greener Over The Septic Field". She was mistaken. She never visited here.

But we had other visitors this week; Bob and Pam Niddery. Although it's been a lot of years I can't help but remember her as a young schoolgirl who lived across the street from us in Port Moody. Now she arrived as a (grey-haired) "biker momma" on back of Bob's BMC 650 motorcycle. It was great spending an afternoon with them.

But back to gardening.
The perennial grass garden, which occasionally gets watered, is doing just fine. The clumps of miscanthus grass shown in the top picture are a meter and a half tall. As intended, they are effectively screening the view behind.

Caring for the plants continues to absorb most of our time and energies. I've cut out all the old raspberry canes and disposed of them. But I haven't yet thinned out the new growth. I'll wait until the end of summer and see which canes appear the strongest for next years harvest.

Blackberries are at peak production. We have enough jam. I'm trying to juice them and dry it as "fruit leather". No matter how long I leave it in the dryer it seems to be sticky and moist. Any helpful suggestions anyone?

These pumpkins have me wondering. They are supposed to be "Rouge Vif d'Etampes", a centuries old french heirloom variety that's reddish orange. But these are the wrong colour. They're very vigorous though; one vine today measured 430 cms. It must be hard pumping water that far because the leaves wilt badly every afternoon. They recover fine the bext morning though.

Marit is terribly overworked. She's continuously canning, pickling, and jam making. Her frustrations have been intensified by a new brand of canning lids that haven't sealed well. Too late we discovered that the lids require different preparation; they're NOT put in boiling water first. (Typical computer user's approach; read the instructions ONLY if all else fails).

Her pressure isn't just canning. She's undertaken an intensive weaving project with the local guild. And she has to complete the project and turn over the large loom to its owner by mid month. So she's been busier then the proverbial one-armed paper hanger. But she's coping; and I think she quickly baked those fresh muffins tonight just to show off.

Okay. She insists I report the results of our tomato competition. Every year we compete for the first ripe tomato; her pots by the side of the house, or mine on a trellis out in the garden. She won again with red fruit almost two weeks ago. Mine are still very green. (But I'm still not sure that tiny cherry tomatoes really count).

When we have the chance to notice, there is a lot of interesting boat traffic passing by in Baynes Sound. There are three small navy vessels that regularly cruise by. I don't know if there are young cadets, or naval reservists on board. But the commands being broadcast for their drills are sometimes quite amusing. This one was having a fire drill.

Some of the yachts are quite impressive. But I haven't seen anything matching the giant that sailed by three years ago. I still believe that one was Jimmy Pattison's yacht.

No, I'm never envious. I couldn't afford one of them if it was given to me. And somehow, after riding ferries and liners, I suspect it wouldn't have the fun of a small boat. I know, I know, ..sour grapes.

Birds. I think, know the calendar. On the first day of August, their habits changed. Suddenly immature robins began gathering in flocks. Groups of young towhees suddenly appeared, acting like the kids that they are, jumping at insects and chasing moths. Hummingbirds have completely disappeared; I haven't seen one all week.

And the Bonaparte's gulls have returned to the neighbourhood. They look a bit motley now; their summer breeding plumage is fading and their colouring is mixed. Bonaparte's are not just another seagull. They're smaller, more streamlined, and sometimes act more like a swallow than a gull. In the spring they arrive in time for the hatch of flying ants. After our battle with the carpenter ants three years ago, I really appreciate these fellows. There's a group of them feeding now in the tide pool below us.

Summer is proceeding so quickly; I suspect in no time at all I'll be putting up the winter feeder.

Week ending Aug. 14, 2005.

The signs of summer.

This is one of several posted strategically around the island. The fire danger is now rated high and all outdoor burning is prohibited. A forest fire on this island could be disastrous. Almost every home would be at risk.

We accidentally ran out of water last week when someone forgot to turn off an irrigation hose overnight. (Wasn't me this time). Fortunately our well has always recovered due to a slow flow deep in the shale.

Marit has declared the pickling, canning, and jamming is complete. Her last batch had to be processed four times before all the lids remained tightly sealed. Our next challenge will be the storage crops; potatoes, turnips, and squash.

The shrubs on our back slope were becoming overgrown and blocking the view down to the shore. I spent two days selectively trimming and clearing to produce this fine scene. In my enthusiastic frenzy of brush whacking, I failed to notice some angry inhabitants; a disturbed nest of yellowjacket wasps. They succeeded in catching my attention with a few pokes in the chest.

Yes, I left. Quickly. Maybe this winter after some heavy frost I'll go back to finish the job. Meanwhile it's surprising how slowly the swelling goes down. Currently my "bust" size is significantly enlarged. I want to report that the rumour about wasp venom being good for aching bones is FALSE.

Oops, Marit just came into the house with her second armload full of zucchini. Her comments are not very nice. It seems that we both thought the other had been regularly checking the patch.

The largest ones will have to go on the compost pile unless we can quickly find a better use for them. I recall that an earlier edition of "Mother Earth News" had an article recommending that they be dried into cordwood logs. I think it was an April 1st issue. But hundreds of people wrote asking how to they could do that. Maybe I should investigate.

Speaking of cordwood logs, our neighbours across the street, in preparing for another winter, had three cords of firewood delivered; a huge pile of slabs dumped bedise their front steps.

Unfortunately their time and energy, as well as that of their son and their grandson, is committed to other projects around the house. So I thought I could help out a little by splitting that wood into stove-size pieces for them. Right now, I'm totally ashamed of my aches, fatigue, and blistered hands. After a day and a half, there's still half a cord left. And there's another 1 1/2 cords being delivered next month.

Bird warning. Those of you with an aviary aversion can tune out now.

Our monthly water bird count is still extremely small. Bonapart gulls were the only exception. They were very acrobatic today chasing a hatch of flying ants. But we were excited to find a number of Red-necked grebes; (we birders get easily excited). And we sited one Red-throated loon which is only occasionally seen here.

In general, the most common species today was the human sunbather spread along the beach. And they were probably concerned about these perverts with telescope and binoculars stopping and spying as they walked among them.

Earlier this week I had a rare sighting in the garden. A Black-headed Grosbeak (either a female or a juvenile) was sitting in a small pine tree. It's so uncommon it wasn't listed in my old copy of the Comox district birds.

If the bird banter hasn't already tuned you out, I'll just say that's it for the week. At least, that's all I want to put in print. Enjoy the summer.

Week ending Aug. 21, 2005.

Finally, some rain.

On Tuesday some beautiful dark grey clouds hung low on the mountainside, and during the night released a good soaking of rain. Approximately 3/4 of a an inch, or 190 mm fell in this area. The garden and the landscape loved it.

Thanks to the rain, some winter rye sprouted where I had sown it on a section of the potato patch. And some freshly seeded arugula has started to grow.

But we took a break from the garden chores mid week when Lise and Gary arrived. They spent the first part of their holiday exploring more of their favorite city, Victoria. (By now, they almost qualify as tour guides).

Gary introduced me to an area of the internet that I hadn't previously explored; "Soundclick". Gary is a talented drummer, and his band has several songs posted at the site. If anyone is interested in hearing this music, visit soundclick (don't even need the www or the .com), then select "Acoustic", select "Acoustic Rock", and negotiate through the hundreds of bands until "The InHalers (Canada)" is found. (I never asked how they picked that name).

Lise also used the internet to find the results of her last semester at Douglas College. B- and A; smart daughter.

Its very relaxing sitting on the deck watching the boats sail by. But occasionally I get aggravated at the arrogance of some skippers. Not all are as correct as this yacht. Many sail by with just the Stars and Stripes flying from the stern. No Canadian flag displayed anywhere. Sailing into a foreign port without displaying their flag in respect, is considered an aggressive act similar to a declaration of war. Maybe I should fire a shot across their bow. (If I ever restart drinking, the entire world may know.)

After their departure on Saturday, it was back to the chores. Marit had to come out of retirement from canning and preserving. We found that she hadn't made any blackberry jelly; only jam. So she went through a few more gallons of berries; crushing, straining, processing, and canning. The jelly is complete, but I'm sorry to report that she seems to have suffered an attitude problem. When I walked in with the first batch of a new harvest, Armenian cucumbers, she didn't have the joyful reaction I expected.

I suspect I'll be making apple sauce myself next month. If I'm lucky.

While picking blackberries earlier I was startled when a turkey suddenly flew from right under my feet. I hadn't seen her on the nest. (I now understand why my older neighbours with bad hearts don't pick berries). The turkey didn't come back after a few days so I took some eggs. (I left two just in case). The eggs were delicious scrambled with some local clams. But the shells were very thick; difficult to crack.

This morning, amazingly, I checked and counted 5 eggs in the nest. The stubborn lady is going to try again. Maybe she'll be "third time lucky".

No more bird reports, but I do have one exciting discovery; an Alligator Lizard. On Friday I first saw it at the corner of the house on my brick walkway. Today it was on the first step down to the beach. Its called Alligator because of its appearance. It eats small bugs and insects. If it can manage to dine on sow bugs it'll have a feast here.

Its our only lizard. Unlike a salamander, its quick. And its quite small; 18 cm at the most, including the tail. Marit doesn't share my delight. She made me go out and pick her ripe tomatoes, which are right next to the spot where it was first seen.

That about ends another week. I notice that the Autumn Joy sedum, in the above picture, is starting to change into its fall colour. Many of the other plants and trees will soon follow.

Interesting times.

Week ending Aug. 28, 2005.

August is almost gone. Sooner than we realize, the frost will be on the pumpkin.

Erik was out for the weekend, getting a fresh supply of clean air, exercise, and parental advice. I thought his blue wardrobe was a great contrast to highlight a segment of my pumpkin patch.

The weather has cooled a bit, but the forecasted rain never did materialize this weekend. The very few showers that did appear quickly evaporated. But dryness has been an advantage in the harvest of the shell beans.

Yes, I know there's easier ways to separate the dried beans from their shells; something about putting them in a sack and flailing them with sticks and chains. Sounds rather sado-masochistic; unsuitable for the crop I've lovingly nurtured.

What species of beans they are, I don't know. Bob Isaak, who gave them to me five years ago knew them as Norwegian Brown Beans and said they were obviously meant for my garden.

The other ethnic vegetable that has started producing in our garden is the Armenian cucumber. Our neighbour, Karen, introduced us to this plant two years ago. The taste and texture is somewhat different than other cucumbers and we really enjoy it sliced on sandwiches or cut in salads. The plant is always slow to start growing, obviously requiring lots of heat. But late in summer, stand back; its rampant and prolific.

Last Wednesday when Marit and her walking group went over to Hornby, I went off on my own walking adventure; across on the ferry, up past the freeway, and into the forest leading to the Beaufort Mountains. Access is currently forbidden by the logging company that owns it, which makes the exploration particularly enticing. Some areas of the old logging roads are becoming overgrown with blackberries, and from the nearby purple scat I could see that bears were enjoying the harvest.

My main objective was the canyon in which the Tsable River flowed. I found easy access, but was a little disappointed that the river is so very low now; almost as small as the creeks I used to explore as a boy over half a century ago. Later in the "rainy season" I'll have to make this trip again and see how the river appears when its in heavier flow. Incidentally, the "debris" (barely visible) at the lower edge of the river is the skeletal remains of a deer.

On Denman, deer are still extremely plentiful. And they're evolving. They have found that bird feeders contain some very tasty grains and have been raiding all the bird feeding stations in the neighbourhood. I expect them soon to begin walking on two feet to access the higher feeders. Even small fawns have been seen emulating their mothers, standing under these feeders on their hind legs. They're learning.

This picture was taken just outside my fence last Friday evening. I suspect my neighbour didn't really intend to feed the birds.

Just outside my other fence, securely hidden in the blackberry bushes, the hen turkey began incubating the clutch of eggs last Wednesday. If she is successful this time, the new chicks should hatch September 20. I marked the date on my calendar.

Incidentally, Marit is still canning. With no prompting from me, she processed a batch of future desserts; peaches that were picked locally. (Thanks again Mary).

Week ending Sept. 4, 2005.

Labour Day weekend. The end of summer holidays.

No, this picture is not the exodus of visitors and summer residents. Its our annual Blackberry Run; a race of approximately 8.5 kms. Starting at the community hall, it has a gruelling climb up The Hill, up the forested Pickles Road, out by Chickadee Lake, then down along pavement to the starting point. This year there were 132 participants, running and walking.

Marit participated with the walkers, striding along briskly and earning her T-shirt. I just watched, and remembered the agony of earlier years.

The race is only one part of the annual Blackberry Fair which includes music, food and local vendors. Like most country fairs it has a parade with the local fire department prominently high-lighted.

This year, for the first time in memory, it rained on our parade. Yes, the clouds gathered, sprinkling gently at first, and then showered with more gusto. Any vendors without adequate roofing were scrambling for tarps.

The musicians relocated into the community hall with the side doors wide open. Everything carried on.

In recent times, the old fashioned garden competition and handiwork displays had lapsed and the Fair has been trying to resurrect those events. Marit and I thought it would be fun to participate. The result:

First prize for my heirloom pumpkin on the left. And in the weaving handiwork category, Marit won first prize for her tea towel; an intricate, tightly woven fabric. She also won second prize in the knitted category with her embroidery.

Next year we'll enter more categories. We certainly had more produce; we'd been harvesting all week.

The onions had been picked and dried in the sun for a few days to cure them before storage. The remaining rows of potatoes have been dug. Some of the Bintje and the Red Pontiacs are shown being briefly dried. All potatoes are now in our garage, curing by "sweating" before being stored in the root cellar.

Harvesting was started on another type of bean "Ireland Creek Annie". (They were further dried on the tarp along with the onions). The rest of the crop wasn't sufficiently mature before the rains came. But they can wait for more sunshine next week.

The disaster in the American gulf coast has made many of us realize how fortunate we are to dwell in this remarkable corner of the world. But we are not without our own emergencies. An individual suffering schizophrenia disappeared from his residence one night last week. He had rejected his medication and subsequently began to suffer paranoia, fearing that someone was looking for him.

A true premonition. The next day the entire personnel from the fire department was looking for him, as were the police and two contingencies of provincial search and rescue units. When these, along with their helicopter and airplane were unsuccessful they organized local volunteers for a night search. I found it frustrating searching roads and trails by flashlight when I knew that others had been by hours ago in the daylight.

Fortunately this incident had a happy ending. He was located the following day and taken for treatment.

Other events locally have been less dramatic. The lease holder on the shore below has extensively harvested oysters; bagging and accumulating them on slings at low tide. Later when the tide was high, an aluminum scow was brought in to hoist the slings aboard with a winch. Very efficient. But it was a surprise to see the boat in so close to shore. I thought the water was too shallow, and the rocks too extensive for this maneuver.

And incidentally, there's still some oysters left for local gathering.

Throughout the week there have been other small glimpses of magical quality; the spike deer by the gate with the velvet hanging from his antlers, the three kingfishers sitting on the power wires and constantly chattering; the small California Quail suddenly reappearing after several years, sitting in the neighbour's apple tree; and the turkey still incubating its eggs alongside my fence.

But perhaps others don't share my sense of magic.

Week ending Sept. 11, 2005.

Thanks for the painting. And thanks for the weed.

Oops. That's what I called out a couple hours ago in Nanaimo as I dropped Erik off at the ferry terminal. He had spent the weekend with us. While here, he went on the roof and painted most of the trim that had weathered badly from two years of salt-laden storm winds. He had also helped carry up buckets filled with sea weed from the beach. I use a lot of sea weed in the garden and in the compost piles.

That was the weed I meant. I hope no one at the ferry terminal misunderstood.

Other than my son's visit, the rest of the week has been very dull. And to report it; bo-o-o-ring! The garden is gradually winding down. The vegetable beds are beginning to look like an expansion of the lawn as I dig them over and plant fall rye as a "cover crop".

This picture taken yesterday shows three stages of the rye planting; the closest was just seeded, and the far section has germinated and started growing. The middle is several weeks old.

The cauliflower in the middle is almost ready for harvest, and its area will also be added to the "lawn". The distant bean vines were dug under and sown with rye this morning.

The other main activity has been constant use of our food dehydrator. Its been running 24/7. We've made prunes from plums that were given by generous friends, dried apple slices, dried sliced tomatoes with basil and oregano, and sliced zucchini chips. Are they good? Well, my challenge is to make them faster than Marit can eat them. (The jury is still out on the zucchini chips though.)

Brisk northerly winds earlier this week were not particularly noticeable on our side of Denman, but at Filongly Park the waves being driven down the Straight of Georgia were quite impressive. Enjoyable to watch; from shore.

Today when Mike and I walked the beach at high tide for the monthly bird count, we found immense amounts of sea weed has been accumulated. Long rows over one foot deep (30 cms.) stretched along the sand. And rafts of more weed were floating at the water's edge. Gardeners in that area had been busy filling their beds.

The water birds are just beginning to return. We found a few scoters (surf scoters and white-winged). And one "probable" Jaeger was spotted migrating through the area. Next month I expect the trumpeter swans to be returning.

The only other significant event this week was the malicious attack on Marit by a wasp. While hiking with the ladies group on Wednesday she was stung on the ring finger. She wasn't able to get the ring off before the swelling began, so it was quite painful. Strange, but she was stung three weeks ago in the same hand, while weaving in the old school weaving room.

From now until the first killing frost, no place is safe from those yellowjackets.

Week ending Sept. 18, 2005.

Catastrophe, or celebration?

On Monday I discovered this scene near the turkey nest outside my fence; broken eggs and nearby feathers. I was sure a predator had once again destroyed the turkey's brood. But two days later my neighbours saw a hen turkey with five young chicks. It appears that the mother left the nest with the first chicks that hatched; leaving the remaining eggs to scavengers.

Unfortunately the chicks face a challenging future. These kids are starting very late in the year. And today, only four of them could be seen with mama.

The garden has been continuing its bounty and we'll be eating "home-grown" for a long time yet. But we had one mini-disaster earlier this week.The disease "late blight" arrived in our neighbourhood and I detected it on my tomato plants. Its a nasty fungal disease brought by the spores of "Phytophthora infestans". The entire plant, including the fruit, eventually blackens and rots.

At the first indication, I immediately picked all the tomatoes, even the greenest ones, and stored them inside. We're hoping the spores haven't yet infected the fruit, and that most tomatoes will eventually ripen in storage.

Thank goodness all the potatoes have been harvested. They're susceptible to the same disease, as the Irish discovered in 1845; the start of the great potato famine.

Yesterday was a change of pace; a short trip to Hornby Island, where their annual fall fair was being held. Marit and I both have to agree; in comparison with our Denman Island fall fair, Hornby's was bigger and better, more organized, and had greater participation by the residents. We could learn from them.

After touring the fair in the morning, I spent the afternoon meeting with a group of friends over at Ford Cove. And for the first time this season, I was cold. In the shaded campground, with a cool southerly breeze coming right up the Straight of Georgia, I needed both a sweater and jacket for comfort. Maybe summer really is over.

Anyone who has been to Hornby will recognize the "Thatch" at the ferry landing. The thatch is currently closed; no pub, no restaurant. And the ATM machine in the area has been vandalized so badly that its not repairable. Although its still scenic, there are a few small flaws in this corner of paradise.

Back at home, this was the sight that greeted me when I got up this morning. (Yes, its dark at 6:00 AM now).

That's the "Harvest Moon", a full moon that rose just after sunset last night. Its called the Harvest Moon because traditionally it provides the extra light needed to complete the harvest in these northern latitudes.

In the changing landscape, I heard a sound that I remembered from earlier years; the call of a golden-crowned sparrow. Today I found them in the blackberry thicket; the "golden-crowns" have returned for the winter.

On the water we heard the first barking of the sea lions. The vanguard is back. Already.

I've seen surf scoters flying past the house. In preparation for their invasion, the local shellfish farmer is completing his netting of the beach out front. He's given me permission to take oysters or clams that are not under netting. In return, I'll watch his lease and notify him if commercial poachers show up.

All these events, and there's still four days left of summer.

Footnote: My prize winning pumpkin did not die in vain. Marit just proved that by bringing in a slice of pumpkin pie topped with whipping cream. And apparently there's a lot more processed pulp in the freezer promising more pies and goodies. Marit went through a lot of messy work cooking and preserving it, and I'm really appreciative.

Week ending Sept. 25, 2005.

They're ba-A-a-ck!

No, not the birds; the sea lions. We've occasionally heard them barking for over a week. Then on Wednesday five of them swam by the house. Why now, when the large schools of herring are still months away? Probably to feast on the salmon that are returning to their spawning rivers.

The birds shown above are Whiskey-jacks. Official bird books call them Grey Jays. Older books call them Canada Jays. But to those of us who live with them, they're Whiskey-jacks! We encountered them yesterday while hiking.

The weather has been too good to waste so yesterday we drove up to Mount Washington and hiked in the Paradise Meadow area of Strathcona Park. The alpine shrubbery has not yet fully developed its brilliant colouring, but the scenery still provided a magnificent display. Early in the hike, Marit pointed out that this would be a good spot for a picture. That's when I discovered my camera was still back in the car.

Marit patiently watched my pack while I jogged back to the parking lot. (On my return, I took this picture). Lunch at Lake Edith Mackenzie tasted extra good. And we picked blueberries along the trail at Battleship Lake. The birds mobbed us at several spots along the hike; every time they discovered we had some spare bread. Some were a little shy, but others landed in our hair waiting for us to produce more handouts.

It was a fun day. We really should remember to visit the area more often.

Today we joined another hike. A large area on the north end of Denman was recently logged and new owners are hoping to develop some areas. To obtain the required rezoning, the owners are expected to preserve or donate tracts of sensitive terrain and to provide access through these areas.

Today's hike was one of a series, organized by concerned citizens to familiarize ourselves with the features of the area and to understand any proposed trade-offs.

The hike was really enjoyable, and we learned a lot. Can you imagine that a railway was once built across this island? If the picture to the right is enlarged (click on it) the old bed is still visible along a steady grade. It was used in the early part of the last century to haul timber off the island. (The recent logging operation was the third harvest of this area since the arrival of europeans). And just to the left of the picture is "Railway Marsh" that Trumpeter Swans visit every winter.

We learned of the complex geology of the island; alluvial clay on the west side, sandy glacial deposit on the east, and a lower strip of wetlands running down the centre dividing the two watersheds. Our heads were full and our legs were tired when we finally arrived home this afternoon.

On the home front; more gardening, more preserving, and more landscaping. Just the usual playing-in-the-dirt.

On the beach I've finally identified a Thayers Gull (It's not easy picking out these occasional "other" gulls that wander by). And on the hike today a flock of migrating pipits paused at a gravel quarry.

Incidentally, the weather has been great; fall seems to be stealing all the sunshine that summer had left over. And despite the cool nights we have to water the gardens regularly again.

For the diary of previous months, select the month below.

May, 2000	June, 2000	July, 2000
August, 2000	September, 2000	October, 2000
November, 2000	December, 2000	January, 2001
February, 2001	March, 2001	April, 2001
May, 2001	June-Sept, 2001	Oct. - Dec, 2001
Jan. - Mar, 2002	Apr. - Aug, 2002	Sep. - Dec, 2002
Jan. - Apr, 2003	May.-Oct, 2003	Nov. - Dec, 2003
Jan. - Mar, 2004	Apr. - Sep, 2004	Oct. - Dec, 2004
Jan. - Mar, 2005