Summer Life in British Columbia

My property here was logged in the 1930s, and was within weeks of being logged again before I was fortunate enough to acquire it. When those original loggers went through, they left a few old-growth trees.

One approaches the garden under the watchful eye of this metal-and-wood raven sculpture by Oregon artist Andy Strickland.

I love fresh Roma-variety string beans!

I always mix flowers into my vegetable gardens. The harvest that results feeds both body and soul.

An Oriental lily. According to a Chinese proverb, "If you have two loaves of bread, sell one and buy a lily."

The beautiful Asiatic lily with the evening sun shining down.

There is a fair amount of rain here in British Columbia, but nonetheless I find drip irrigation (via the brown tubes visible in this photo) absolutely essential. The soil here is so sandy that it can't hold moisture, and becomes completely dry within hours after a rain.

Planting green onions.

Mushroom growing is not for the impatient! A year ago, we drilled holes in these alder logs, pounded in shiitake spore plugs, sealed the openings with soy wax, and stacked them in a cool spot in my yard. I water them regularly. A few days after this was taken, the first large mushroom sprouted out!

Ajax (in front) and Asha, my Rhodesian ridgebacks relax on the porch after a swim in the lake.

This gravel spit emerges only at low tide.

A landing on the stairs down to the water's edge - hope the water isn't too chilly...

Water's edge near my home. This is a favorite fishing spot for bald eagles.

The ocean versus the brick. No contest!

The rock garden at twilight.

Moonlight on the water, looking west.