Evening on the Front Porch

We never get tired of the view from our float cabin's front porch. Evening is my favourite time, especially in the summer.

Tonight there was a clear blue sky behind Goat Island highlighted in rich setting sunlight.

A few clouds in the west cast their shadow on Goat Island. Tonight it looks like two snakes slithering quickly across its surface. -- Margy

Float Cabin YouTube Video Reaches Over One Million Views

Back in 2012, I sent pictures and video clips about off-the-grid living in our float cabin home to Kirsten Dirksen in Spain. She has a YouTube channel that focuses on tiny homes, simple living and other interesting topics.

A look at the YouTube page with our 1,000,000+ views.

Kirsten took the raw images I sent and put them together into a video for her channel. Little did I know that the video she created would become so popular. This week it just crossed the 1,000,000 views mark.

In case you haven't seen it yet, here it is. You can view it right here or go to YouTube for a larger version.

Thanks Kirsten for sharing our story with so many people.

Do you want to learn more about our float cabin home and off the grid living? Visit the Powell River Books blog or check out some of the books in the Coastal BC Stories series.  -- Wayne and Margy

October Sailing

Motoring out looking for some wind.

We've had an amazing run of warm sunny days this month. October is usually more erratic, but with a stationary high sitting over the Pacific Northwest we've had some amazing weather.

We decided to take our 19' O'Day Mariner daysailer to town on the weekend rather than our Hewescraft. We knew it would take longer, about four hours if we sailed tacking the whole way (which we didn't), rather than 25 minutes in the powerboat. But the thought of all that warm sunshine helped us make the decision.

The beautiful maples on the hillsides turning to fall yellows and orange were a bonus.

Colourful maples on the south side of Goat Island.

The next day we used our spinnaker to get a push. We made better time and had to motor much less. We got two thirds of the way before the wind shifted. We took the sail down and used the outboard kicker to get us through First Narrows and back to our float cabin home.

Wind in the spinnaker taking us home.

What has your October weather been like? There've been some terrible hurricanes, storms and snow. I hope you didn't had to endure any of those. -- Margy

Who is for Margy

Starting my cityfolk life.

Wayne and I used to be what he calls "cityfolk" in his books. I was born and raised in Compton, California. You don't get much more cityfolk than that. When my parents were young, it was a small town. Mom's family were farmers and Dad's ran a corner grocery store. They each were the first in their family to go to college, and both became teachers. Now my small hometown has been swallowed by the urban sprawl emanating from Los Angeles. There's nothing rural about it any longer.

Daddy's girl hiking in Lassen National Park.

Because both of my parents were educators, summer vacations were for camping trips, many up the coast to British Columbia. I learned to love the outdoors and fished alongside my dad. Mom, Dad, and I (I'm a spoiled rotten only child) hiked, went to ranger talks, and learned lots about nature. The seeds for my future life were planted.

Principal of Erwin Elementary School.

Following in my parent's footsteps, I went to college and become an educator. I taught kindergarten like Mom and then became a school administrator like Dad. Those were great years.  I met Wayne, and we found we had lots of common interests. That's been one of the strong points in our marriage. He taught me to fly, and we purchased Piper Arrow 997.

997 in her original paint in Baja California.

We traveled far and wide in 997 to places like New York, Cancun, James Bay (the tip of Hudson Bay), and the Arctic Ocean. Many years included camping under the wing of our airplane in British Columbia.  On a trip in 2000, we discovered Powell River, BC. We returned in 2001 and discovered Powell Lake with its unique floating cabins.

That was the moment we started the transition from cityfolk to a new way of life off the grid.


We had to learn new skills for our new off-the-grid lifestyle, and quick. That's where our good friend John comes in.

Our float cabin at Hole in the Wall on Powell Lake.

We bought his Cabin #3 at Hole in the Wall, and we lovingly say "he came with it." John has remained our friend and patient mentor.

After taking early retirement from our careers in education in 2005, Wayne and I wanted to spend more time in all seasons at our float cabin home.

The solution was to become Canadian permanent residents in 2008. That decision evolved into becoming Canadian citizens in August 2018. Dual citizenship has lots of benefits for us in both countries.

Powell River, BC, from the Texada Island ferry.

You never know what life has in store.

Wayne and I never want to go back to our cityfolk roots. The slower pace in a small town like Powell River fits us.

We spent years looking for a place to retire. Like many things in life, the solution found us. Are you looking for a small, safe, forward thinking place to live? Take a look at Powell River.


Here are some links for more information:

• Tourism Powell River
• Hello BC - Powell River
• City of Powell River
• qathet Regional District
• Powell River Chamber of Commerce
• Powell River Historical Museum
• Powell River Books Blog (about our float cabin life)
• Powell River Books (Wayne's Coastal BC Stories)

If you have any questions, please leave a comment or use the link in my profile to my email address. -- Margy

A Summer Retrospective

I know, summer isn't over until September 22, but with Labor Day come and gone, and kids going back to school it seems that way.

Wayne and I both used to teach. He was a professor at Mt. San Antonio College and I was an administrator (formerly an elementary school teacher) in Mountain View School District. Every year I still get my back-to-school "nightmare."

We both retired early to enjoy float cabin living on Powell Lake in Coastal British Columbia. Now summer is a seasonal word for us rather than vacation time.

That doesn't mean summer isn't busy. Here are some of the highlights from this year.

We've had lots of visitors. We kicked it off by inviting members of the Powell River Garden Club to see my float garden. In July, Kurt arrived from California in his Husky. His wife Leslie joined him for a few days including a stay at the cabin. Then our friends Dave and Marg brought three grandkids (and their dog Crystal) to spend a few days with us.

Sometimes we like to get away. The nearby chuck (ocean) is a good spot. Our shake-down trip was to nearby Texada Island. Other adventures included Heriot Bay, meeting Kurt and Leslie in Campbell River, a four day upcoast cruise, and another four day cruise to Johnstone Strait. We tried salmon fish but haven't caught one yet.

Life isn't all play. Wayne pressure washed our cabin decks. A major project was to remove our stairs and shed to comply with the water lease. John was a big help so we repaid him by towing his new shed. Dave installed a pole for our Xplornet satellite dish. We are also cutting and storing firewood. That's a job that will continue for some time to come.

When we are home on Powell Lake, we use it for some amazing recreation. To name a few, riding our quads on the many logging roads and trails, fishing for trout, sailing in Wayne's 19' O'Day Mariner daysailer and camping with our barge after the quads have been offloaded. There's also hiking, swimming and just relaxing with a good book.

Gardening is a big part of my summer. Garden Club members came up in three groups of seven to visit. It was so much fun for everyone. Both of my Dracaena spike plants bloomed. It has been a very good year for my flowers, fruits and vegetables, but watering has been a challenge with all the hot days.

We eat most of the garden produce fresh, but I enjoy preserving some things for winter. This year I made jam, dill pickles, relish, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. My home grown red currants made a tasty jam. I found a food mill at the thrift store that has made canning much easier. I also dry and store onions, garlic and potatoes.

It's been a very good summer for us up the lake. How was yours? -- Margy

Ogopogo in Powell Lake

You've probably heard of the Loch Ness Monster. Well, here in my neck of the woods we have Ogopogo. Powell Lake in British Columbia is a very deep (about 365 metres or 1200 feet) glacial cut lake. There's even 10,000 year-old trapped sea water at the bottom. No wonder a "monster" is reportedly living in its depths.

Ogopogo's most publicized sighting was in Okanagan Lake at Mission Beach in 1926. He is said to be 20 to 50 feet in length with a serpant shaped body and a horse-like head. Ogopogo has also been seen here in Powell Lake. It's was recorded in an article in the Powell River News as well as Carla Mobley's classic book, Mysterious Powell Lake.


I've had two close encounters with Ogopogo. I haven't actually seen him, but I've felt his presence. The first time was while swimming around our float cabin. I felt a tug on my toes. What else could it have been but Ogopogo "pulling my leg." The second encounter was captured on film. It was his shadow on Goat Island across from my cabin. With evidence like this, I know he must be real. -- Margy

Tree Swallow Babies

Each year we have Tree Swallows visit our nesting boxes at our float cabin on Powell Lake in Coastal BC. By mid-July the chicks are large enough to reach the entrance/exit hole.

One voracious chick at a time waits in the hole for either mom or dad to bring a bug to eat. By this age, the parents must spend the entire day feeding their young, getting them ready to fledge and fly on their own.

Do you have birds nesting at your house? What kind and are they ready to fledge? -- Margy

Toad in the Hole

Coastal BC Amphibians: Western Toad

Toad in the Hole

On a quad ride in nearby Chippewa Bay, I did a bit of exploring on my own while Wayne rode some of the new logging roads.

Wayne doesn’t like wait when I stop to take pictures, so splitting up for a while gives us both a chance to enjoy what we love best.

On the side of a new logging road covered with crushed rock, I found a Western Toad (Anaxyrus boreas) hiding in a hole he had excavated under a jumble of medium sized rocks. He looked snug and well protected from other critters, but maybe not the weight of large logging trucks hauling massive loads. This is one reason they are on the B.C. Provincial Yellow List and are a species of "conservation concern."

Hiding under rocks on the side of a new logging road.

My first thought was to call him “Toad in the Hole.” I remember that was the name of a fast food booth at the Los Angeles Country Fair when I was a kid. I looked it up online and Toad in the Hole is a British dish made with sausages baked in Yorkshire pudding batter.

But enough of my culinary sidetrack. Western Toads are found in rocky areas, but usually near streams or ponds. This is because they reproduce in a water environment. Tiny young toads emerge in late summer to fall, often in large groups covering paths and roadways.

Sitting still through his photo session.

The Western Toad chooses to live in abandoned animal burrows or holes under piles of rocks. They can also dig themselves into sandy soil if it is available.

Western toads have warty skin with a large oval parotoid gland behind each eye that secretes a substance to deter predators. Toad colours vary from gray to greenish with black-spotted reddish brown warts.

A long dorsal stripe and parotoid gland behind his eye.

I took lots of pictures, but didn’t disturb my Toad in the Hole. If I was a predator, his glands would have exuded a neurotoxin with a bad taste. But I wouldn’t have to worry about catching warts. That’s just an old myth.

Toads are good to have around. They eat lots of insects; so, if you see one in your garden, leave it alone. It will be a good neighbor and fun to watch.

Do you have toads where you live? Do you have any toad stories to share? -- Margy

References: Nature: An Illustrated Guide to Common Plants and Animals BC by James Kavanagh (Lone Pine, 1993), British Columbia: A Natural History by Richard Cannings and Sydney Cannings (Greystone Books, 2004), Plants and Animals of the Pacific Northwest by Eugene N. Kozloff (Greystone Books, 1995) and B.C. Frogwatch Program (online).

Friends in Need

The new blue picnic table on our front porch.

... are especially nice especially when you don't know you are in need. Wayne and I came home after a mini-vacation to Vancouver Island to discover a new picnic table on our front porch.

We talked through all the possibilities of how it could have gotten there but weren't sure until we found a note tucked under a solar light on our old table.

Last summer our good friends Dave and Marg stayed at our cabin on the way home from our barge camping and quad riding trip to the head of Powell Lake. They noticed that our old table was missing one leg and sitting on an old shake block found floating in the lake.

Dave built the table in town and delivered it right to our cabin on Powell Lake.

Dave built us a new table in his shop at home and Marg came with him in their boat to make the delivery when they knew we would be away. What a surprise that was. Doesn't it look great! I love the colour that matches our cabin roof. Thanks so much Dave and Marg. You are super special friends in many ways.

Using the repurposed old picnic table as a work bench.

And what about the old picnic table you ask? Never fear. It has been repurposed into a work bench at the back of the cabin.

I used it to make my painted rock ladybug and Wayne is using it to sand and paint the wooden floorboards for our sailboat Ste. Marie.

Have you ever received something special from friends? Tell us your story. -- Margy

Signs of Spring Up the Lake

Spring flowers ...

thanks to lots of April showers. -- Margy

Changeable Weather

Morning broke with fog down to lake level. Little by little it began to rise.

Looking south down Powell Lake towards the Shinglemill marina.

By noon, freezing fog changed to low scattered clouds with higher overcast.

Looking up the east arm of Powell Lake towards the high country.

Then patches of blue heralded some sun for the afternoon, just in time for rain clouds to return overnight. Weather sure is changeable this time of year. -- Margy

Cinnamon Spiced Apple Snow Cone

Our float cabin after a fall snowstorm.

I grew up in a big city way down in Southern California. The only snow we saw was up on the mountain tops. That makes it a special treat for me.

Where we now live in a float cabin on Powell Lake in British Columbia, there's just enough snow to make it fun, not drudgery.

This week we got several inches so soft and fluffy I called it cotton candy snow.

I went out with a spoon and gathered a cup full to make a big snow cone. I didn't have any syrup, but I did have an open jar of the cinnamon spiced apples I canned earlier in the fall.

Canned spiced apple syrup makes a yummy snow cone.

I drizzled my homemade syprup over the top and stirred it in. The result was a sweet, cold treat to celebrate this special occasion. Unfortunately, rain came and all my luscious cotton candy snow was washed away. But I'll be ready with this new jar of apples when it happens. -- Margy