The Beach Trail

Across from the creek is a trail through the woods going down to the beach. I have already posted some shots of it (Wedding Party Prep at the Cabin--June 2007) but here are some more because this path rocks.
As you make your way through the woods, the beach starts to show through the trees in one direction and the cabin in the other. The creek runs out to the beach draining into Clarence Straights on a low tide.

Updates to the Cabin

While Jonathan's friends John and John were here, the three Johns put in two dormer windows. I guess Jonathan woke up one morning a put a chainsaw through the roof. So that is where the dormers are now. They are five feet long and three feet tall. The amount of light they let into the cabin is amazing and now we can go up the "stairs" without bumping our heads. They even put shelves into each one so I can have plants there year round. What a difference. Now we need to put the insulation in the roof and put the blue metal roof on over the gravel paper that didn't do so well last winter.






In the top photo you can also see the stairs and boardwalk Jonathan made leading down to the creek and workspace under the house. There are beach-combed boom-chains running the length for railings, a very nice touch. The board walk leads to these steps going down to the creek. The photo on the right is looking down from the bedroom. You can also see the terraces I am trying to get filled with dirt for a shade garden. The shot below is more detail of the steps. They have oyster and clam shell risers, cedar steps, and are lined with sediment striped rocks from the beach. The board going across the creek leads to a path going down to the beach. I think there are some shots of that already posted but what the heck I'll put more up because it is so dreamy.

Best Seat in Alaska:More on the Outhouse

This is the best outhouse ever!
Jonathan made this for the wedding, it has raised beds in the front for peas. A urinal is inside for the other pee. It even flushes!
The lid and seat are custom made from a door. The knob on the right is his handle on life. Mom and Dad gave a us the double header seat from the barn in Marshfield for our wedding. Jonathan said it was too nice to use. We are going to use it as a frame. One side for a picture of Paula, the other with a picture of John (Buckley).
Yup, running water here, too! We don't have running water in the cabin yet. But I know a plumber.

Garden Logbook

It's mid-season and I want to do an inventory of what's going on in the garden. What's working, what's not.

The greenhouse is full right now. We started a new raised bed this year-20 feet long with a plastic covering system to keep young plants warmer and to protect from too much rain(above). Also two more small ones in front of the outhouse for peas, get it?(see the next posting on the outhouse) We have been trying to fill the stone wall terrace by the creek with dirt for a shade garden, but it is slow going with a four bucket average and then a break. A tree fell in that terrible wind storm and we have been raiding the dirt that was exposed under the root system. It is just too hard to dig in this country. All of the ground surface is occupied by plants, shrubs, moss, tree roots, rocks, sticks shed from the trees or thick sticky mud. So fallen trees that go down from the roots are a great source for dirt. I put some starfish, seaweed and compost, bagged soil, lime and peat to boost it a bit. The results in the garden with this dirt have been better than another raised bed (below, see yellow leaves, small squash)I filled last year with trucked in dirt. Maybe that area doesn't drain as well?

• Chives need to be split up for next year.


• Tomatoes--The Boa greenhouse tomatoes I started from seed stunted after second true leaves: Use individual pots next year instead of flats. Watch inside temp in Late Feb and March. The same variety from Phil has made the most mature plant in greenhouse, he used light in house to start. There are lots of flowers, no fruit yet (8/07/07). The starts from Barb that are in the ground bed are close behind some are an Oregon variety, others are Roma. Been using bone, blood and potash mix, Algalbloom, and Miracle Grow. Flicking buds. The ones in left raised bed: two feet, some flowers. The ones in right side raised bed, 1.5 feet. no flowers.


• Lettuce-Variety pack. Broadcast seeded. 10 plants after thinning in 2 square feet. Pinching flowers on some that are 2 feet, others just starting to shape head. Keep clear at soil.


• Cucumbers-Phil's has one fruit and some more flowers. Of the five seeds I started I have four that made it. One is vining nicely with flowers no fruit yet. the two in the back are small 2 inches, no vine. Right side raised bed.


• Carrots - two varieties. Four square feet in rows, did second seeding after first thinning. Sheila and Lauren ate one--yummy report.


• Radishes--what happened? Bolted went to seed, woody roots. Second planting a little better. Maybe let go too long around wedding time? First was done in rows, second broadcast, neither made a great crop will do another soon. Darn it love radishes.


• Cilantro-seeded self from lst year, not very full bunches. Second planting coming up now. Third planting just last week, need MORE CILANTRO next year.


• Basil--Got greedy and picked young leaves. So off to a slow start, now filling in and looking good. Candidate for pots in dormer windows during winter.


• Summer squash and Zuchini-started from seed inside in pots. Betty transplanted June 8th when she was up for the wedding. Thanks Betty. Have several small (1-2")fruits and lots of flowers (good stuffed with cheese and fried). They are outside along the greenhouse, seem to be protected enough by overhang. The one that is in the back bed is very small compared to the ones in the side bed.


• Fava beans-Wow. Lots 8-10 plants in back bed. Setting flowers, 2-3 feet tall. Leaves starting to yellow, added blood, bone, ash yesterday with some liquid Algobloom. The ones in raised bed by outhouse (12-15 plants are beyond supports-3 feet tall, three feet of garden space. More flowers better color. Deer have not eaten these! Can't wait to see how these beans do here as green beans don't do well here because of the dampness.


• Chard-12-15 plants, 3 feet of raised bed by outhouse. Got a beating from rain and damaged leaves, then the deer have pretty much stripped them (8-1-07 -- 8-6-07). The young leaves at the bases look good though still hope? Still small enough, will keep plastic over that end of garden to see if it keeps the deer out.


• Beets-two varieties. Been eating greens for a few weeks, deer have eaten rest. Very few leaves left, beets are small but maybe salvagable. Four feet of garden space in raised bed by outhouse.


• Parsnips-two feet of garden space. Look healthy but deer have eaten most of the greens over last week. Have not pulled any to see size they seem very firmly set in ground. Plastic will cover these too from now on in hopes to fend off deer.


• Dill-- I forgot that I planted some seeds before I planted the fava beans right over them. There are a few dill plants that came through anyway, slow growing?


• Peas-in front of outhouse. Useing fishing line to support. Need training. Been picking peas since 8-1-07. Have six plants, need more, but where, build a trellis next year.


• Perenials-that were mowed by deer last year are looking good in raised bed in front of outhouse had plastic covering untill they got to a good size.


• Rhubard- started from seed, tiny tiny tiny. Need to find a crown to split with someone. Will try today.


• Cauliflower- tiny heads. one inch. Four plants in bed behing green house, need fertilizer. Two in raised bed by outhouse. One inch heads too. Started from seed inside with broccoli and cabbage. The broccoli and cabbage must have gotten lost in wedding scramble. So I don't think any are planted.

It is sunny out right now better get my hands dirty.

Summer Food Processing

Over the last few weeks we have been in food collecting mode. We have had some visitors that have put some serious time into this too. Thanks Big John, John J Lo, and Lauren.

We have filled the freezer with salmon halibut and red snapper fillets. The smokehouse was running for a few days and there is a pile of smoked salmon all sealed up. The crab just keeps coming. These particular ones became crab cakes at the wedding in Marshfield. Fresh shrimp from a friend's pots are so good, nothing like the stuff you get in a store.

We have jarred up Fireweed Honey made with fireweed and clover blossoms and lots and lots of sugar (20 cups), blueberry jam, blueberry syrup, blueberry pies, wild strawberry daiqueries for the shrimping trips, wild strawberry jam that came out more like syrup but yummy on Lauren's Betty Crocket skillet biscuits she cooked on the fire outside a shack. The garden has started producing too. We have been eating peas, chard, beet greens, and letttuce, the deer have been eating parsnip greens, seedum flowers, chard and grass. Flowers keep showing up in my car when I get out of work. Jonathan? And we haven't taken any deer yet, hunting season opened Aug. 1st.