When I first met Ken he had a garden. Well, he had a place in the yard with about 15 hills of zucchini! He said he just planted the pack of seeds. His idea was to grow something he would be able turn over to create better soil for the next years garden. But I moved in felt compelled to  cook or give away any and all produce that came from the ground.

We ate a lot of zucchini that year and the neighbour kids were scared of me because I would make them take zucchini when they rode their bikes past our house.

When we lived in Oregon, we had a big garden. I took the Master Gardener course through the extension agency and we had time and interest to cultivate big and small spaces. We grew a lot of awesome and tasty food.

On Bowen Island, deer have free range and rule the land. Even a fierce warrior with a box and spear can not hinder the Bowen deer. So without a fence, we found there was no point in having any type of garden and I lost interest.

Now, we have a fence and we are giving a garden another go. And when I say we… I mean Ken. He tries in earnest to grow stuff, he really does. Talk about perseverance — despite cool and continual rainy, weather and this islands, rock hard soil — he tries.

The lawn grows well. We have some real pretty flowers in the yard, and also plenty of weeds. But, the spinach bolted, the basil hasn’t even shown itself yet, he can’t remember if he planted carrots or lettuce, and the beans are just pathetic.

But the strawberries! Oh, the strawberries!

This last week with the hot sun shining, we have been able to pick and eat a hand full or two of some of the sweetest strawberries you’ve ever tasted.

I’m starting to get interested in growing things again.