Since we still could not afford to take winter off, the year started with cleaning and painting (for pay, at special mom rate) all my mum’s kitchen cupboards. We went to the Northwest Flower and Garden Show and stayed at Allan’s parents house and attended many seminars.
I have very little photographic record of 2006 because just when I needed the internet most, in February through April, my 6 year old PC (which Allan and I had been sharing) fell to an array of viruses. A local computer guru managed to keep it limping along because I was having a major could-be-cancer scare and needed to access Dr. Google, desperately! Everything turned out fine, but as a result I took few photos that year. With medical bills to pay, I buckled down to work, spent little on entertainment, bought NO plants at all for my garden, and was probably not much fun.
Discovery Heights middle garden in spring
a quick project
At he beginning of May, after surgery, I found out I was going to be just fine. Threee day later, we started weeding the area for this one off planting job. . Other that that, the spring had been the usual round of work for our regular clients.
We made the yearly pilgrimage to Joy Creek and Cistus nurseries…
cat at Cistus nursery
new roof
We enjoyed life in our newly roofed house….especially when the cold of winter was over.
We did our usual round of jobs.
summer garden at the Shelburne Inn
Klipsan Beach Cottages garden was on the Peninsula garden tour that year which meant a lot of extra work. I wish I had photos of it that day, as Allan and I hosted the tour. (Mary wanted to but had to go to a funeral.)
We planted up a deck full of containers for a new client, Diane.
on Diane’s deck
more containers for Diane
In late September, Allan took his heavy old canoe out to the Baker Bay kayak race…mostly kayaks…and I think got an award to having the biggest or the oldest boat in the race…certainly not the fastest.
canoe at the port
Yet, as you can see, there is great satisfaction in finishing a race.
the thrill of finishing
Allan says: The only money I put in this canoe was fresh paint and fiberglass patches. My dad built it from a $50 kit in the 1960’s and it must have had over twenty years of Boy Scout abuse before he gave it to me. It has a wood frame and is covered with sheets of fiberglass that is patched where it meets, one vertical seam is under my right hand. Its now stealth black instead of pumpkin orange with white patchwork seams. I came in last but, 2nd in my class, almost too late to pick up the medal. And Sheila replies: If you enjoyed yourself, that’s all that matters!
The Tall Ships came to Ilwaco, and one of them sailed past China Beach Retreat while we were gardening there. Allan got this photo:
tall ship off China Beach
At the end of November, after half a year of sharing Allan’s ancient, creaky-slow PC (with even slower dialup), we bought a Mac, got DSL, and embarked upon a happy new computer era.
December at Tangly Cottage
upper patio in December
In 2007, I started my blog, and now….I have caught up to that year. To follow through with 2007, click here. Otherwise, my next entry will return us to the present at last!
Tangly Cottage Gardening 
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