As a teen floating around the Lake on my all wood paddleboard I made in the 1960s, I couldn’t help but notice the many flowering lily beds tucked on shorelines.  The bright green pads fashioned as designer plates looked stunning against multi- colored full-open flowers.  Add blue dragonflies whizzing about to get the full effect.  R. C. Byers, an early Haller Lake pioneer dating to 1910s, was known as the “lily man” not to mention he built his own cabin, cleared land, and replanted trees, shrubs and…25 varieties of lilies.  A story appeared in Sunset magazine “The Lily Grower of Haller Lake” claiming his status.  Our own Shawn MacPherson’s aunt, Anne Segale, told her local kids would sell Mr. Byers lilies at Pike Place Market. Today many Lake homeowners have the coveted lilies, well, perhaps some are coveted. They spread from Byers's shore front to around the Lake over 100 years.  It’s a tedious job to clear lilies. I’m told people spend several sessio...

  Green stocking stuffers and holiday gifts ideas that are good for the environment and your pocket book. Dr. Bronner’s Soap (Drbronner.com) price varies Smart Sheep Wool Dryer Balls (Amazon) $19.95 Bugzooka bug catcher (Amazon) $30.95 Niagara Conservation Water Saving Toilet Tank Bank (Amazon) $8.55 WhiteRhino 1 gal food safe measuring pitcher for catching shower water while it’s warming (Amazon) $22.00 Perforated Radiant Barrier Foil - great affordable additional insulation for attic (Ecofoil.com)   Tumbling Terra Turner composter 43gal (Amazon) $59.00 Rain barrel (Seattle.gov) $131.00 Earth Minded Flexfit Universal Diverter Kit for Rain Barrel to Gutter hook up (Amazon) $32.00  The Essential Living Composter/ Worm Bin 6gal (Home Depot) $60-$70 Happy Holidays! Kippy Irwin

 

  Let’s build soil! This time of year gives us a great opportunity to build our soil. If you haven’t picked up your leaves yet, please consider using them. Also, how about woodchips in your yard? Nature is amazing at building healthy soil if we get out of the way and let it. Healthy soil is rich in nutrients and does a get job managing water.    It helps grow happy plants and creates an ecosystem system within its self. Here are a few ways you can help nature build your soil…. Leaves - if you still have leaves on the ground, leave them. You can put them under your trees and shrubs, in your home composter, turn them in your garden bed or spread a layer of them on your garden paths and top them with arborist woodchips. These lovely leaves are great at making soil! Arborist woodchips - woodchips are excellent at building healthy soil. I say arborist woodchips because woodchips you buy at the store generally aren’t great soil builders. Reason… arborist chips come untreated, s...