The easiest way to reach all of the islanders at once is through facebook. Whats ap has been suggested, text messaging has been suggested but honestly facebook despite all of its issues and problems is the easiest way for everyone to reach everyone quickly.

Our island has a facebook group page. E and I advocated for the promotion of the page. We could see how the instant ability to reach anyone on the island would be beneficial to anyone who owns property on the island or their family. The abilility to immediately access our neighbours with information about whale or cougar sightings, or perhaps an offer of free building supplies doesn’t mean you have to tell the whole world your business. There are privacy settings. One could just join facebook for the sole purpose of accessing our island group page and no one would ever see anything at all about you.

Although slow to get going it’s use has evolved and become an enormously succesful communication tool. We now have 213 members which is about ten times the winter population. At any given moment one can post that you need some dry wall screws or bakers yeast and one of your neighbours will respond that they have some to share. Barges are coming back and forth regularly and opportunities abound for sharing of loads.

Residents of two nearby off grid islands are also members of our page. They can see and share postings about whale visits or fire scares. Equal sharing of information is never a bad thing. Again, I stress, there are ways to privatize your accounts which will never leave one vulnerable. I sometimes think I should give an information session showing people how to protect their privacy. This session of course would take place over wine.

I have now canned 15 pounds of whole peaches and 7 wee jars of pear salsa. More tomatoes are coming. I’ll maybe put up some whole pears when they ripen and then see to the apples. The apples haven’t even begun yet. I am hoping they wait to ripen til I have some free hours at the end of September. I seem to be running out of time. So much to do and the summer days are disappearing!!

E is dry walling. What a time consuming fussy job that is. Some idiot who shall remain nameless thought it would be a good idea to put nine windows, five doors and a medicine chest in a 320 square foot cabin. Nameless wasn’t thinking about the fussy dry walling that installing all those windows and doors would entail. It’s slow going for her husband.

In summary, through facebook today I was able to give away extra canning jars, share some bakers yeast and get myself a

bundle of insulation.