We have Frank and his dog, Beans.

He lives at our garden gate with a bin where neighbours and friends can leave mail for us. They might pick up a flash drive or a paint brush or a newsletter. E’s cryptic crossword arrives religiously every week. A myriad of items are often exchanged with friends and have been left in the bin since last March. It is a Covid addition to our property and it works well for us. I had the opportunity to deliver newsletters around the island last week and only one couple had a designated mail bin and they live at the bottom of a very steep cliff. I left newsletters on car seats, bbq’s and under door mats. I just kind of stuck the newsletters randomly where ever I could find a spot out of the rain.

Lots of seeds have been started in trays located for now, in the guest room. I planted fifty tomato seeds just before I reread my notes from last year. “Gave away 55 pounds of tomatoes from 28 plants, next year only plant ten”. If all of the seeds germinate maybe I will give away plants instead of tomatoes. I really have little room this year in the garden, ’cause I keep ordering more flowers. Let’s be honest, E and I don’t eat that many vegetables and I prefer growing flowers.

I have spent way more money than I care to tell E on new plants. Last year we built the bunkie and next year we are going to rebuild the workshop but this is my garden year.

When we bought our family home in 1992, we bought it for the yard. I really didn’t care that the house was nice. I walked straight through the front door and out onto the patio, looked around and said this is the one. It was a giant overgrown lawn on about a 1/4 acre lot with diseased fruit trees.

Our Ex- Premier Vanderzalm used to host a plant sale at the back of his property every year and I would spend my small annual plant allowance there on trees and shrubs. I never had money for annuals. There was no money for building the garden beds or the pathways of my dreams but I knew what I wanted to do one day and just kept planting baby trees and shrubs in anticipation of the day when I could build the garden beds of my plans. My kids probably still haven’t forgiven me for making them cut the lawn around the tree obstacle course. I was young and had lots of time to wait for the trees and shrubs to grow. The garden did turn out beautifully with paths winding past various garden areas. But I don’t have that kind of time any more. There is no time to waste. I am going to spend whatever I have to, to be able to enjoy the fruits of my labour sooner than later. I am so excited!

I started to take apart the compost bin today to see what kind of goodness was inside. Keep in mind these bins were emptied last May. This, dear readers, is pure gold.

During non-pandemic times I know people like to drop items off in person for a quick chat. I get it, but honestly, I can’t recommend the Frank concept high enough. So much so, that without telling him, I have added a more permanent proper mail box to E’s to do list. Everyone

needs a Frank