Summer is winding down, and even though we are still drawing out the last of our warm days my thoughts are turning to Fall. Most of the flowers and veggies are showing signs of being 'done' and so I've been having a think as to what I can do to beef up the soil for next year. The obvious choice is to gather kelp from our shores and lay it over the beds for winter. I see the 'real gardeners' (you know who you are) collect big bags of seaweed, stuff them into the trunk of the car, drive them home, and then bump them up the driveway and into the garden. The uninitiated might wonder what is in those bags, and its simple- Gold!! I used it last year on my new rose bed, and when Spring arrived those bushes went gang-busters! There are lots of products on the market that produce good results in gardens but seaweed is totally organic and best of all it's free. So, armed with my boots, gloves and two large garbage bags I drove to Twin Beaches to help myself.

I pulled up the van to a beach access path. It was only 6 pm, and families were still finishing picnics at this stunning provincial park. Kids splashed in the tide pools and dragged sea weed whips. I sat on a log to wait it out and let my mind drift. Our family had a seaside cabin when we were young. We used to collect seaweed at low tide, climb onto a rock and drape ourselves with it. We thought we looked like mermaids, but others might have disagreed. I must have spent a while sitting there musing for I didn't even realize that families had packed up their belongings, and gone. I was alone on the beach except for a lone boy and his dog. I watched him throw a stick far out in the water and shout "Go deep Reilly!" I love dogs, so I called him when he came out of the water. He bounced over to me with the gift of his stick and a complementary shaking. Hm ... time to get to work so that I can get home and dry off.

Bag in hand I began stuffing it with seaweed and found out that this stuff is really heavy! I began to get selective picking the most fragile pieces in the hope that they would break down fast in the garden. I dragged the full bag up the beach and exhausted, left it at the back of the van. I really had no idea how much work 'free' can be. I also didn't realize that the sun was nearly setting, so I grabbed the last bag and hustled back to the beach for more seaweed rustling. I crouched down over a particularly bountiful heap and began to stuff the bag. Suddenly, there was a tongue in front of my face and a sort of panting noise.

I yelped, rocked back on my heels and found myself staring into the face of a large Airedale. Where the *bleep* did he come from? In my frantic rush to get home I didn't hear the elderly gentleman, the tap of his walking stick or the dog walking on the beach. I backed up onto a log and plopped down. He joined me, and didn't say a word. Not "you alright? or Hello, I'm ... ."

Somehow that was ok, and we just sat and watched the sun change the sky from an apricot color to poppy red and then to that indescribable blue of twilight. Eventually, we got into the fascinating topic of seaweed, or Bull Whip Kelp as he informed me. It's primarily a source of potassium and nitrogen but also contains a host of nutrients.

As we talked 'Sarge', his Airedale was content to lie at his master's feet and chaw on a piece of driftwood. A breeze picked up bringing the smell of the tide to us, and I gathered my things to go. Barely able to see my way back to the van I said my goodbye to man and dog and dragged my bag of gold behind me. I came back with a flashlight to say goodbye. But, you know he wasn't there and I didn't try to find him. Sometimes things are perfect just as they are.