Some years ago, Jenny Morgan, one of our blog writers, gifted me a vintage copy of “Canadian Home Gardening; The Year ‘Round” which was published in 1941. It was written by A.B. Cutting who was clearly eminently qualified to write this book. Not only did he have the very fitting last name of “Cutting”, but he was also the editor of “Canadian Horticulture and Home Magazine” and “Canadian Florist”. As I delved into the book, which contains a chapter for each month of the year, it became apparent that it was part-advice and part-observation, written in the “flowery” (pun intended) prose of A.B. Cutting.  While I had the occasional good laugh at concepts that are no longer relevant in the 21st century, much of the author’s advice still holds today! Join me in your favourite outdoor seating area as I give you a glimpse into the chapter titled “August” and sub-titled “The Lazy Month”. Also included are archival photos of local North Shore gardeners in their gardens, accompanied by current photos of those same homes.

If you live on the North Shore, chances are you have been to Lions Gate Hospital in some capacity. The hospital is a cornerstone of the community where lives start and lives end, and where sick and injured seek help, care and cure. Today's hospital is in the area of the first funded hospital on East 15th near St. Andrew's Avenue, which opened its doors to patients on May 15, 1908. Read on to learn more about the Dawson sisters, three nurses from Yorkshire, who took it upon themselves to build and run the first hospital in North Vancouver.