Time to Remember The Lesson ~ Where Wind And Tide Take My Thoughts ~ The View From The Cheap Seats

Where Wind And Tide Take My Thoughts 

From the outside, at first look it looked like any other run-of-the-mill one story, two bedroom, wooden, 1950s, west coast bungalow. That impression only lasted until you noticed that the basement was built above ground. 

The fourth red roof from the left was our house

Things really got strange when you went into the basement. Fully one half of the basement was sealed off by a five-foot-high cement wall. Behind the wall was our water reservoir. This was not just your everyday, run-of-the-mill, west coast bungalow. This was the house of the junior lighthouse keeper on Ivory Island Light-station, and I was the junior keeper.

Aside from the reservoir, there were two other surprises. Looking up at the unfinished ceiling, the first thing that caught your eyes were the twelve by twelve beams that were the main supports for what was really the second floor. The second point of interest were the steel posts that secured the upper house to the basement floor.

 The reservoir was needed because there was no creek or running water where the station was built. All our water was collected rain water. The massive floor supports and steel posts were there to hold everything together when the storms came. And come they did. 

Living on Ivory, where nature's power was so evident, taught me many lessons that I carry with me today. Perhaps the most important was that once you are as prepared as you can be, you might as well relax. To answer your unasked question: It was impossible to be bored. Every wave had a unique sound, the seasons were constantly flowing, the furred, the feathered, and the finned were our companions and even the Northern Lights kept us company from time to time. 

Remembering the lessons, I have prepared as best I can.  I'm doing what I can to spread the word that together we can change the path our world is heading down. Now, there is no reason for beating myself or you up over the horrible place our greed has brought us to. From now on, I'll focus on sharing beauty and positive suggestions, rather than the world's ugliness.  Enjoy the beauty found in the video.