Note: photos were taken before bed moved to 2907 W. Broadway, they are no longer at the 4th Ave. location! They also have a Facebook page now if you want to follow what they're up to.

I first discovered bed many years ago because its old location was very close to a few of my favourite spots in Kitsilano (namely Zulu Records, and the now defunct Duthie Books). I was attracted by the fantastic colours, as most who pass by probably are, but it was a while before I actually bought sheets from there.

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I met Melanie at my first big-girl job (outside of academia). Back then, she was the project manager, and I was getting my feet wet in the world of web development. Nowadays, I'm working as a project manager, and she's making beautiful pottery. I don't think either of us would have predicted this, but I think it's safe to say we're both quite pleased with our respective changes in career path.

Even back when Melanie and I worked together, her true love (after her husband and two incredibly cute dachshunds) was pottery. She spent tons of time working in (and managing) the studio she used, and even taught some pottery classes. She loves it so much, that I couldn't be happier to see her now doing this as her full time gig. 

Dots bowls (in new colours!)

Her specialties these days are: bowls, mugs, and vases with brightly coloured dots at the bottom; white vases, mugs, and pitchers with her signature hand sculpted dragonflies; and "wobbly" shotglasses.

What is a wobbly shotglass? Witness:

Earlier in the fall, I was walking down the back lane on my way home, and came across this funny little truck.  It caught my eye because I thought at first it might be an Electic Vehicle...upon further inspection, it didn't actually appear to be one, but then I noticed something even more interesting.  It was a truck for a gardening company...The Silent Gardener.  But how could such a small truck carry all the equipment gardners use?

As soon as I put two and two together, I looked at the truck's cargo: push mowers, brooms, aeration tools... no big gas powered mowers, no leaf blowers.  Could it be it was really that, a silent gardening service? 

I looked around a little more and saw several tidy little piles of leaves that had been raked up... and just as I pulled my camera out, a man in a yellow rain jacket popped out from around the corner, carrying a big bucket.  It turned out that the man I met, Barry, is the area manager and a professional horticulturalist, and he was more than happy to tell me about the company and their philosophy.

The Silent Gardener serves Vancouver, Burnaby, and the North Shore, and they do landscaping and gardening without icky chemicals or loud machinery, which is music to everyone's ears!  Instead, they employ a team of landscapers, many of whom have horticultural degrees, to take care of yards using environmentally friendly mulches, organic fertilizers, and proper plant care, all using people power.  They do residential and commercial properties, and also do landscape design and installation, so whatever your needs are, it seems they are up for it!

And if that isn't enough, if Barry is any example, the team are very friendly and well informed, and have a good sense of humour to boot. Case in point:

Sure it might be winter, but what better time to take good care of your trees and plants and make sure they get pruned properly, and then get everything off on the right foot in the spring?  Plus, I don't know who could say no to a company that is doing their utmost to be good to the environment, keep down noise pollution, and obviously really love what they do!

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