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Page last updated August 7, 2007

Alcina and Manuel's house on Borland Street, Williams Lake, a block from the railway station. A downtown "refugee," it backs onto commercial buildings, and new apartments dot the adjoining blocks. It's a nicely preserved old house, with two dormers set very high in the south pitch of the roof, and would be easily missed except for its extraordinary garden, which is entirely potatoes in the back, side and front yards. The last two times I've been in Williams Lake, in 1993 and 2003, the crop was exactly the same. On the first trip, my wife Christine asked Alcina if she ever rotated her crop, to which she replied, "sometimes I plant red ones and sometimes I plant white ones." On the second trip, Alcina gave me a glass of juice, as it was a very hot June day, but as John Lennon wrote, ". . . she doesn't have a lot to say."

update summer 2007: I went through Williams Lake and went to see if the house was still there. It was, but with a large For Sale sign in front. I'd really appreciate if anyone can send me an update, and any information about the old couple who lived there for so long.