At first, in the summer of ‘99, I installed an automatic watering system on my balcony to water my bougainvillea, herbs, and a little patch of grass for my dog, Lorelei, because I am terrible at anything that requires daily maintenance.

We had an early frost that year, and I was afraid I would lose all the plants I had so laboriously nurtured, so I designed and built this little greenhouse on my balcony. It is built around four scrap window panes left over from one of my parents’ many remodelling projects. 

In the summer, I cover the glass with shade cloth, because the temperature reaches 129ºF. I think the extreme temperature is caused by the combination of direct sun and sunlight reflected off the lake.

Why is it so important to me to live on the water? I haven’t quite figured that out, but it seems to be where I find peace and serenity.

It’s not backwards -- trust me.

TM