Humorist Betty MacDonald tells the tale of her second husband Bob and her two young daughters as they establish themselves in their dream home on Vachon Island, southwest of Seattle. Set during World War II and written in 1954, the book is full of colorful local characters and atmospheric moments. As the years pass, the daughters grow up, the couple retires, and the garden plants continue to grow to unbelievable heights.A big fan of hyperbole, MacDonald turns everyday moments into full-blown comedy routines. It’s doubtful that her dwarf flowering buddleia, which was guaranteed to stop growing at 30 inches high, actually does grow to be 20 feet tall with 8 inch blossoms and a million seedling plants in a 100 foot radius, but for the price of another good laugh, it really doesn’t matter.Her husband, who had a presumably comfortable position with Boeing, supported her efforts to become a writer. She paints a portrait of the family’s life on the island, bound by the schedule of the ferry and the obligations which go along with a certain level of self-sufficiency. “The snow, no lights, no road, the terrible telephone service, getting enough wood, walking the trail ... gardening, cooking, eating, the beach, clams, knitting, driftwood, reading, and living on an island.“ With a nod to the book’s title, food plays a key role. The author offers methods for preparing mushrooms and a variety of clams, crabs, and other seafood along the shore, all free for the taking.Neighbors, visitors and overnight guests all have places in the book as do the local handymen, the family pets, and a variety of wildlife which co-exist on their waterfront property. A timely note of caution here. Due to the novel’s timeframe, there are a handful of cringeworthy racist comments regarding a slow “colored” plumber, a Japanese pet-sitting couple, one of whom is an incompetent housekeeper, and an Estonian woman who speaks only one word of English.The book is a folksy memoir of a simpler time in a remote place with a healthy dose of lighthearted scenarios.