Depending on their numbers, the popularity of geese can wax and wane. It’s the Canada geese that produce these mixed feelings. Brant geese, their much smaller cousin, is looked at in an entirely different way. Some even think of this goose as “cute.” At close range, the dark, shining eyes of the brant have a […]
Featured
Featured Articles from the West Sound. These are the highlighted articles from WestSound Magazine.
Posted inAt Home
7 Things to Inspect before Making an Offer on a House
House hunting can feel like an adventurous new chapter in your life. If you’re lucky enough to find the property that checks off all the “must have” boxes — appearance, size, price, location — it’s easy to fall in love. Before making an offer on any property, it’s smart to take a deeper look at […]
Posted inAt Home
Shades of Green you Might Not See
When remodeling or building, we often hear how prospective clients might want to incorporate “green” methods into their projects. They typically cite items like solar panels, low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) materials, ground-source heat, ICF foundations, on-demand water heaters and more. Many of these can be very pricey options, with very long payoffs. We have noticed […]
Posted inGarden
Ferns
Many gardeners dream of sunshine, of borders overflowing with flowering perennials and sun-loving shrubs. This especially holds true for people who are moving to the Puget Sound area from the sunny states of California, Arizona and others. Faced with the gorgeous and tall native cedars, hemlocks and Douglas firs, not everyone can embrace the mossy […]
Posted inCommunity News
BSO April Concert Features Talented Local Youth, Music from Films
I am very much looking forward to my concerts with the Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra. The concerts are special for me because of the collaboration with my talented Bainbridge Island Youth Orchestra. I strongly believe that arts organizations are stronger and more vibrant when we combine forces. The mission of any arts organization in the ever-changing […]
Posted inPeople & Places
People on the Walls
Magic of sorts — the delightfully unexpected — happens as life seems to pause once in a while to say, “Have you tried this?” And we did. It was called the PaintPeopleProject. Some 20 professional fine artists and photographers, not all knowing one another, gathered to paint life-size people right on the walls of a […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Why Buy Organic? Part 2: The Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15!
While it is the responsibility of the U.S. of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure food safety, the agency’s broad guidelines can fall short of the minute details many consumers desire. Also, due to the size and workload of the USDA, reports on the safety of many food groups are few and far between. The last report […]
Posted inGarden
The Caretaker
Simply defined, a garden is a collaboration between nature and people. Plants cannot be willed to do what you want. They must be treated as partners and given what they need for water, light, soil, climate and so on. In return, gardens will give you what you need: food, flowers, beauty and peace. This the […]
Posted inHome
A Cozy Craftsman Bungalow with All the Modern Conveniences
High school sweethearts Mark and Gail Westin enjoy the views of both the snow-capped Olympics and the waters of Hood Canal from the oversized windows of their forever home. Having recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary, they describe the contentment they feel in the design and setting of their single-story, “age-in-place,” contemporary Craftsman-style house. “We […]