If you are planning to build a new home or do a major remodel, there is a natural question that should come up. Whom do I call first? A builder/remodeler or an architect (or designer)? In 28 years of building and remodeling, I have seen many, many sad faces of clients who had a plan […]
Featured
Featured Articles from the West Sound. These are the highlighted articles from WestSound Magazine.
Posted inPeople & Places
Unsung Hero — Hazel Bellinger (and Jackson)
Hazel Bellinger started volunteering with the Humane Society of Mason County in August 2012 after retiring from a 35-year career with the Kitsap County 911 Center. Prior to that, she was a volunteer and then a board member at Kitsap Humane Society for 16 years. At KHS, her main responsibility as a volunteer was to […]
Posted inHome
A Home for the Best of Life
An unassuming house perched on a hillside turns out to be anything but unassuming. Behind a cobbled entrance and craftsman door lies a leafy view that sweeps to the shimmering Puget Sound and snowy Cascade peaks. Throw in the ever-changing sky and cityscape on the far shore, and the view marks this a home worth […]
Posted inAt Home
Abundance of ‘Healthy’ Labels Gives Food for Thought
It is a strange age when it seems like one requires a trip to the library, a day of research and an existential crisis just to understand the labels on a carton of eggs at the supermarket. There has been a push in recent times to increase the amount of labeling on our food products […]
Posted inHome
Selecting a Landscape Designer or Landscape Architect
“Gardeners, I think, dream bigger than emperors,” said author and journalist Mary Cantwell. But sometimes gardeners need help in realizing their garden dreams. When you do need help, two challenging questions arise: What type of creative professional do you need — a landscape architect or a landscape designer? And how do you find the right […]
Posted inAt Home
Pears
Of all the delicious fruits grown in the Northwest, pears may be the most versatile, succulent and satisfying of all. Pears transcend summer into fall, ripening late summer to early autumn, depending on variety and weather conditions. This beautiful fruit lends itself to freezing and long-term storage, and is available nearly year-round. But it is […]
Posted inGarden
Get The Dirt — On Home Gardening
Bats Eat Insects Galore Bats were a topic in this column in fall of 2008. Since a horribly devastating disease called “white nose syndrome” or WNS is decimating bat populations nationwide, it’s appropriate to revisit information about one of nature’s most awesome weapons in controlling insects. Bats feed on night-flying gnats, moths, mosquitos, beetles and […]
Posted inThe Outdoors
A Walk on the Edge for Birdwatchers
This time of the year provides some of the best birdwatching. A walk on the “edge” will produce the largest variety of bird species. Forests and heavy brush bordering fields, wetlands and other open areas create this edge effect birds are drawn to. At this time of the year, the natural food supply is at […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Native Plants for West Sound Gardens
Native plants are the perfect complements for West Sound gardens. They are easy care, once established, and many of our “domesticated” or “cultivated” plants once had native roots. Also look for native plants that survive well in British Columbia, Oregon and perhaps Northern California. Visit the native plant sections at local nurseries for ideas. And […]