There always comes that day sometime between the holidays or shortly after when cooking another meal seems to be just too much. We are tired after a day out on a fresh air hike or putting away all the holiday decor, and the thought of planning and preparing dinner is the last thing we want […]
Barb Bourscheidt
A Gig Harbor artist potter and community activist, Barb Bourscheidt is a freelance writer who writes on subjects of personal interest, usually the arts, gardening, cooking and the environment. A working artist, she creates pottery that reflects her love of nature, incorporating leaf motifs on surfaces of functional kitchen, garden and decorative ware. Although posts are infrequent, Barb has a personal blog at clayladybarb.blogspot.com.
Posted inPeople & Places
A Visit with Santa
Yes, there is a Santa Claus. He lives on the Key Peninsula when he is not at the North Pole tending his reindeer or supervising the elves in the toy shop. His “Ho! Ho! Ho!” is most convincing, and he has a bag of magic tricks that confound even the most skeptic onlooker. This Santa […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
Christmas Lights and Cookie Delights
Don and Nancy Davenport have always hung Christmas lights on the front of their house, which is situated at the end of a long driveway on a cul-de-sac in Gig Harbor. “Because our house sits back so far from the street, hardly anyone can enjoy the lights,” Don lamented. And the homeowners couldn’t see the […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
Traditional Breads Baked at Home
Humans have been baking bread since they first ground grain, made it into a paste and spread it on a hot rock. Archaeologists have found evidence of starches from plant roots and grasses, as well as rudimentary mortar-and-pestle grinding stones dating back 30,000 years. When the hunters and gatherers figured out how to grind grains […]
Posted inGarden
Rain Garden at the Heart of Dream Northwest Landscape
When Sherry and Kirk Kanode moved into their beautiful, brand-new custom home in 2002, little did they know they were embarking on a gardening adventure of a lifetime. A deep, crescent-shaped bioswale separated their front yard from the street, making street parking and a path to the front door nearly impossible. The home was a […]
Posted inHome
Coastal Rustic Masterpiece on Honeymoon Bay
Sitting on nearly 300 feet of Fox Island beach waterfront, a large, bright, gracious home awaits its new inhabitants. Built in 2001, the home underwent a total renovation that was completed this year. The sprawling, three-level home is over 5,000 square feet and opens to the light on each floor, bringing a sense of airy […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
Brix 25° Offers Fine Dining with a View of Harbor and Marina
The exciting new location for Brix 25° sits right in the middle of walkable Harborview Drive, enjoys a beautiful view of the harbor and marina below, and features outside seating in fine weather. Arriving on the Gig Harbor restaurant scene in 2008 and opening Brix 25° in 2009 was “the worst possible time economically,” said […]
Posted inGarden
Gardeners on the Go!
The first week in June each year, 36 intrepid gardeners board a bus for a three-day garden visit and shopping marathon. The Gig Harbor Gardeners chapter of the Northwest Perennial Alliance has sponsored this trip for the past seven years, and has yet to scratch the tip of the iceberg in terms of private gardens, […]
Posted inGarden
Papa Paul’s Dahlia Farm
About 20 years ago while living in Sandpoint, Idaho, Paul Kusche got bit by the dahlia bug. A food industry executive by profession, and the son of a landscape architect, he’s always viewed gardening as an important hobby and source of relaxation away from the world of business. Kusche’s first attempt at growing dahlias ended […]