The third annual Key Peninsula Mardi Gras Masquerade is ready to celebrate Fat Tuesday on Feb. 6 in a unique Louisiana style at the Key Peninsula Civic Center in Vaughn. This authentic Mardi Gras celebration will feature Richard Allen & the Louisiana Experience’s Creole and Zydeco music, an authentic Southern dinner provided by Murph’s BBQ, […]
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The West Sound Magazine blog is your destination for information and tips about living in West Sound — home, gardening, outdoor recreation, things to do and more.
Posted inBlog, Featured, The Outdoors
Supporting Wildlife Refuges by Collecting Duck Stamps
“…You don’t have to be a hunter to buy a duck stamp. You just need $25. So go out and buy the stamp.” Jim Williams, co-author of the book “Questions and Answers about Backyard Birds,” made that statement in an article he wrote for the Minneapolis Tribune a few years back. It’s good advice and […]
Posted inAt Home, Blog, Featured
What to Consider before Deciding to DIY
DIY can be a slippery slope. First, if you can go to work and make more money than you can save doing a project yourself, it can be worth hiring a professional instead. This, of course, does not apply to the person who truly enjoys taking on a home improvement project. Secondly, determine the level […]
Posted inAt Home, Blog, Featured
Tips to Bake Pastries from Scratch
Even for talented cooks, dessert can be a different story, especially when you go beyond baking mixes to make pastries from scratch. “Pastries, and the doughs that give them life, have daunting reputations, but they’re not as complicated as they sound,” says Russel Van Kraayenburg, food blogger and author of the new recipes and ratios […]
Posted inAt Home, Blog
Weekend Craft Project: Drift Away Mirror
Do you love looking for “found objects” during your beach outings? If you’re a collector of driftwood, why not turn it into a fun mirror. (Please note: It’s illegal to collect driftwood from some public beaches — please check regulations ahead of time.) A touch of nature brings balance to your home décor with this […]
Posted inBlog, Featured, Gardeners Corner
Homegrown Flavor from an Indoor Garden
Add some homegrown flavor to your winter meals. From microgreens to tomatoes, it is possible to grow produce indoors. Microgreens are a quick and easy way to add some flavor and crunch to your plate. Just plant seeds labeled for sprouting or microgreens in a shallow container filled with a sterile potting or seed-starting mix. Within two weeks, […]
Posted inBlog, Featured, The Outdoors
Orca Births are Good News for Puget Sound but are At Risk
Most can agree that seeing an orca glide through the water is a pretty rare and incredible sight. If you have lived in the Puget Sound for a while, perhaps you’ve been lucky enough to see an orca or two in the wild. This year, with eight new orca calves in the Southern resident killer […]
Posted inAt Home, Blog, Featured
Do You Need a Building Permit? You Might be Surprised!
Recently, a very nice woman came into my office to discuss a basement remodel. She told me that she was just doing a very simple remodel, but soon it involved creating a room, running a heat duct to it, including a new light a switch and so on. As the scope of work evolved, along […]
Posted inBlog, Featured, The Outdoors
The Impact on Our Weathers from the Mysterious Chehalis Gap and the Coriolis Effect
Our fall, winter, and springtime weathers here on the South Sound and the West Sound pretty much come from the same place. The Chehalis gap! And no, you can’t buy jeans there. This gap is the space between the southernmost of the Olympic Mountains and the Willapa Hills to the south. The gap is an […]