There is at least one bird that really whistles. Most of the time, when you hear what sounds like a whistling bird, it is air passing through its feathers when it flies. This “whistler” is a small, black bird seen on Northwest waters all year. The pigeon guillemot’s vocal endeavor has been described as a […]
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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, Gardeners Corner
How to Plant a Perennial Fall Container
Containers packed with plants provide garden pizzazz. Even though this blog and video are about containers for fall to winter enjoyment, they are actually planted up in mid to late summer. Plants often live happily in containers for anywhere from five to seven years. The methods shown in this video can be applied to containers […]
Posted inAt Home, Blog, Featured
Curb Appeal Tips for Making Your Home Shine
There are many things you can do to improve your homes curb appeal, ranging from doing simple things yourself to hiring a professional. Here is a quick rundown of great curb appeal enhancers that almost everyone can manage. Paint your entry door. Or, if it is wood, refinish it. This can brighten up your home […]
Posted inBlog, Featured, Gardeners Corner
Mossy Rose Gall — A Fascinating Pest
I love plants with interesting foliage, be it the striking color, shape or fragrance. Rosa glauca, with her lovely bluish foliage, captured me the first time I saw it. Its flowers and hips are a bonus, always appreciated for their color and delicate nature. The flush of bloom is over for the season, so imagine […]
Posted inAround West Sound, Blog, Featured
Veggies, Flowers and Meats — Oh My! Downtown Gig Harbor Farmers Market Booms
Every Thursday afternoon, more than 40 farmers and food producers gather at Skansie Brothers Park on Gig Harbor’s picturesque waterfront in order to supply eager shoppers with organic and sustainably produced local fare. Organized as a collaborative effort between the city of Gig Harbor and the Downtown Waterfront Alliance, the market teems with farmers and […]
Posted inBlog, Featured, The Outdoors
How Long is Truly Our West Sound Coastline? It’s a Bit of a Paradox
By simply using prominent points around the peninsula and measuring by the mile, the Coastal Zone Atlas of Washington (a product of the Washington State Department of Ecology) says the coastline of Kitsap County is 246 miles, Mason County’s 218 miles and Pierce County’s 232 miles. But the eastern half of Pierce would not be […]
Posted inAt Home, Blog
Marriage of Cookware and Art Can Be a Fun Experiment
Have you ever considered displaying your toaster on the living-room coffee table? Or hanging wooden mixing spoons from the hall entry mirror? Or hanging your frying pans on the wall behind the sofa? Usually not, one would say. Recently, I found myself displaying kitchenware with art and actually creating cookware displays in a living room. […]
Posted inBlog, Community News
Kitsap Bank to Give $20,000 in Small Business Competition
Kitsap Bank has a question for entrepreneurs and small business owners: What could you do for your business, if you had an extra $20,000? Contestants will have the opportunity to answer that question and compete for $20,000 in the bank’s second annual edg3 FUND small business competition. Edg3 FUND, which had its inaugural year in […]
Posted inBlog, The Outdoors
Minding the Regulations While Outdoors Helps Future Puget Sound Generations
Living in the Pacific Northwest and especially in the Puget Sound area, we have been spoiled with our ability to spend recreational time out in the wilderness, fishing and harvesting various shellfish. With more than 10,000 rivers and streams leading into Puget Sound, and thousands of miles of beach and boat access, there are few […]