Keeping fresh fruit around the house provides a healthier alternative when your sweet tooth comes calling. Understanding how and when to buy at the peak of ripeness (or just before, in some cases) can help you avoid food waste while keeping your doctor happy. Consider these simple tips for recognizing ripe fruits: Find more food […]
Featured
Featured Articles from the West Sound. These are the highlighted articles from WestSound Magazine.
Posted inHome
Olympic Mountains Trail Guide — National Park and National Forest
The most comprehensive and authoritative guide to the Olympics originally written by Robert L. Wood and first published more than 35 years ago, was recently updated by local author Bill Hoke and the Peninsula Wilderness Club. Sales of this new edition benefit Olympic Mountain Rescue. “Olympic Mountains Trail Guide” is a treasured, classic guidebook to […]
Posted inGarden
Pruning, Not Cutting
Healthy plants require pruning. Plants should be pruned after they fruit or flower. Improper pruning can lead to apical dominance. When you’re not pruning correctly, you may be removing the vertical growth of the plant and causing the release, a hormone that says to the plant, “Hey, there is nothing growing up here!” This causes […]
Posted inAt Home
Make Your Own Whoopie Pies
If you’re looking for an easy dessert, this Whoopie Pie recipe is the perfect way to cap off weeknight meals. Find more dessert recipes at Culinary.net. Whoopie Pies Ingredients: Instructions: Heat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In large bowl, whisk spice cake mix, apple butter, oil and eggs. With ice […]
Posted inHome
Slow and Steady Builds a Forever Home
They knew it was trouble from the start. The lot, narrow and sloping, was a big gamble, and Jeff and Meisha Rouser realized there were easier places to build their forever home. Just getting an estimate for the groundwork was a problem; the effort and expense could only be justified by ownership of the property. […]
Posted inAt Home
How to Fight Climate Change from your Backyard
Your backyard or local park is home to ballgames and barbecues with family and friends. But did you know that it’s so much more? The trees, grass, plants and flowers in your yard, local parks and ballfields play an important role in fighting climate change. The planet is growing warmer because there is too much […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Top 10 Reasons to Garden
Mobile phones, tablets and apps have become the tools of modern lives. But it wasn’t that long ago that a shovel, a patch of soil and a bag of seeds were the only tools needed to provide sustenance and satisfaction. With the 2020 COVID pandemic, more and more people abandoned technology, at least for a […]
Posted inGarden
A Garden Sanctuary
Tucked into a leafy Gig Harbor glen among native plants such as salal and huckleberry is a singing creek that drops into a pool surrounded by purposefully planted perennials. The sunlight catches a flash of gold or orange as a goldfish darts between the rocks of the pond. Two Adirondack chairs sit at the side […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Tips for Seed Starting Success
You created your wish list, ordered some or all of the seeds you will need, and they are beginning to arrive. Make the most of your investment with a bit of planning. Starting seeds at the proper time, indoors or directly in the garden, ensures a good start to the growing season. Check the back of […]