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 … read more

Bert Pesciallo, whose father immigrated from Genoa, Italy, in 1900, doesn’t remember when he became interested in the winery business. He was pretty young and following in his father’s footsteps. “Things just happened naturally at that time, when you are a teenager and … read more

It wasn’t just the bright-green Formica countertops that Tami Watts disliked about her kitchen. Watts and her husband, Brad, owner of Valley Nursery in Poulsbo, typically host holiday and birthday gatherings for their extended local family, now three generations. The long peninsula in … read more

Making a New Year’s resolution? Don’t forget salt. Most Americans consume about a 1,000 milligrams of sodium over the amount recommended by nutrition and health experts. New research shows cooking with spices and herbs could help you ditch the saltshaker and meet sodium … read more

During the weeks after Thanksgiving, I saw numerous trees on top of cars and in pickup trucks — heading home for their two to four weeks of glory, decorated as the family or office Christmas tree. The sadder side of this story is … read more

Get Ready for Gardening Start looking for seed packets at local nurseries during the months of January and February. The sooner, the better for best selection. If you wait too long to pick up veggie seeds, you may not get the ones desired. … read more

The holidays are a time for resting a bit from gardening tasks and especially a time for friends and family. Since gardening and birds often go together, if you’re lucky, you may see a snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) passing through this region. It’s … read more

Hand-dipped. Carefully crafted. Family recipes. Locally made. Quality ingredients. There is nothing like handmade chocolate. Who wouldn’t want to receive a beautiful box of chocolates as a holiday treat? Candy and chocolate have always been a part of holiday celebrations, and in the … read more

Many people who own pets in Kitsap or Mason counties are familiar with Jeff Berger — especially if they take their pets to Christmas photo sessions at the Kitsap County Humane Society or the Humane Society of Mason County. To them, of course, … read more