Tanzanites blue as deep water. Opals encasing ethereal galaxies. Pearls with the sheen of a satin negligee, and diamonds that twinkle like the look in a lover’s eye. Yes, indeed. There’s something about jewels that lights up a happy place in the human brain. Born out of the furnaces of the Earth, crushed and blasted […]
Featured
Featured Articles from the West Sound. These are the highlighted articles from WestSound Magazine.
Posted inAt Home
Make Your Holidays Merry… and Green
The holiday season is a wonderful time for family gatherings filled with cheer, delicious treats, gift exchanges and… trash. Do your part this holiday season to get more out of the former by producing less of the latter. Here are a few tips to cut the waste out of the season: Wrapping paper Nonfoil wrapping […]
Posted inGarden
Toxic Garden Plants
Dip a toe into the world of herbalism, and a whole new world will open up. Just like Alice falling through the rabbit hole and discovering an unexpected Wonderland, the quest to learn about the powerful properties of plants can open such a portal. Although a magazine article can only scratch the surface, perhaps a […]
Posted inGarden
Succulents — Coming in from the Cold
The fat, fleshy leaves of succulents evoke dry summer heat. Sometimes blushed with rosy hues that hint of a California sunset, their closely held forms murmur memories of desert light. During the sodden, short days of Pacific Northwest winters, a tabletop planter of these sculptural, compact gems brought in from the cold can be a […]
Posted inHome
An Artist’s Christmas
Lisa Stirrett’s eyes light with excitement when she talks about the holiday season. “I love Christmas. I love when my boys come home,” she says. As long as she can remember, Stirrett helped her mother decorate their home. Even as a small child, those times are some of her fondest memories. “Every year, (my husband) […]
Posted inPeople & Places
The Lost Quill Keeps an Old Skill Alive
Long, long before word processors, computers, cellphones and inkjet printers were invented, all writing was done by hand. History was recorded by hand. Official documents and books — especially religious texts — were written with handheld pens and often beautifully embellished with richly colored drawings. Not so long ago, people sent each other handwritten letters […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Unsung Hero — Deborah Horn
In 2018, Meals on Wheels will mark 45 years of service to Kitsap County seniors. The nonprofit has 10 community-dining meal sites throughout Kitsap County where seniors can receive a hot, nutritious meal and social interacting, paying a $3 suggested donation. Volunteers also deliver meals to home-bound seniors. Last year, Meals on Wheels Kitsap served […]
Posted inCommunity News
Giving Gifts that Give Hope
Hope is a gift on every child’s wish list, especially those in parts of the world ravaged by natural disasters and poverty. Giving hope lets these children know that the world hasn’t forgotten them. If you’re looking for a gift with a purpose, buying through the UNICEF Market program or its partners gives you the […]
Posted inHome
Professionally Deck the Halls this Year with ‘Christmas Carol’
An extraordinary love for Christmas was perhaps written in the stars for local Carol Burk, better known as “Christmas Carol,” as even her own December birthday happens during the Christmas season. “Christmas Carol” is also the name of her residential and business tree-decorating company, which she began 25 years ago. “One of my favorite parts […]