Model Tested: 2016 Mazda CX-9 Signature All Wheel Drive Engine: 2.5-liter I-4 gas turbocharged, 227 horsepower 310 lb-ft torque Transmission: 6-speed automatic, all-wheel-drive EPA Rating: 21 mpg city/27 mpg highway/23 mpg combined Base Price: $44,015 As Tested: $44,915 Performance: Surprisingly strong performance for … read more

Blue Hubbard (shaped like a football), pleated dark-green acorn, delicate delicata and buttery-skinned butternut are just a few of the many varieties of beautiful winter squash available this autumn. Grocery stores and farmers markets are brimming with these thick-skinned and delicious, nutritious, meaty … read more

Model Tested: 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum 4WD Engine: 3.5-liter V-6 gas Ecoboost turbocharged, 365 horsepower 350 lb-ft torque Transmission: 6-speed automatic, four-wheel-drive EPA Rating: 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway/18 mpg combined Base Price: $52,970 As Tested: $54,760 Performance: Very strong twin turbocharged Ecoboost … read more

Model Tested: 2016 Ford F-150 4×4 Supercrew Lariat Engine: 3.5-liter V-6 gas Ecoboost turbocharged, 365 horsepower 420 lb-ft torque Transmission: 6-speed automatic, four-wheel-drive EPA Rating: 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway/18 mpg combined Base Price: $45,730 As Tested: $59,645 Performance: Impressive V-8 performance from … read more

Every season has its golden child. Its pride and joy, the thing we celebrate above all else. Spring has her cheerful bulbs poking their heads out of the ground after a long sleep, and bright, succulent greens. Summer has the warm breezes, serious … read more

If you love fall, Halloween is a great time to follow your whimsy and decorate your home. We asked two local women — Port Orchard’s Deb Howard and Gig Harbor’s Becky Curneen — to share their tips and inspiration, based on 30 years … read more

Fair Trade is an alternative way of doing business — one that builds equitable, long-term partnerships between consumers in North America and producers in developing regions. When purchasing a Fair Trade item, you can buy with confidence knowing it means the goods were … read more

“It’s very purple,” one visitor commented about Glee Palmer-Davis and Dennis Johnson’s Hansville A-frame cottage and garden. The color of the body of the house is an intense purple that leans toward violent red-violet. Called “Fabulous Grape,” the color suggests a grape candy … read more

Garden fashion leans toward fickleness when it comes to color. Do you remember gardens before the turn of the century? Pastel flowers filled the borders, while mauve, pink and gray ruled the color palette of both interior and exterior spaces. If you vowed … read more