Renovating a Collector's Garden

Renovating a Collector’s Garden

This isn’t about the design of a new garden; this is all about an existing one. As the garden ever changes, much can be said about how it grows and develops character. Then there are the spaces that do not age gracefully; the … read more

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Victorian style W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory in winter, 1989-91

Conservatories, Greenhouses, Cold Frames and Sunrooms

In the 1980s I worked for the Tacoma Park District at the W.W. Seymour Conservatory and at the Point Defiance Greenhouses. We had a little gift shop at the conservatory with plants for sale. Occasionally we would get a customer who wanted advice … read more

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When to remodel

Choosing the Best Time of Year for a Remodel

On Jan. 2, the phones start to ring at our office. People are done with the holidays and feeling the pinch of needing more space — so they want to remodel. When do they want to start? Oh yes, what we jokingly refer … read more

Simple Tips for Organizing Your Kitchen
Simple Tips for Organizing Your Kitchen

A Place for Everything and Everything in Its Place

Large or small, a well-designed and organized kitchen can save you time, money and make preparing meals safer and more pleasurable. So whether you have a small organization budget or are planning on remodeling or building, feast your eyes on the hidden treasures … read more

Mad About Mudrooms

Mad About Mudrooms

These transitional spaces help keep your home mess-free

Picture your kitchen counter. Is it a dumping ground for mail, backpacks, briefcases, coupons and family messages that usually get lost in the shuffle? Do you yearn for a serene, organized location to store frequently used items, house grubby shoes and to act … read more

Cooking Around the World With Grandma

Cooking Is a Family Affair

Millie Lindell gets to spend quite a bit of time with her five grandchildren. Both she and her adult son and daughter live on Fox Island, so the family spends a lot of time together. But Lindell wanted a special project with her … read more

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Donkey Creek

Take a Peek in Donkey Creek

Each year, thousands of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) return from feeding in the open ocean to the stream they hatched three to five years earlier. In Gig Harbor, the chum salmon migration takes place in the late fall and early winter, long after … read more

Jars of herbs lavender

Herbal Stillroom Revival

Gardens in early American colonies were not for ornamentation; they were planted and worked for provision. Specific plants were grown to provide food, soaps, perfumes, insecticides, dyes and medicines — all the things needed to take care of everyday life in the home. … read more

Royal Ascot Northwest Style High Tea Luncheon

Royal Ascot, Northwest Style — High Tea Luncheon

More than 50 women gathered for a British high tea in Gig Harbor in June — not just for a fun afternoon but also for a good cause. The Royal Ascot Northwest Style, in its second year, raised money for Haller, an international … read more

Pony Up Rescue for Equines
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