For many Pacific Northwest residents, cooking and entertaining outdoors is comfortable and feasible for much of the year. Sitting around a fire-pit in late October with friends is one of the greatest pleasures of fall — and who doesn’t love a barbecue turkey at Thanksgiving or Christmas? Homeowners looking to enhance the enjoyment or resale […]
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Posted inPeople & Places
Good for Body and for Planet — Clean and Green
There isn’t much that Laura Kneib can’t make by hand. Clothes. Butter. Wood boxes. Pottery. Growing up in a family that made anything from their own clothes to herbal remedies has taught her two things: You make everything you use, and then you reuse. She recalls her parents going “senging” — harvesting ginseng — on […]
Posted inGarden
Clematis — the Perfect Companion Plant
Do you have a problem structure in your garden? Perhaps there is an ugly shed or very functional fence calling for a color pop on your property? Clematis could be the answer to your design needs. They are available in many colors and heights. This vine plant comes in over 100 readily available varieties, each […]
Posted inGarden
Maintaining Ponds and Water Features
Jan Bahr, who is a pond-plants expert at Roadhouse Nursery, says that outdoor pond maintenance is somewhat similar to keeping an aquarium. In maintaining an aquarium that houses fish and plants, the key element is the pump and filtering system. Fish and plants are also key elements in outdoor ponds. It’s a complete ecosystem, and […]
Posted inHome
Blue
Blue is a monster — arrogant and selfish, a color that wants to call the shots and pull the trigger. It can suck the air from a room one moment and bring in the light the next. The ever-present hue can confidently stand alone or easily fit in with crowds of thousands. Blue is part […]
Posted inAt Home
Never Run Out of Ingredients by Stocking Your Pantry Right
Have you ever noticed when you run to the store for one particular item you usually end up grabbing a few more items than you intended? I’ve found by keeping a good stock of staple items I can make many different dishes from basic ingredients. This has significantly lowered our food bill. I’m not limited […]
Posted inHome
Tips for Your Next Plein-Air Dining Party
When you live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, you learn to take full advantage of the often-fleeting warm summer days — and nights — including outdoor dining as often as possible. En- plein-air dining is easy and fun, and you don’t need to speak French! Whether preparing for a weeknight meal or a party for […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Brighten Up Your Garden with a Set of Plant Markers Made from Rocks
Gardeners know that once a garden begins to mature, it can be hard to tell what is actually growing. The solution is to use plant markers. Whether you have a garden this year or are planning one for next year, this is a good time to decide which plant markers to use and get them […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Why Keep Gentle Bees? Part 2
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from “Mason Bee Revolution: How the Hardest Working Bee Can Save the World One Backyard at a Time,” a book by Dave Hunter and Jill LIghtner recently released by Seattle-based Mountaineers Books. Read Part 1 to learn about the types of gentle bees and how mason bees are different. […]