Christmas starts in October at Ann Ryan’s home on Oyster Bay. That’s when she hauls out the boxes and boxes of holiday decorations she’s collected over the years and starts decking the halls of the 100-year-old home. Ryan’s collection includes Christmas-themed paintings, dozens of carved Santas and little ceramic Dickensian villages set in wintery scenes. […]
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Posted inPeople & Places
A Visit with Santa
Yes, there is a Santa Claus. He lives on the Key Peninsula when he is not at the North Pole tending his reindeer or supervising the elves in the toy shop. His “Ho! Ho! Ho!” is most convincing, and he has a bag of magic tricks that confound even the most skeptic onlooker. This Santa […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
Christmas Lights and Cookie Delights
Don and Nancy Davenport have always hung Christmas lights on the front of their house, which is situated at the end of a long driveway on a cul-de-sac in Gig Harbor. “Because our house sits back so far from the street, hardly anyone can enjoy the lights,” Don lamented. And the homeowners couldn’t see the […]
Posted inHome
Designing a Dedicated Home Office Space for Maximum Productivity
The way people work and conduct business has evolved from a traditional, brick-and-mortar platform (think factories and office buildings) to a less structured, more fluid environment. Many can now establish an office or workspace anywhere in the world and still conduct their business or work without skipping a beat — thanks in large part to […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Love the Tweedle out of ‘Oh, La La!’
Garden books are often dry and read more like an encyclopedia. Yet not so with Ciscoe Morris’ book, “Oh, La La!: Homegrown Stories, Helpful Tips, and Garden Wisdom.” Well known for the tales he peppers into his garden talks, Morris has a talent for storytelling. He takes his readers on a pleasurable journey through the […]
Posted inGarden
A Garden Cornucopia
Gordon and Janet Knudsen don’t have a lilac, but that’s OK, because they have practically everything else. From astrantia to zinnias, the Knudsens’ Poulsbo garden is a botanical who’s who — and what’s that? — of fabulous plants. However, the Knudsens’ arboretum-esque property is more than just a feast for the human eye; it’s a […]
Posted inPeople & Places
From Stainless Steel and Bronze to Inspired Art
Dedicated in March 2019, Ancich Waterfront Park in downtown Gig Harbor is both a remembrance of the town’s pioneering Ancich family and a dedication to the commercial fishing boats that shaped much of the community’s history. The park’s landscaping plan included public artwork and, when considering how to proceed, the city decided to keep the […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
Traditional Breads Baked at Home
Humans have been baking bread since they first ground grain, made it into a paste and spread it on a hot rock. Archaeologists have found evidence of starches from plant roots and grasses, as well as rudimentary mortar-and-pestle grinding stones dating back 30,000 years. When the hunters and gatherers figured out how to grind grains […]
Posted inGarden
Rain Garden at the Heart of Dream Northwest Landscape
When Sherry and Kirk Kanode moved into their beautiful, brand-new custom home in 2002, little did they know they were embarking on a gardening adventure of a lifetime. A deep, crescent-shaped bioswale separated their front yard from the street, making street parking and a path to the front door nearly impossible. The home was a […]