A gravel lane heads arrow-straight through a dull flood plain west toward Dyes Inlet. But turn left off the lane into the driveway of Ron Gillespie and Joyce Merkel, and you find a profoundly different world. Strolling under a broad arbor dripping with masses of white and purple wisteria, ferns feathering your path, you enter […]
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Posted inFood & Entertainment
Maynard’s — Kitsap’s Culinary Destination
With the opening of Maynard’s Restaurant in Silverdale, Chef Maynard “JJ” Meland’s dream of feeding people in a unique and sustainable way has become a reality. The son of a chef, and cooking professionally himself for more than 25 years, Meland has had plenty of time to develop his personal philosophy about food. “I have […]
Posted inHome
Ars Poetica — Showcase Fuses Written and Visual Expressions
“Ut pictura poesis,” wrote the Roman poet, Horace. In his seminal guide for fellow poets, “Ars Poetica” (The Art of Poetry), he urged them to write poetry with the same deliberation a painter would give a painting. “As is painting, so is poetry,” he instructed. With Horace as their muse, in 2011, the West Sound […]
Posted inHome
Family Farmhouse Estate Created with Imagination
Norbert and Lisa van Dam of Seattle had historical ties to the South Sound when they bought their Grapeview property. Lisa remembers summers on Treasure Island when she was a girl, and later when their children enjoyed holidays and vacation adventures there. Both her brother’s and sister’s families still own property close by. Eventually, they […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Cruising on China’s Yangtze River — The Ancient and The New
It’s mind-boggling. China’s population is more than 1.4 billion. Yes, billion with a B. Eclipsing the United States with the 2019 population count at 330 million (India fast gaining on China with 1.3 billion). Billions of people. Where to put them all? How to manage them? This is China’s challenge. There are small but noticeable […]
Posted inGarden
Winter Skin Care with Herbs
As winter dampness settles in, the changing season alters the way people take care of their skin. Indoor heat can be drying, as furnaces and heaters take humidity from the air. Indoor air can be stuffy too, and the cold dampness chills to the bone. Go back to the garden with herbal remedies to help […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
Paint Parties — An Artsy Pastime for a Long Winter Night
The room buzzes with excitement as people gather, serve themselves some refreshments and find their seats. The artist instructor prepares palettes of paint, distributes brushes and socializes with each of the guests, and then the fun begins. Most of the time, everyone in the room will be following the artist’s instructions, step by step. At […]
Posted inHome
Remodeling Step by Step, Slow and Steady
Patience is a virtue, so it’s said. For Steve and Theresa Erickson of Poulsbo, it’s also the key to their remarkable home remodel, one that met the couple’s expectations in nearly every way. Working with architect Wayne LaMont and Sentinel Construction’s Dave Godbolt and Jaron Donaldson, the Ericksons took the remodel day by day and […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Bringing Images to Life through Yarn
When you see Cecilia Blomberg’s work from a distance, you think it’s a painting. Look closer and you see that the “paints” she uses are actually yarn. Blomberg is a tapestry weaver, known the world over for her creativity and skill. Her tapestries adorn walls in the U.S. Air Force Academy, numerous public buildings in […]