Fall is here. Golden and red leaves are dominating the airway and transforming the Earth with a new, patterned blanket. The once-prevailing basil is bowing now, as if to say, good performance, curtain going down. A few weeks back that basil bush was so full of life, plump and boasting. But looking closely, one could […]
diy tips
Posted inAround West Sound, At Home, Blog
Get Inspired at This Weekend’s Home Expo
As you migrate indoors and into your home’s cozy spaces, this is a good time to turn attention to those deferred home décor or home improvement projects — before the holidays take the best out of you. Just in time to take advantage of the downtime in the garden, Peninsula Home & Remodel Expo brings […]
Posted inAt Home, Blog
How a Real Remodeling Project Differs from HGTV
I like to watch those remodeling projects on HGTV and DIY networks. It’s fun to see the changes, and they make it look really effortless and easy. How are those shows different from the reality of a real remodel — your house, let’s say? One of my favorite scenarios is the “one room at a […]
Posted inBlog, The Outdoors
Finding Gold in the Forest: Chanterelle Mushrooms
Walking gingerly, I trained my eye for the golden color that is so easily mistaken for leaves or bare sticks. It was early September, and there was a recent rain, so my mother and I were out on the mossy slopes of a fir forest in search of chanterelle mushrooms. I watched for moss pieces […]
Posted inGarden
Tips for Creating an Ageless Garden
How can we create an “ageless” garden to stand the test of time through our entire gardening lifetime? Here are a few quick ideas to consider incorporating into your garden’s overall design.
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Tips for Planting Out of Season
Normally, the best time of the year to plant any plant, including our native plants, is during the dormant season. In Western Washington, that time is generally late October through early February. Fall planted plants have a longer time to take advantage of cool temperatures and moist soils to establish new roots before putting out […]
Posted inAt Home, Blog
Savor the Basil Season with Sweet Potato Basil Casserole
There’s a lot of basil out there this time of the year, but it has reached the end of the season. Folks are scrambling to use and process the fresh aromatic leaves — drying and making yummy basil butter and pesto concoctions. Basil is a common name for the culinary herb Ocimum basilicum of the […]
Posted inAt Home, Blog
How to Insulate with Shades
Some years ago, representatives of an engineering firm in Winslow came to our studio on Madrone Lane and argued that a window shade could not insulate well because the cold has already passed through the glass and is inside the house. To test that assumption — and to prove them wrong — we installed a […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Build a Better Bat House
You may have heard that bats are wonderful for insect control. They certainly are — a bat can eat as many as 1,000 insects an hour. By devouring mosquitoes, crane flies and other pests, they protect crops and human health. In many parts of the world, they are crucial pollinators and can help regenerate rain […]