I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o’er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host of golden daffodils; Beside the lake beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. ~ William Wordsworth In the last throes of winter, a sight of sunshine-yellow flowers is sometimes enough to […]
flowers
Posted inAround West Sound
Things to Do Around West Sound in April to Celebrate Earth Day
If you lead an environmentally conscious lifestyle, every day is as good as any to celebrate our planet. But Earth Day is especially meaningful because it’s an occasion to celebrate Mother Earth as well as spread awareness. Did you know that Earth Day was founded by Gaylord Nelson, who was a governor and senator from […]
Posted inGarden
Bainbridge Bounty
On a quiet street in the middle of Bainbridge Island, Darren and Kari Murphy have sprouted a garden filled with fruit trees, grapes and vegetables of all sorts. While not a rare sight, theirs exudes an underlying passion for heirloom and unusual varieties and community service. Many of the plant varieties they grow are rare […]
Posted inGarden
Ambergardens Provides Food for Body and Soul
Life’s journeys are unpredictable. People’s interests and talents steer them down a path that may seem pretty clear, but life will always offer up some crossroads and detours to spice things up. Laura Ambers Pittman-Hewitt started out on an artistic path, studying music and visual arts in college. The economic realities of the early ’80s […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
What West Sound Landowners Need to Know About Noxious Weeds
As a gardener and homeowner, I consider myself a steward of the environment, and with that comes the responsibility of choosing plants for my home landscape that are not invasive or noxious. Noxious weeds are non-native plants that were introduced in the State of Washington by individuals who planted them as ornamentals, and they now […]
Posted inGarden
Garden Capers
Some homes nestle quietly into their surroundings and appear as if they have been there for centuries. Tudor-style architecture is neither particularly rare nor common in the Northwest, and occasionally one stumbles upon a home that simply speaks to the heart. Such is the case with the stone-fronted, half-timber-style Fox Island home owned by Jerome […]
Posted inGarden
Sustainable Rose Growing
Sustainable growing means different things to different people. In organic gardening and farming, a sustainable growing system minimizes what enters and leaves the system, using only what is sustainable to the environment. Beyond that, sustainability is a local concept. For example, collecting water in rain barrels is considered sustainable in Western Washington but not in […]
Posted inPeople & Places
The Belfair Community Trail System
The Belfair community might soon be recognized as one of the best places in the state to take a nature hike. A trail system currently runs through the Theler Wetlands on a 5-mile loop connecting the wetlands to the Belfair State Park, and now there is a new plan to extend the trail. It would […]
Posted inGarden
Scents and Sensibilities of the Fragrant Winter Garden
“If our sense of smell is sluggish … we shall have missed more than half the ecstasy. We shall have missed, for instance, that winter day in January or February when we step out of the door and suddenly smell the spring.” ~ Louise Beebe Wilder Winter is a fickle old friend to gardeners. It’s […]