Washington state is gifted with almost 45,000 registered and legit non-for-profit organizations. Their missions are wide ranging, but all attempt to address a significant community need, often relying completely on donor funding and an active cadre of community volunteers to do so. For many residents, the nonprofit world can seem like a confusing, amorphous bag […]
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Posted inPeople & Places
Celebrating Hanukkah
When people think of the holiday season, Christmas or New Year may come to mind. Many overlook the glorious holiday of Hanukkah — but this holiday is “not a substitute for Christmas,” says a local resident who has researched Hanukkah. “It’s a joyous celebration … coming together, eating good food and sharing tradition,” she says, […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Dana’s on Bainbridge — A True Legacy
Dana’s on Bainbridge is a legacy and a fun store. The business has been around since 1977 and has been owned by three community-oriented people for 46 years, including current owner John Carson. He describes Dana’s as “what you would consider a traditional card and gift shop …along with things you would expect to find, […]
Posted inHome
Grandma’s Dishes
Availability, trend, need and definition will determine the future of “thrifting,” which is primarily looking for used items. Today, the activity is enormous in many directions, but tomorrow may be a different story. My expertise began in the ’70s, when I was teaching drawing and design at Olympic College, was an active journeyman plumber and […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
The Immortal, Secret Life of Fruitcake
Late-night talk show hosts Johnny Carson and Jay Leno called it the worst Christmas gift ever. NASA thought it was good enough for astronauts. Emily Dickinson packed it with half a pint of brandy (and 19 eggs) and gifted it to her delighted neighbors. British royals have turned it into an elaborate, grandiose part of […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Port Gamble and Its Long-Term Residents
For more than 100 years, Port Gamble was the heart and the soul of the country’s lumber production. Today, many believe much of the town’s original population …hasn’t left. One of the state’s oldest settlements and the former home of one of the country’s longest-running sawmills, Port Gamble, is located right in our backyard. Today, […]
Posted inHome
Artful Collaboration — Building a Gypsy Wagon
Denise Harris jokes that it was a “hairbrained idea” to build herself a gypsy wagon 20 years ago. However, she doesn’t regret the years of hard work that it took. It was a journey that brought her into collaboration with a plethora of talented, artistic people. Harris began building the gypsy wagon due to her […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Poulsbo’s Historical Museums: The Past in the Present
Painted in traditional Scandinavian colors of red, white and blue, the two-story, craftsman building on Poulsbo’s main street is known by longtime residents as the Nilsen-Sonju house. Norwegian settler Einar Nilsen built the house in 1908, renting the upper rooms as apartments before selling to the Sonju family in 1919. Subsequently, the building had multiple […]
Posted inAt Home
4 Ways Traditions Help Us Stay Healthy and Happy
Health experts say that establishing and maintaining family traditions can boost overall wellbeing and vitality, especially as we age. “As children become adults and move out of the house or away, the family traditions that bind us can sometimes get lost in the process,” says Aparna Abburi, president of Medicare and CareAllies with Cigna, which […]