My time in the garden is often solitary, but as I focus on a task, my head is filled with whispers. The conversation comes, unbidden — triggered by a sound, a scent or a flower. The garden is where I reconnect with people … read more

Around Belfair, it’s still called Hippie Hill Community. Some old friends and the price of the land drew glass artist Randy Calm and his wife, Cathy, from Chicago to Hippie Hill nearly 47 years ago. Then, there were 13 homesteading families and no … read more

Outdoor spaces can offer a lot of extra living space in the warmer months of the year in the Pacific Northwest. Outdoor kitchens, from simple to spectacular, give you a new way to entertain and enjoy your home. It is important to think … read more

The heart of this story started 33 years ago with a young couple who fell in love with the expansive water and Olympic Mountain views from a 2-acre property on Bainbridge Island. Chuck and Joanne Little turned it from a summer home into … read more

Programmable thermostats are designed to help manage energy use, but most of the U.S. households with these controls do not choose to program their thermostats, according to a bulletin by the Information courtesy Energy Information Administration. Based on information collected through EIA’s Residential Energy … read more

High school sweethearts Marion and Steve Ekberg were born and raised in the Tacoma area, spending childhoods in the woods of Minter Creek and Fox Island. In 1972, they were house hunting, looking for a place to call home and raise a family, … read more

This year, WestSound Magazine magazine received an abundance of creative tablescapes. The choices were all wonderful — but our tablescape judges, Linna Lawrence and Tami Blacknall, made the difficult decisions! Thank you to all who took the time to submit their tablescapes. And … read more

Spring-cleaning is more than just a phrase; it is serious business for many people. After being cooped up in the house all winter with a growing to-do list — and, for some, a case of Seasonal Affective Disorder — it can be refreshing … read more

Glass, glass everywhere. From simple drinking glasses to Chihuly chandeliers, the making of utilitarian as well as decorative objets d’art from glass dates back to the middle of third millennium B.C. in areas such as Syria, Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. The primary chemical … read more