After months of deliberation and dozens of drive-by trips, a young couple decided to follow their hearts. They stopped the car and fastened a note to the mailbox of the old farmhouse. “We’re looking for a place to raise a family,” the note said. “Would you be interested in selling?” The owners, a retired couple […]
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Holiday Gift Ideas for Gardeners in Your Life
Holidays are a wonderful time to gather with friends and family, share a special meal and exchange gifts. Finding the perfect gift for those we love can be overwhelming and stressful. No need to fret; give the gift of gardening that provides seasons of joy. It doesn’t matter if your recipient is young or old, […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
The Marvelous Molly Ward
At Molly Ward Gardens, reservations are recommended, but when you call, don’t expect to talk to Molly. You might get Lynn Ward — proprietress, co-founder, head gardener and creative force behind the eclectic Poulsbo restaurant and event destination — but Molly is not only deceased, she was a dog. In 1990 — when Lynn; her […]
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A Place Apart — The Home and Garden of Rick Gudmunson and Judi Cleghorn
In 1975, an almost derelict cottage overlooking Case Inlet sat overgrown with blackberry brambles. The previous owner, who was Judi Cleghorn’s uncle, had died, and when the estate was settled, Cleghorn and her husband, Rick Gudmunson, made arrangements to buy the little house. The young couple had been house-hunting, and as Cleghorn’s parents lived on […]
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4 Fall Recipes Using Grapes
By incorporating versatile ingredients into your holiday cooking, you can make a vast array of tasty seasonal goodies. For example, California grapes are abundant throughout the holiday season and add taste and visual appeal to dishes of all kinds, including in the recipes provided below for Seared Salmon with Spinach and Grapes, Grape Caprese Salad […]
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Farm-Fresh Tomatillos (and Salsa Verde)
Autumn brings the final ripening of the garden, and tomatillos are at their sweetest-best as the vines begin to decline. Tomatillos, or “husk tomatoes,” are native to Mexico and have been cultivated since pre-Columbian times. A member of the nightshade family (Physalis), they grow wild throughout the Americas except in the coldest zones, as they […]
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Melanie Dressel and Windy Bluff
Melanie Dressel was a banker and the CEO of Columbia Bank. She knew values. She knew the value of small towns like Colville, Washington, where she grew up; and the value of her husband, Bob, and their family. She knew the value of collaboration with work colleagues and employees. And the value of giving back […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
Il Lucano Ristorante Italiano
The unmistakable, booming, Italian-accented, jovial voice of Michele “Mike” Simone leaves no doubt Il Lucano is Gig Harbor’s iconic Italian restaurant. Simone makes the rounds of tables, greeting customers, inquiring about the quality of food and thanking them for patronizing his business. “I love feeding people, making them happy through what they eat,” he says. […]
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Cooking with Class
Tom and Tessa Aydelotte of Bainbridge Island know their way around a kitchen. The couple own two restaurants, Doc’s Marina Grill on Bainbridge Island and in Port Townsend, and their livelihood is all about food. So, when their thoughts turned to updating their circa 1925 home, they naturally put food preparation first. And, since part […]