Castor canadensis Castor canadensis (beavers) are the largest rodents on our continent. They can be 3 to 4 feet long from head to the tip of their paddle-shaped tails and stand a foot tall at the shoulders. Their front feet (with claws for digging and grasping) and back, webbed feet are perfectly adapted for their […]
northwest
Posted inPeople & Places
The Hill Home — A Labor of Love
The narrow, winding drive that leads to the home of Mike and Eileen Hill does little to prepare you for what you are about to see. As you turn the final corner, the tall trees drop away and the driveway opens up into a wide, circular, gravel broadway curving around a small, quiet pond that […]
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Fly Fishing With the Reel Girls
The scene at Titlow Park in Tacoma attracts a few curious glances. Eleven women are spread out across the lawn, fly rods in hand, practicing their roll casts, false casts and presentation casts. The instruction this day is provided by Judy Graham, an energetic, patient tutor and expert casting instructor, who periodically calls the group […]
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Heronswood — Springing Back to Life
Heronswood Gardens in Kingston is springing back to life like the Phoenix rising from the ashes. In 2012, the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe purchased the former 15-acre Heronswood Garden and Nursery site in auction from W. Atlee Burpee. In November 2012 a small band of former Heronistas (the name for the much-loved employees of the […]
Posted inGarden
By the Light of the Silvery Moon
A garden can be a magical place after dark. As the sun wanes in the sky, subtle evening light begins to illuminate the garden in a completely new way. Flowers and foliage add a new dimension to a garden when caught by the light of a full moon. Moonlight gardens are not meant to do […]
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A Visit to ‘The Little City by the Sea’
Kingston is an enticing destination on a warm weekend for anyone looking to “get away” without driving far. Shopping and dining are among the main attractions but the gorgeous views and the proximity to various parks and other recreational opportunities make Kingston a serious competitor to other local charmers. Once a booming lumber town, Kingston […]
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Western Bluebirds and Your Fall Chores
Fall migration of most Pacific Northwest birds has completed — from the huge shorebird population, to the area warblers and many other migrants from Oregon, Washington, British Columbia to Alaska. They have raised successful broods and are now heading south to winter over in Central and South America until January or February, when they will […]
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Organic Chemistry
When a couple of empty-nesters trade the urban asphalt of Southern California for a leafy-green piece of Bainbridge Island, culture shock is guaranteed. Their first job, therefore, is to buy an umbrella, a pair of Birkenstocks and learn the meaning of “frog rock.” Their second job is to locate an architect and a decorator who […]
Posted inGarden
Get The Dirt — On Home Gardening
Red Foxes In England, foxes are an integral part of an English garden, except if the garden includes chickens — and then foxes are definitely not wanted. Here in West Sound, we could go for years without glimpsing a fox, or we may see them several times a year. If you live in a region […]