Ever had a friend call you, really excited to tell you about the placemats they just bought in a local thrift shop? Of course not. Let me take you down that road, since no one else will. Entering the Goodwill store in East Bremerton, I began my usual happy-search, walking to the left where there […]
northwest
Advancing Scientific and Historic Projects with… Citizen Science
“World’s Oldest European Hedgehog Found by Citizen Scientists,” trumpeted a recent Smithsonian Magazine headline. A 16-year-old male hedgehog dubbed Thorvald had outlived the lifespan of his species by 14 years, surviving habitat loss, pesticides and the No. 1 cause of hedgehog deaths — road crossings. That Europe’s smallest mammal could outwit modern-day encroachment was cause […]
Can You Identify Who’s Dining in Your Garden?
You take a walk through the garden and find branches trimmed, flowers missing or bark damaged. Of course, the culprit is nowhere to be seen. You may have suspects in mind but a close look at the damage and surroundings can help you identify who is dining on your plants. Knowing this can help you […]
How to Maximize Your Backyard in a Small Space
Backyarding is the practice of taking everyday activities — think entertaining, eating, working and working out, to name a few — into the green space around us. Even those living in an urban setting with a smaller yard or no yard at all can enjoy the benefits of backyarding, according to the TurfMutt Foundation, which […]
Best of West Sound Results 2023
WestSound Magazine presents the annual Best of West Sound results for 2023! Entries have been submitted from Bainbridge Island all the way to Gig Harbor. On this page we’ve listed the businesses and places you love the most. Enjoy! Best Restaurant Boat Shed Serving seasonal and local favorites along with all-time classics for 30-plus years […]
Chef Daniel Ratigan
The Fireside Restaurant is located in the beautiful Port Ludlow Resort across the Hood Canal Bridge in bucolic Port Ludlow — a mere 45 minutes from Bremerton. Fireside chef Daniel Ratigan offers the bounty of local farms, along with artisan meats and cheeses, with a menu that celebrates the best the local area and the […]
10 Tips for Successful Pollinator Plantings
The colorful posters with a collection of common herbs are a popular social media share. Save the bees, they say; plant these. I’ve been known to peek at those lists and note to myself — I could use a few more hyssop plants in my apiary — but that well-meaning call to action widely misses […]
Spring Sippers
Get ready for spring. We’re crushing on these super-sippable white wines from around the Sound. Rolling Bay Winery is tucked into the heart of Bainbridge Island in the Rolling Bay community. Grab a bottle of its 2020 Pinot Grigio to enjoy on a Friday night at the winery — 100 percent pinot grigio, hand-picked at […]
An Extraordinary, Ordinary Bird
Ordinary people can do extraordinary things. One person becomes an unexpected hero. An overlooked individual suddenly has an incredible idea. A seemingly insignificant person has unknowingly touched countless lives. The possibilities are endless. It is the same with birds. Migratory shorebirds fly thousands of miles every year to breed in the Arctic. Likewise, many songbirds […]

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