For those who want an abundance of bloom for the summer-to-fall season but prefer not to plant annuals every year, perennial salvias are a Northwest garden’s friend. Not that long ago, except for the bedding plant salvia splendens and the culinary S. officinalis, it was hard to find many cultivated salvias for ornamental use. That’s […]
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Posted inPeople & Places
West Sound a Popular Spot for Disc Golf Enthusiasts
Disc golf, which got its start in Southern California back in the early 1970s, used to be considered something of a “hippie” sport because of its deep roots connected to the throwing of Frisbees and the wearing of tie-dyed shirts and so on. But today, nothing could be farther from the truth. Disc golf is […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
Enjoy the Rosé Season
The rosé season is upon us, and pink wine is all the rage. Not the pink, white zinfandel your mother (or maybe even you) used to drink, but dry, crisp wine made from red wine grapes. To make a rosé, you can start with any kind of red grape, but some of the most popular […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
The Art of Fine Dining at Agate Restaurant
At 3:45 p.m. on a weekday afternoon, Agate Restaurant is abuzz with staff preparing for the doors to open at 4:30 p.m. Napkins and silver are freshly rolled and carefully placed on each gleaming table, along with water glasses and candles. As the bartender readies his space, the tinkling of bottles and glasses mixes with […]
Posted inGarden
A Garden of Floral Design Delights
The advantage of living on a golf course is in the “borrowed” backdrop for a garden’s landscape, along with beautiful, established trees to frame the vista. Toby and Tom Mason moved to McCormick Woods six years ago. Their location on the 4th hole offers a lovely long view across the green to a pond. Both […]
Posted inAround West Sound
Summer Concerts and Outdoor Movies Return to Gig Harbor
A longtime summer tradition, Summer Sounds at Skansie, is back to downtown Gig Harbor while an outdoor movies program has some exciting changes. Summer Sounds at Skansie, Gig Harbor’s beloved summer concert series, takes on the waterfront at Skansie Brothers Park, in the shadow of Mount Rainer. This year, 10 concerts span a variety of […]
Posted inAuto Talk
Silverdale Race Track Comes Full Circle
Inevitably as you go through life, you have regrets — things you did or things should have done often come to mind. As a young lad, attending Junior High School in Silverdale, I often heard the roar of engines coming from Silverdale Speedway, but never thought to investigate. Many years later, after having met a […]
Posted inPeople & Places
The Longbranch Improvement Club Celebrates Centennial
Long before there was a Purdy Bridge, when the main access to the south end of the Key Peninsula was by boat, a group of concerned citizens banded together to form an association to help their neighbors. Seeing the need of a rapidly growing community, these citizens formed the Longbranch Improvement Club (LIC) “to encourage […]
Posted inGarden
Aromatherapy Garden Borders
Borders usually run along a pathway, a wall, a hedge or a lawn edge. My favorite plants for borders are very fragrant, including evening-scented varieties. I love strolling pathways in the moonlight and smelling the gorgeous mood-settling aromas from wall flowers, stock, tobacco plants, primroses, lilacs, jasmine, roses, alliums, dianthus and datura. Lavender is always […]