Port Townsend is a small city, with a population around 10,000. Founded in 1851 on the water of Puget Sound in Jefferson County, it has an energy found in very few other cities in the state. The city has always been known for … read more

Yellow birds, or those that are almost all yellow, are rare in the Pacific Northwest but there is more than one species. The American goldfinch, state bird for Washington, is the best known and the easiest to recognize. Small numbers visit feeding stations … read more

Many of my readers prefer red wine, but this column is devoted to white wine for summertime. It’s time to think of summer entertaining and there’s nothing more refreshing than white sangria. White sangria is a dry white wine that has sweet fruit … read more

Once a year, for the past 29 years, the Northwest Flower and Garden Show has awakened visitors’ senses to the sights and sounds of spring, but the magic does not happen overnight. It’s a choreography that begins during the current show, and work … read more

I am not a mason bee expert but I recognize and benefit from their hard work during rainy weather. A few years ago, my strawberries were seedy and not uniformly plump and succulent, so I contacted my local Master Gardener for ideas about … read more

A limited number of birds nest in birdhouses. Most of those attracted to feeders, as well as those that aren’t, choose nest sites other than a man-made birdhouse. Robins are one of these. They do, however, often choose a nest site within close … read more

French painter Claude Monet was an accomplished early proponent. So was his compatriot August Renoir. Because French Impressionist painters were the ones who took the act of painting out of stuffy French drawing rooms and studios and into the great outdoors, the art … read more

A magnificent vista to Mount Rainier inspired Kathy and Dave Nims to purchase their property without ever having stepped foot on it. That leap of faith was well worth the effort. This view served as inspiration for architect David Fisher and contractor Tom … read more

More than a few trees in this region owe their lives to a man in a quiet neighborhood on Bainbridge Island. Well, not just the West Sound, but elsewhere in the country. And the world. And not just trees but a few pumpkins … read more