Confucius once said, “If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help someone else.” Charity is the gift that keeps on giving, and there are many ways to give generously. Dr. Paul McCullough has recently donated $500,000 in artwork to the Kitsap Community Foundation. “The Kitsap […]
people
Posted inAt Home
Expert Tips to Help Your Family Stay Safe in the Event of a House Fire
Did you know you could have less than three minutes to safely leave your home in the event of a fire? While the overall number of home fires has decreased recently, home fire deaths are actually on the rise. Fire is faster today due to synthetic materials, lighter construction materials and open floor plans. Smoke […]
Posted inAt Home
What the Paint Color of Your Home Says About Your Personality
Many people who buy their homes usually style them based on their home’s features and color. Other times, they style it with their favorite colors. But not many people think about what their color choice says about them. Maybe there’s no correlation between the paint color and the homeowner’s personality. Or, maybe the color you […]
Posted inAt Home
Helping Teens Develop Financial Literacy
Developing financial knowledge and effective money management habits are important steppingstones for teenagers to become financially stable adults who aspire to build assets and achieve personal goals. For example, most teens (88%) would like to own a home someday, according to a survey conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of Junior Achievement USA and Fannie […]
Posted inThe Outdoors
How to Create the Perfect Outdoor Living and Work Room
The pandemic thrust us into a new reality, and the backyard has a starring role. Yards and other managed landscapes became a safe haven. Backyarding became a way of life as lawns, gardens, patios and decks evolved into outdoor offices, classrooms, family gathering places and the new “hot spots” in our neighborhoods. According to a […]
Posted inGarden
An Overlooked Songbird in Plain Sight
Songbirds come in many varieties. Some, like bushtits, are tiny, while others, like meadowlarks, are large. Some have distinctive sounds, like the onomatopoeia call of the black-capped chickadee. And others have unmistakable plumage, like the male western tanager. But not all songbirds make such a lasting impression. Numerous subtle species are often overlooked by everyone […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
The Busy Season Arrives at Fletcher Bay Winery
Fall is the time of year when all the winemaking happens. It’s “go time” from mid-August (for some wineries harvesting early-ripening grapes like sauvignon blanc) until early November. For most of the wineries in Western Washington, harvest season means multiple trips back and forth to Eastern Washington to pick up grapes. There is mind-blowing planning […]
Posted inAt Home
What to Do if Your Mortgage Application is Denied
If you dream of homeownership, having your mortgage application denied can be devastating. If this does happen to you, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. In 2020, 13 percent of all purchase mortgage applications — a total of nearly 650,000 — were denied, according to federal government data. Before quickly reapplying for a […]
Posted inThe Outdoors
10 Things ‘Master Backyarders’ Do (That All of Us Should Emulate)
Over the last couple of years, we’ve had a lot of practice backyarding. This is the act of doing indoor things — think dining, working, entertaining, exercising and even vacationing — outdoors, like in our own backyards. According to the TurfMutt Foundation, which advocates for the care and use of all green space, many Americans […]