Perched at the rise of a hill, near a dead-end road in Olalla, a small home is surrounded by artfully designed floral and shrub borders. Birds swoop downward into the small canyon on the far side of the property, then return to the hanging feeders and birdbaths scattered throughout the garden. “I see my garden […]
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Posted inAround West Sound
Become a Stream Steward to be Part of Local Eco Projects
Did you know that beavers act as engineers in our local Kitsap ecosystems to alter entire habitats? Or that simple barrels filled with the right materials can help keep our local salmon populations healthier? Join WSU Kitsap Extension’s annual Stream Stewards course this winter to engage with various aspects of land and freshwater resources, while […]
Posted inGarden
The Varied Thrush Provides a Respite from the Winter Doldrums
Some people look forward to winter because they enjoy snow sports. Fans of NFL football love the playoffs. Others appreciate a reason to wear flannel and sip hot chocolate by a cozy fire. Birders see winter as the time to bundle up and grab the binoculars. For birds that breed in the Arctic, a West […]
Posted inGarden
A Globe-Trotter’s Garden
On a south-facing bluff in Indianola sits a botanical “salad bowl” known as Windcliff. A garden mixture of plants from around the world, it houses a diverse array of species. Plants from China and Vietnam are well represented but South African species especially love the climate and populate the garden, much like loading a salad […]
Posted inPeople & Places
Celebrate the Holiday Season on the Kitsap Peninsula
The skies may be gray this time of year, but the cities and towns around the Kitsap Peninsula region are glowing with bright-colored lights, festive window displays and lots of holiday cheer to share with visiting family and friends. November events kick off the holiday shopping season with annual art-studio tours, hay-wagon and carriage rides, […]
Posted inFood & Entertainment
Holiday Appetizer Soiree
Growing up in the ’50s and ’60s, Trudy Northover recalls her parents always hosting get-togethers for friends and family. Christmas was a massive celebration at their home. “Tech has taken so much away (web, email, etc.),” Northover says. “It’s such a gloomy time of year, so our appetizer party is a wonderful time to host […]
Posted inHome
A North Kitsap Barn Raising
Hunter Thompson had a dream. In his imagination was the perfect house, one of space and light and comfort. His house would be timber-framed with the homespun understatement and straightforward lines of a domestic barn. It would incorporate the highest quality materials and systems. Above all, it would be a passion project, handmade by Thompson; […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
The Art of Watering Your Garden
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt adapted from Byron Smith’s book, “Slow Down and Grow Something: The Urban Grower’s Recipe for Good Life,” recently published by Murdoch Books. Plants have naturally adapted to the climate in which they have evolved — that’s why the plants in your local national park aren’t expecting you to appear […]
Posted inGarden
Putting Down Roots in ‘Plant Paradise’
When Don and Lenore Lynch moved to Kitsap County from Pasco, Eastern Washington, about 10 years ago, they each began a gardening love affair. Lenore, with a strong design background, was swept away by the wondrously greater plant palette of foliage and flower, color and texture that thrives here. Don, a scientist, embraced the coastal […]