It’s not rare to spot the iconic orca whale (Orcinus orca) here in the South Sound; you just have to know where to look. Whether you view them from a boat or from shore, it is always a delight. Orcas belong to the … read more
A sleepy fishing village until the 1980s, the scenic town of Gig Harbor occupies the southernmost tip of the Kitsap Peninsula and commands a majestic view of Mount Rainier. Nearly 150 years after the first settlers arrived and 68 years after incorporation, the … read more
Tea time will stop business in some cultures; it can also conjure up images of romantic and floriferous parties or bring warm relaxation to a cold winter day. Tea… Is it a ritual, an herb or a beverage? Technically, tea is the plant … read more
Leaves falling. Crisp days and often stiff nights with much cooler air temps. It’s raining again. Moving air is no longer just a breeze but an outright wind. The sun seems to spend a few hours paralleling the horizon then dips out of … read more
In December, night comes earlier, temperatures are colder and lights cast halos in the mist. Sounds are muffled as people file off the Kingston ferry, mesmerized by the iridescent world of exotic sea creatures and spellbinding aquatic gardens, all made out of tiny … read more
This isn’t about the design of a new garden; this is all about an existing one. As the garden ever changes, much can be said about how it grows and develops character. Then there are the spaces that do not age gracefully; the … read more
In the 1980s I worked for the Tacoma Park District at the W.W. Seymour Conservatory and at the Point Defiance Greenhouses. We had a little gift shop at the conservatory with plants for sale. Occasionally we would get a customer who wanted advice … read more
Picture your kitchen counter. Is it a dumping ground for mail, backpacks, briefcases, coupons and family messages that usually get lost in the shuffle? Do you yearn for a serene, organized location to store frequently used items, house grubby shoes and to act … read more
Each year, thousands of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) return from feeding in the open ocean to the stream they hatched three to five years earlier. In Gig Harbor, the chum salmon migration takes place in the late fall and early winter, long after … read more
