It’s a humid Wednesday with clouds looming overhead, and the Gig Harbor Demonstration Garden at Sehmel Homestead Park is busy with volunteers tidying, picking produce, and answering questions.
At a picnic bench in front of the central shed, a volunteer thumbs through a reference book, looking for insights about a visitor’s gardening concerns. Another volunteer helps young visitors fill produce bags with freshly picked carrots. Some of these scenes are pictured in the photos below.
…ContinuedThe Ofuro Spa rises up behind a thicket of alders growing alongside a pond. Inspired by Japanese bathhouses, the spa’s architecture blends Pacific Northwest modernism with traditional bathhouse elements like a hot pool, a cold plunge pool, and a sauna clad in hinoki cypress wood.
The spa received the last part of its glow-up this year when Coastline Concrete Coatings, led by Pararescueman Josiah Stromstad, coated the walking surfaces with epoxy and Washington Rock’s Armorstone product.
Learn more about this unique woodland escape and Josiah’s story in our latest article.
…ContinuedNestled along the shoreline of Gravelly Lake, Lakewold Gardens has been enchanting visitors for almost 40 years. Washington Rock Quarries recently contributed 115 tons of gravel to the restoration of the walking paths, just one of many planned improvements.
Step back in time with us to learn more about the history of this storied estate garden and learn about how staff are making the old new again.
…ContinuedNot long ago, four-year-old Joey couldn’t sit up by himself or hold onto a toy. He didn’t speak much either. His parents were told these skills, which most people take for granted, were out of reach for Jamie.
Now Jamie can sit up by himself and hold on to objects. He’s also started talking more. This profound difference in outcomes was facilitated by a pony and the therapists at Sundance Circle Hippotherapy.
…ContinuedArchisand sand sculptors brought their craft to the Washington State Spring Fair this weekend in Puyallup. Their sculpture features the Fair’s 125-year anniversary logo and the Fair’s Sasquatchian mascot, Big WA.
…ContinuedWhich topsoil mix is best for your lawn and garden? In this article, we discuss our basic topsoil—screened sandy loam—and the formula for each topsoil blend that it’s used in. We’ll also talk about the applications for each product.
This article is the first in a three-part series about topsoil:
A Vietnam Veteran named Mike recently received a memorable 80th birthday gift: his own tiny home.
Mike’s tiny home is the culmination of over a decade of work by a nonprofit called Operation Tiny Home, which celebrated this milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony last Friday.
…ContinuedThe Maple Valley Veterans Memorial was dedicated on Veterans Day today after ten years of planning and two years of construction.
The project was a labor of love made possible through community members.
…ContinuedFor the past two years, a black lab named Daisy has spent every day with her trainer learning to become a service dog. Daisy’s past life at a shelter is a distant memory. Now that she has learned tricks like turning on light switches and alerting, Daisy will soon leave her trainer’s care.
Daisy’s trainer, Mae, has learned valuable skills too. Over several years, Mae has become certified as a dog trainer through the Prison Pet Partnership. She already has a job lined up after she completes her sentence at the Washington Corrections Center for Women in Gig Harbor, Washington.
…ContinuedNever bought gravel before? If you’re overwhelmed, you’re not alone. We covered some of the basics about buying gravel so that you can be more confident in selecting and ordering gravel for your project.
…ContinuedThe Seattle Sounders Football Club celebrated their 50th anniversary last month at their new headquarters and training facility at Longacres: The Providence Swedish Performance Center & Clubhouse.
The transformation from office parking lot to training fields—two natural grass fields and two artificial turf fields—took less than a year. Venture General Contracting oversaw both the remodel of the offices and the construction of the fields. Nearly 80,000 tons of Washington Rock’s materials were shipped to the fields throughout construction.
…ContinuedWith no other place to go, a mother pulls her van into a newly graveled lot. It doesn’t look like much, but it’s a godsend. It’s lit with a streetlight, and there’s running water, portable bathrooms, and outlets where she can charge her phone.
The entire lot is fenced, and the gate locks at night. Her kids can play in the field nearby. In the morning, there will be a hot meal ready at the church next door, and her whole family will be given bagged lunches filled with sandwiches, fruit, chips, drinks, and treats.
…ContinuedYou would probably recognize the Carnation name off of a can of sweetened condensed milk. After all, that’s the origin of the town’s name. But some locals prefer the original name: Tolt.
Occupying just over one square mile with a population of 2,220, you wouldn’t be the first to dismiss Carnation as a blip on a map. For the past century, the main street of Tolt Avenue has been less of a Disneyland-kind-of main street and more of a rugged thoroughfare. But over the years, passionate Carnationites banded together to elevate Tolt Avenue to the charming main street it is today.
…ContinuedMillions of acres of American wetlands have been destroyed since the late 1700s, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Early settlers viewed wetlands as disease-ridden swamps that impeded travel and agricultural development. Their solution was to drain the wetlands and turn them into farmable land.
In the mid 1960s, the port was growing in Tacoma. Shipping channels were being expanded, and more land was needed for industrial activities. Like many wetlands in the area, Wapato Creek was diverted into a channelized ditch. Its former path was filled with material removed from the waterways, solving both the need for expanded waterways and more land. The channelized ditch ran along 12th Street East in Fife, then followed Alexander Avenue west to a culvert that feeds into Blair Waterway.
…ContinuedAlmost 900 feet above the Colorado River, the views from the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge are spectacular. Tourists have a panoramic view of the Hoover Dam and the blue-green waters of the river, which travel from the top of the dam to the bottom. This technological marvel is surrounded by red rock canyons, providing a stark contrast between industry and nature.
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