Life

Paeonia Itoh Hybrids "Lolliepop" in the spring garden

Bushy with big blooms, Itohs blend the best of herbaceous, tree peonies

A bit spendy, this sought-after hybrid, with its multi-colored flowers and lush foliage, offers plenty of bang for your buck.

 

Gnomes, per lore, are more than garden decor. This guy’s ready to travel.

In fact, his atypical attributes — a blue cap and total lack of garden tools — make this pottery gnome all the more valuable.

 

Primula denticulata is native to the Himalaya Mountains of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Tibet, Burma, and China. The habitat is wet meadows from 5,000 feet to 14,500 feet. (Richie Steffen/Great Plant Picks)

Great Plant Pick: Drumstick primrose

What: This primrose, also known as Primula denticulata, is quite like a…

  • May 15, 2024

 

How to save water both inside and — with summer coming — outside your house

It’s always a good idea to limit your water usage, but it is especially important now, amid a statewide drought.

  • May 15, 2024

Spring cleaning shouldn’t hurt our planet. Here’s how you can clean green

From baking soda and dryer balls to recycling and composting, it’s easy to get the job done without creating waste.

  • May 15, 2024

Road Scholar downgrades traveler from business to economy

While booking Maureen Kelleher on a different airline, British Airways also downgraded her. Is she entitled to a refund?

  • May 11, 2024
  • By Wire Service

What should parents do about a noisy child disturbing others in public?

Although there’s no single right answer, here are some guidelines parents might consider when out with their youngsters.

With history, markets and beer, life is good in Germany’s biggest village

Walking through Munich, you’ll understand why it is consistently voted one of Germany’s most livable cities.

  • May 11, 2024

Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

A Beatles tribute band will rock Everett on Friday, and the annual Whidbey Art Market will held in Coupeville on Mother’s Day.

People parading marching down First Street with a giant balloon “PRIDE” during Snohomish’s inaugural Pride celebration on Saturday, June 3, 2023, in downtown Snohomish, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

What does Pride mean to you? The Herald wants to know.

Local LGBTQ+ folks and allies can share what Pride means to them before May 27.

People parading marching down First Street with a giant balloon “PRIDE” during Snohomish’s inaugural Pride celebration on Saturday, June 3, 2023, in downtown Snohomish, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

From lilacs to peonies, pretty flowers make the perfect Mother’s Day gift

Carnations may be the official Mother’s Day flower, but many others will also make Mom smile. Here are a few bright ideas.

Great Plant Pick: Pond cypress

What: This selection of pond cypress (Taxodium distichum var. imbricatum ‘Nutans’) is a froth of feathery, bright green foliage arranged around an arrow-straight trunk. This… Continue reading

  • May 8, 2024

Mickey Mouse and Buddha are among this bracelet’s 21 charms. But why?

This piece’s eclectic mix of charms must say something about its former owner. Regardless, it sold for $1,206 at auction.

Maximum towing capacity of the 2024 Toyota Tundra Hybrid is 11,450 pounds, depending on 4x2 or 4x4, trim level, and bed length. The Platinum trim is shown here. (Toyota)

Toyota Tundra Hybrid powertrain overpowers the old V8 and new V6

Updates for the 2024 full-sized pickup include expansion of TRD Off-Road and Nightshade option packages.

Maximum towing capacity of the 2024 Toyota Tundra Hybrid is 11,450 pounds, depending on 4x2 or 4x4, trim level, and bed length. The Platinum trim is shown here. (Toyota)
2024 Ford Ranger SuperCrew 4X4 XLT (Photo provided by Ford)

2024 Ford Ranger SuperCrew 4X4 XLT

Trucks comes in all shapes and sizes these days. A flavor for every want and need. For my money, the midsize truck is the Goldilocks… Continue reading

  • May 7, 2024
  • By Larry Lark
  • Cars
2024 Ford Ranger SuperCrew 4X4 XLT (Photo provided by Ford)
Emma Corbilla Doody and her husband, Don Doody, inside  their octagonal library at the center of their octagon home on Thursday, May 2, 2024 in Sultan, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Is this Sultan octagon the ugliest house in America?

Emma Corbilla Doody and Don Doody bought the home for $920,000 last year. Not long after, HGTV came calling.

Emma Corbilla Doody and her husband, Don Doody, inside  their octagonal library at the center of their octagon home on Thursday, May 2, 2024 in Sultan, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Budget charges me a $125 cleaning fee for the wrong vehicle!

After Budget finds animal hairs in Bernard Sia’s rental car, it charges him a $125 cleaning fee. But Sia doesn’t have a pet.

  • May 4, 2024
  • By Wire Service

Burnout is a slow burn. Keep your cool by snuffing out hotspots early

It’s important to recognize the symptoms before they take root. Fully formed, they can take the joy out of work and life.

Modern-day Madrid is a pedestrian mecca filled with outdoor delights

In the evenings, walk the city’s car-free streets alongside the Madrileños. Then, spend your days exploring their parks.

  • May 4, 2024
Travis Furlanic shows the fluorescent properties of sulfur tuft mushrooms during a Whidbey Wild Mushroom Tour at Tilth Farmers Market on Saturday, April 27, 2024 in Langley, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)

On Whidbey Island, local fungi forager offers educational mushroom tours

Every spring and fall, Travis Furlanic guides groups through county parks. His priority, he said, is education.

Travis Furlanic shows the fluorescent properties of sulfur tuft mushrooms during a Whidbey Wild Mushroom Tour at Tilth Farmers Market on Saturday, April 27, 2024 in Langley, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)