The Little Red Schoolhouse Project was founded in 1991 in response to needy children’s self confidence entering school. The goal is to see every child start school with basic school supplies, a backpack and 2-3 outfits of new or clean used clothes. The average cost of school supplies per child has grown to over $100 per child. Add a new outfit and the cost is now beyond many parents who are already struggling to pay for rent, gas and medical check-ups! In 2011, 3,097 students and 908 families … [Read more...]

By Cathy Johnson Every garden is special in its own way, but a garden becomes memorable and “rises to the next level” by having unique containers, statuary, garden art, and/or “found objects”. The large garden centers and box stores have nice garden décor items, but smaller boutique stores typically have more unique items that really stand out from the crowd. There are many fun stores in our area to accessorize the garden, here are some of my favorites (listed in alphabetical … [Read more...]

By Cathy Johnson One of my favorite ways to welcome Spring is to attend various seminars, plant sales, and garden tours. I love visiting with other gardeners, learning new techniques, finding a new “must have” plant or garden tool , and gaining inspiration and ideas from other people’s gardens. I always feel rejuvenated and excited after I attend an event – I can’t wait to get home and tackle my own garden. Some upcoming events are: Designing Divas Garden Tour– This tour takes … [Read more...]

Thurston County is the largest local governance in our region. What happens in the county affects us all in one way or another. So it’s important that we know what the county government is planning. What does the county’s 2012 budget look like? Will the new, but empty jail be used anytime soon? What about the county’s growing homelessness problem, what is the county government doing to address that issue? The county’s senior citizen population is rapidly growing. What plans does the … [Read more...]

March is the time most of us will start our outdoor plantings. If you've planned ahead, you'll have most of your planting beds ready, and will have a variety of seeds. Hopefully, you've also taken the time to start some of your plants and vegetables indoors, and are ready to harden them off. Don't forget to stop by a few of your local nurseris to see what's new and on sale. This can be an excellent time to pick up a few new fruit trees and get them planted. Just be sure, before going crazy … [Read more...]