Home and Garden - Snoqualmie Valley Spring 2012

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Snoqualmie Valley Record • April 25, 2012 • 9

Snoqualmie Valley

&

Homes Garden

Published as a supplement to the Snoqualmie Valley Record

Are you ‘Bear aware’? Page 11 Make your home less open to wild intruders

Grow without a garden, Page 11 Public P-Patches offer a different venue

Pets: An instant flock, Page 12 Life with Snoqualmie couple’s new lambs

Hire a Wildcat, Page 15 Put the local football team to work at home

The personal touch, Page 16 354474

Fall City designer Tami Jones combines beauty, function, owners’ inspiration

Spring

2012

Hometown ACE is the place to get projects in motion, see page 10

10 • April 25, 2012 • Snoqualmie Valley Record

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Ready to help

Spring gives ACE Hardware the chance to share knowledge, bring projects to life

I

t’s not every day that Marty Mattila gets brownies on the job.

But there the customer was, carrying a big plate of brownies for Marty, the Lawn and Garden Manager at North Bend ACE Hardware.

The treats were a nice reward for Marty’s recent effort in stocking up on specialty organic products. But Marty was only doing his job as a helpful member of the hometown hardware store. Brownies “just add to the satisfaction,” he says.

A few years ago, organics made up a small section of the ACE shelves. Today, they’re the bulk of the section. Marty makes a point of putting them out in view, right in front of customers. He knows that his selections will work.

“It’s fun to see success,” he says.

Ready to shine As winter retreats and the sun starts to shine, the staff at North Bend’s ACE Hardware start to change gears.

Shelves are reorganized, ice melt and snow shovels give way to fertilizers, barbecues and outdoor necessities, and the staff gets ready for the big spring projects.

“It’s a change of focus,” says store manager Chris McCartney.

“When the sun comes out, people want to get outside.”

The local hardware store actually starts planning for spring the prior year, ordering goods, attending training sessions and conventions, and boning up on the latest best practices. Their knowledge is put to the test when winter passes, and homeowners’ thoughts turn to backyard tasks, do-it-yourself home improvement, and the perfect lawn or garden.

After two years of cool springs, the onset of a warm season in the Valley means locals are good and ready to get outside and get some work done. Marty is already set with the latest products, including a newly expanded organics section. He made extra room this season for Doctor Earth, a line of soils, supplements and fertilizers.

Chris gives his section managers, like Marty or nursery leader Kitty Holland, the responsibility to select and promote the right products.

Seth Truscott/Staff Photo

The helpful people, North Bend ACE Hardware staff are, from left, Erika, Jen, Martin, Kitty, Dick, Tracy, Kevin, Barb, Frank, Sandy, Niel, Chris and Tina.

“A lot of people meet up here and are happy to see one another,” Kitty says. When a tip or product works, “they pass it on,” she says.

“I trust that they’re going to bring in the right stuff,” he says.

Knowledge base At ACE, that expertise runs throughout the store. Store staff come from industries ranging from contracting and electrical work to lawn care and seed sales. Chris says that translates to a big knowledge base.

“At any time, someone can come in here, with a complex problem, and we’ve got the knowledge to take care of them,” he says. In-store and outside trainings, travel to national conventions and trade shows, all have a hand in keeping staff sharp. A lot of it comes from their background, too.

Folks like Marty and Kitty also have a genuine love of helping customers. For employees of a local hardware store, it’s a prime source of satisfaction.

“What’s really nice is when people have a project they’ve dreamed up, and they come to us,” Kitty says.

ACE staff sometimes have to solve problems and find obscure gear to make those dreams come true.

Besides being a knowledge base, the local ACE is a gathering place.

ACE surprises Besides the breadth of knowledge, ACE Manager Chris says locals might be surprised at the number and variety of products that their local hardware store has on its shelves.

“When I’m full out there, I have 6- to 8,000 plants,” Kitty says. “I look for new and interesting plants, that make this place special. I’m bringing in things that are new to people, all the time. We’ve built up a high reputation for nursery stock.”

Shoppers get it, Marty says. The store’s selections draw people from all over the Eastside.

“We try and carry that thought throughout the store,” Chris says. For example, ACE this year stocked the Craftsman tool line, as a partnership between the hardware chain and Sears.

See HELP, 15

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Grow without a garden City is taking reservations for Snoqualmie public patch plots If you love gardening, but lack the space to do it at your home, the Snoqualmie Community P-Patch Program can help you exercise your green thumb.

P-Patch season started in April and runs through November 11. There are two P-Patch garden locations in Snoqualmie: Silva Street at 3862 SE Silva Street and Delurum at 7640 380th Street. Plots are six by 12 feet, and the cost for one plot is $25 per season; two plots cost $45 total for the season. Gardeners must bring their own tools and topsoil. The city will supply the water.

City P-Patch plots are available now for reservation on a first-come, firstserved basis. To reserve a P-Patch plot, download the application and rules at www.ci.snoqualmie.wa.us; click ‘City Departments | Parks & Recreation | P-Patch Program’. You may also reserve a plot at

The Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Auxiliary holds its annual Plant Sale, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday, April 28, at the Mount Si Senior Center in North Bend.

the City Parks & Recreation Department, 38624 S.E. River St. If you have questions, call (425) 831-5784.

Extra produce from home gardens and P-Patches may be donated to the Mount Si Food Bank, even in small quantities. Read more at www.mtsifoodbank.org.

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Lots of garden plants, decorative urns, craft items, homemade bakery goods, white elephant items, and the popular garden cart raffle will be available.

Sale proceeds go to support the group’s $1,000 scholarship to a graduating Mount Si senior pursuing a degree in the medical field. To learn more, e-mail to snovalleyhospitalauxiliary@gmail.com.

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Be ‘Bear Smart’ at your home Right now, bear-human encounters are on the rise as bears emerge from their winter dens in search of food.

With almost all of Washington state part of ‘black bear country,’ the non-profit Grizzly Bear Outreach Project tells people to take down winter bird feeders and secure trash cans to help keep the hungry bears out of residential areas.

Bears can lose more than half their body weight during winter denning, so upon awakening, they look for the highest nutritional value and protein content for the least expenditure of energy.

People in residential areas can play an important role in reducing encounters by staying well informed and taking four simple steps around the home: • Keep garbage indoors until just before the pick-up service arrives • Remove bird feeders (including hummingbird feeders) during bear season (April through November) • Clean barbeque grills after every use • Keep pet food indoors “It really comes down to humans preventing the problem by not offering the bears a free lunch, either intentionally or unintentionally,” says Rich Beausoleil, Bear and Cougar Specialist with the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Learn more Bear Smarts at at www.bearinfo.org.

Snoqualmie Valley Record • April 25, 2012 • 11

12 • April 25, 2012 • Snoqualmie Valley Record

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Valleypets

Health • Care • Diet • Training • Play

Feeding fourlegged friends Once a month at the Mount Si Helping Hand Food Bank in North Bend, pet-owners can pick up some peace of mind, in the form of a bag of kibble, or some cans of food. The pet food bank, open the first Wednesday of each month at the North Bend food bank, helps about 250 dogs and cats and their owners each month.

Valley Animal Partners, a group of involved pet lovers in the Upper Valley, created the food bank, collects the food and distributes it entirely with volunteer help. The pet food bank is secondary to the group’s mission, but it helps the same groups of people, low-income families, senior citizens, veterans and others who might need help, to care for their pets.

Helping pet owners to spay or neuter their companion animals is the constant goal of VAP, which hosts fundraisers throughout the year for this purpose.

To volunteer for a VAP event, send an e-mail message to info@valleyanimalpartners.com. To make a financial donation, visit the North Bend branch of Bank of America.

To give food for the pet food bank, drop off your donation at: Pet Place Market, 213 Bendigo Blvd., Suite 2; U-Dirty Dog!, 301 W. North Bend Way, Suite E; or Another Hair Place, 113 Bendigo Blvd N. in North Bend.

For information about upcoming events, visit www.valleyanimalpartners.com.

MORE PHOTOS ONLINE

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Seth Truscott/Staff Photos

Above, mama ewe Trina and her lambs frolic in their Snoqualmie pasture—a family backyard—on a sunny day. Owners Murray and Colleen Peck, below, raise the hardy, smart and prolific breed on their hobby farm, which abounds with happy animals.

The Snoqualmie seven Peck family’s Finnsheep ewe gives birth to ‘instant flock’

Annual Dirty Paws Walk planned in Lower Valley The third Duvall Dirty Paws Dog Walk, presented by the Duvall Chamber of Commerce, will be held on Saturday, June 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at McCormick Park in Duvall. More than 1,000 dog enthusiasts and their furry companions from all around the area are expected to converge on Duvall for this tail-wagging event. There will be demonstrations, free dog contests, vendors, live music, food, prizes, and much more!

The registration fee of $10 for one dog and $15 for two dogs provides access to the Duvall Dirty Paws Dog Walk events area at McCormick Park, as well as free raffle tickets for hourly prize drawings. The first 200 people to register will also receive a free doggie bandana and a wag bag full of gifts and goodies.

Participants can register at McCormick Park on the day of the event or sign up online at www.duvalldirtypaws.com before June 20 and receive an early bird discount. Registration closes at 2 p.m. on the day of the event.

By Seth Truscott Editor

In a small, fluffy flurry of hooves, wool and inquisitive faces, seven month-old lambs come trotting up Murray and Colleen Peck’s back yard.

The handful of grain is enough to entice the seven Finnsheep lambs, plus their mother Trina, out of their pen. Hungry for a taste treat, they crowd around Colleen, and when the grain is gone, they start their main job, cropping the grass.

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The Pecks, Valley residents for more than a decade, are proud of their sheep, for more than just lawn-mowing reasons.

Born one month ago, the seven baby Finns of Snoqualmie are pretty special. Finnsheep are prolific mothers, and Trina’s litter of lambs appears to be tied for the United States record for most lambs born at one time to a single Finn ewe.

“It’s an instant flock,” Colleen Peck said.

Seven R’s

Their home is already a hobby farm alive with animals. Two big dogs, two horses and two cats live alongside the Pecks. Their barn cat, Bendigo, mostly keeps out from underhoof.

The sheep don’t mind him at all, but stare seriously at strangers who come to see the new lambs.

“We’re a cross between pet owners and amateur breeders,” says Colleen. “I always wanted to have a farm.”

The Peck family switched to Finnsheep a few years ago, and have been impressed with the breed’s cleverness and fecundity.

The Pecks’ little flock was born March 25, weighing between three and fiveand-a-half pounds. At the delivery, the Pecks watched, surprised, as the babies kept coming.

While the Finnsheep Breeder’s Association is happy with just a number for each lamb, the Peck family insisted on names for the Snoqualmie seven.

“The rule is, the lambs names’ have to start with the first letter of their father’s name,” Colleen said. So, from ram Rufio, every name starts with ‘R,’ as chosen by Murray and Colleen’s children.

“The girls got named after literary characters,” Colleen said. “We have Rue from ‘The Hunger Games,’

Rowena Ravenclaw from ‘Harry Potter,’ Rebecca from ‘Sunnybrook Farm.’ Three of the boy sheep were named after teachers at Mount Si High School by daughter Tiana.

“I’m sure her teachers would be amused to find that one is Rupert. There’s Ramsayer—how fitting for a sheep—and Rorem.”

The last baby ram ended up going literary, as Roger from ‘Lord of the Flies.’

See SEVEN, 13

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SEVEN FROM 12

Finns are smart, Colleen says, even as lambs. They’ve got good wool, because these sheep are smart enough to seek shelter in the rain.

Colleen plans to sell them to other breeders interested in their good qualities. For interested fairgoers, Colleen reports that Trina’s sister won an award for best fleece at the Puyallup Spring Fair.

Finns aren’t judged as show sheep, but on how many babies they raise and how good they are as mothers.

“Nobody will ever give an actu-

Good breed This is Trina’s second litter, having had quadruplets two years ago. Finnsheep are known for their fertility. The breed originated in a land of long summer days and cold, dark winters.

“When the grass come out, you’ve got lots of sheep to eat the forage,” Colleen said. “Come fall, you’ve got a full meat locker and not a lot of sheep to winter over.”

Snoqualmie Valley Record • April 25, 2012 • 13

al ribbon,” Colleen said. But in her eyes, Trina is a grand champ.

To hobby farmers interested in sheep, Finns might be for you—if you’re ready for hard work and vet duties.

“You have to like sheep,” Colleen said. “Finns are really good pets. They’re smart, friendly and not as big… If you want wagging tails, in-your-lap kind of friendly, get a dog or cat. But as far as farm animals go, they make really good pets.”

“They’re a lot cuddlier than a cow,” Murray adds.

Seth Truscott/Staff Photo

Colleen Peck entices Trina and her lambs with a handful of tasty grain. She says Finnsheep are surprisingly clever.

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Health • Care • Diet • Training • Play

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CHS hosts spring plant sale

bowl gardens, herb gardens (basil, chives, dill, cilantro, rosemary), peppers, broccoli, cucumbers and lettuce.

Sale hours are 3 to 6 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. both Saturdays.

For all your gardening needs, visit the Cedarcrest High School greenhouse’s annual spring plant sale, Thursday through Saturday, April 26 to 28 and May 3 to 5.

The sale will feature bedding plants, hanging baskets and deck planters in environment-friendly peat pots, and a variety of edible plants on sale. In bedding plants, you’ll find geraniums, alyssum, marigold, lobelia, heuchera, sedums, grasses, coleus, cosmos, petunias and more.

The hanging baskets and deck planters show off fuchsias, ivy geraniums, bacopa, calibrachoa, and Wave Petunias.

Among the edible plants you’ll find are tomatoes, salsa-

Garden expo at Remlinger farms The Sno-Valley Plant and Garden Sale is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday, May 5 and 6, at Remlinger Farms, 32610 N.E. 32nd St. in Carnation.

The sale includes thousands of vegetables, herbs, perennials, and garden art. All proceeds go to Sno-Valley Senior Center. For information go to www.snovalleysenior.org.

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14 • April 25, 2012 • Snoqualmie Valley Record

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Helpful people

Snoqualmie Valley Record • April 25, 2012 • 15

Hire a Wildcat football player for home improvement projects

costs. They are not affiliated with Mount Si High School or school clubs, other than being on the football team. Parents are involved to help with scheduling and ensure the safety of the players and respect of local property.

Players do all the work and are paid individually. Student athletes have done various jobs from pulling bushes, digging trenches and cleaning up storm debris, to pet sitting.

To learn more, e-mail to WildcatWorkers@hotmail.com or call (425) 445-8173.

Have you got plenty of home improvement projects to do, such as mowing, weeding or raking, or just need a pet sitter? Then hire a Wildcat Worker, and put a high school student on the job.

Wildcat Workers are a parent-led pool of Mount Si football players who want to work to raise money to pay for their 2012 football fees and help their families off-set these

HELP FROM 10

Who: Kitty Holland, Nursery Manager Years at North Bend ACE: 8 What’s something most people may not know about your job?

“Taking care of plants is a real specialty. To really know what you’re doing, the care involved, the arrangements, it takes a lot of learning.”

What’s your most commonly asked question?

“What’s going to bloom the longest? I take them around, show them the different plants. We need to know if it’s sun or shade.”

What makes your job enjoyable?

“Working with the customers, that’s the main reason I’m in retail. I love to help people.”

Free computer recycling event at St. Clare’s Church St. Clare’s Episcopal Church in Snoqualmie is hosting a free computer recycling event, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 28.

Locals are welcome to drop off old computers and computing equipment for recycling.

SBK Recycling in Tacoma (www.sbkrecycle.com) will be onsite to receive computers, laptops, keyboards, mice, monitors, networking products, printers, televisions, cell phones, stereo equipment and other small electronic devices.

However, no household appliances will be accepted.

St. Clare’s is located at 8650 Railroad Ave. S.E., Snoqualmie.

To find out more, call Sue at (425) 831-6175.

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Who: Marty Mattila, Lawn and Garden/Sporting Goods Manager Years at North Bend ACE: 3 What’s your most commonly asked question?

“For a lot of people, in the spring, the first thing they notice is their lawn. They really want to make their lawn look good. It’s not a tomorrow thing—it takes a couple of weeks, depending on conditions. To get them headed down the right path, all those steps, that’s the main thing.”

What keeps you working here?

“I shopped at this store 10 years before I started working here. From the top down, from the owners to the people you work with, it’s a pleasure. It’s like a big family. Everyone here is a real person.”

“It’s a great partnership between two names that are known for great service,” Chris says.

Kitty often gets repeat customers, relying on her for a special touch.

“There are a lot of people who come in and have me pick out their plants and baskets,” she says. “They say, ‘Wow, it really turned out good. Can you do that again for me?’”

Every time a customer comes back with a success story, be it for the fishing tackle or the fertilizer they purchased, Marty gets a sense of accomplishment. He compares working at a hardware store to being a family member—people rely on him.

“It’s a great feeling,” Marty says.

• North Bend ACE is at 330 Main Ave South in the Mount Si Village shopping center. Call the store at (425) 888-1242, or visit northbendace.com.

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16 • April 25, 2012 • Snoqualmie Valley Record

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The personal touch Fall City designer Tami Jones combines beauty, function with owner inspirations

By Seth Truscott Editor

According to Jones, the earlier you involve a professional in a home design project, the more you can save.

“A lot of people, when they try to do it themselves, they spend money and decide they can’t do it, then spend even Wine cave more money to Her design crehave it redone ation, a personalwith a profesized wine cellar sional,” Jones carved from a said. “The earcrawl space in lier a pro can a Woodinville come in, just to TAMI JONES home, has an old get some do-itworld feel with modern ame- yourself help or put together nities and natural materials. a plan to be implemented by The judges wanted to see a designer and a contractor, green techniques along with a total transformation of the space. Jones delivered, working with EB Building Group, one of her go-to contractors, for six months to hollow out the space under a home for a wine grotto, with a flair inspired by the owner’s love of wine.

“This is a mix of old world and California wine country,” Jones said. “It’s a very cozy space that does transport you…. It’s very unique to the homeowner.”

Jones’ goal is always to achieve the look and feel a homeowner wants. After all, it’s not her house.

“My goal is that somebody walks in and enjoys the space,” she said.

Jones has always had an interest in having a beautiful home, but in a cost-effective way.

“That’s a big part of solving problems for the homeowner—how do you get what you can and stay within a budget? Everybody has a budget.

Everybody wants more value.”

you can save a lot in the long run.”

Homeowners first need to understand their budgets. Laying out the financial ground rules before a project, and being honest with a designer about the budget, helps focus a project.

Owners should also create a wish list of their different inspirations for a space.

Jones brings a love of fabric, tile, and material things into her work, but the real reward is the interaction.

“Being able to work with homeowners to create a home, a space they love being in, is a huge honor,” she says.

• Learn more about Tami Jones at tamijonesinteriordesign.com.

Courtesy photos

Fall City-based interior designer Tami Jones, left, created an award-winning, personalized space in a Woodinville home. Above, she used concrete and other materials to fashion a wine-caveinspired staircase down to a wine cellar, above left, converted from a former crawl space. Learn more about her creations at tamijonesinteriordesign.com.

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Tami Jones was working in a high-tech, computer-based job, but she was ready for a change.

Encouraged by friends who knew she had a creative streak, she got hooked on the field of interior design.

Now in her seventh year as a professional, Jones is gaining recognition for her skills in merging clients’ dreams with the realities of a livable space.

“I’m still solving problems for people,” Jones says.

“But instead of a computer, it’s a beautiful kitchen or bedroom.”

Her company, Tami Jones Interior Design, took first place in the Northwest Design Awards competition for her design in the “Best Individual Room: Traditional” category.