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Welcome!
Whether you are a gardener, an Outlander fan, a West Seattle resident, or someone tuning in for the latest episode of Sound Transit and West Seattle Bridge drama, I hope you find something useful here.
Blog Posts


Were Sewer Breaks on Wickstrom Place Caused by Development?
During the weeks of controversy over the permitting of the Alki 11 rowhouses that now face 55th Ave SW and Wickstrom Place SW at Alki Beach,
Marie McKinsey
Oct 2, 20152 min read
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Variegated Holly: Plant Badge of the Clan MacKenzie
Clan MacKenzie symbols: The crest with the clan motto;
a MacKenzie tartan in the background;
and sprigs of variegated holly, the clan plan
Marie McKinsey
Sep 25, 20153 min read
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It's All About YEW
Besides this scene in DIA, yews have another Outlander connection: the European yew is the plant badge of the Clan Fraser. It is said that m
Marie McKinsey
Sep 18, 20153 min read
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This Bud's For You - Cannabis
So what IS the difference between hemp and ganja (or marijuana)?
Botanically, they are the same plant. Both are cultivars of Cannabis sativ
Marie McKinsey
Apr 25, 20155 min read
57 views
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The Wishing Tree
In my car, running errands, I often pass a house with a lovely Japanese maple in the front yard, decorated with little white lights and what
Marie McKinsey
Apr 5, 20152 min read
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Black Hellebores and A Little Girl's Tears
I love hellebores. I have been growing them for years. They are highly prized in the gardening community for their exotic flowers and the fa
Marie McKinsey
Jan 24, 20154 min read
428 views
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Grinding Corn
When Dougal MacKenzie told Claire in The Wedding episode of Outlander that he was tickled by the thought of grinding her corn, the remark pr
Marie McKinsey
Oct 12, 20143 min read
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Barley the Beverage Grain: beer, wine and whisky
Two of the goals of the ancient alchemists were: 1) to turn common metals into gold, and 2) to create an "elixir of life, that would confer
Marie McKinsey
Oct 5, 20148 min read
133 views
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