Category Archives: Other Local Places

A Stream Runs Under It

The Chico stream house is partially hidden by several trees.

Perhaps the goal is to harmonize with nature. Or perhaps it’s to construct something that’s a bit different. Whatever the case, some houses get built in unusual locations: over creeks, near rivers, in trees, on tiny islands, into hillsides, and overlooking steep slopes. One such house—a house with a stream running under it—is located near me. Although you might not notice it when you drive by (see photo), I always stop to marvel at the stream house when I’m biking along Chico Way.

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50 Years, Starting in Chico

Retail in front, apartment in back

It was fall 1975. Gerald Ford was president, Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine won the World Series, the Cold War was at its height, and the defense contractor I worked for opened an office in Silverdale in advance of the coming Trident boom. The photo shows the first place I rented in Kitsap County for more than a few weeks. It’s in Chico, across the street from Town & Country Auto Repair and just a few steps from Hank’s Grocery.

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ACL Separation

There’s no photo accompanying this post. No one was around to snap one when I fell off my bike yesterday in my own driveway at Treasure Island and landed hard on my right shoulder. The result: several ugly abrasions and a separated ACL. The latter means the ligaments that connect the top of the shoulder blade (acromion) and the clavicle (collarbone) are injured. Fortunately, no surgery is needed. But it still hurts like Hell.

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Bremerton’s Highest Point

Sylvan and Olympus

A high point that’s easy to find

This post is about elevation not cannabis stores.

The highest point in Bremerton is not actually in Bremerton—at least not in a part of the city where there are homes and parks and stores. In fact, it’s in an area that’s off limits to the general public. The photo shows the highest point you can go to. But that point is a lot lower than Bremerton’s highest point.
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Neighborhood Book Exchanges

Marine Drive Book Box

Converted from an old newspaper vending box

Does your neighborhood have a book exchange box (see photo), often called a Little Free Library? If you walk or bike much on the streets near your home, you most likely know the answer to this question. Rocky Point, my neighborhood, has one. Marine Drive, a smaller neighborhood just to the west of us, has three. Perhaps Marine Drive has more readers and more community spirit.
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Passing on a Float

Staged Fishing Float

Fishing Float at Second Beach, La Push, Washington

I have a modest collection of fishing floats and buoys although none of them came from Mud Bay. The trophy float shown in the photo isn’t part of the collection. There are more details after the jump about this float plus a photo of a world-class collection.
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Little Green Top

topsoil mountain

I wish my lawn looked this good.

The photo was taken a few days ago at Allen Shearer Trucking & Landscape Supply in Belfair. I’m not sure exactly what it shows but thought it was worth posting anyway. My guess: a mountain of topsoil with a thriving cover of grass. Mowing and fertilizing the mountain would be difficult. Watering isn’t needed as Western Washington is in the middle of the rainy season. The Little Green Top is proof that vegetation can grow like a jungle here—even in the winter.

Signs of Fall

These pheasants are safe for a few more days.


The first photo shows the pheasant pen that’s been featured in the Mud Bay Blog a couple of times. The pheasants live there for a few weeks in September and October before being released for the fall upland game bird season. Interestingly the pen is on Wilkinson Road. Last Friday, when I took the photo, two pheasants had escaped but were nervously hanging out near the security of the pen almost as if they wanted back in. Did they instinctively fear the coming danger of nightfall when raccoons and coyotes would be out hunting in the rural Belfair valley where the pen is located? Death by critter or death by hunter. That’s the fate that awaits most of them.
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Dancing Man in Belfair

The parts come with a great guarantee.


The dancing man phenomenon has spread to Belfair. Local Wrench auto repair, located at 23530 NE State Route 3, just added one of the quirky inflatables to advertise that they use genuine ACDelco parts. Local Wrench provides auto repairs and services for all makes of foreign and domestic cars and trucks. So, along with the General (GM), perhaps auto makers everywhere are dancing for joy.

I’m not an expert on dancing men, despite numerous previous posts about them, but this one looked new when I stopped for a photo this afternoon. It could be his first week on the job.

Used Horseshoes Wanted

An unusual request


I have no idea why Kitsap Muffler in Gorst wants used horseshoes (see photo). Nor do I know if they are seeking the outdoor game pieces or the metal objects that protect a horse’s hooves. But since you don’t see a sign like this often ever, I figured it was worth a blog post. The phone number (360-373-3101) is a bit hard to read; it’s the number for the shop in Gorst.
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