With the great summer weather we are having this year, a cool, sweet treat is in order.

Religious freedom: a fundamental right here but not everywhere.

When Matt Thompson opened Gig Harbor Gold and Coin on June 30 he sold out of his gold stock in 2 1/2 days. “Everyone’s been asking for it,” he said. “We didn’t have enough inventory to keep up. I can’t believe how fast it went.”

MultiCare Health System has made patients’ access to records easier than ever. With MyChart, the health system’s newest online innovation, patients can book appointments, request medication refills and view their medical information and results.

Fox Island will resurrect a century-old tradition of celebrating the community on July 13. Island Days is a week-long series of free events to reminisce on the island’s history. The event is a joint effort between the Fox Island Historical Museum, the Chapel on Echo Bay and the Fox Island Community and Recreation Association.

It’s time to walk the walk in Gig Harbor. Thanks to innovative people like Dr. Pat Hogan and many other volunteers associated with Healthy Communities of Pierce County, you can now walk, run or bike in town and use mile markers embedded in the sidewalks as your guide.

Two years ago, because I had been away from family, the Fourth of July did not promise to be my best. I was returning home from a month in a country where democracy hangs in the balance and an egomaniacal and despotic leader publicly declared America his enemy.

Harbor Covenant Church will host the “God’s Big Backyard 2009” vacation Bible school from 9 a.m. to noon July 27-31 at 5601 Gustafson Drive NW in Gig Harbor.

Peninsula High School’s Class of 1979 will hold a 30-year reunion from 5 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 15, at Gig Harbor Golf Club.

There are 15 species of herring, the most abundant of which is the Atlantic herring. Some fish sold as sardines or sprats may actually be herring. But those are canned — not pickled, salted or fresh.

The First Saturday Art Walk in Gig Harbor is scheduled for 1 to 5 p.m. this weekend.

Saturday’s beach walk at Purdy Beach was the swan song after many years of teaching for marine education and outreach specialist Alan Rammer. The educator announced his plans to retire.

PHOTO GALLERY: View more photos from the day's event.

Salads are healthy and easy to prepare — and they go well with the great summer weather we continue to have — so here’s another one to try.

In recent discussions with fellow believers in Yeshua (Jesus), it became apparent that my mention of “Oral Torah” in the Apostolic Scripture (New Testament) was a new idea for them. Further talks with others confirmed the idea of “Oral Torah” was not a topic of discussion in mainline teaching on the life of Yeshua.

I have an insatiable appetite to travel, to wander the back roads, to meet the people, walk the town and smell the culture. It’s constant; it never leaves me — no matter the season, no matter the weather.

As I pondered what to write for my April column, I was thinking along the lines of something light and fun. I’d been raving to my friends and family about a special kind of cream puff that I’d first eaten in Hawaii, so I thought that would be an entertaining topic.

No matter how hard I try to “sell” the idea of growing roses the easy way, there will always be some people who insist they can’t grow them.

Expressing appreciation to the members of the congregation he’s led since April 26, Bishop Darrin Kasteler, the newest bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Gig Harbor, said: “I don’t see myself as a conductor of an orchestra. I play an instrument, as each of you does. Jesus Christ is the conductor.”

Dr. Karl Peterson’s practice offers a blend of chiropractic and naturopathic healing. He believes in the latter so much that he’s chaired the annual Northwest Naturopathic Physicians Conference, which was held in Seattle in April, for the past six years.

Summer time and salads are easy and so healthy.

My father once told me, “Never be first, never be last, but always be on time.” So I am a few weeks late for Mother’s Day and a few weeks early for Father’s Day, but it’s the thought that counts. And, if you average the two dates — I am right on time.

A lot of Washingtonians are staunch environmentalists and “going green” is all the rage. People are tired of putting up with toxins inside their homes, but finding eco-friendly building supplies can turn into a frustrating hunting expedition.

If you’ve ever read a book or magazine article about attracting wildlife to your yard, you’ve probably seen lists of flowers that attract hummingbirds and lists of flowers that attract butterflies. I thought it was somewhat ridiculous, however, when one book listed flowers that attract bees!

Three years ago, I stood at the foot of Brazil’s iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado Rock overlooking Rio de Janeiro — a magnificent representation of the resurrected Christ, arms outstretched, the marks of atoning sacrifice in his hands.

Harbor Health & Skincare wants to offer basic health care at an affordable price. The business’ sole practitioner, Karen Smith, ARNP, also offers cosmetic skin care in her Gig Harbor office, like Botox, fillers, chemical peels and acne treatment.

Sausage is not only a breakfast favorite but is delicious on a pizza or made into balls to add to spaghetti or whatever suits your tastebuds.

By the time this column reaches you, the Biblical festival of Shavuot (Weeks) will be upon us. Within Judaism, this festival celebrates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai 50 days after Passover.

Gig Harbor residents no longer have to travel out of town to receive specialized vision correction.

There are many ways to captivate the senses in the garden — one of them being the sense of smell. Not just the depths of earthy compost or fresh-cut grass but planting and arranging varieties of plants to capture a garden of fragrances.