Home Repair Minimalist: December 2007

Note: New Year's Eve

Scout and I are hoping that you have a safe and sane New Year's celebration. Remember to pick a designated driver, or catch a ride if you have any doubts about getting behind the wheel. I have lots of good posts coming up in the new year, and I wouldn't want you to miss a single one of them. Happy New Year.

Choose Rosemary for Remembrance

I like rosemary. It smells clean and refreshing to me. When I lived in California I saw it used frequently as a hedge, or as an indestructible shrub around business parks. I often used it as a base for wreaths because it dried beautifully and was easy to find.Since moving to Kentucky, I keep my rosemary bushes indoors during the winter months and move them onto the deck in May (on Derby day).

The Charmed House - Solarium and Kitchen

After I made my comments about the wonderful house and garden used in the movie "Practical Magic", friends started talking about other great houses and gardens. The series "Charmed", now off the air, had one of the most beautiful conservatories I've seen outside of Monticello, and I remember that I visited a website once that had a virtual tour of it.This link isn't the site I remember, but it

Safe Indoor Pest Control for Your Plants

If you brought any unwelcome freeloaders in with your plants this fall, I have a great safe way to deal with them. I'm not sure where I saw this, but for years I've been afraid to spray pesticide indoors because of my pets. So, to treat any insects that may have come inside on my plants' leaves, I place a flea collar around the base of the pot. After a few days, I move the collar to any plant

Lavender for Luck

Why is lavender lucky?I have been trying to find a link to lavender and luck since reading the novel "Practical Magic". I can locate many references to luck associated with planting lavender with roses. The earlier sources for lavender as it relates to attracting good luck, or possibly repelling misfortune, are linked to its association St. John Day where it was burned in bonfires when evil

Great White Shark Hoax

Nasty pics and story make for a Great White Shark hoax

(Large Shortfin Mako Taken Just Off Yarmouth Harbour, Southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada Comparing the size of the sharks head & mouth to the guy standing beside it, one can quickly appreciate what would happen if one of these phanthoms of the deep grabbed you whilst in the water Carla Allen, Transcontinental Media.)

There is a good story that has been circulated on the Internet about a large Great White Shark that towed a vessel backwards after being tail looped. The story, a hoax, is posted below. In fact the photographs (above and below) are of a large short-fin Mako shark that was captured off of Nova Scotia.

The close up of the sharks head and mouth clearly show lower dentition that is narrow and pointed, which are characteristics of the Mako shark, unlike the broad, somewhat triangularly serrated teeth of a white shark.Ralph S. Collier, of the Shark Research Committee has kindly provided the link to the Urban Legends page outlining this particular hoax entitled Yarmouth, Nova Scotia: Urban Legend based on This Years Shark Scramble Catch.

More images of the real event are to be found at the Florida Museaum of Natural History Ichthyology Department and this provided by a Surfersvillage visitor after noticing the hoax story..... Thank you Anonymous.

So the foregoing are the facts, and the following is the HOAX;

Ocean Shores' Great White Shark

Ocean Shores Wa. USA - While the ocean vessel 'Dawn Raider' was commercial fishing for dogfish, this Great White was hooked in the

mouth but only resisted slightly for 15 minutes before it came up alongside the boat to have a look; long enough for one of the crew members to slip a rope around it's tail !!! 'And that's when the s**t hit the fan!!.

The Shark took off towing the 42 foot fishing boat backwards through the water at about 7 Knots. Just like in JAWS, the boat was taking on water over the stern and the crew watched in horror as the shark would actually jump completely out of the water at times. This went on for an hour before the shark finally drowned.Ocean Shores Great White on displayShe weighed in at 1035 LBS. It is suspected she followed a weak El Nino current into local waters in search of food. Although mid 60 deg. water is considered ideal for these sharks, the larger ones can tolerate water in the low 50s.

(second photo by Carla Allen)

Commercial Herb Blends

Once you've made a few of your own herb blends, it's easy to get spoiled. The strong flavors of freshly dried herbs are great in cooking, and would be reason enough to take up the hobby of herb growing, even without the other advantages. Herb Blends are a Kitchen StapleI wanted to take a moment to mention some of the blends that I do like and use. Over the years, my husband and I have purchased

Wear Your Rue With a Difference

The delicate gray-green leaves of rue are a distinctive addition to the garden. This herb is not as popular as it used to be. It's bitter to the taste, and has a sharp aroma. Its medicinal properties have largely fallen into disuse, aside from its topical application to treat bruising and mild arthritis. It can be toxic if taken internally in large doses. The Many Faces of RueRue has a long

Treat a Tummy Ache With Peppermint

What would you pick as the most quintessential flavor of Christmas. My vote goes to peppermint. I smell peppermint, and I'm six years old holding a sticky candy cane in my hand and looking at the colored lights on the tree. This was back when Christmas tree lights were enormous.After the holiday, don't toss your candy canes in the dumpster! Put them in your medicine cabinet in a tightly sealed

Cinnamon Sticks

Cinnamon sticks are made from the rolled bark of one of a variety of cinnamomun trees that belong to the Laurel family. If you are a lover of cinnamon, try grinding your own. Ground cinnamon will lose its flavor pretty quickly, within a few months; but cinnamon sticks can retain good flavor for a year or more. In order to get the best cinnamon flavor, buy sticks and grind them in a quality coffee

Dry Your Leftover Parsley

If you have leftover parsley every year from your holiday garnishes, try drying it. This is my chance to recommend that you buy a dehydrator if you don't already have one.Dehydrate Your LeftoversI have two, and use them throughout the year. They are inexpensive, safe, easy to use, and they can help you save money and eat healthier. If you like herbs, having one is a necessity.After a few hours

Cityofoceanshores.com Newsletter 12.2007

Wintertime at the Beach
Another winter, another storm. No big deal. To summarize on the last storm we had a couple of weeks ago on December 2nd - Ocean Shores held up just fine. We had some wind, some rain and a couple of poorly built houses got wet. The only damage that we really had was at the South end of town at Damon Point and the Jetty area. Two houses that I saw both had water damage and both of those houses had their foundations built below street level. Not a good idea. Other than that, a couple trees blew down and that's about it.

The bad part is that we lost our power for five days. We lost it because of a downed BPA transmission line in Aberdeen that was the cause of 90 percent of the power outages in Grays Harbor County. Other than not having power, no big deal. Oh, I didn't get to take a shower for five days and that really stunk. Or was it me who stunk?

During this past storm, I received numerous emails from folks who were concerned about the status of their properties here in Ocean Shores and they couldn't seem to get a hold of any one here but me. My internet was up and I was able to update my websites and blogs with storm updates and pictures. I was also able to check out their properties and let them know that their houses were fine. For the future, please feel free to contact me to check on your properties as well. It was no problem and I sure hoped it provided some peace of mind for people.

On another note, the wintertime storms in Ocean Shores are awesome to watch and experience! Watching Mother Nature do her thing is truly a spectacular site. If you can, make your way down to the North Jetty next time we get a good winter storm. The power and impact of the large waves crashing against the jetty wall and spaying inland is truly something exciting to see. This is really one of my favorite times of the year in Ocean Shores.

Ocean Shores Storm Training 101
1. If you're going to have a residence in Ocean Shores, you need a gas powered generator.
2. Qwest is my telephone and internet provider. Qwest didn't lose service at all this past storm or the one before that in October. If you have telephone or internet through the cable company, you'll have nothing because the local cable company goes down as the power goes down.
3. If you have a generator, make sure you have full gas cans at home. I had 10 gallons in my garage beforehand and by the third day of the storm, I was driving around town with empty cans and a siphon hose in the back of my Avalanche. Make sure you have plenty of gas in storage at your house. The gas stations can't pump gas without power and there were times during the power outage where a lack of gas was a serious crisis.
4. If you don't have satellite for your television, you won't be able to watch the news or whatever. If you have cable, you'll have nothing because the local cable company goes down as the power goes down. I have service with the Dish Network and we were able to watch television like all was well (and it was!).
5. If you're going to own a store or a business in Ocean Shores and are set up to run it off of a generator when we do lose power, please make sure the system is air tight and won't leak carbon monoxide fumes inside your place of business and into the lungs of your employees and customers. Okedoke?

Real Estate Update
Inventory is down right now and that's a good thing for sellers. Here are some comparisons for July 2007 versus December 2007:
* In July, there were 747 Vacant Lots on the market ranging from $19,900 to $1,300,000. Currently there's 617 Vacant Lots on the market ranging from $19,500 to $12,500,000.
* In July, there were 287 Homes on the market ranging from $19,900 to $1,300,000. Currently there's 221 Homes on the market ranging from $59,900 to $1,500,000.
* In July, there were 71 Condos on the market ranging from $8,000 (timeshare) to $499,000. Currently there's 74 Condos on the market ranging from $6,995 (timeshare) to $650,000.

Upcoming Events
* One Beach of a Sale - Jan 12th
The Ocean Shores Chamber of Commerce is planning a brand new city-wide clearance and garage sale at the Convention Center that'll last all day. Shoppers will be searching out new and quality used items from residents and local antique dealers. In addition, there will be a bus available to take shoppers all around downtown for free. To request a booth, contact the Chamber at 360.289.2451. Space is limited to 60 booths.
* Antique & Collectible Show - Feb 9-10
The 6th Annual Ocean Shores Antique & Collectible Show will be held February 9th and 10th, 2008 at the Ocean Shores Convention Center. Huge event! Over eighty vendors offer a wide variety of antiques including dolls, glass, furniture, American Art pottery, and much, much more. For a small donation to local charities and nonprofits, you can have your treasures evaluated. New this year will be a certified quilt appraiser. Hourly Door Prizes include a Weekend Get-Away Package for two, provided by the Quinault Beach Resort & Casino.
* Beachcombers Fun Fair - March 1-2
21st Annual event features exhibits, seminars, information booths, vendors, a kids science fair Saturday morning plus beach walks on Sunday morning.

News
* Third Razor Clam Dig of the Season is this Weekend.
Just in time for Christmas, state Fish and Wildlife officials have announced a razor clam dig on evening tides at four Washington ocean beaches, starting Dec. 21. The digs are scheduled at Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis and Mocrocks beaches on Dec. 21 and 22.
* City Manager Fired
Citing a voter-approved change in government that would eliminate his position, the Ocean Shores City Council terminated City Manager Rich McEachin recently. He'll be

given a year's salary in a lump sum - $99,600 - and will be covered by medical and dental insurance for a year. The termination is effective Jan. 10.
* Recent City Council Candidate puts House on the Market.
City councilmember Terry Veitz recently ran for reelection. After losing the election, the councilmember put the house on the market. If you can't beat 'em, move away?
* The Wave of the Future
Great article recently in Aberdeen's Daily World focusing on the proposed wind and wave energy installations off of the coast of Ocean Shores and Westport. The Seattle-based tidal power research company has applied for federal permits to build one of the world's largest wind and wave energy farms just a few miles off of our coast. Click HERE to read the entire story.

All the Best to You and Yours This Holiday Season!

Jeff Daniel
Designated Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties749 Point Brown Ave NW, Ocean Shores, WA 985691.360.581.9020 (cell) - 1.888.469.3100 (toll free)PROPERTY SEARCH: http://homepages.com/JeffDaniel/AgentHome.aspx
OCEAN SHORES INFO: http://www.cityofoceanshores.com/
AGENT INFO: http://www.coldwellbanker.com/for/jeffdanielOCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://oceanshoresrealestate.blogspot.com/
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://cityofoceanshores.spaces.live.com/
AGENT BLOG: http://activerain.com/jeffgdaniel

So, Is There Anything To Put out for the Reindeer?

I've read that reindeer eat alfalfa and love raisins. This is my way of introducing dried fruit into our talk. Dried fruit has lost some of its appeal in recent generations, which I think is a tragedy. I'm the only person I know that still likes fruitcake.Tasty Dried Fruits you Wouldn't Have ExpectedDried fruit has struggled into the 21st century, however, and I thought that I'd mention some

Paprika - It's Good for a lot More Than Decorating Deviled Eggs and Garlic Bread

When I was growing up, there was only one kind of paprika available. I was taught that it was only good as a garnish, mostly on deviled eggs and potato salad, because it had little or no flavor. Apparently, much of Europe was giving paprika more attention than we were, because it has evolved into an essential element in many flavorful dishes.Behold the Bell PepperPaprika is more versatile and

All About the Hot in Hot Peppers

Easy to grow, dry, grill, and freeze, peppers are inspired food enhancers. They are aids to digestion, can have pain relieving properties, and . . .well, they're pretty, too. Become a pepper lover with this easy pepper primer.Spring is just around the corner, so check out the pepper page of your seed catalogs and have a fiesta.Peppers are Easy to GrowI've grown peppers in pots and in the ground

Are You Looking Forward to Your Seed Catalogs Yet?

One of my favorite New Year's activities is waiting for the mail to arrive. Why? Gardening Catalogs, of course! Free Seed CatalogsIf you aren't signed up for all of the seed catalogs you want this year, About.com has a listing of great free catalogs you can request: Free Seed Catalogs For free herb catalogs go to my updated catalog post: Herb CatalogsI have some Amazon links to seed starter kits

Preserving Ginger

There are rewards to using ginger in your cooking and gardening. Ginger is an underrated spice. I think that might be because the prepared ginger powder available in most grocery stores is pretty flavorless. The drying process robs ginger of most of its flavor, but there is a clever way around it. If you've ever come across or purchased ginger root, it can be preserved indefinitely. This is true

Save Your Green Onions

When I buy green onion, I always try to pick bunches with roots on the ends. If I don't use the whole bunch, I plant the extra. Even after being in the refrigerator for over a week, I can still get most of them to root, either indoors in winter or outdoors in summer.Since green onion doesn't keep well in the refrigerator, or dry well, this is my solution to the problem of waste. Try it. If

Feng Shui Tip and News

by Kathy Mann - Feng Shui Consultant, Author, Educator
Flowing with Feng Shui As we transition into the holiday season, the winter season and the new year, we can use Feng Shui to flow with new energies. The changes we experience affect all our senses, and all aspects of our lives.

The changes can be dramatic and subtle. All around us change is occurring significantly. Sunlight and climate variations influence us each day. Home décor makeovers to show the holiday spirit, create another vast change from the norm. Landscape changes and many exterior of homes are decorated. Smells, aromas and fragrances all around us change. Your schedule changes with parties, many people have extra work for several weeks, other business slack off with little regular work to be done. Busyness can keep people on edge. Festivities and food are everywhere you look.

All the energy, (chi) around us is different. When you consider all of this, the season brings about a substantial shift in your life, in your Feng Shui. Adjusting to these changes all at once may be a bit jarring.

So, how do we create some sense of balance, harmony and peace in this energetic gear shift? Keep some things constant, familiar and nurturing. Your bedroom is the best place to keep yourself grounded and calm. Make sure your Feng Shui is the best it can be here. Get back to basics. Bed position is crucial. Make sure you are in the commanding position. Use your very best sheets. Have your art and décor soothing, beautiful and relaxing for you are your partner/spouse/significant other. Avoid using this space to store items, extra furniture moved about or your entire gift wrapping.

This is still your space to rest, rejuvenate and make love. Keep it that way. Use calming aromas to give you extra rest this time of year. I make a blend of lavender, ylang ylang and bergamot. There are so many choices you can use. Place fresh flowers in your bedroom and your bathroom. Play calming soothing music in both these rooms while you use them.

In the rest of your home, be mindful of clutter. It may be challenging but try not to over do it. Less is more. Beauty and balance can easily be achieved. Make sure all your common pathways are smooth. If you have to move your body to accommodate decorations, your items need to be moved, not you. So avoid doing an obstacle course anywhere in your home during this season. Really step back and see how much you can visually see and enjoy. Less is more. You will see the beauty and enjoy more if you are not overwhelmed by dozens and dozens in a small space.

When you are taking out your holiday decorations and when you are putting them back, see what you really do not need or can use anymore. Let go. Give away or sell those items that relate to the holiday and those items stored away near these items. I find that if you haven't used this stored stuff in a year or two or three, chances are very likely you no longer need or desire to do so. Let go. Make room for more positive energy in the PRESENT and the near future.

Enjoy all the season has to offer. Balance your schedule. Give yourself enough time to rest, continue to exercise, pray, meditate and all activities that give you a joyful peace in life. If this means a little less time at a party, you can give yourself that gift of balance. Only you know your limits.

If you do not normally have red around your front door, this is a great time of year to enjoy that. Feel the red. See how it is a wonderful color to make your front door appealing and attractive. You may consider adding this color all year round. Flow with Feng Shui this holiday season.

Cardamom - Essential to a Great Hot Toddy

Cardamom is an unusual spice that is the essential ingredient in the absolute best hot toddy ever invented. A native to India, it's best to buy the whole seeds and grind them yourself. The spice can be a little expensive, but if you like a good toddy, or hot buttered rum to the uninitiated, it's absolutely worth it. I have an ancient recipe, but I found one online that's close. If you have a

Make Bath Salts

Make some refreshing bath salts to help you relax after a long day's work or shopping. Bath salts are easy and relatively inexpensive to make. Most recipes are a blend of Epsom salt and coarse sea salt. I recommend mixing them 50/50 your first time. After that you can make adjustments as you see fit. Some recipes will use either one or the other exclusively, something you might consider if price

The Power is On!

All things normal at the beach. Thank you.

Parsley of Old – My Old Anyway

Parsley was the first fresh herb I was familiar with as a child. It was present at almost every restaurant prepared meal, sitting on the plate next to a slice of lemon or carrot curl. My mother always urged me in a whisper after every meal to eat my parsley because it was nature’s breath freshener. The variety I was most familiar with was curly, but not quite as tightly curled as the parsley we

New Pics of the new Damon Point

My camera battery died after a few pics, but here's a few pictures of Damon Point. Can't wait to surf it tomorrow. Looks great. Other than the changes at Damon Point, most of Ocean Shores is just fine and will be a lot better once we get power. Take care,

Recent Storm

Ocean Shores has held up quite well during the recent storm minus a couple houses near the jetty, a few roofs near the jetty and Damon State Park. Our biggest problem out here on the coast is the complete lack of power. We don't know when it will be back. But, other than that, things are fine out here on the beach. I've taken a few pics below that will show you a. why you need to make sure your foundation elevation needs to be above street level, b. why vinyl siding isn't all that great (unless it's properly installed), c. why portable buildings need to be built on foundations and d. why you need to make sure that your roof shingles are installed correctly.

The last house here is a new house that I'm selling and it's about to close. This house is only 3 lots from the jetty and suffered no damage at all. Notice that it has a 50 mph roof on it, hardie plank siding, vinyl windows and the foundation/driveway are all above street level.

What a Real Estate Agent Knows that you Might Not.

What a Real Estate Agent Knows that you Might Not.

When you make the decision to sell your home, you are under no obligation to hire a real estate agent or broker to help you with the sale. Nonetheless, most people prefer to hire a real estate agent in order to better protect themselves. And, it also puts them in a better position to successfully sell the home in a short amount of time.

When you hire a real estate agent, you gain access to a wealth of knowledge that can help keep you out of trouble and will help provide for a smooth transaction. Here are just a few things your real estate agent knows that you probably do not.

The Federal Fair Housing Act
According to the Federal Fair Housing Act, you cannot discriminate against someone when selling a home. The act defines seven different classes of people who are protected against discrimination. These include:

race
color
national origin
sex
religion
handicap
familial status
If you do not enlist in the help of a real estate agent, you put yourself at risk of violating this act if you refuse to sell your home to an interested buyer who may be in a protected class. In addition, you might even accidentally violate these laws without realizing it. For example, there are certain words that cannot be included in your advertisements for your home because they are in violation of the Fair Housing Laws. Some of these words include:

bachelor apartment
children welcome
couples
gentleman's farm
golden agers
handicapped
integrated
married
mature
mother-in-law quarters
professional
seniors
singles only
sports-minded

As you can see, some of these terms seem perfectly innocent. Therefore, it is a good idea to get the help of a real estate agent so you can tap into his or her knowledge and experience in order to stay out of trouble.

State Real Estate Laws
Although there are similarities in real estate laws from one state to the next, each state has its own set of rules that must be followed. If you do not understand these laws, or are unaware of these laws, you can inadvertently break the law when selling your home. In addition, by not being fully aware of your seller's rights, you might actually lose out on money during the transaction.

Taking Advantage of Connections
Aside from legal matters, a real estate agent simply has a vast number of connections making it possible to sell a home more quickly and for a higher asking price. Similarly, because people come to real estate agents when searching for homes, you are able to tap into a much larger market of interested buyers when you get the help of a real estate agent.

Because a real estate agent has experience with selling homes, he or she can also provide you with tips to help increase the market value of your home and to make the process go by more quickly. For example, small things such as painting a room a different color can go a long way when it comes to increasing the appeal of the home. By taking advantage of the agent's expertise, you just might have a much more profitable selling experience.

Chives at your Fingertips

Chives are a personal favorite of mine. This herb was the first that Iregularly went out in the garden to snip in the evening when I was about to start cooking dinner. I keep a special pair of "herb" scissors in a kitchen drawer, together with a small wicker basket to help me harvest the night's herb choices. I have lots of snipping herbs now, parsley, oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, bay, and

Lemon Balm The Scent That Says Fresh

Lemon balm is a perennial in the mint family. It has a light lemony fragrance that you will recognize from furniture polish and dishwashing liquid.Easy to Root and GrowIt does well in partial shade, preferring well-drained soil. Keep lemon balm moist. I prefer to keep mine near downspouts and around outdoor faucets. Lemon balm is easy to grow from stem cuttings that have been rooted water. It

Holly and Mistletoe - Christmas Staples

Around the holidays, we see a lot of mistletoe and holly. Although these plants are not on many herb lists, I was curious to know about their curative properties if any. I'm always interested in the plants around me. It seems that every plant I investigate has a colorful history, as well as some useful purpose or other.Mistletoe (European)Processed European mistletoe has shown success in