Remodeling House

Is this for when we are angry, in a green sort of way?


Do we really think we have to "improve" Mother Nature? Like this?



What does this say? What is it for? Why? Is one for a casual party, the other for evening events?




Please noooooo

So, you look forward to that oregano tang in your pizza sauce, and its little leaves make a nice addition to the herb patch. It gives an immediate kick to spaghetti, and it isn't a demanding resident in the garden, coming back year after year with just a little mulching and pruning. Is there more to oregano that might make it a super herb, the go-to herb for your health as well as your culinary

Rosemary is a big favorite at my house. From keeping a dwarf rosemary Christmas tree to having creeping rosemary as a companion in my flowerbeds, this old gal is a friend who defines the herb keeping hobby for me. I made my first herb wreath using rosemary as a base.I got my stock from a local strip mall where the cobbler in residence in one of the storefronts had a big rosemary bush just

Robin's NestMay 26, 2009It is very important to attract a wide variety of birds to your garden and I have written about attracting birds to our gardens before (here). Ideally at some point you should notice a bird of prey if you are going about attracting birds to your garden in the correct manner. At that point you should give yourself a bit of a pat on the back. What you have accomplished is

Pico de Gallo is the queen of fresh salsa, but this easy recipe runs a close second. Some cooks will tell you that the lime juice is optional, but I think it works perfectly with the cilantro to create a unique flavor combo. Cilantro Salsa Recipe5 *Roma (plum) tomatoes, peeled and seeded,3 Tbsp. Cilantro4 Tbsp. Scallions2 Garlic cloves2 Jalapeno peppers, chopped½ Tbsp. Lemon juice1 Tbsp. Lime

This is a basic do-it-yourself mayonnaise recipe, and the results are better than anything you can get in the store. It's delicious. Really. Spice it up with the herb additions that follow the recipe.

Basic Mayonnaise Recipe

1 1/2 Cups Canola or olive oil (You can blend the two together)
2 Pasteurized Egg yolks
1/8 tsp. Powdered mustard
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Lemon juice

Blend eggs, salt and

Make a wholesome cilantro soup with you first herb patch harvest. This creamy soup is great with a classic BLT.After you start the roux (flour and butter mixture), stir constantly until all the liquid has been added to the pan. Add the broth slowly to avoid lumps.Fresh Cilantro Soup Recipe1 1/2 C Fresh cilantro3 12-oz. Cans beef broth2 Tbsp. Flour2 Tbsp. Butter2 Minced garlic cloves2 Tbsp.

England...........is beckoning.


Annually, I guide a small group through rural England visiting public and private gardens. This is my favorite, Bourton House, in the enchanting Cotswolds.


The first owner, Richard Palmers initials still bear witness in the dedication stone of 1570 on the Tithe barn. Today, this private home and garden, all designed by the current owner is open to pre-booked groups and on her website bourton house.



Everywhere are new areas to discover, formal, woodland, whimsical and tropical all giving homage to the throne.
Who else could have created such boxwood magic but the head gardener Paul, a descendant of Edward. My favorite is the boxwood sheared to resemble a rope. Thought this would be easy, sort of............let me know if you have noticed this at the shop gardens, you would be the first.




Lead cisterns make for excellent containers. Note the array of colored foliage which makes for a more interesting composition.


I have watched Paul at work, asked questions, studied..........to no avail. What a testament to a man, his string and his pruners.

ps, there is room on this years trip in September!

I've written an article about basic cilantro/coriander growing techniques, but didn't specifically address the option of growing cilantro in a pot. Cilantro has a taproot, which means that it roots deeply. This makes it a poor candidate for transplanting, and pretty much also means that it needs a very deep pot, 12 inches or more. The other option is to grow it in a soilless medium, like a

When we think of adding stone to the garden it is usually in a utilitarian format;walls, steps, paths.
The mastery of stone building is an ancient craft of which I have great respect. As time goes on I will have many topics on stone, but in today's post I wish to share images of using stone solely in an artistic manner.

Creative pass-thru

For the kids.......

Love this! Slate patio squares cut bolted into a planter.

The 'old world' look, or the "I did it myself" ps; personally I prefer the 'tumble any minute' versus machine cut, stack by numbers look.

More of I did it myself! Perfect for alpine plants.

So, you've planted all those herbs designed to attract butterflies and provide you with spicy food and wonderful fragrances all summer. Suddenly, you discover a small problem. The plants you're worrying over and nurturing - literally on bended knee, are also attracting bees and all manner of stinging pests.If you rile up a bee, wasp, or yellow jacket . . . sometimes they can be pretty

I collect quotes, I know, I know, why not designer shoes, garden gnomes, famous autographs..............

Well............quotes are free and I seek out those that are meaningful. In later posts I will share examples of how quotes are used in my home.



Here is my favorite quote artist, Moso. The contemporary/folk art quality of her work combined with moving quotes makes for a stunning combination.
Today we received a new shipment of Moso's work, all thought provoking and moving. Can't come in? Let us know we can always send you photo's.

I will end today's post with a quote on a wedding invitation that I loved. I think I will ask Moso to put this on a board.

"There are things you do because they feel right and they make no sense
and they make no money and it may be the real reason we are here: To love each other and to eat each other's cooking and say it was good."
-brian andreas

By ED HOUSEWRIGHT / The Dallas Morning News

High-flying Collin County has been grounded.

Property values here, which have surged throughout the decade, are now flattening or declining, according to appraisal records.

Countywide, taxable values have dropped slightly less than 1 percent, but some cities and school districts have seen larger dips. As a result, they may have to cut spending, reduce services or raise taxes. A county that once seemed immune from downturns has been jolted by the dismal national economy.

Even Frisco, which routinely posted double-digit appraisal increases, has joined its neighbors in the malaise. Its tax base in Collin County dropped from 2008, according to preliminary figures from the Collin Central Appraisal District.

Full Story

May 20, 2009 -

By Aleshia Howe

Just in time for the start of the home buying season, new reports show residential foreclosure numbers in Collin County and surrounding areas are on the decline – but so are home sales prices.

The first quarter of 2009 showed an 11.9 decrease in the number of new foreclosures compared to the same time last year, according to the Collin County Association of Realtors. The CCAR Pulse, which studies the 36 real estate markets of 36 local communities, also showed more than 25 percent of area homes sold in the first quarter were foreclosure listings – up 19 percent from the same time last year.

In a separate report, Addison-based Foreclosure Listing Service Inc., a company that tracks foreclosure postings and auctions in 19 Texas counties, tallied a 13 percent drop in Collin County foreclosures from May 2008 to May 2009.

Full story

The next time you think your roses may not be worth the effort you expend on them, read some of these inspiring lines about the queen of flowers:"Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in the flowers. All other things, our powers, our desires, our food, are all really necessary for our existence in the first instance. But this rose is an extra. Its smell and its

Depending on what you enjoy reading, that book on your nightstand may include some interesting herb references. Many herbs have been the stuff of poetry and prose, to say nothing of those very entertaining old herbals. I've tried to collect a few references to herbs in literature for you to enjoy after you come in from the garden. Check out the following pages for some old and new favorites:

Cozy up with these quotes about rue. I was going to restrict myself to quotes about the plant itself, but rue, as in regret, has some cunning literary references I had to include:There’s rosemary and rue. These keepSeeming and savor all the winter long.Grace and remembrance be to you.-William Shakespeare (Winter’s Tale, Act 4, Scene 4)There's fennel for you, and columbines:there's rue for you;

Cozy up with these quotes about rue. I was going to restrict myself to quotes about the plant itself, but rue, as in regret, has some cunning literary references I had to include:There’s rosemary and rue. These keepSeeming and savor all the winter long.Grace and remembrance be to you.- William Shakespeare (Winter’s Tale, Act 4, Scene 4)There's fennel for you, and columbines:there's rue for you;

Enjoy some literary references to rosemary while you garden this weekend:Of Rosemarie.Tragus writeth, that Rosemarie is spice in the Germane Kitchins, and other cold countries... The floures made vp into plates with sugar after the manner of Sugar Roset and eaten, comfort the heart, and make it merry, quicken the spirits, and make them more liuely."Herball or General Historie of Plantes

These herbal treatments for bed bugs can help you control your pest problem. I have a healthy respect for insects and all manner of creepy crawlies, but I have to draw the line at any bug that considers me a walking banquet. This includes mosquitoes, fleas, and bed bugs. Bed bugs are creating problems across the U.S these days. Areas where there are large numbers of sleeping people, like hotels,

It's the Season!

Here we go again. Another Ocean Shores summer coming right up. This means that tens of thousands of families will be calling Ocean Shores home for a week or two while they're on their summer vacation at the beach. Couples will come visit on weekends. The big events will draw thousands to town. Snow birds will return from the south for their 3 to 6 month stay at the North beach while the weather's nice and it's too hot in the South. Late Spring and Summertime are definitely the months of the year where most people visit the North Coast. And it's obvious with all the events coming up and gas prices being reasonable again, that this year should be a record breaker in terms of traffic and body counts at the beach. For those of us who live here fulltime, just remember that we live in a place where other people like to go on vacation and that's pretty cool. Except for when they pull up to one of those four way stops. That's when it's not very cool anymore.


Ocean Shores Real Estate Update
January had a spark with some sales. February was okay. March was a real busy month with quite a few sales that closed in April. April sales started out strong, but then fizzled. May is looking to take It's still pretty strange these days in real estate. Some days, the phone won't stop ringing and the email inbox fills up with buyers looking for properties and then the next day nothing. Per usual, sales seem to be coming in waves this year. The end of off again now that tax season is behind us and the sun is staying out longer. I expect residential sales to stay pretty close to matching 2008's number in regards to the number of transactions going on. Lots and condo sales are still dreadful even as prices have fallen off the charts. There are some unbelievable prices on condos and lots in town right now. We haven't seen these kind of prices since 2003 or 2004 in some cases.

On another note, we're starting to see multiple offers on some properties these days and that's a great sign that there are plenty of buyers out there looking for a deal. This weekend alone I received two offers on a house listing. One was reasonable, the other was not. There's not much of a science to it, but if the price is right and the timing is right, buyers line up. Those people that made the lowball offer missed out and if they don't step up to the plate now, they're going to end up with a real nice beach house in Aberdeen or Hoquiam. If you don't think the bottom has already hit, you're going to end up paying more for waiting longer. Now's the time to buy.
Here are some real estate numbers as of 5/9/09 for Ocean Shores only. All statistics are supplied from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Residential Sales
22 Homes sold in April 2009 for an average selling price of $182,743. Average time on the market was 146 days. The maximum time for one house was 841 days. Unfortunately, it happens sometimes... There's currently 32 homes are pending around town. I know that 22 home sales for April doesn't sound all that great, but consider the following: 7 houses sold in January this year. Only 8 sold in February and 16 sold in March. Home sales in Ocean Shores for the month of April are most definitely up and the trend looks to stay strong for the remainder of this year. If for some reason you think Ocean Shores is a sluggish real estate market, think again. Our neighbors across the Harbor in Westport only had two home sales in the month of April.

In April of 2008, 22 homes also sold so that's even. Selling price was tad bit higher at $184,023 last year and average time on the market was quite a bit longer at 202 days.

There's 219 homes for sale in Ocean Shores for an average price of $247,517 right now and the average time on market is 234 days.

Condo Sales
5 Condos have sold in 2009 so far for an average selling price of $88,380. Average time on the market was 327 days. The maximum time for one condo was 1,153 days. Ugh. There's currently 6 condos that are pending around town so that's actually an encouragement.

Through May 1st of last year, only 4 Condos had sold for an average sale price of $247,000 (hey, Condos sales are up 20% this year through May 1st!). It's not that condo prices have fallen so hard (from $247,000 in 2008 to $88,380 this year), it's just that the cheaper ones are selling while the more expensive ones have been a bit more difficult to move during recent times.

There are currently 72 Condos for sale in Ocean Shores for an average listing price of $251,805 and the average time on the market is 422 days.

Vacant Lot Sales
11 Lots sold in April 2009 for an average selling price of $40,955 (this includes everything from a cheap interior lot at $16,000 to a waterfront lot for $143,000). Average time on the market was 254 days. The maximum time for one lot was 1,214 days. That seems a bit silly, but I'm not surprised... There's currently 11 lots that are pending around town. Lot sales are dreadful this year...

In April of 2008, 25 lots sold for an average price of $46,372 and time on the market was 172 days. The cheapest lot was sold for $18,000 while the most expensive one sold for $185,000.

There's 583 lots on the market for an average price of $86,922 while the cheapest one comes in at $12,000 (needs fill!) and the most expensive one is an ocean front near the North Jetty for a cool $499,900.
If you have any questions regarding Ocean Shores/North Coast Real Estate, call Jeff Daniel of Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties at 360.581.9020 or visit my website at www.cityofoceanshores.com. Thanks!



Upcoming Events

Kite Challenge
Saturday, June 13 , 2009Sponsored by "Team Cutting Edge Kites" - 2005 & 2006 World Champions. Free kite flying lessons, stunt competitions, fun flies, displays and more.

Flag Day Parade & DanceSaturday, June 13 , 2009A chance to show our patriotic spirit. The parade features more than 75 entries and a Grand Marshall. End the day with dancing and raffle drawings. One of the only Flag Day parades in Western Washington.


WA State Square & Folk Dance Festival
Friday, June 19 - Saturday, June 20, 2009"Let the light shine in 2009" 58th Annual Washington State Square & Folk Dance Festival!

Sand and Sawdust Festival
Friday, June 26 - Sunday, June 28, 2009Five Star Dealerships Sand and Sawdust Festival welcomes you to the beach! Master, Intermediate, & Novice Sand-Sculpting teams compete for over $5,000.00 in cash prizes. At the Convention Center master woodcarvers from all over the world compete in this amazing annual competition. There are vendors, food sales & the live auctions are held daily on carvings! Families & children are invited to enter the sand-sculpting competition or learn sand-sculpting skills at the free lesson offered Friday morning.

Independence Day PicnicFriday, July 3 , 2009The business community of Ocean Shores is sponsoring the annual Ocean Shores Independence Day Picnic on Friday, July 3, 2009 at North Bay Park. Picnic Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free!! Come celebrate the birth of our nation. Bring a blanket and your picnic basket or take advantage of the many food vendors that will be on hand. There will be something fun for all ages at this old-fashioned community friendly event.

Beach News
This is where I've been getting mine lately:



Jeff Daniel Associate Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
Phone: 360.581.9020749 Point Brown Ave NW/PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569PROPERTY SEARCH: http://www.oceanshoreshomesforsale.com/
OCEAN SHORES WEBSITE: http://www.cityofoceanshores.comOCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://oceanshoresrealestate.blogspot.com
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://activerain.com/jeffgdaniel

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Tulipa tardaMarch 26, 2009The mystery plant has been identified! Thanks so much to those who commented on the previous post as well those who helped through email and Twitter. I appreciate your help very much in identifying this plant.It is Tulipa tarda a dwarf tulip species. It is a member of the lily family (Liliaceae). These tulips are planted in clumps along with daylilies to protect them

"Unknown"March 26, 2009Please Help Identify: Oh the joys of moving into a home with overgrown gardens and still discovering new plant varieties as we continue our quest to tame the jungle. We have several patches of this unknown plant. I think it is a daylily based on the leaves and flower appearance. The flower is two tone yellow with six petals, 3 on 3 on a single stem. The flower is about

As a child I would do the "are we there yet?" or "my sister is touching me!" bit. But mostly was self entertained watching the homes we drove past. Never overly impressed by size but by the details.

I will confess to a serious case of spring fever my senior year in high school. My friend and I arrived at school, glanced at the exit and promptly left for a day of driving around the 'north shore' of Chicago to look at houses.

The tone was set.............

The love of good architecture allows me the freedom of wandering and allowing myself to get lost. See this charming home above, discovered from a wrong turn.

Set in the enchanting micro neighborhood of 'Lockerbie Square' in Indianapolis is a historic neighborhood of bricked alleys, small homes, lovely gardens and interesting architecture.

What is not to love about this home? It evokes a warm and cozy charm, one-of-a-kind details, great color scheme and a sedate garden that enhances but does not detract.

ps; it is for sale!

If you've had daydreams of creating your own decorative herb garden design layout but don't have the space or inclination for a decorative wheel or other more complex pattern, there may be an easy way to create a startling effect with less space and work.Making a permaculture herb spiral will make great use of those bricks you have lying around, and the effects can be attractive, eye catching,

One of our important design elements that sets the tone for a landscape is to come inside the residence. We ask to look out the windows, all the important windows and view from many angles.

A window can frame a beautiful setting. Maybe that scene has yet to be created. Pay close attention to what that view would be like all four seasons.

How about concealment? Does a main window look out on neighbors garbage cans, a massive boat or the inevitable weed patch? Often times what appears to be an obstacle will stretch your imagination and provide a creative solution you might never have thought of.

So start inside and create a lovely scene, one that will be looked upon more often than all others combined.


Now that is a view!

What is not to love, except your frequent appointment with the pruners?

This pure fantasy is Chateau de Courances in France, which no doubt has a head gardener. Personally I am taken with the organic color scheme; varying shades of green and earth tones.

This is what my eye sees

*the severe clip of the boxwood "rooms" and the looseness of it's interior flowers. I love opposing elements.
*the shutter and door shades mirror colorways of the gardens
*the pea gravel walk echoes the brick tones of the chateau
*notice how the walkway does not go directly to the front door, forcing one to slow down
*presenting an interesting and complex design in the front of the home

What does the front of your landscape say about you?

Since this is the time to start preparing for bugs in the garden, I'll give you one of my favorite tips for keeping bugs away from my plants . . . sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum). This little perennial has a short habit, growing only to about six inches, and makes a great ground cover. It grows in whorls around a very slender central stem and produces tiny white flowers. I keep it around my