We have recently added a new sight to see in Washington State...The addition to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. I love having easier access to Tacoma and the surrounding communities. We originally had one bridge and in 1940 it collapsed. It was known as Galloping Gertie, because of the rolling action the bridge experienced just before it tumbled into the water. Since then we have had a new bridge constructed, and after much use, we added a second bridge to enhance the short commute. I truly enjoy the new landmark, and loved watching the construction of a piece of our local history in the making What landmark is you area famous for? 01/14/2009

Not every one is aware of this, but in the little town of Allyn- we have a fire station staffed 24-7 with a qualified, dedicated crew, waiting to serve our citizens the moment a need arises. They have been called out to smoke alarms that need batteries... at 2AM, houses engulfed in flames, and cats in trees. You name it they have responded. I wanted to take a moment, and thank them for all they do on a moments notice. Not many communities can count on having full time medical support ,with an EMT and a Paramedic at their beckon call, along with support staff ,and fire fighting capabilities.  We are truly blessed to have them here.So if you have a moment, stop in a the fire house, and let them know how much they are appreciated for all they do. And while you are there have them check yo... 01/14/2009

This is a picture taken of the Allyn Towne Coffee House. It is convenientlylocated right next to my office in Allyn, Washington.I have to say they make some of the best coffee around, and I have my debit card receipts to prove it! Linda and Tonya own the business together, and generally are the ones who open in the morning. You can't pull away from the drive thru with out a smile- the girls crack me up! So if you are looking for a hot cup of coffee on a cold day just tell them Dinah sent you and it is on me! And if you think the coffee is good ...try their cold ice cream on a hot summers day! 01/14/2009

This is one of my favorite quiet places... the dock at LakeLand Village.Here in this is quiet community we enjoy trails, a 27 hole golf course, and friendly neighbors. I love the tall trees and the deer as they graze in the little open fields. I think they like us too, or they just think HAND OUT!   Last year the mother Deer on our street was blessed with twins! 01/14/2009

This was a serene summer evening in Allyn, Washington.The calm waters are perfect for evening sail or just loosing your thoughts as the inky blue just carries them away on gentle rippling circles. The fireworks on the 4th of July are mezmerising from this spot. Each side of the bay seems to be in a grand competition. It is an amazing sight to see. Occasionaly over the hill you can see the celebration in Tacoma bursting over the horizon. This is really a unique place to call home- it is unlike any other. 01/14/2009

Ever just have one of those days when you can't wake up, and no amount of coffee is going to make the difference? I think the little guy above may be having one of those today. My point is no matter how tired you are you seem to get through it- day after day, and they seem to add up and make weeks, months and years. Wow, time can really fly. So what are you doing with all of your time? Have you been been getting through the daily grind or getting more out of life? Sure we all wish everyday was one we could spend on a sunny beach doing whatever we please, but unfortunately Reality never got the memo. What we can do... the Reality...to find a local spot to go for a day, a weekend or the rest of our lives.  A place where we can go to work and come home to enjoy the simple pleasures in lif... 01/13/2009

I have been noticing a lot of green around lately. No, I am not talking about the kind of green you spend. I am referring to the great ways to be environmentally friendly. I thought I would share a little bit of what Windermere has been doing. One of the new ideas attracting a lot of attention is "re-purposing". I guess that would make it an old idea. Anyway- it is a way to use what you already have in a new way. Perhaps the Hope Chest you have in your bedroom is taking up to much space and would now be better served in a child's play room for storing games. A vase under the kitchen cabinet can now be useful in storing kitchen utensils. The list can go on and on, but just dumping items in a landfill can not. Eventually we will run out of room. Windermere has been great at leading the i... 01/13/2009

I was talking with my daughter today as we drove into a meeting and she was telling me about a disagreement she was having with her friend.I could easily see both sides and I tried to get her to see things from the other persons perspective...She was not getting it. As we drove the conversation changed to telling the truth. I mentioned that it is much easier to destroy a reputation than to build a new one. I brought up a time that she had headed upstairs with a bag,  and when her Dad and I asked her what was in it- she said shoes. I could clearly see that the bag contained something other than shoes. When we asked to see in it- we saw the bag contained a pile of grass clippings and a little dirt. Why? Strange to say the least, but we focused on always telling the truth no matter how we... 01/12/2009

Just a comment that our schools need our help!  The buildings are in poor repair, the books are old and falling apart, and the schools in the Allyn and Belfair area are deteriorating.  Let's all lend a hand and make our community better.  This is certainly a quality of life in our area issue.  Go see the video at www.yesnmschools.org and get involved! 01/12/2009

Wow! Can you believe we are already in the throes of 2009?!!! Exciting! There are still people out there buying and selling and everyday  people ask me what is going on in the real estate market in Belfair and Allyn? I love reviewing the stats for the different areas and sharing that information with each and everyone who asks! Today we are going to look specifically at the real estate market in Lakeland Village in Allyn, WA for 2008.  ACTIVE HOMES FOR SALE IN LAKELAND VILLAGE: (these are what a seller is up against for competition and what is available for buyers to purchase). At the end of 2008 there were a total of 35 active homes for sale listed with realtors in LakeLand Village.  The average days on the market for these homes is 280 days. The average asking (list price) for these ... 01/12/2009

Along with the distinct possiblility that we are loosing the Seattle PI, another concern is being raised...what about the famouse Globe that spins like the daily planet atop   the building on Elliott Ave.? Here is a little article I found giving us a little history on "The Globe" itself.    Grand feature resting atop the Seattle Post-Intelligencer building on the Seattle waterfront is the 18.5-ton globe. If you have been to Seattle you have pobably seen it and thought back to the Superman movies and "the Daily Planet." It  was set on the newspaper's building at Sixth Avenue and Wall Street near the Seattle Center, which the P-I occupied for nearly 40 years, until 1986 when the P-I moved to its current building on the waterfront north of Downtown Seattle. The 30-foot steel globe consists... 01/11/2009

What can I say...It is beautiful. Words can not describe the beauty that we experience everyday in Mason County. From the prime fresh water lakes for fishing, boating and skiing to the pristine saltwater that you can boat, dig for clams and oysters, crab, fish or just simply sail away. Mason County, Washington has countless options to experience the northwest life. Whether you come for a day or the rest of your life the waters of Mason County welcome you! 01/10/2009

It's hard to believe another whole year has gone by!  But yes, here we are January of 2009.  And you know what they say?   2 0 0 9 will be just F I N E!!!   I usually post the months housing statistics for LakeLand Village in Allyn, WA the beginning of each next month and well, this month was a trying month for everyone in the area, as we were housebound for a while due to the snow!    So let's get to it! Here is what happened in LakeLand Village for the month of December. Overall December was not a bad month for homes sales in LakeLand Village, especially if you take into consideration that 2-1/2 weeks of December you could barely get around LakeLand Village, Allyn, Belfair (or most of Mason County for that matter) due to the snow, which was quite beautiful but made for some slippery ... 01/09/2009

I'm starting a new class for a new embroidery / quilt in the morning...  We are starting The Latte Quilt.  It's for sure not a new quilt and I have wanted to make it, even before I got my machine that embroiders. I love this part of making a new quilt.  I like choosing the fabrics.. the threads... all of it.  But I am still pretty new to the embroidery part.  When I'm starting to piece a quilt, in my mind I can see exactly how I want it to look.. how it will look with the fabrics... I can see it all!  But since I started the embroidery part... my mind can't quite see how the treads are going to look... exactly where they are going to be...  I'm just not quite there yet.  But, I'm going to keep working on it. Are there a lot of you out there in The Rain that are into machine embroidery o... 01/09/2009

Ornamental Stone Just down the street at the junction of North Bay Road and State Route 3, Ornamental Stone features a classic line of hand cast exposed aggregate stone products constructed onsite for commercial and home use.     Initially founded in 1964 by Spence Chamberlain as a part-time enterprise in his Lake City garage, the business moved to Allyn in 1987 when his son Keith took over. It's been a full-time thriving operation ever since with a crew of six churning out 15,000 pounds of product each week. "At Ornamental Stone, our goal is to produce quality and competitively-priced products that will last," says Keith. The five-step process is simple, but requires skilled attention. Once the concrete is hand-packed into a mold, a template is employed to hand sweep the sand inside fo... 01/09/2009

Stretch Island Fruit Leather..."Always ready outdoors, at home, at school, at work, for sports, for travel".   Notice: Stretch Island Fruit Company was recently sold to Kellog's!   When Ron and Mary Sagerson first visited Stretch Island back in January of 1972, they immediately fell in love with the area.  "Here we were in an absolutely beautiful little corner of God's world," says Ron.  "We looked at each other and said, 'Let's stay. Let's find a way to live and work here.'"  Soon they had purchased a home and vineyard and became acquainted with neighbors Harry and Mary Branch.    Both families were growing grapes and making natural fruit leather at home. Since fruit leather was not available commercially at that time, they all agreed that manufacturing it on a larger scale was a proje... 01/09/2009

Oysterfest!   "Get 'em while they're hot ... get your grilled oysters here ..." calls out the friendly voice of Harry Martin, 86-year-old patriarch of the most successful fundraiser ever undertaken by the North Mason Chamber of Commerce. He's referring to the chamber's "world famous" grilled oysters, sold twice a year at two Mason County festivals and always in high demand by a hungry and loyal public. The Chamber serves over 12,000 oysters annually at Mason County's Oysterfest. As Harry tells the story, back in 1986 he and Carol Wentlandt, another chamber volunteer, were searching for a fundraising idea that would benefit the chamber, and also the chamber's many activities in the community. In the course of a rapid-fire brainstorming session, Carol raised the question "What is this are... 01/09/2009

We have all heard the phrase and it is true- the early bird gets the worm. How many times have you thought to yourself if only I had gotten their sooner,I wish I had bought property out here years ago when they could not give it away...now, I wish I had bought Microsoft stock in the beginning,ect. Well that time is right now, and Investors know it. They have been contactig their Agents and shopping the housing market aggresivley. If these trends continue with low interest rates, and abundant choices in the housing market...It will turn from a Buyer's Market to a Seller's market once again. It is not too late we still have a lot of great homes at great prices accompanied by great interest rates. My recommendation would be not to wait to see if it will change. Get out there now before it... 01/08/2009

This picture was taken just before Christmas about 2 weeks ago. I was loving every moment. The folder this picture was taken from is so full I had a hard time finding this.The winter walks, the hot apple cider and cocoa, the blazing fire, the Christmas lights glowing through the icy crust were all wonderful and at times had an air of even being magical! But it is over now. I can drive my car, not fall into snow drifts up to my thighs, receive mail, and warm myself in the bright sunshine, and send the kids back to school. I am lovin it! Then it happened. The weather reports say that we may get more snow on Saturday and maybe again on Monday! I Quit. There had better not be such a thing as a White Easter! 01/08/2009

I could not help but take a picture of this Flag today as it boldly displayed it's self in the bright sunshine, and blazing Blue sky. I thought I would share with you a little history on why the flag looks the way it does, so that perhaps the next time you see it- it will be that much more special to you. What do the colors of the Flag mean? "The colors of the stripes-white signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valor, and Blue, the color of the Chief- signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice." Why did we use Stars and Stripes? "The star is a symbol of the heavens, and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun." 01/08/2009