I read an article a while back about Bottle Trees.  I had never heard of this custom nor seen them in my area.  Now that the weather is breaking I have been thinking about a garden I had been working on.  I named it My Secret Garden its' location is near the back of my property, it was over run with vines, junk and wild roses.  I have been clearing the junk out and saving that which I want to incorporate into the garden.  I left the huge wild vines that traversed the trees and lay upon the ground (my cats love it).  The wild roses I have been coaxing to follow the vines up the trees.  I have a little bench up there, but my plans for this garden are truly at the formative stages.  One of those plans is to have a Bottle Tree for amusement, color (since most of it is in shade) and enjoyment. 

In researching bottle trees I found that they derived in Africa where they would place colorful bottle on the branches of dead trees, the evil spirits would enter them and could not get out. Bottle trees are apparently common in the southern states because of the tradition that the slaves brought with them.  I found another interpretation that said it was originated by the Cherokees and picked up by the slaves. The Cherokee hung shiny things (later glass bottles) on a dead tree to beckon good spirits into the village and frighten away the bad ones. It could be a very important tool for a tribal shaman, as it was the evil spirits that made people sick and caused bad things to happen. If children disappeared or died, it was evil spirits that snatched them or killed them. Good spirits had to be enticed to do good things for the "people" and the colorful, tinkling glass did just that.

I also went online to see if I could find pictures of Bottle Trees, most were attached on forms where the bottle's mouth was slid over.  Some, however, were hung freely on trees to catch the wind and act like a wind chime. 

I can envision a bottle tree in the sunny part of my yard with blue bottles on it and Morning Glories planted at its base, as they grow they will intertwine ,the bottles will capture the sun and the flowers will dazzle.

Well, the thought is implanted and I have a visual in my mind now the only thing missing is some lovely colored bottles.

Thought I would pass this on to all of you have been winter bound and are itching to get out there and enjoy your gardens. 

This is a great time of the year to start a new beginning. 

Wouldn't a Bottle Tree be great on your front yard to bring attention to the For Sale Sign that joins it.  It certainly would have people take notice.

There are two sides to every coin.  This is the Seller's side.  In todays marketplace you have to set yourself apart from the many listings that are available. The key is for your home to show the best of any others in its' marketplace.                            
 

Begin on the outside.  Increase the curb appeal.  Manicure the lawn, weeding, fresh mulch and  place a colorful potted plant  on the porch.Repaint railings and doors, if necessary.  If someone drives by you want them to get the wow effect and want to see the inside.

Spruce up those rooms that Buyer's are interested in most - kitchens, bathrooms, family rooms.  Investing a few dollars often means the difference between how long a home sits on the market.

Declutter, even if you have to rent a storage unit.  Clean off the refrigerator with the kids artwork, and  the counters.  Sparcity sells, people can visualize themselves in the home when they are not distracted by the clutter around them.  Take the time to do a thorough cleaning , let the sunlight in and open the draperies when a showingis scheduled,  clean the windows and let the sunshine in. 

 The market has changed and  you have to realize that today's market is not bringing what yesterday's market did.  Be realistic in pricing of your home today not pricing it for yesterday.  Your Realtor® will do a market analysis based on comparable homes that have sold within the past 6 months.  Pricing is very important, by pricing it right in the beginning you will end up with more proceeds and less time on the market.  

Marketing is to get it out there to the public, it's a numbers game in many ways and the more it is exposed the better your chances are to find that special Buyer.   Today's Buyer is more apt to find your home online than the newspaper.  Make sure  your online marketing has  lots of pictures.  It has been proven that a home on Realtor.com with pictures gets more hits than those without.  As a matter of fact you can check a box for only homes with pictures. The more websites it is displayed on the more exposure it will receive.

Shop for your Realtor® as you would shop for a house.  Are they familiar with the area, where do they advertise i.e., websites, papers, and what marketing materials do they use?  Listen to the advice of your Realtor®, if they say your home needs staging - stage it, if they say make sure the dog is not a welcome guest when the house is being shown - cage it or remove it. Your Realtor® and you will work together as a team with one goal in mind - to sell your home at the highest price in the least amount of time with the least amount of stress.  

One last thing to remember -  if you feel that you have lost in the sale of your current home you will make it up in the purchase of the next home.

After all there are two sides to every         
                                                                                                                            Happy Home-Selling :)

                                   

It is the day of "Let's Make A Deal" and if you aren't out there looking you will be left out in the cold.  Interest rates are fantastic, inventory is great, choices are many  and seller's are ready to make a deal.

 Where to begin?


LET'S MAKE A DEAL

Value is in the eye of the beholder and the buyer has to define what "most home" means to them personally.  This can mean the physical qualities of the house, i.e., square footage, number of bedrooms, baths, etc.  It can also mean intangibles such as close to schools or work.  So the first step is to decide what are your priorities.

Once you have established your priorities than it is time to take a hard look at what you can reasonably  afford.  Shop for the mortgage before you shop for the house. This strategy saves you time, heartache and the ability to be on top of what is new  on the market in your price range and most importantly it gives you greater negotiating power.

Did you know that a Realtor® is working for the Seller, unless they have  a Buyer agency contract with the Buyer?  A Buyer Broker is advocating on your behalf.  That agent is confidentially bound to you, the Buyer, and can aggressively work to uncover any information that may affect the your purchasing power and get a better price.  In your selection of a Realtor®, look for one with experience in the area and type of housing you are looking for.  Other things you should look for are their length of time in the business (experience), their use of modern technology, the designations they hold and their reputation.  Shop as wisely for your Realtor® as you do for your home.

HAPPY HOUSE HUNTING.  OPEN THOSE DOORS AND YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF ON THE OTHER SIDE OF ONE OF THEM.     GOOD LUCK,

It is the time of the year I love.  A time for new beginnings, a time to come out of hibernation and feel the sun on your face, a time of awakenings.  You can see it in the green that is bursting forth , you can hear it in the chorus of birds as they announce the rising of the morning sun, you can feel it in your soul and you can smell it in the air.  Spring has arrived.

This morning as Bear  and I left the house to walk the trail the parking lot ( which is across from my house)  was filled with cars, it was 5 a.m.  Their motors were running, an attempt to keep warm,  and at 6 a.m they were on the river bank casting their lines into the crisp chilly waters.  It was a cold morning and with coffee cups in hand they began their search for the big one. They are a special group, these fishermen,  I have seen a couple of inches of snow on the ground opening day and still they were there, elbow to elbow. Snow, sleet, rain, ice, nothing could hold them back. Opening day of fishing season is here. 

There was a cameraderie among this group that was infectious.  There they were freezing their tails off, patiently casting their lines into the waters and having a good time amongst themselves, you could feel the bond among them, it was like a special club.  We were warmly greeted and chatted with many of them.  Some were disappointed in their lack of progress and others were grinning from ear to ear showingoff their catch.  I began thinking about how success in fishing and real estate are similar and came up with the following thoughts.

1. FISH UPSTREAM                                                                                                                                                       Cast your line where the others have not.  Do not follow the crowd, do your own thing.
2. USE THE RIGHT BAIT   Market to a specific target, use materials relevant to the area and the type client you are trying to catch.   
3. CHANGE BAIT IF NECESSARY   If they are not biting it is time to use a different lure.  Track your marketing if it is not working try something else. 
4. USE THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT  You can catch a fish with a string, stick and a hook, but you can catch more fish with a rod, a reel, and a fly.  Keep up with the technology and innovations that can improve your game.
5. PERSEVERE  Don't give up, keep casting your line until you find what works and then work it. 
6. DON'T MUDDY THE WATERS  Stay focused and you will reach your quota.

                                                 Dottie

           Wishing you a full creel.  Happy Fishing,

I love lists. 

I have lists of websites, list of to do's, lists of dreams, lists of accomplishments, lists of trivia, lists of books I want to read, lists of movies I want to see, lists of this and lists of that, and the list goes on.   There is a serene sense of order to a list, quite opposite from the hectic lifestyle of today. 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT                                                                

     Enough aluminum is thrown away to rebuild our commercial air fleet 4 times every year.

1. Recycling of one glass container saves enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for 4 hours. Recycled glass saves 50% energy vs. virgin glass. (EPA)
2. Recycled glass generates 20% less air pollution and 50% less water pollution. (NASA)
3. 1 ton of glass made from 50% recycled materials saves 250 lbs. of mining waste. (EPA)
4. Glass can be reused an infinite number of times; over 41 billion glass containers are made each year.  (EPA)  
5. Recycled paper saves 60% energy vs. virgin paper. (Center for Ecological Technology)
6. Recycled paper generates 95% less air pollution: each ton saves 60 lbs. of air pollution.(Center for Ecological Technology)
7. Recycling of each ton of paper saves 17 trees and 7000 gallons of water. (EPA)
8. Every year enough paper is thrown away to make a 12 foot wall from New York to California.
9. If we recycled every plastic bottle we used we would take 2 billion tons of plastic out of landfills. (Penn State)
10. According to the EPA, recycling a pound of PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) saves approximately 12,000 BTU's.
11. We use enough plastic wrap to wrap all  of Texas every year.   (EPA)
12. A ton of recycled paper equals or saves 17 trees in paper production.
13. Production of recycled paper uses 80% less water, 65% less energy and produces 95% less air pollution than virgin paper production.
14. If offices throughout the country increased the rate of two sided photocopying from the 1991 figure of 20% to 60%, they could save the equivalent of about 15 million trees.  (from Choose to Reuse by Nikki & David Goldbeck)
15. Global paper use has grown more than six-fold since 1950. One fifth of all wood harvested in the world ends up in paper.  It takes 2 to 3.5 tons of trees to make one ton of paper.  Pulp and paper is the 5^th largest industrial consume of energy in the world, using as much power to produce a ton of product as the iron and steel industry.  In some countires, including the United States, paper accounts for nearly 40% of all municipal solid waste.  Making paper uses more water per ton than any other product in the world. (The Worldwatch Institute)
16. The world's annual consumption of plastic materials has increased from around 5 million tons in the 1950s to nearly 100 million tons today. (Waste Online)
17. Half the world lives on less than two dollars a day. (Global Watch)
18. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels in November of 1958 were at 313.34 parts per million. In November of 2007, levels were at 382.35 parts per million, an increase of over 20%.  (Carbonify.com) 
19. In 1950, Americans consumed 144 pounds of meat and poultry per person on average. In 2007, that's projected to shoot up to 222 pounds. (Factory Farming Campaign.)
20. Global oil production is currently about 81 million barrels a day and is predicted to fall to 39 million barrels a day by 2030 due to diminishing resources.  (Energy Watch Group)
21. Half the world lives on less than two dollars a day. ( GlobalWatch.)
22. The average household uses 350 gallons of water per day. That's enough to fill almost 100 bathtubs.
23. Recylced aluminum reduces pollution by 95% (Reynolds Metal Co.)
24. Enough aluminum is thrown away to rebuild our commercial air fleet 4 times every year.

A leaky faucet can waste up to 20 gallons of water per day, and a leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons a day.
                                              

 These statistics are certainly thought provoking. 

 Think about what you can do to help the environment and pass that thought on. 

 Our children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, the list goes on, will be glad you did.                                 

            GREEN MEANS MANY THINGS TO MANY PEOPLE.

  Perhaps it is winning the lottery, perhaps it has to do with wearing your Heritage on March 17th, or a hole in one, but Al Gore has made it more apparent than ever that it is "An Inconvenient Truth".  If we do not have green in our future we do not have a future to leave to our children, grandchildren, our great grandchildren and mankind.  With this in mind I would like to share with you a few interesting facts that might move you closer to the green.

• Paper products account for approximately 40 percent of all municipal solid waste generated in the United State.  One ton on recycled paper saves the equivalent of 17 trees, 4100kwh of energy, 7,000 gallons of water, 60 lbs of air emissions and three cubic yards of landfill space.  (Environmental Protection Agency)
• Every year enough paper is thrown away to make a 12' wall from New York to California
• Americans throw away 14 billion plastic bags annually. It takes 12 billion barrels of oil to make 14 billion bags.  That's enough oil to drive a car to the moon and back more than 2 million times! One billion paper shopping bags were used in 1999.  It takes 14 million trees to make those paper bags. (Maryland Energy Administration)  

•  If we recycled every plastic bottle we used we would keep 2 billions tons of plastic out of landfills. (Penn State)
• Glass can be reused an infinite number of times; over 41 billion glass containers are made each year (Environmental Protection Agency)

  

• Recycled aluminum reduces pollution by 95%. Enough aluminum is thrown away to rebuild our commercial aire fleet 4 times every year. (Reynolds Metal Company)

These are  just a few of the eye opening facts I have found. 

This is our future and it is up to each individual to do his part.  In continuing blogs I shall address ways we can help,as indivduals and as companies, how to recycle things you never knew were recyclable, green construction and more amazing facts. 

                            Dottie

GEOCACHING THE OLD FASHIONED WAY 

Spend a day in Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania a treasure trove of antique shops line Main Street. From china to furniture, crocks to retro, if its old its there.   Along the way you can stop into John Stevens Gallery to purchase a print or original of a Pennsylvania Fieldstone farmhouse, a scene of the country, a barn and a myriad of other charming prints of the area and the period. Looking for something newer and more classic for the home or garden, Felix & Caroline's will surely have something unique to add to your decor.  Still in that antique mode, off Main Street on the alley to the rear is the Shrewsbury Antique Center (65 N. Highland Drive) a large building, once a chicken house, with numerous (40) consignors.

    Other treasures to be found are those of the homes and architecture in the area.  Walking along Main Street you sense a time when life was more simple, when people had the time to sit on their front porch and watch the traffic.  You will see simple frame houses elbowed next to each other, log houses with warm earthen tones, fine brick homes with second story porches and  grand victorians with gingerbread and turrets.  If you are fortunate to be there at the right time you will be able to enjoy the melodic echo of the church bells rolling through the hillside.  The churches have their own special charm with their spires piercing the sky and magnificent stained glass windows.  There is even a church that has been converted to a private residence, the church tower has been removed and appears to be an architectural accent to their  backyard. 

                                      If you enjoy charming little towns, this is one you should see.  If you want to move to a place that has a more layback way of life, consider one of the many charming little Pennsylvania towns.  Call me if you want more information, I will be glad to help.

                      Dottie

     "You have a friend in Pennsylvania"

Entering Southern York County is like returning to another era. Pennsylvania towns and villages are quaint and charming, with their porch front lifestyle.  Sunday mornings these  villages reverberate with the toll of bells as the small churches call their parishoners to its doors. The main streets are lined with Victorian era homes and the farms around have fascinating barns and outbuildings.  In spite of the influx of Marylanders seeking a gentler way of life, it still has the highest undeveloped and agricultural land in the county.Take a drive through the rural countryside and you will see it's agricultural heritage, rolling hills, orchards, hayfields, cornstalks, cattle and horses.  The architecture is magnificent from Old Pennsylvania fieldstone to the Victorians with their Gingerbread porches.  The farm buildings, bank barns, summer kitchens, tractor sheds all add to the distinct setting of Pennsylvania life 

Maryland transplants found they could buy a lot more home for the money and the distance to work was not that bad.  Route 83 is a straight shot from Baltimore and can be a beautiful ride in the fall when the leaves begin to turn.  Shopping in Southern York County is bountiful with many farmers markets, antique shops and tax free clothing purchases,Shrewsbury even has a super Wal Mart that is open 24 hours .  Major stores are accessible within a half hour. north are the York Malls and  south to Maryland  the Hunt Valley Mall. One of my favorite places is Brown's Orchards, they now have a lunchroom, I love their sugar cookies with chocolate chips (more like a hot milk cake with chips), their Apple Custard pie is to die for and the gift shop and homemade fudge just can't be beat.

Call me and let's go to Brown's and indulge in some decadence, you'll be glad you did. 

If you want to go on your own check out the York Visitors Guide for information and directions. Also check out what is happening in the area and do it.   Let me know if you go and how you liked it.  Click on the link below for an interactive guide to                                                         

As their saying goes "You have a friend in Pennsylvania".  There are many friends here, come see, enjoy and maybe you too will want to call it home.  

                                          Enjoy,

                                                Dottie

 These 2 young promising men lost their lives while serving our country in Irag.   

The community has established a Memorial Fund in their honor.  Please support this good cause in the celebration of their life.  Participate in the events listed below or if you are not local and would like to contribute please send a donation made out to the Anderson-Snyder Memorial Fund, see contact information below.  

          Lance Corporal Norman "Wally" Anderson III
Born July 21st, 1984
KIA- Sadah, Iraq- Oct. 19th, 2005, when a suicide car bomb detonated near him, while conducting combat operations against enemy forces. He has a Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal with Valor.
                                                                        Corporal Joshua David Snyder
Born Dec. 15, 1984
KIA-Fallujah, Iraq - Nov. 30, 2005, of wounds sustained from small-arms fire while conducting combat operations against enemy forces. He has a Purple Heart.        

ANDERSON - SNYDER MEMORIAL FUND

Established in the memory of these two fine and dedicated Marines who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we may live freely as Americans.

The fund provides charitable, educational, and civic opportunities to the community.

"

Being a Realtor is a full time stressful business and leads to occassional spurts of burn out.  Nothing like a beautiful snow to cleanse the mind and refresh the spirit.  I am fortunate that I live in an area that enriches my soul.  So what better way to rejuvenate than a walk on the bike/hike trail with my dog, Bear and my cat, My Boy (the cat who thinks he is a dog).  We took photos as we walked and enjoyed the softness of  everything around us.  The silent snow falling was soothing and everything seemed to be right with the world.   I recommend it for everyone. 

        This is the Owl Branch of the Little Gunpowder Falls.

Bear and My Boy enjoy their walks together.   The Bike Hike Trail is a wonderful experience for parents with children, people with dogs and of course, for some cats ( not many).  Oops forgot to mention those on bicycles.  Please take the time to enjoy the sights along the river and allow yourself to shed the hustle and bustle of the world and rejuvenate, after all you only have one life and the key is to use it wisely.  Come up to Parkton and see what it can do for you.