No..no...nooooooooo can the summer be gone? How can it be?  I am still fighting the bunnies and chipmunks for my tomatoes. Hands full of green beans for the pot and small mounds of green peppers turning red on my porch. My attention is riveted as I watch the cherry tree leaves falling like light snow to the ground.

Still in denial, at first I thought the premature drop was due to the severe lack of rainfall in this area the last 2 months. However with the crisp low 50 degree mornings we have had the tulip tree leaves are starting to turn and join the rest in their rush to the ground. Time to haul out the "Fall To Do" list and get started! 

Let these suggestions get you ready for the change thats coming.

Call your heating maintenance company for a fall service check that includes inspecting and replacing filters.

If you have a fireplace, its a good idea to make sure birds have not nested in your chimney.

Nows a great time to disconnect and thoroughly clean your dryer vents, heating vents and cold air returns in your home.

Remove and store water hoses after the first frost or two. Remember to flood irrigate your tender or newly planted evergreens, they tend to get dehydrated over the long winter months.

If you haven't done so lately, take the time to check out your gutters to make sure that all are free flowing, because when the cold rains of autumn come, you will want to be cozy inside!

Plant some new spring flower bulbs! There is nothing more exciting than to see the first flush of crocus or early daffodils peeking through the snow. Put a small scattering of them near a window that you see out of often, like a kitchen or dining area window.

Divide your perennial plants like hostas, daylilies and so on.

Prune shrubbery and do any moves or transplanting of small trees.

Clean out the annual beds and vegetable gardens after first frost and mulch with chopped leaves, layers of shredded newspaper,  Add a bit of 10-10-10 fertilizer to help with the breakdown and give the soil ready nutrients for next year. If you are fortunate enough to find some, bunny manure is a great addition as well.

When you are ready to pack up the mower for the season, DON'T. Take it to your local maintenance shop instead and have them service it. It has worked long and hard for you this year, you want it ready to go in the spring, with a newly sharpened blade, fresh oil in the tank and a new spark plug.

Don't let the snowblower be neglected either, at the first 6 inches of snow is not a good time to wonder if it will start!

$74,000 MLS# 9918546

Affordable starter home, perfect for first time buyer or newlywed couple. Priced to fit first time buyer's budgets. 2 bedroom 1 bath

Large kitchen bar with stainless steel appliances and over the stove microwave Open airy floor plan with laminate floors (except master bedroom, which is carpeted) Bonus room with outside entrance would be perfect for a home office or den

Above ground pool and paver patio for your summertime parties 6 foot privacy fence and 2 garden sheds for storage Shaded nicely landscaped yard with pond. Minutes to the Toll Road, shopping and restaurants on a quiet cul-de-sac street

MORE Photos and Details here: http://calllandmark.com/listings.htm?agent_mls_id=4245&mls=75

Like so many kids growing up I could not wait to get away from Goshen, a small town in the midst of walls of corn that seemed to go on forever.  My wish came true and I did grow up and move away. Only with the distance of time and miles did I come to appreciate all that I left behind. I returned some 25 years later with eyes that could and still do appreciate all that this little town still has to offer.   

The nostalgic part of me wishes the downtown area still hosted some long gone favorites like Kline's Department store, where the clerks called good morning to you by name and where a walk into Murphy's Dimestore tickled your hearing as your footsteps made the old oak floors creak so loudly you wondered if they could support the weight of the dusty shelves loaded with dishes and penny candy cases.

The Maple City is older and like me, has changed over the years, but thankfully some things havent changed and some of the things that are new are an improvement. A current look reveals a rich bounty of places to go, good food to be had, bargains to find and yes, still many friendly folks to wait on you as you make your way through town.

Some of my favorite spots to shop, eat and just hang out include:

John Hall's True Value Hardware
205-207 South Main Street
(574)533-3293  
No, the clerks there do not know my name, but they are just as friendly and ever ready to help you find just what you need.

Baintertown Race, located just south of town off of State Road 15.
For a quiet walk, a bike ride, a picnic or just a few moments of  natures beauty. Its free and Mother Nature provides an ever changing cornucopia of color and things to see. This photo, taken by a friend of mine was taken in spring, when the Red Bud trees were in full bloom.


County Seat Cafe
124 West Jefferson Street
(574)534-1348   This is a long time favorite of the Goshen natives and others who know the corner to seek out when they are looking for a good cooked meal. Breakfast is my favorite time at this busy Goshen eatery.


The Depot
1013 Division Street
(574)534-4070   Seeking the unusual, the inexpensive find? Find the Depot on Division Street, where items are displayed in a brightly lit room. From canning jars for a quarter to flat screen computer screens for $15, you are sure to find a bargain here!

The Old Bag Factory
1100 Chicago Ave
(574) 534-2502    http://www.oldbagfactory.com/  If its art you seek, do not miss The Old Bag Factory. This is one part of town that changed for the better during my absence. When I left town it was just what its name says, "the old bag factory" where they used to make bags before all that manufacturing was moved elsewhere. Now its a charming grouping of artists who turn out lovely pieces of pottery, quilts to stun you with their beauty, and many other hand crafted items.

The Olympia Candy Kitchen
136 N. Main Street
Goshen, IN 46526
Phone: (574) 533-5040   http://www.olympiacandykitchen.com/history.html   
A Goshen institution, the Olympia has been making hand rolled chocolates for over 100 yrs in the same location. A visit here will yield a hard wooden booth (original) and the same lights that were installed in the early part of the 20th century. Never had a Green River before or a Vanilla Phosphate? Its something everyone should try just once and see if you can walk out the door without stopping to buy at least one, or maybe two pieces of chocolates for the road home!

The Chief Ice Cream Stand
1131 Abby Court
(574)533-6448   
The Chief has been the summertime hangout for many generations of Goshen folks looking for a little after dinner socializing while waiting inline for a hot fudge sundae or just a dipped cone.


The Courthouse Grounds Goshen is the county seat of Elkhart County and the courthouse and surrounding grounds take up one city block square in the downtown area. The grounds are filled with beautiful maple trees, benches and the famous Neptune Fountain that used to scare me as a little girl. A nice spot to catch your breath and watch the hustle of town go by.

Maple City Market
314 S. Main Street
Goshen, IN 46526
(574) 534-2355     www.maplecitymarket.com
The Maple City Market is a relative newcomer to the downtown area, occupying the old IGA grocery store building. They have organic produce, bulk foods, bulk spices, health foods, vitamins, freshly made breads and deli items for take out. If you time it right, you can walk out with a freshly made loaf of bread that is still warm from the oven. Hurry...its often sold out quickly!
 
The Refinery Cafe and Coffee Roasters
1907 Elkhart Road
(574)535-0101  
Are you a coffee gourmet? Have you always wanted to try to roast your own beans but never really gotten around to it? No need to, just swing into the Refinery, where they roast them for you.

I hope I have intrigued you to seek out the unusual and the usual that continue to make Goshen a great small town to live in. 

These days in Elkhart, you can almost hear a collective SIGH as the dog days of August get even doggier with the ongoing saga of lost jobs and worry about the state of the local economy.

Being that I am a certified Pollyanna, I say that yes, it is hard to stay positive with the constant stream of bad news, BUT even if you can't afford a vacation this year, you can plan to attend the Elkhart Island of Blues Festival that will be taking place August 23,2008 at Island Park  at the north end of Main Street and Beardsley Av. on the Elkhart River.

Last years festival was a great success, entertaining 4,000 folks with food, drink and great music, lets make this year even BETTER! Come on down and get in the blues the fun and easy way!

Tickets are $18.00 in advance … $20.00 date of festival.

For tickets, please contact The Elco Performing Arts Center at (574) 293-4469.

Entertainment:

Elwood Splinters Blues Band 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm

Blue Lunch 5:45 pm - 7:00 pm

Root Doctor 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Grammy Nominee Randy McAllister 9:30 pm - 11:30 pm

*Times are approximated

For more information, visit the website. See you there!

http://www.russellproducts.com/islandofblues/tickets.html

Today is one of those days here in Hoosier Land. One of those days that makes you glad you are alive and glad you are in Elkhart County! Low humidity, bright sunny day. Low 80's.  This is the day I will "store" in my mind to recall during those dark winter mornings when the sky can barely light up enough to drive to work without running your headlights all day long.

Another reason to be happy today? Its harvest time in Indiana.  The sweetest sweet corn, peaches, green beans, tomatoes, blueberries and the melons! I am like a drunken sailor reeling from one drink to the next on the constant stream of luscious fruits and vegetables making their way to my kitchen.

One place they are making their way from is the American Countryside Market, CR26, just south of town off of SR 19. Rising to occupy a huge hunk of the flat farmlands, you cant miss the bright red barn color and bright white trim. This is a busy beehive of activity every week. Heres a link to their website with all the details:

http://www.americancountryside.us/market/

In addition to all the great things to eat there, there are also crafters items, and a part of the Quilt Garden Tour that is located all around Elkhart County this summer. These are huge quilt blocks interpreted in summer blooms.If you havent given yourself the time or the gas to take a vacation this summer, spend a little of both to see these lovely gardens.

Enjoy the weekend and remember, SEIZE your day!

In addition to being a real estate agent, I am also a quilter. Quilters always have had a generous hearts, making a quilt to bring comfort to someone is what we do, who we are. We sent thousands of them to Katrina victims. The Linus organization, which gives quilts to kids who need comforting has delivered over 2,300,000 kids quilts to date and that is just a small portion of what goes on. We are as I post this message collecting and sending items to the folks in Cedar Rapids,Iowa area where the quilters there lost everything, even so simple an item as a pack of needles and a spool of thread. We hate the thought of a fellow quilter being without something to stitch on and so help to replenish their sewing supplies and bring comfort to their water weary hearts.

I have always contributed to those types of efforts but never really got my heart into it long term. Sort of like many folks do, just write a check and forget it, that was me. A little over a year ago, an online quilter friend of mine made a plea for help. She had a friend who was making quilts as fast as she could (over 100 a month)  for the wounded soldiers being returned from the Mideast. The organization is called American Hero Quilts (http://americanheroquilts.com). I brought the project before my local group called the Heartland Quilters of Elkhart, thinking that maybe we could make a few quilts to donate. After we shipped our second box of quilts, I got a email back from the head of the organization, she told me about a young soldier named Aaron.

Aaron is not a native Hoosier..but a transplanted one. He spent the majority of his youth before going to war in the foster care system in Indiana. He met his future wife there and when he joined up, hoping to make a better life for himself and his family, they didn't count on him coming home minus an arm, an eye and 50% of his skin. Despite all that, when the quilt arrived from Elkhart County just for him with a label on the back that says "Thank you to an American Hero", he didn't want to take it, he didn't think he deserved to have such a beautiful thing.

I am proud to say that to date that I and the Heartland Quilters have donated over 50 quilts to comfort torn bodies and torn souls. I document all of the group quilts,you may see those photos at

      http://news.webshots.com/album/560353754iIHaXL

We were extremely fortunate recently to have an article on the front page of the Elkhart Truth and also a short segment on WSBT Channel 22. Thanks to the generosity of the local residents,our work is able to continue. We vow to keep on stitching until they all come home. God Bless the soldiers and their families, who give up so much. God Bless our local supporters, without you our stitches would have come to an end far too soon.

So sorry for those of you who do not live here or those who are even too far away to travel here. One of the best fairs in the state of Indiana is happening this week in Goshen, Indiana. We have free grandstand shows and some of the best entertainment around! Kellie Pickler, Hootie and the Blowfish and many other shows can all be seen from the grandstand for just the price of admission.

I have always liked going to the fair.  My birthday falls around the Centerville MI fair week and every year when we were kids, we went to that fair for my birthday. I was in 4H and one of my entries one year was selected to go to State Fair in Indianapolis. I thought I was hot stuff, but when I got there, it didnt seem so much better than our fair at home! It still doesnt! I went to the state fair a few years ago to see Garrison Keillor and the show was great, but I thought the fair itself was just ok. I have also attended several county fairs and the state fair in Florida and the Hillsboro, MI county fair, all the while judging them against our own. OURS WINS hands down!

Lets not even talk about the food! Yes, every fair has its share of cotton candy, elephant ears, corn dogs and sinfully bad for your, but oh so good fried vegetables...but do the other ones have...Fresh ice cream from the Dairy Club Stand, Nelsons BBQ chicken, fresh lamb burgers from the Lamb Club and lets not even talk about the home-made pies...ahhh what could be better?

Take a look at the website and hopefully someday you will get a chance to be in Elkhart County the third week of  July to join us for the best fair in the Midwest! http://www.4hfair.org/grandstand.htm

OR you could take your pontoon boat out for a spin, which the owners of this most affordable Simonton Lake Channel  beauty are offering with a NEW LOWERED PRICE OF $288,900

SEE VIRTUAL TOUR HERE: http://www.circlepix.com/home/4FT3

3 Bedrooms  2 Baths
Open Airy Floor Plan, Some Vaulted Ceilings
Woodburning, stone front Fireplace
3 car garage
Crawl space with storage
New Roof
Tile Entry
New Carpet in Main Living Areas
Laundry Room

Concrete Seawall 140 foot wide with several boat slips

Large Garden Shed to store more toys

Deck

Goldfish Pond with Outdoor Speakers

Quiet, Cul-de-sac location90 miles from Chicago

Minutes from the 80/90 Toll Road Exit# 92