So the kids are back in school,  things are starting to get “back to normal” and fall is just around the corner.  Here are some suggestions for things to do with children on Whidbey this month:

• 1) Celebrate Children’s Day. On September 26^th from 10am-2pm, head on down to South Whidbey Community Park (5495 Maxwelton Rd, Langley) for Island County’s 12^th annual Children’s Day Celebration! Enjoy inflatable play structures, arts-n-crafts, face painting, balloon animals, pony rides, free food, music and fun…all for kids!
• 2) Check out the Library programs. Visit the library website for upcoming programs.
• 3) Visit your local Farmer’s Market. It is nearing the end of the Farmer’s Market season, and there are great bargains to be found. Visit Coupeville on Saturdays, Greenbank on Sundays and Oak Harbor on Thursdays. 
• 4) Eat a pancake breakfast. Every Saturday at the Masonic Lodge (my friend’s kids call it the “Atomic Lounge”) in Coupeville, pancake breakfast is served up for all to enjoy.
• 5) Stroll around Meerkerk Gardens. Although the Rhodies are in full bloom in the Spring, the grounds are still lovely year round, and there are a variety of trails through the gardens to explore.
• 6) Experience the Kite Festival. September 26-27 at Fort Casey Conference Center. You’ll find loads of kites coloring up the sky.
• 7) Punt, Pass & Kick. A NFL skills competition will be held for youth ages 8-15 on September 28^th at 4pm at South Whidbey Community Park in Langley. For more info email programs@whidbey.com.
• See the jungle animals of Greenbank. Not sure what’s going on just yet, but it’s a jungle out there! Next door to the Greenbank Store your little ones will get a kick out of the giant animals!
• 9) Go to a play. Enjoy Whidbey Children’s Theatre’s production of “The Wind in the Willows” now through the 4^th of October.

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The number of homes placed under contract (Pending Sales) during August was higher than the previous month, and was significantly higher (39%) than a year ago.  The number of homes available for sale as of August 31^st (816), was 7% less than the prior year. 

Both of these statistics show an improving housing market.  Furthermore, the higher end of the market (homes $600,000 and above) also showed some improvement as five homes went pending during August 2009.

For More Detailed Statistics:   aug-09-whid-mkt-statistics

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Like many rural areas, Whidbey has become a hub for back-to-the-farm folk selling organic produce via subscription to their green thumb-challenged neighbors. On the South End, Tilth Market organizers Anza Muenchow and Marc Wilson provide a sampling of that week’s best harvest for their subscribers from their Maha Farm off Glendale Road in Clinton. Just an egg’s throw away, Mike Nichols of Whidbey Green Goods, will deliver his week’s produce to you.

Molly Petersons offers organic produce from Molly’s Island Garden in Langley. Email petersns@whidbey.com or call (360) 321-5547. In Freeland, Lois Wenzek womans a year-round farm stand at Forget Me Not Farm, 5700 Double Bluff Road. 

North Enders rely on Linda Bartlett’s Rosehip Farm and Garden in Coupeville, (360) 678-3577 or email rosehip@whidbey.net) and Karry Brooks’ Laughing Ducks and Barking Dogs Farm in Oak Harbor, (360) 679-2914, for their farm-fresh offerings.

Summer farmers’ markets from Bayview to Oak Harbor offer fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, eggs, and local crafts. Throw in a marimba band and what better way to start your morning? Bayview and Tilth Farmers’ Markets run from 10am to 2pm on Saturday morning off State Route 525 at Bayview. In Coupeville, the Coupeville Farmers Market kicks off during the same Saturday morning hours at Alexander and 8^th Street behind the library.

If you overslept on Saturday, Greenbank Farm’s Sunday Market, located off State Route 525 in Greenbank, can provision your larder. Oak Harbor’s Thursday Market sets North Enders up for the weekend. Stop by between 4 and 7pm at their State Route 20 location near the Chamber of Commerce Visitor Information Center.

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Garage sales can be surprising and interesting.  They also can be a lot of work.   But to tell you the truth, I really prefer to just pack it up and drop it off at our local Navy Relief Thrift Shop. 

But, the garage sale that we had this past week was different.   After about 4 hours of haggling it felt like it was time to throw in the towel and close up shop.  That was until a gentleman decided to buy my son’s skateboard.   

My daughter and I started to visit with the man.  His faded ball cap said “CPO Retired.”   We learned that he was 78 years old and that his wife had passed last year from brain cancer.  For some reason, time stood still.  We visited as if we were long lost friends. 

He told us he was a Baker/Cook in the navy.   He had to audition to become the ships’ baker.  As he was describing decadent pastries he could make, they challenged him and said “prove it.”  His father had a bakery and had put him to work by the age of 10.   For his first challenge, he baked 28 trays of the most beautiful pastries.  He offered them delights of cream puffs to beautiful crusty French bread… he got the job.

He told us of the time he was on the USS New Jersey and they would shoot the guns of the battle ship for practice. The command would first check to see if he had a cake or bread in the oven, so they would not damage the rising process.   When the guns were shot off, the ship would travel backwards 500 yards!  He said that they could shoot at a target 22 miles away and hit it dead center!

Our CPO friend’s specialty was “Cry Baby Cookies.”  They contain ginger, coconut & maraschino cherries.  I was all in until I heard about the cherries…  But, it sounded as though he was describing a work of art. 

My daughter and I were enjoying the stories that he shared. We felt that we traveling in time and experiencing these stories first hand.  Eventually it was time for him to move on.  I am sure that standing around visiting for almost an hour was a bit taxing.

Days later, as my husband was leaving the house, he came back in carrying a large grocery bag.  “This was hanging on our front door’s knob.”  Attached was a yellow sticky note reading “Cry Baby Cookies.”  My daughter and I both screamed “CRY BABY COOKIES?!!!”

We don’t know who our mystery man is.  If it’s you, thank you!  They were delicious! 

To you and all who serve our country now, past and present:  Thank you from the bottom of my soul, for protecting me, my family, friends, and this GREAT country of ours.

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We have all seen the ads for monitoring your credit and I think it’s a good idea to know what your scores are-whether you use the service or have another source for your scores. There are ways to make sure your scores stay fairly high; of course the most important being make your payments on time.

The bureaus have an odd way of rating you, but would you expect less from them? Your score depends on your payment history, which is 35% of your score, revolving balances are 30%, number of new and old accounts 15%, the type of credit you have is 10% and the last 10% is inquiries. If you are going to be buying a home, car, or making other large purchases and are going to shop around for loans, I recommend you do it in a 30 day period because your account activity is reported to the bureaus once a month.

For more credit tips click here

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Like most Washingtonians I like the heat, but it’s getting a little too hot these days.  As most of us try to figure out how to keep cool we sometimes forget that man’s best friend is feeling it, too. 

We all know to keep water out for our dogs, but how often do you change it?  Experts say it is important to change their water frequently.  Makes sense doesn’t it?  I know I don’t like water that’s been sitting out in the sun or heat all day that may or may not have bugs and bacteria in it. 

Make sure your pup has some shade to lie in. Dogs can get sunburned.  If he’s going to be inside a cool floor is optimum; basements are a great place for him to cool off as the floors are usually nice and chilly.

If you’re taking him on a walk or to the play at the park/beach bring water for him, too!  Also, check the blacktop road or sand to see how hot it is.  Dogs’ pads are tough but can easily burn.  If the road is too hot for your bare feet, chances are Fido doesn’t want to walk on it, either.  Take him for walks early or late in the day, you will enjoy it more as well.  Read More »

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What could be better than to have a party and help local families in need?  August 7^th at the Oak Harbor Elks Club is the Make a Difference! Foundation Fundraiser 2009 and all proceeds go to benefit the Windermere Foundation. 

 Two local bands playing for local charities: Johnny Bulldog and KG3.  You may know that the lead singer of Johnny Bulldog is Coupeville resident John Tristao, lead singer for Creedence Clearwater Revisited for many years.  KG3 is also made up of local guys who have been mixing it up with the who’s who in rock-n-roll for over 30 years. 

 Both bands are going to rock the house for the Windermere Foundation, a non-profit organization helping homeless and low-income families. LOCAL non-profit agencies receiving Windermere Foundation dollars have furnished emergency and transitional housing, subsidized costs for services such as health care, food, clothing, school supplies, employment counseling, placement and training, day care, scholarships and much more.

So put August 7^th on your calendar-doors open at 6:30.  Cash bar, heavy appetizers, along with door prizes will just add to the great time you’ll have rocking out with Johnny and KG3.  Tickets are on sale now for $25, and qualify as a tax deductible charitable contribution.  For tickets email Jason McFadyen jmcfadyen@windermere.com or call 360.675.5953.  Tickets are available at Windermere Oak Harbor and the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce.

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The number of homes that were placed under contract during June 2009 (83), was 12% higher than the previous month, and 24% higher than during June 2008.  Both factors are signs the Whidbey Island market is improving. 

However, the number of homes available for sale increased 11% from May 2009, to nearly the same number one year ago.

Sales prices are still declining, but at a slower rate than during the first quarter of 2009.  During June 2009, the median sales price for single family homes and condominiums was $265,000, which is 4% less than the median price of $276,000.  The average sold price for homes sold during June 2008 was $292,000 which is 14.6% less than one year ago ($342,000).

Homes that were sold during June 2009, sold on average for 92% of the original listed price, and were on the market for 167 days. 

For more information:  june-2009-stats1

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A sense of fulfillment and satisfaction, only matched by a desire to do more, was the result of the 2009 Windermere Community Service Day in South Whidbey.  For the second year, Windermere Freeland & Windermere Langley chose Good Cheer as the “must do.”  Good Cheer is the only food bank in South Whidbey, and, in addition to the food bank, it operates an item receiving and distribution center, two general thrift stores and a clothing boutique thrift store.  A staff of 14, headed up by Kathleen McLaughlin,  and nearly 400 volunteers keep the operation moving at an impressive rate.  The numbers of people served by Good Cheer increased dramatically in 2008 - 4,044 individuals — about 1,200 more people than 2007 turned to the Food Bank to help put food on the table.

The Windermere staff, agents  & family members did a myriad of jobs from stocking shelves in the grocery to filling and reapportioning bulk foods for distribution, sorting and pricing clothes & donations for the thrift stores to working in the vegetable garden and performing some really hard yard work projects.   We at Windermere found it stunning to see a non-profit organization responsible for so many different aspects be run so well.  It also made it an easy decision to spend our time with Good Cheer a second year. Whether one wants to call it the “stars aligning “or pure brilliant executive decision making, the team that runs good cheer could not be a tighter organization, and it is fortuitous for South Whidbey to have had this team securely in place during these very difficult economic times —-for more neat information, visit Good Cheer.

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Everyone knows who Habitat for Humanity is-but most think they just build houses for families.  I would say they do much, much more than that; they help build dreams.

 Last Friday, all 4 Whidbey Island Windermere offices were closed for Community Service Day, as we do the third week in June every year.  The Oak Harbor office helped build those dreams while siding and landscaping a Habitat house.  This was a very special day for us, as the awaiting homeowner was also on-site building away on her first home.  We worked, we laughed, and most of all, we had a good time. If you ever get the chance to help on a Habitat build, I would highly recommend it.  For information on how to volunteer, visit Island County Habitat.

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