Decorative Sun- freeclipartnow

Sunshine and shirtsleeves! Bikers and walkers in what seemed to be greater numbers than just yesterday. The mountains were out, in snowy splendor, shining bright. People sat at sidewalk cafes with their faces turned up, catching rays. My spirits were up, it was great to be out and about dropping off gifts for a couple of clients, feeling warm in the car without the heater running! I was feeling joy, and each block along the way increased the feeling.

It was an it’s-almost-spring kind of day – the kind of day that is sometimes called a ‘fooled ya day’ here in Portland. (In February we may not get two of these in a row.) At just under 60 degrees, it was a day for not only feeling joy, but also for spying joy!

Michele M Larsen, used with permission

Michele M. Larsen, the former publisher of the NW Women’s Journal, has created a web experience and site for just these moments. She created ISpyJoy, a website dedicated to spreading joy by sharing photos and experiences of happiness from all over the world.

In her own words, she shares her thoughts behind the creation of the site: “After I lost my dream business I discovered I let too much of myself go with it. Then I made a choice: I wanted to be happy. Like the good student I’ve always been, I thought I needed to study this crazy, elusive animal “happiness.” So after reading stacks of books I came to the conclusion that happiness doesn’t come from what we do or who we think we are, it comes from appreciating the moment and finding value in simply being alive right here, right now.”

Stories and photos are varied. You’ll find photos of kids in the snow, a post about reptiles and joy, a note from a mother whose daughter has discovered her cancer has metastasized and how the ispyjoy site helped her move from despair to hope. As of the end of December, ISpyJoy had joyful images from 7 countries, 6 US states and 35 cities and counting.

I Spy Joy logo - used with permission

There is lots of encouragement to post your own moments and photos of joy. Check out the site, take a minute for joy, start your own collection of moments and sights of joy.

I Spy Joy – it’s a choice.

1. 

   Balloon Hearts on Strings

Oregon was admitted to the union on Valentines Day, 1859

– shouldn’t that mean Oregon is for Lovers, not Virginia? After all we have 150 years of love, not just 40!

All kidding aside, February 14^th is the beginning of the Oregon Sesquicentennial Year. Special stuff is going on all year!   Over 500 statewide events featuring elk viewing, arts and crafts festivals, trail clean up, painting contests, win a trip contests (see next post), paddling the South Slough Estuary at the Oregon Coast and many more incredibly fun and exciting things to do.        

 All over the state, all year long in big towns, small towns, all along the coast: Portland, Albany, Eugene, Newport, Adtoria, Philomath, Dayton, St. Paul, Salem, Lafayette, La Pine, Sisters, Baker City, the list is long!

Oregon's Birthday Bash Logo

Birthday Bash events in Salem, the capitol city, include  Family Day, the Sesquicentennial Soiree, or the Oregon Ball.

 Another way to kick start the next 150 years - and  benefit the Portland Art Museum at the same time is the Portland Art Museum’s Beaux Art Ball on February 21st. Themed after the famed Ecole des Beaux Arts Balls of 17th century Paris, you’ll find all details at their web site.

There’s lots more going on and lots more to let you know about.  It’s a great year to visit Oregon, it’s better than ever here! As always I’m avaliable to answer questions about Portland and the state that I love – real estate and more.  Let’s stay in touch!. 

Remnants: Artichoke Plant

It’s that time of the year.

  My garden is in horrible shape, seemingly fatally wounded by winter’s wrath.  While Portland gardens most always are fairly uninspiring and bleak in January, this year the garden seems to be in worse condition than usual.
The artichokes look dead.  Leaves of mush and slime, lying against dirt.  Over half of the strawberry plants are brown, brittle, broken.  And the swiss chard which has wintered successfully for two years – with a little protection on a few nights each year – has disappeared.  Melted I guess. December’s ice and snow have really taken a toll. 
Daisies, and phlox stems which were left in their beds for visual interest, now look stranger than fiction, primed to topple and stifle any nearby growth.

Garden in Disarray

January’s high winds have flattened the grasses, broken the thermometer and tossed a bird feeder to the squirrels.
 

The vine encrusted weather-vane frame is also a victim of the east winds. It now lies on the flagstones waiting for assistance: the roots not strong enough to withstand the gusts.   
Now it’s the first of February, and I wonder if the garden can be saved, will be as beautiful as in years past. I know it will come back.

Crocus Shoots

The signs of life and renewal are already there.  Green shoots of crocus, daffodils and tulips have poked through webbed, grey  leaf debris.  The irises are seven inches high. The dandelions, almost as great a harbinger of spring as the fat robin, are planning to erupt with bright yellow andy moment.  Newly folded, tender leaves lie against thorny rose canes, ready to pop at the first sunny, 55 degree day, and the rose buds won’t be far behind.
It’s time again for weeding, and cutting back, trimming and pruning.  Some of the plants won’t come back and will need to be re-seeded.  That’s true every year.  Maybe there will be a few more casualties this season – that will give me a chance to plant something new, try a different variety. The garden won’t be the same, with the same beauty as before, but it never is.  Each year the garden is a new garden.

Perhaps you’ve already seen it? The similarity this garden has to the business of real estate?  There’s been ice and snow in the industry: the media reports daily on the frozen banking and loan industry.  If you only listen to those reports, you miss the full picture, just as if you only see the damaged artichoke. Under the layers of media reporting, there is something else. Buyers ARE obtaining loans, making offers, receiving acceptances and moving into their new homes.  Sellers ARE pricing appropriately, putting their properties into tip-top condition, getting offers, and moving on with their lives.  

Last Year's Garden

The high winds of change, of correction have taken a toll.

In 2008 new homes sold at the slowest pace since 1982.

According to the National Association of Realtors, there are 10% fewer real estate agents than two years ago.   Short sales and foreclosures have become common words in our vocabularies.  This has been a hard winter for many; some roots were not strong enough.
Trimming and pruning are not just  spring tasks.  I’ve examined where and how I spend my media dollars, taken time in evaluating leads and client lists.  Assessed how motivated sellers are, reminded buyers that we’ll only know we’ve reached the bottom when we look back at it.  And meditated on which networking events will provide the best seeds for repopulating the pipeline.

As in the garden, I spend time noticing growth where I see it. Sales are up in some of the national markets that were hard hit, and nationally, December’s existing-home sales were up 6.5 % over November. Houses are affordable. Sellers are flexible. Loans are available. My January this year was stronger than January of 2008. Just as I see flowers in the earth, under fallen leaves and know they do come back; I see buyers and sellers, and under the uncertainty the pent-up demand I know is there. I see their hope, their desire.

 The market blooms each season, differently than last season’s. Each one is new, just as each year the garden is new. 

Anticipating

It’s still true, people need and want to move, to sell and buy homes, to create their own gardens.

photos by Alexsandra Stewart