Cheers to a successful block party in Sanders Beach! We gathered about 60 neighbors and enjoyed hamburgers and hot dogs at Lauras home on South 11th. The weather was 75 and perfect in the shade of her trees! We met new neighbors that had recently moved to the neighborhood and even a couple that are building and yet to move in! Thank you Laura for hosting! Thank you Bill and Richard for joining me in hosting this block party! Everyone had a good time and they all look forward to the next event!
FollowSep 02
Labor Day Weekend Festivities
See you on the lake this weekend or at an event. Fall Fest Celebration is this weekend at Schweitzer. St. Maries is hosting Paul Bunyan Days and I have never been but it seems like this will be the year we make it. We’ll boat down to the festivities! Wallace has “under the bridge and flea market and food fair”.
Aug 20
Art on the Green and Street Fair
My favorite weekend has come and gone and have been to busy to post! The first weekend of August is always the Coeur d’Alene downtown street fair with all the side walk sales and street vendors! Hot and 80 degrees is normal on the black asphalt for this weekend! So, buying a hat is a must! I say that any downtown event is my “social media”. I walk downtown and run into friends and clients and make new friends and clients! And, that is what I did, all three days! From downtown to the Resort park and food court, to North Idaho College and Art on the Green! Never miss it!
Jun 23
Coeur d’Alene Lake level lowers!
The gates are open! The Spokane River at the Post Falls dam is running at 32,700 cubic feet per second, equal to 1,059,480,000 gallons of water per hour. The water has been rushing out of the gates for the past two months, creating such a pretty sight!
Jun 21
Lake Coeur d’Alene at flood level in May!
Heavy rains and snowmelt created flooding in our rivers and Lake Coeur d’alene during April and May. The high point was over 2,132 feet, flood level is 2,133. This week the level has lowered and is at 2128.75 and predicted to go lower, even though there is still snowpack and warmer weather on the way! There was damage to most of our beaches and lots of driftwood and rocks moving around! Most of us still can’t get to our docks, the lake level is too high to get from the beach to the dock!
May 08
Downtown Wine Extravaganza!
Last Saturday, I enjoyed the downtown Coeur d’Alene Extravaganza! There were more than 15 different wineries and over 100 different wines. I ventured out in the chilly weather with a few girlfriends, starting out at the Resort Plaza shops. We were given a wine glass and we visited the tables and tasted some excellent wine. Emptying the glass before venturing on the streets, we wondered into Possibilities, Painters Chair Gallery, Studio 107, Angel Gallery, Art Spirit and others. The best part for me is what I call my “social media”! When I socialize downtown, I run into clients and friends and end up making new clients and friends! Great event to benefit the 3C’s and look forward to next year!
Mar 02
McEuen Park Design Concept
Downtown Coeur d’Alene has enjoyed the open areas of McEuen Park, the ball fields and Tubbs Hill and hosted the areas youth sports for decades. The city council has presented a dynamic master plan, that allows the park to evolve into a destination park, with compelling and memorable features. It’s a mega plan that they state will serve the greatest number of uses for the greatest number of people, of all ages and abilities, throughout all seasons; stimulating economic benefits to the community; supporting regional events; and recognizing the legacy of the McEuen Field area.
The plan involves tennis courts, bocce ball, pavilion, gardens, fenced dog park, childrens play area, plazas, many water features and more. Some people say they are not happy about the plan to close the Third Street boat launch. The city council stated that has been the plan for years.
Wondering, during times like these why does the city have a costly park revamp on their agenda?
Feb 02
A walk on Sanders Beach!
It was a beautiful sunny day in North Idaho, and my family decided to take the dog for a walk on Sanders Beach. Since the lake level is low in the winter, we are able to walk from the public beach access, across the area in front of the private homes. (that’s another story regarding the beaches in front of the homes that I’ll discuss at a different time!)
Our walk took us along the water’s edge where we stopped many times to skim rocks in the water. We would throw sticks for Lucy, our Jack Russell Terrior (terrorist!) Always the almighty water dog, she would not venture but a few inches in the cold winter water! We continued along the shoreline, around the bay towards the Resort Golf Course. It’s such a beautiful view of the area, the grass is slightly snow-covered and there are still ducks wandering around!
Lucy gets the Goose!
There was one particularly large goose down on the rocks that Lucy darted after. She ran ahead of us and started barking in her high pitch, irritating bark! I couldn’t wait to get my camera out as she practically pounced this poor bird. Until I was about 10 feet away, did I realize that it wasn’t moving. It wasn’t real! A prop for the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course beach!
Jan 29
Sanders Beach – Polar Bear Plunge!
The Polar Bear Plunge – It’s a tradition on January 1st at noon on Sanders Beach! We have the luxury of walking down to the event, as we live just a couple of blocks from the beach. This year was one of the coldest years, with temperatures around 15 degrees, snow on the ground and imagining that the water was extremely cold! About 500 participates scurry for a spot close to the water and at noon they plunge into the frigid waters in their bathing suits and run back searching for their towels! And, why does everyone take pictures of half-naked, winter white, shivering bodies?
Do I plunge? No, not a chance! But, I have been everyone’s “cheer leader” for 17 years! I cheer on dozens of my friends and then I step back, closer to the fire. Yes, I stand by the huge bonfire in front of the home with the copper-colored roof, enjoying my hot coffee!
Sanders Beach Polar Bear Plunge!
Join me next year – I have a great viewing spot!
Jan 29
Real Estate alive in Coeur d’alene!
It’s not doom and gloom in the Great Northwest! There is not a normal real estate market in North Idaho! Our prices are good and if it makes sense to you, then it is the right time to purchase! Real Estate is a good investment and right now prices are right! If you’re looking to purchase your first home, and all the attributes of the home are right, then it is a good time to purchase. If you’re going to stay in the home for more than 5 years, and it makes sense, then there is value for you!
If you’re looking to make an investment in a home to use as a rental, and the home is in decent shape with little or no work needed, there are good prices on homes under $150,000. If you have money in the bank earning next to 0% interest income, maybe it makes sense to earn more in rental income!