A Christmas Present to Myself – A Box of New Beginnings

This is my final week as a licensed real estate sales representative. I have been struggling with the decision to leave all year. After my husband retired, I wanted to spend more time with him and to go on longer trips. It was clear that I could not provide top level service to my clients if I was going to be gone several weeks or months a year. So….. as my license was coming up for renewal in January, I finally wrapped up all my concerns about not having a specific plan for the future and decided to gift that freedom to myself.

As I have been telling my friends and clients of my decision, the first question that almost all of them have asked is “What are you going to do about your blog?”. I am going to continue. I have lots of experience to draw from, lots of thoughts and some ideas of activities that will keep me in the house-related area.

For the time being, I am going to enjoy the holidays ahead. In January, I will open the box of new beginnings and see what is in store.

Wish me luck!!!

Photo credit: Gift @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/72153088@N08/6510934443/

Tree Trimming Service

Today is the perfect day for trimming back tree limbs, especially those that are hanging dangerously over your or your neighbour’s house.  Last year, Brain Madigan (my favourite lawyer and real estate expert in Canada) wrote a wonderful post about the Liability of Fallen Trees.   It is such a popular post that it is on the first page of google when I went searching for the legal aspects of fallen trees and branches.  I highly encourage you to read and follow Brian’s blog.  He provides amazing advice.

December is the perfect month in Ontario and most of Canada for cutting back trees.  It is cold and the leaves have fallen so the crew can see all of the branches that need trimming. The sap flow has slowed so the branches are denser and easier on the chain saw.  It is hard physical labour so the crew is not at risk of passing out from the heat and not so cold that they need to wear their heaviest and warmest clothes. 

Our neighbour has a wonderful yard full of trees.  One tree has a limb that seriously overhangs the roof of our house.  We have discussed what to do about that limb.  The neighbour is a great guy, very responsible and very neighbourly.  Today, a whole crew showed up to trim back his trees and remove the huge branch that overhangs our roof.  Apparently a crane will be coming this afternoon to do the proper job of removing the big branches.  Right now, there are three guys, a chipper and their equipment truck.  I cannot wait for the real action this afternoon when the crane arrives. 

Doing this work is not cheap.  We have also asked this company to trim the branches of two small trees in our backyard.  No cranes needed and it can be done by hand.  This will cost just over $100,  I can only imagine that the work our neighbour is having done will be in the thousands. What is the cost of peace of mind – for us – with that huge branch removed.  Immeasurable. 

If you are thinking of selling your home in the next 12 to 24 months and have trees that need some work, now is the perfect time to get the job done.  

Good fences make good neighbours as do well trimmed trees. 

This work was done by:  Joe Trudeau, Premier-Treeservice.com   Cell:  613-880-5233 

Photo Credit:  Taken from the second floor window, Nikon D90

Valerie Zinger  

valeriezinger@gmail.com 

613-859-7759

Shopping at the Lansdowne Market – For the Birds!

Yesterday I bought a bird. 

We went to the Lansdowne Market.  Normally, the market ends in the fall but the Cattle Barn has been let to the local producers for a few Sundays.  The guidelines for the market are locally produced goods and food within a 100 mile radius – with the exception of fruit from Niagara.  It was a bit of a surprise to see how many crafters have rented booths.  It was the best of both worlds – shopping for food and for gifts.  There is one more Sunday (December 18th) left to go and get your baking, bread, meat, fall veggies and hand crafted goods. 

I found a wonderful booth of wire-made ornaments, wall hangings and free standing birds.  I fell in love with a gorgeous little crow.  This is the photo of the little guy settling into the bookcase.  The artist, Denise Atkinson, said that this was her favourite bird so far, that the irregularity of his wings is true.  I had to have him and know that there will never be another identical bird. 

I have noticed that we like to decorate with birds.  Since the beginning of time, man has used birds in his art – they symbolize energy and freedom.  There is significant symbolism for each bird, many that we seem to know intuitively.  When I looked around, I found that

If you are decorating or staging your home for sale, look at birds as part of the decorations and check what symbolism they reflect. 

It is a rare bird who is not attracted to avian decorations.