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Are you paying for that water you use to water your yard? Well if it rains anything like it does here in Seattle, you should be gathering that water for free. All you need to do is buy or make a rain barrel to collect the water. The rain barrel I use is a great rust orange color barrel that used to hold peppercinis. There are many types of rain barrels. You are bound to find one that will look nice in your yard. Place the rain barrel beneath the gutter spout and start collecting. IT IS THAT EASY. I bought a gutter extender so that I was able to properly route the water. Please don't drink the water as the run-off from your roof can add toxins, but it is great for most applications in the yard or your indoor plants. Rain barrel information and sources in the Seattle area How to make your own rain barrel. Ideally having a cistern that will hold larger quantities of water is better, since there are times here in the summer where we don't see rain for weeks. Yes, don't laugh...that can happen here in Seattle. That way you will always have water available when you need it. You can also connect several rain barrels together to increase the amount of water you can collect. Make sure that your barrels come complete with mosquito netting as you don't want a breeding ground on your property. Collecting rainwater has been enjoyable for me. Yes, I know I am probably not saving huge sums of money but to me it is the principle. Why pay for and use something that is given to us for free. There is something special about going over to my barrels, filling up the watering can (warning, it is slower than just turning on the hose spigot, but this reminds me to SLOW DOWN in life), and reusing the water in my garden. This water doesn't contain the added chlorine and flouride that the city puts in our water and the plants don't need it. They are happy, happy, happy with the recycled water they are given. Paramount Park in Shoreline, WA is located at the corner of NE 155th and 8th NE. It is a fabulous neighborhood park that boasts a great play area for the little ones, a baseball field, a lap for running, biking, etc that is about 1/2 mile or so long, great grassy space, picnic tables, and more. It is well-kept and clean. My daughter loves the climbing wall at the playground and her father likes the fact that there is a skateboard park for him to enjoy as well. Shoreline, WA is located just North of Seattle. Here are a few photos from the last time we were there...
•1. Who is your favorite musical artist (post a YouTube Video)? Absolute favorites...Tracy Chapman and Ani Difranco! OOPS: Forgot to save as a draft to add the video and I don't know how to do it after I have already posted. So until I figure it out...you can click on the link to take you to the youtube video. But currently enjoying Brett Dennon, Citizen Cope, and Ingrid Michaelson,
•2. Who is your favorite artist? (Post a photo) Abstract expressionist Mark Rothko. I have always been a fan of his color field series. I saw his work in person at the Tate museum in London and it is energizing.
•3. Who is your favorite blogger? I don't have one...honestly...I can tell you who is on my subscription list though: Jessica Horton, Ardell Dellaloggia, Leslie Bloss, Deborah Burns, Jonathon Washburn, Bob Stewart, AR's official blog, and Brad Carroll. •4. If you could meet anyone (dead or alive) who would it be and what is the most interesting thing about them? I originally wrote down the profound name of "God" and then went on to explain some of my beliefs, but upon proofreading this post, I decided to delete my answer in fear of getting into a religious discussion or DEBATE, as often happens here on AR. We all know that your god might not be my god and vice versa...therefore I decided to leave my religious beliefs off of this thread. Perhaps another day when I am feeling more adventorous... •5. What did you want to be when you grew up? Funny thing, growing up I wanted to be a veterinarian...but as an adult...I am not a huge fan of pets. I love animals and all of their greatness. I just went to the zoo this past week and was reminded of how AMAZING creatures are. However, when it comes to pets...I can do without. I am just not one of those dog or cat lovers. Please don't be offended. I like your cat or dog, I just don't need to have one of my own. So I find it quite ironic that growing up I wanted to be a vet. Then in high school I decided I was going to be a lawyer. While working as a nanny one summer, I watched too much television during the child's naptime. I was force-fed the OJ Simpson story as many of Americans were. At the end of that long summer when OJ got away with murder, I was SO FURIOUS. I could not believe there were lawyers out there defending someone who was obviously guilty. I mean we ALL watched that police chase of the white Bronco, driven by OJ, why was he running if he didn't do it???? These lawyers defended him fo fame and to pad their wallet. I decided that job just wasn't for me and decided to go to school to be a teacher (yes, you always hear that teachers make great real estate agents). •6. What is the most interesting piece of trivia you know? I am the worst at being able to remember trivia or jokes on the spot. If you asked me to tell you a joke, I probably couldn't...Oh except for the one dirty joke I forced myself to remember because I always hated when people said "You can't even remember one joke!!" Sorry, some great piece of trivia will probably hit me some time after I post this BLOG. If so, I will try to come back and edit it in.
•7. If you could live in any point of history, what would it be and why? I would want to go back to a time where there were no electronics...computers (I spend too much time on them), televisions, telephones, etc., no mass productions of any kind. I would want to have the opportunity to live solely from the land, harvesting and hunting for my own food...really getting in touch with nature and the struggles that came all of these conveniences. I see in our daily lives, how much waste we make, how much we consume...and we almost never feel full or satisfied. I often dream about what it would be like to have it all taken away. Would I stop to smell the flowers more often...You BETCHA...would I appreciate each bite I put in my mouth....You BETCHA...would I use my imagination more often...You BETCHA...would I stop and just do nothing...You BETCHA...
•8. What is the most interesting job you have ever held? I have done some pretty interesting jobs in my day from paper routes as a child, to pruning peach trees in the orchards, to being the secretary of the police department in the very small town of Soap Lake, WA where I went to middle and high school, as well as being a nanny, a bartender, a cocktail server, a coffee shop owner, and more...but probably the most interesting was teaching Third Grade in an Elementary School in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. I lived down there a couple of times in my twenties and after graduating from CWU with a teaching degree (I majored in Art as well) I decided it would be a great place to experience my first classroom. It was such a joy working with those children. They were really pushed hard. They endured an entire Spanish curriculum in ½ a day and then an English curriculum with me for the second half. I had 48 students (24 in the morning, 24 in the afternoon). I ended up leaving Mexico due to my first major heartbreak. I only wish now that I could have found the strength to stay for my students but I needed to come back to the states to be with family. I still think about that class often. SO NOW I GET TO TAG 8 OF YOU FINE FOLKS... I was out at a family member's house and the lawn was gorgeous. Not a single dandelion in sight. Now I am not one of those people who embraces the dandelion. I consider it a weed. I remember hearing a quote from someone famous that perhaps we just need to look at them differently. This is true for dandelions offer great nutrients in their leaves. So the next time you're hungry march outside and pick yourself some greens. You can also steam them up like spinach. Please don't eat them though if you use chemicals in your landscaping environment. I asked this family member (yes, I am withholding who it is) how they got rid of the dandelions and they eagerly ran back to the shed and came out with a bottle of Weed Be Gone. I shot a look at my boyfriend who knows I don't put that stuff or any other chemicals on my lawn or gardens. Since the family member and I just recently got on talking grounds again and I didn't want to rock the boat with my GREEN LIVING CRUSADES, I kept quiet, hoping my boyfriend would interject. Well...now that bottle of Weed Be Gone is sitting in my shed and I don't know what to do with it. I won't use it. I don't want to give it away to family or friends. I don't want to toss it in the garbage. ...and I don't want to put it down the drain. ..so for now it sits. Once I got home from this family member's house, I immediately googled how to get rid of dandelions naturally. There are many different remedies out there, I was quite shocked that so many people use chemicals. It seems we are losing ourselves and getting out of touch with the earth. The easiest fix, that is what we want. Well what if I said there was a much easier fix and it is free. First of all, I encourage you all to check out the ingredients in Weed be Gone. It is said that the active ingredient is one of the ingredients of the Agent Orange that effected so many war veterans drastically. I would not feel comfortable with my children running around with bare feet soaking up this chemical. There are even stories of the dangerous cancer causing effects it has on our animals. Now Fido is important to you right? Or the effects it has on our wildlife and streams? Ok, now that I have probably got your attention, let's get back to learning how to get rid of the dandelions naturally. First and foremost, you can PULL them out. Just make sure you get as much of the root as possible. There are also handy-dandy tools to help you accomplish this. Secondly, you can discourage their growth by mowing often, also go around and pick off the heads before they seed. As you are likely aware there can be thousands of seeds from one flower. The third way that I know of I actually find the most amazing. Pour boiling water over the center of the stem. You can literally watch them lose their green color and turn brown. I probably spent close to 3 or 4 hours boiling water on the stove and brought each pot outside pouring the water over each and every dandelion one by one. Ok I agree, this isn't the most efficient way to rid of dandelions but it is natural. I bet someone has already come up with a tool of some sort that heats the water the perfect temperature and is held in some kind of tank or something. All you have to do is wheel it around and spray each dandelions with hot, boiling water. So, since I don't own this tool I dreamed up...I want back to the drawing board. Once again googling for more answers. This my friend seemed to be the magic ticket. HOT VINEGAR: •1. Boil Vinegar on the stove. Not sure how bad it is to inhale so don't boil long and use ventilation. •2. Pour hot vinegar in a sray bottle. Use an old one cause the bottle might disfigure a little due to the hot water. •3. Spray the dandelions with about three or four sprays of the hot vinegar. I heard doing this on a sunny day works better. Let the vinegar soak in and do its thing. •4. Watch the dandelions turn brown and die....YEAH!!! I probably did a patch half the size of what I had done the day before with the boiling water (3-4 hours) in about 10 minutes. Much, much easier. I still think that boiling water is more natural and it is free (well besides, the cost of water and the electricity to boil it) but until I find the proper contraption I will stick with the vinegar. I hope that this inspires you to put away the chemicals and strive for a more natural and clean environment, that is not only better for you, but for the environment as well. Here is a photo from pouring the boiling water over the area. Keep in mind that this area was completely covered with dandelions. I am not talking about a few, I mean the whole area. We decided to kill them off and then reseed. I didn't get a picture of the vinegar method, but essentially it looks the same, just more specific spots, since I can aim better with a spray bottle rather than dumping water. I do realize that brown spots don't really look so hot but we let the dandelioin problem get so out of hand that we have to resort to this method. The plan is to kill them off as much as we can this year and reseed the grass and then hopefully have a nicer lawn next year. In the meantime, we will be actively picking the heads off of dandelions so they don't seed again, mowing often, and aggressively shooting them down with VINEGAR!!!! Yes, I know I haven't blogged in ages....well, ok...maybe not ages....but I have definitely put blogging on the back burner while I have tended to my yard for the past couple of weeks. The nice weather here in Seattle has been long over do and I just couldn't pass up being outside. I mean, it just snowed here a month ago for goodness sake. I love to be warm, so 70, 80 degree days and I am a happy camper. Yes, I went to the Green festival. It was a lot of fun, however, there weren't as many green "real estate" related companies as I had anticipated. I did have fabulous food....oh yummy organic Yaki Sobi noodle dish...I still think about you. There was music and just an overall nice atmosphere.
My best girlfriend was there. She works for a "green" pest control company called Alpha Ecological. I really should have picked her brain a bit about what makes her company green but I know that she had been asked that enough that weekend (I would say hundreds of times based on her exhaustion level at the end of the weekend). Some people were even down-right rude about it. It is understandable for consumers to want to educate themselves and it is important for "green" companies to disclose what makes them stand apart from standard practices...(we know that greenwashing runs rampant). My biggest concern is that I would hate for those companies who are taking baby steps towards being green to get discouraged by those overly aggressive "green activists." I guess what I am saying is we shouldn't jump down people's throats to say "Your company isn't as green as it should be"...but rather give suggestions as to how they can green up. I have noticed that it isn't easy being green. I am faced on a daily basis with skeptics. Those people who say global warming is a fallacy, it is all a consumer ploy for companies to make more money, our actions don't have an effect on the earth, chemicals are fine, depleting our natural resources, ...who cares? I can go on and on about the daily rebuttals of trying to live my life green. But do you know what? I don't care what some of you think. I will continue to go against the stream and forge forward...because I AM making a difference whether you are or not. I could save my breath but instead I choose to yell from mountain tops. And for those of you who don't want to listen...well then try not to watch as well....for I also live by example. STAY TUNED for the newest "Green Living" changes I have made: Rain Barrels, Organic Gardening, Composting, Getting rid of Dandelions Naturally (without chemicals such as weed-b-gone), Home water purifying system, Hot Tubing without chemicals, Smart Strip Energy Savers, Chlorine-Free Bath ball and Shower Filter, and more. Ahh yes people...Changes are a'happening. I just wanted to make sure that everyone who is anyone knows about Seattle's Green Festival this weekend. It is being held at the Washington State Convention Center on Saturday from 10-8 and on Sunday from 11-6pm. Come and check out some the the Northwest's best "Green" services and products. Meet with the companies face to face to get all of your questions answered. There are usually lots of samples and goodies too. There will be an abundance of speakers (more than 4 different ones to choose from each hour). Pricing is as follows: $15 Festival Pass (per person)
Also, bring your household e-waste to the festival! This includes laptops, cell phones, PDAs, CDs, and household batteries. 3R Technologies will be accepting these smaller items onsite at the event. Do not bring large electronics. If you need to dispose of large electronics, please see their website for more information: http://www.3rtechnology.com/. I know I have a whole bag of things I have been waiting to properly dispose of...now is my chance. Take in more than 350 exhibits:
To save money on the entrance fee: Better World Books and Green Festival are partnering to offer $5 off Green Festival admission to attendees who bring in 3 or more books. Your donated books will be sold on BetterWorld.com to help fund girls' scholarships in developing countries in Asia through Room to Read. http://www.roomtoread.org/ I will be there the entire weekend, so I will have lots to blog about next week. Talk to you all soon. BE THERE or BE SQUARE!! Technology Snapshot & Benefits: Estimated Cost Savings: For new construction, the maximum recommended amounts of insulation yield huge savings compared to no insulation. For existing buildings, upgrading to the recommended amount of insulation will save money. The amount of savings vary widely depending upon your starting point namely, how much insulation you already have. See Energy Star's Cost-Effective Insulation Values for Existing Homes for recommended insulating values for walls, floors, ceilings, and basements. In general terms, when you double the R value of your insulation, the heat flow through the insulated surface will halve. Your bill, however, may not halve because of other, less well-insulated surfaces in the building. Typical savings for retrofit insulation are on the order of 20-30% of your heating bill. For a monthly heating bill of $200, this can amount to $40-$60 in savings. Issues: Regional Issues: Installation (Getting It Done): More Information on This Topic: U.S. Department of Energy's Building Technologies Program: Insulation Materials Cost-Effective Insulation Values for Existing Homes Buildings for the 21st Century: Wall Insulation Buildings for the 21st Century: Ceilings and Attics Buildings for the 21st Century: Basement Insulation References: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory McDonald's will be giving away free lattes in the morning hours before 10:30 am for the next four Fridays, starting April 11th in the Seattle area. This is one of their new promotional techniques to hype up the McCafe in response to Starbucks giving away free coffee this past week, promoting Pike Place Roast, their new blend. If you're in the Seattle area, find a location near you at their self-proclaimed website Unsnobby Coffee. There will probably be hoards of people there as people seem to love free....I know I do..... so be ready to wait patiently. It is a pretty smart marketing technique as people will most likely buy breakfast while they are there. They are bound to make tons of money those days. I am almost positive that McDonald's does not serve organic/fair-trade certified coffee, which in my opinion is the way to go. I tend to steer towards the smaller mom-and-pop cafes.
If you do decide to go for the free latte, make sure to turn your car off if idling for more than a minute or so, also bring your own mug.
I can see it now......"Drive-Thru Road Rage"...... ......cars and cars of people who have yet to have their morning coffee.................waiting................waiting.............................. ........................... ................................................................................and waiting.................. I think I will make my coffee at home. Good luck if you decide to venture the masses to get that cup of Joe....If you go..........tell me how it is.
I love Seattle Real Estate! Why? Because Seattle has so much character!!! I have been to many neighboring suburbs and have found rows and rows of subdivisions where each house is almost the exact replica of the one next door...or maybe the neighborhood is so dated it only hosts Tri-level homes. And I admit, I live in ones of those dated neighborhoods, housing mostly ramblers. But slowly and surely, it will start to diversify itself... just as soon as people start the needed phases of remodeling and updating. Seattle has already been there and done that though....many times. Styles have come and gone. Some have stuck it out for the long run and through much love, still show the charm and authenticity of the original home. There is so much diversity and richness in this city, I just love it! My favorite homes are either old Craftsman or Ultra-Modern "Green" homes. Here I can find them next door to one another. You can have a small vintage Cape Cod on the corner, new townhomes next door, a large Craftsman next to that, a Modern loft home after that, and a commercial space on the other corner...ALL on ONE block! So I guess what I am saying is that I like DIVERSITY. How boring would this world be if everyone had blonde hair and green eyes like me? I certainly wouldn't stand out in a crowd. Isn't that what we each ultimately want? To be individuals? And wouldn't we want the same for our homes? Well, I certainly do but then again I am not everyone... ...there are those who like to be a little more inconspicuous....a bit of a mystery...I should say. Perhaps those are the type of people who love to live in the rows of subdivisions I speak of. There are people that love them...obviously, since they are being built at the speed of light. Maybe the person that lives there is the type of person who doesn't lay it all out there on the first date. They hold themselves back and reveal a little bit of themselves at a time. Me, I always seemed to be the one who puked up all of my shortcomings on the first date just so I could get it off of my chest. Or maybe they are the person who prefers to live like their neighbor, leaving out that competitive....I am better-than-you attitude. Or maybe people truly love that sense of community since many of the subdivisions create wonderful amenities such as pools, playgrounds, sport courts, Fitness centers, beach or lake rights, golf, etc. Also, some gated communities offer the extra amenity of security. I realize the world isn't black or white, how boring that would be huh? We all have our own likes and dislikes. One thing I am starting to learn as I grow older is that individuality is what makes the world go round. I used to try to force feed my beliefs to those around me, sometimes getting blue in the face when they "JUST DIDN'T GET IT!"... But now I get it. I don't want everyone to like everything I like, or believe everything I believe, or act like I act. I just wanna be me....and I appreciate that YOU ARE YOU. So Seattle lovers and Suburb lovers and Country lovers=Diversity. Hooray for that. As I go back and read this post, I realize that I was really rambling but I am gonna post it anyway. So thanks for listening. |
Ashley Berg *Seattle's Green Real Estate Agent* Seattle, WA More about me… Brio Realty Cell Phone: (206) 854-0074 Email Me ;) Links;) Tags (Tag Cloud);) Archives
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