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Birkenfeld, OR Real Estate News

By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals--Day Sixteen of my Daily Blog for April-Defenders of Wildlife. I got an e-mail from Defenders of Wildlife.  "Wednesday is the one-year anniversary of the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico - an event that set off one of the most significant ecological catastrophes in decades. We're still fighting to save sea turtles, dolphins and other wildlife impacted by this tragedy, but we need your help." Adopting a sea turtle or a dolphin in memory of those lost in one of the worst oil rig disasters ever to destroy these animals and other wildlife will make a difference. Defenders of Wildlife Organization   Thank you! Gayle Rich-BoxmanBroker, Vernonia RealtySpecializing in Fishhawk Lake Recreation Club"Your Gateway to the Lake...
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April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals--Day Fifteen of my Daily Blog for April--A Follow Up From an Expert in Animal Rescue and a Quick Way that You can Make a Difference! This is just a quickie since I've already written two blogs today. Marte Cliffe, a past realtor and an active advocate for animals wrote a comment recently on one of my April blogs about small dogs (and cats) being used as live "bait" for fighting dogs...an extremely upsetting fact:   The bait isn't always a small dog. It can also be a pit bull with a meek personality. I've learned that those who won't fight are simply "cut" (so they'll bleed) and then thrown in with the vicious ones. When they're too damaged, they're thrown away. We rescued one a few years ago who had been thrown out on the side of the road, about...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
Fishhawk Lake Custom Cabin For Sale. My clients and friends came back from the "Eternal Sunshine of the Mexican Mind" (where they now reside) to sell their vacation home at Fishhawk Lake. A 3BR lakefront property- 71826 Northshore Drive- Birkenfeld OR- 1260 sq ft., $259,000, lovingly built by them back in 1983.       It is a pole house, with tight knot cedar on the walls and fir beams high overhead and all the right feel for a Fishhawk Lake custom cabin that could be yours to wile away the weekend ... You can see bald eagles flying high above Fishhawk Lake from the living room, the loft, out on the deck, out on your private dock--so many venues for relaxing at Fishhawk Lake!  Really cool architectural  touches throughout. (The owner made me get down on the floor and shoot this angle!)  ...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals--Day Fourteen of my Daily Blog for April--Famous Advocate for Animals.  I remember many years ago finding out that Doris Day spoke out regularly about kindness to animals and for me, was the first "famous" person that I'd ever heard of using her notoriety to put a focus on reducing and preventing cruelty to animals. I had always seen her as a genuinely nice woman and  she never seemed to take acting parts that created anything but a "good girl" persona. Obviously, I had read her right, because in her personal life, she has been a shining example of how you can take your public personality and use it for the betterment of others...in this case many many animals. I just read her "first blog" for CNN, back in April of 2009.   Since it was in April,...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals--Day Twelve of my Daily Blog for April--Euthanizing a Pet. I realize I'm not good with death. Of any kind. It's basically because I'm a sap. Others are stoic through most any sorrow, but I even cried last week when my favorite fish, Speckles died...and I'd only had him a month! See, I told you. Euthanize. I think it's actually a beautiful word. It sounds gentle. Youth and eyes. When I do this for a pet maybe it can mean their eternal youth is with me and they have the eyes of love that go on forever. For me, the death of a pet never gets any easier to handle. The first time for me was our Boxer, Punchy, who lived to be 13, a year older than I was at the time and and had always been the "oldest daughter". Yes, in the terms of dog life, 13 was pre...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals--Day Eleven of my Daily Blog for April--Small Dogs Used as Bait In creating awareness of animal cruelty, I am forcing myself to pay attention to some of the seamier sides of this topic. There is a show on Animal Planet (I love this station!) called Pit Boss. It is a show about pit bulls being rescued as well as being seen in a more positive light.  http://animal.discovery.com/videos/pit-boss-season-2-highlights/ I also saw in the above site, that chihuahuas are often used as bait for fighting dogs in the ring/pit  and some don't survive. This is something that sickens me. On the positive side, one of Pit Boss' episodes is about saving these small and delightful four-legged beings who've been hurt because of this horrific "sport". "It's one of th...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
Fishhawk Lake Homeowner's Association--What's to Be Afraid of?? What is it about mentioning the words Homeowner's Association that always gets such a strong reaction out of people?  Everyone who has been part of one has to then share their story of the nightmare they experienced..."oh, we belonged to an HOA before and it was TERRIBLE. Let me tell you what happened..." and we're off and running! I have to dispell the myths of what I would call "in-town" HOAs vs. ours at Fishhawk Lake.  Yes, we have  exterior paint color restrictions (thank GOD) and your home has to be on a foundation (thank GOD, again) and it has to be at least 900 sq.ft., but there are older cabins that come up for sale that don't meet that criteria now, but are grandfathered in...and that's fine by me. Some owners don'...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals--Day Ten of my Daily Blog for April--Local Lost Puppy Needs a New Home! Can you help???  My dear friend just sent me an e-mail that someone she knows found a 4-6 mo. old puppy(?) with no tags, no chip, nothing to figure out who the owner is. A little girl found her in NE Portland, and now they're reaching out to find someone to foster her or take her as their own because they can't keep her. (Look at how absolutely adorable she is!)   As the e-mail said:"Scared sweet little thing. Probably about 4-5 months old.  I understand that she is 'very snuggly'." UPDATE from the person who found her: "I just found a really great home for this puppy. Thank you, though". YEA!!!!!! Happy Ending!!! I wrote a blog post (below) about the shelter in Portland tha...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals--Day Nine of my Daily Blog for April--Unusual "Mates"...this was an e-mail sent to me by my mom. What I found exhilarating is the success of three wild creatures who all grew up together as one happy family...a lion, tiger and bear. What I found disturbing is that they were rescued from a drug dealer's home because they were considered a "status symbol", something that may be more common that we could imagine. Here is an excerpt from the story: They make an unlikely trio, but Baloo the bear, Leo the lion and Shere Khan the tiger have forged an unusually strong bond.Considering that they would be mortal enemies if they ever were to meet in the wild, it is stunning to see their unique and genuine friendship in these intimate pictures.Rescued eight...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
Home Inspections at Fishhawk Lake...Some Key Points From Your Realtor, Gayle Rich-Boxman,Broker with Vernonia Realty A lot of buyers think that negotiating a price is the toughest part of a real estate deal, but once you have an inspection, quite often that is when the real negotiations can start!  Inspections sometimes can make or break a deal.    An inspector once said, "there are no perfect homes". Remember, he or she is there to find what's wrong with the home. I've had clients;purchasing at Fishhawk Lake who think that they should waive an inspection if it's a brand new home, or if they're trying to save money if a seller or the bank is selling "As Is" and won't be doing any repairs anyway.  My motto: Always get an inspection.  It will be some of the best spent money you could imag...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
I first wrote this blog last year in my series dedicated to animals for the month of April.     April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals--Day Eight of my Daily Blog for April--A Natural Supplement for Dogs with Hip Problems! My husband and I found Springtime, Inc while trying to find an answer to the pain that our dog Starr was having at the age of six. Starr was a Golden Retriever who, at the age of THREE was diagnosed with severe hip dysplagsia and we were told he wouldn't live past eight. We found Fresh Factors, a natural supplement that we gave Starr every day...and he lived to be FIFTEEN!!! Starr was able to be a wonderful mentor to our puppy, Josh, also a Golden Retriever, and even was around for Josh's daughter, Jenna to play and mentor her as well. Starr on the left with puppy ...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals--Day Seven of my Daily Blog for April---(A Haven for) Wolves That You Can Visit or Adopt ! Wolf Haven,in Washington State is a magical place to visit, virtually (via their website where you can hear wolves howling) or in person. Years ago I discovered this sanctuary for wolves who are protected throughout their lifetimes and in the summer, you can take your family and literally hear a nightly wolf howling and even howl yourself if you feel so inclined! I have also adopted a wolf in the past through Wolf Haven and I get a photo with a name and the  approximate birthdate of the wolf and a biography. Ironically, the first wolf I adopted had the same birthday as me! (Divine intervention??) The nation got a better look at this local community, Wolf H...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and my goal is to write a blog every day for the rest of the month. I often get e-mails from different organizations who let me know the latest of what incredible efforts they are doing to create a better world for abused and neglected animals. I just received this e-mail and want to share what the ASCPCA is doing lately! http://www.aspca.org/News/National/National-News-Detail.aspx?NDate=20110408&NType=National#News1 Brian Hayes, consultant with ASPCA with new foal Photo Courtesy of The Humane Society of the United States A new foal was born because one of many neglected horses was rescued in time from a horse trader in Arkansas. I have a horse that I really love (my first horse ever!) and to know that horses who are kind creatures are mistreate...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
Day Four of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and this shelter for dogs is one of my favorite places to talk about because this "no kill" shelter gave my best friend and her family a WONDERFUL new member to their clan a few years ago. Family Dogs New Life Shelter is what I would call a "Save Shelter", because it doesn't matter that it's an older dog, or what their history has been, they keep them until they find the right home and don't put dogs to sleep because they've been there awhile, or whatever other excuse some shelters use to euthanize pets. I love their mission statement: Family Dogs New Life Shelter is a no kill dog shelter devoted to rescuing and re-homing needy dogs regardless of age, breed or history.We believe that all dogs deserve a second chance at a new life. Back to my ...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
Defenders of Wildlife is an organization I've belonged to for several years. One of the animal species that Defenders of Wildlife Organization defends are wolves that are periodically being "disposed of", particularly in the Yellowstone Park areas. This is short: I would like you to be aware of this site. E-mails to your government representatives can speak volumes, by simply filling out your name/address, etc. and sending it.  That doesn't cost a thing. "The House leadership is holding the federal government hostage to pass their extremist anti-wildlife agenda that threatens the future of our wolves, our clean air and water, and our natural heritage.The Senate has already rejected it once -- but that's not stopping them. Rep. Boehner is insisting that Congress strip protections from wo...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals can be as simple as thinking daily how best to care for your animals to be a role model for others. Here are some simple "dailies" that can help give our four-leggeds quality of life. Natural/holistic foods--I spent a very long time researching dog foods because our Golden Retriever, Josh (who has since passed) had the worst ear allergies the veterinarian had ever seen and he couldn't help me with a viable solution so I decided to find out for myself. I discovered this author and downloaded her two volume book for a pittance (she has many to offer). Her name is Michele Welton and her books are found only on her website. The one I chose is: Longer Life For the Dog You Love (2 volumes). http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/books/TYD.html Through her knowledge,...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
April is Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month and since one of my biggest passions is animals, I just want to say a little something every day for the rest of the month (that's my goal). Today I would like to say thank you to the Portland Audobon Society who have taken in injured pets that I've found in the past. There are a group of volunteers who work to rehabilitate mostly winged creatures in their Wildlife Care Center and they educate people on some of the local birds in the area.  They have used hawks as "teachers" those who have been rehabilitated but can no longer be in the wild, just as an example of the many ways they educate people young and old in the city of Portland, Oregon. There are times when they cannot save an injured animal, but they have never turned me away. I brought...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
Yesterday I was sitting on the couch when I noticed my Golden Retriever coming down the stairs with something in his mouth. He came over and played Keep Away for a minute or two, then relinquished the paper. Our youngest "son", Takoda (photo: Gayle Rich-Boxman)      I looked at what he brought me and it was a gorgeous brochure for the "springunveiling" Art Festival weekend at Cannon Beach, OR--our favorite coastal town to go to for celebrations! Well, it seemed that there must've been a bit of dog-divine intervention going on here!  My birthday is mid April and this festival is the next week (April 29-May 1st) and we always stay at our favorite dog-friendly hotel, the SurfSand Resort Hotel AND we love to buy artwork in Cannon Beach so it all spelled out M-A-K-E T-H-E C-A-L-L! Afterwards...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
I just did something most people don't get to do....especially "in their back yard". Here at Fishhawk Lake,for the last two hours I have gotten to watch a bald eagle hang out in the windy trees with me sitting across the lake watching his morning unfold before me.  I had first seen him at 8am and grabbed my binoculars, although, against the green trees, his gorgeous white crown and neck stood out to the naked eye (even though mine are not so good naked anymore). I had just gotten ready to take the dogs for a run and they were quite anxious, so I left Baldy in the trees.   A photo I took last August in our back yard at Fishhawk Lake. Baldy was in the trees across the lake from the boat this morning.   We returned about 40 minutes later and he was still in the same spot!  Happy, happy, hi...
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By Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate, "Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843
(John L Scott Market Center)
Paying it Forward and Goin' to the Dogs means just THAT. There is a rescue site that you can click on (for free--great four-letter word!) and with your "click" this site will donate money to support animal shelters around the country and so much more.     The Animal Rescue Site has given over 444,748,854 bowls of food since July 2002!*  *Total number of bowls of food given is updated monthly. It's easy and quick. I used to do this every day, then got out of the habit. Kerry Klun, Active Rain member (http://activerain.com/blogs/kerryklun)  has this logo on her website and I clicked on it to give, then thought to myself, Gee, I wanna do this, TOO on my blog posts! I have also gone on this website and bought presents for friends and family as some of the proceeds also go towards rescuing a...
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