Back in the South

Every time we come back, we realize how much we love our Georgia property.  

Bright sunny days make 65 degrees seem just about perfect.

We had to shed our sweaters for our walk around the cotton and peanut fields.

Love watching the views on beautiful Lake Eufaula - boats, birds, and fishermen.

The view from my easy chair is nearly as good as the one from the patio.

Sadly, the time has come for us to part with this property.  The trip across the country takes five days of driving, and we are just getting too old for it.  We are hoping to find a buyer who will love it as much as we have, and who will take over our place in this neighborhood of great people.  For details, please check out our blog:  https://lakeeufaula.blogspot.com

Country Roads

We always enjoy summer in the Pacific Northwest - where we can take off on the motorcycle and in any direction, find a country road to travel. 

So many country roads follow the section lines - so 90 degree corners are the norm.  Great for motorcyclists!

The farmland in the Stillaguamish Valley always offers great views of farms and barns.

I love barns, and our rides through the farmland of Snohomish County show a variety of barns.

Farms, Barns, winding roads, mountains in the background - perfect motorcycle times!

Now I need to get back to my postcard campaign to promote the sale of our Georgia property.  Our home there has many of the same features of our Washington property - rural farmland, lakes, rivers, recreation.  We decided this year that it was time to sell that property.  At 70+ we are getting travel weary.  So if you are looking for a lakefront property in the south, check out our Georgia property:  Furnished home on Lake Eufaula for sale.

Welcome to my Open House World

I have to admit that when I was a real estate broker, I drug my feet when it came to doing open houses.  Most people in our area didn't use open houses as a way to look at available properties, and sitting for four hours on a Saturday or  Sunday with no one showing up seemed like a monumental waste of time. 

 

When we spent some time in SW Florida this winter, we observed the open house world there, and realized that a lot of people spent their weekends driving around looking at open houses.  Lots of buyers down there during "the season" when folks from the wintery north decide maybe they should BUY a place in the sunbelt.  Renting gets more expensive every year, and a lot of the people looking at open houses were looking for a rental for the 2015 season.

 

So in an attempt to leave no stone unturned in our attempts to help the folks sell their house here on Lake Eufaula, we are holding both their house and ours open every weekend in March.  We know people in this area haven't gotten accustomed to viewing open houses, but maybe things have changed here too.

 

The weather is cooperating - gorgeous sunshine - the houses look great, the lake is beautiful and calm, and we're home anyway, so bring on the buyers!

 

See the link to details on the houses:

Lake Eufaula - 2 Custom Homes Open



Back to Spring in Georgia

While we've enjoyed the sunshine and warmth in SW Florida for the past three months, it feels really good to be back to Georgia and the cooler temperatures and signs of Spring all around.  For a native Pacific NW person, it seems kind of unnatural to be in perpetual summer with sunshine every day.  In Florida, trees always have leaves, the grass is always green, and there is always something in bloom.  Here and in the Pacific NW, there is the joy of watching nature awaken after its winter sleep.  Every day we find something new that has been given a new birth.

 

 

The first sign of spring was the tilled fields.

The Camelia almost doesn't count, as it sometimes blooms through the winter.

But daffodils and forsythia are definite signs of spring.

Hyacinth with their wonderful smells greeted us in one flower bed.

We also saw red bud trees and many trees full of white blooms along the road as we neared the house.

 

It was also exciting to see the folks' new dock completed.

Views in the 'Hood

We got my folks' bulldog running and took it out for a spin around the neighborhood yesterday.  It's amazing how much more you see when you go slower than in the car and further than you can walking!

We took time to look at the little graveyard that is along our road.  Surprisingly, some of the graves were quite recent.

But most look like they have been there for a very long time.

The oldest one we found was from 1914 - so nearly a hundred years old, but not that old compared to other graveyards we've seen down here.

Along the road, we stopped to take some pictures of things we see every day, but that were interesting when we first observed them.

Like this abandoned farm house,

a whole area of trees with white blossoms,

the school bus passing under the Chinaberry tree,

24 bales of newly harvested cotton,

a field full of peanut hay bales,

A peekaboo view of our house and the other homes along the lakeside from across the field,

the sweet gum tree turning color for fall,

and a colorful jungle of poke berries.  Fall is definitely a pretty time of year.

Lake Eufaula Home for Sale

Brick sided home on shy acre, on the Georgia side of beautiful Lake Eufaula.  Home is vacant, fully furnished, and ready to enjoy!Dock on main lake is being installed this month.  Price including brand new dock:  $212,000 - Best buy on the lake!

Great room design makes it perfect for family gatherings and entertaining.

Island looks out over great room to lake.  Kitchen has top of the line appliances, granite counter tops,  and solid wood cabinets.

Master bedroom suite has double doors to patio and view of lake.

Walk in glass block shower in master bath, plus huge soaking tub

with view to lake.

View the glorious sunsets from nearly every room of the house.

Second bedroom and separate bath for guests.

Want to check it out?  Come and stay and experience this home before you buy.  Mention this blog and get a discount at 
Beautiful private home on Lake Eufaula for a get away to see the sights in and around Eufaula, Alabama, Georgetown, Georgia, and Fort Gaines, Georgia.

Spring in Georgia

Even when we have an occasional cool wet day, spring seems to have come to us in Georgia.  Everything is in bloom, fishermen are back on the lake, and we are going through our usual hectic time trying to pack for home.  This year was more difficult than normal as we put my folks' place on the market.  They have a van that we are driving home for them, so we measured it to see how much they could haul for its final trip to Alaska.  It can handle 10 totes and a few miscellaneous extras. 

So the task of loading all this into the van and driving it to Washington is our next task.  I think since we are driving two vehicles and we have one seat open we may be able to fit it all in.

Dick's nephew came down from Kentucky and cleaned the tools out of the garage and a bunch of stuff from the pantry.

Fortunately they have a full sized truck.  

Meanwhile, I'm still trying to figure out how to slip in my milk carton garden.  It is really growing well, and if I can get it home, it will give me a head start on my garden.

I have several varieties of Heirloom tomatoes growing, but the beets are doing best.  I may have started them too soon, as it looks like I could have beet greens for dinner before we even leave here.

Lake Eufaula/Lake George Home for Sale

#10 County Line Road - Now Available

Eufaula MLS Information - Many pictures of both exterior and interior at this link.

Looking for a retirement home below the snow line?

Rural area with end of the road seclusion and privacy.

Furniture and appliances included in sale - just bring your clothes and toothbrush.

Wonderful sunset views of Lake Eufaula

Fishing from your front yard on a premier bass fishing lake.

Dock permit has been applied for.

Extended family?

Additional lot available.

Contact Baker Realty - bakerrealty@bellsouth.net

for more information.  

End of an Era

As we enjoy all the evidence of spring in Georgia,

Blossoms on the lemon tree,

Loquat fruit (any one with an idea of what to do with loquat or even what it is?)

New bird nests - notice the white hair that was added - I cut Mom's hair outside a couple of days ago, and the birds have immediately gathered it for their nests.

and waking to the sound of bass fishermen blazing down the lake,

we are saddened knowing that it may be the last year my folks come South.

We are listing their house for sale next week. 

Beautiful brick sided house on beautiful Lake Eufaula/Lake George, with many upgraded features.  Application in work for a dock in front.  Nearly an acre gently sloping to the lake with outstanding views of the lake and sunsets.

Best buy on the lake at $230,000.  

Furniture and appliances and all housewares included.  Just bring your toothbrush!

Spring has Sprung in SW Georgia

This may be the earliest we have ever seen the azaleas in bloom around Lake Eufaula.  We started seeing a few blooms a week or so ago, but now they are all fully in bloom.

The Japanese Magnolia are nearly done blooming, but the spirea are starting - see the white plant at the base of the Magnolia.

It is strange to see the spring flowers when some trees are still bare of leaves and some Christmas decorations are still hanging.

The annual tour of antebellum mansions in the city of Eufuala is the first week in April.  Usually this coincides with azalea and dogwood blooms.  This year, the azalea at least will be long finished with their blooms.

Carolina Creeper

Lorapetalum

Red Bud

Cherry

Hyacinth

Camelia

and freshly plowed fields all tell us the groundhog was right - at least for SW Georgia.