Annuals in Autumn

There are annuals still blooming boldly in the garden, even after several light frosts. There are zinnias, ageratum, cosmos and marigolds that still look great. I don't think marigolds know when to stop. Besides that, they've never looked ragged.

Granted, the marigold seeds were sown the first two weeks in July so that there would be fall color.

There are autumn colors of yellow, gold, orange and red. If you think marigolds look too gaudy for summer, try them for autumn. The combination of the annual (in my zone) purple fountain grass with the tall marigolds works well enough that I may actually plan this combination again for next year.

Please don't ask me to identify the marigolds in my garden. I picked up packets at stores, ordered online and didn't take the time to document any of these. I faintly remember sowing seeds from a 'Crackerjack Mix' somewhere in the garden.

I never cared for marigolds until I planted them this year. Previously, my impression was a vision of straight rows of plantings outside commercial buildings.

I just scattered the seeds - literally and liberally - in any blank space available. I don't advise this. I definitely got carried away and there are still little marigold seedlings sprouting everywhere. Next year, there will be a little more order and attention to my marigold seed sowing. I've already ordered a packet of lemon yellow single blooms for next summer.

As for my favorite bloom shape, I prefer the single blooms of the French marigolds over the carnation type double blooms.

As for the bees and butterflies, they love all of the marigolds. The Monarch butterflies are particularly attracted to the single marigolds and big bumblebees love to sleep on the cushions of the double blooms. And for the late-arriving Monarch butterflies that have been showing up all fall - thank goodness for marigolds.

Some of the marigolds are short and some are very tall. They've exceeded my expectations for the common marigold. I'll no longer look down my perennial-loving nose at these common annuals. They've added plenty of punch and pizzaz in the garden for autumn.


Words and photos by Freda Cameron; Home garden; late October 2009

Garden Report - Winding Down

After a cool spring, cooler and wet summer Mother Nature hit us with a cooler start to the fall. I had hoped for a bit of nicer weather but it wasn't to be. The vegetable beds have been a bit neglected mainly because of the rain. We've already had our first hard frost too. Yesterday I spent a bit of time in the garden. It was one of the very rare days where the sun was actually out!

You are cordially invited..............

I am doing it, really..........opening my home for a special event.

Throwing caution to the wind.
I have been asked to do this for years, but I am really not ready,
my home is not ready.............but is it ever?
Still have one more chair to re-upholster.
I am tired of our bedroom "set",
windows should be cleaned......................

Unlike the castle, this is more like it.
In Wayne, Illinois we live in a cottage from the 1850's. Little by little every room, the gardens and the exterior have been restored..............I only have two bathrooms left and big plans are in the future, the artist Patrick and I are brainstorming. But wait until you see his work in the entry, the faux bois walls, I love them!

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED

Wednesday November 11th from 1-5pm. I would be honored if you could join us for a special afternoon.

"Fall into Christmas" 

My home will be pure "Fall", decorated in the splendor of the season, filled with ideas inside and out. 

The shop will be all Christmas, brimming with inspiration. 

The afternoon begins at the shop in Geneva, Illinois. Transportation will be provided to my home where sister and I will be waiting to welcome you. Transportation brings you back to the shop for refreshments and a special discount for all attendees. Fee $12.00. Contact Sarah, our shop manager, to reserve your space.

630-232-1303 or sarah@scentimentalgardens.com Kindly reserve in advance, space is limited.

hope you can join us!

Debra

Kiss Halloween Nails: Decorate Your Nails this Halloween

Ya'll know how much I LOVE Halloween so it should be no surprise to you that when I was asked to review some Kiss Limited Edition Halloween Nails I jumped at the chance. They sent me three sets of nails to try out. Here's what I got:- Kiss Limited Edition Halloween Nails: Spider webs in black and white with a silver spider- Kiss Limited Edition Halloweenn Nails: Blood red nails with beautiful

Monday Begins Again

Well just to update everyone, I'm still on my quest at a better, thinner, healthier and a happier me. I've actually lost at least 6 lbs since I have began, I have found it easier to drink water which at one time I absolutely hated and when I get hungry during the day to just grab a salad. I think it'll be easy to lose that first 20 pounds, but after that it sounds a bit harder. Over the weekend I

BYOB (A Garden Makeover)

"Bring Your Own Blooms" is my mantra for redesigning the butterfly garden this fall. As much as possible, I am shuffling plants around to utilize what I already grow in order to reduce the cost.

After moving the orange and purple flowers to another new garden area, I had holes to fill in the butterfly garden. Two perennials already in the garden became the focus of the makeover color scheme of burgundy, yellow and blue.

The main players (click the photo to enlarge) that influenced the makeover are:

Coreopsis Big Bang™ 'Redshift'
zones 4-9, full sun, deer resistant, 30-26" x 24-30"

Gaillardia 'Burgundy'
zones 3-9, full sun, deer resistant 24" x 12"

The reds in all of the flowers are on the blue side, showing as burgundy in person.

Other plants that remain are the large green/white miscanthus 'Cosmopolitan', a yellow-blooming hypericum shrub and a mass planting of red salvia greggii.

Another existing perennial is a light yellow yarrow (achillea). The mass planting of yarrow overlaps into a small area with nepeta and verbena bonariensis that, along with crocosmia, serves as a buffer to the adjacent orange and purple bed.

I decided that spires of blue blooms would work well with both the shape and colors of the existing perennials. Of course, the decision was partly based upon suitable plants that I could move from other areas of the garden.

But first, there was a huge problem! There was a monster bronze fennel that was too tall and out of place. Having another mass planting of fennel to serve as host plants for Black Swallowtail caterpillars, I decided to dig up this one. What a surprise! The thick and long roots were undermining the surrounding perennials! This must be the reason for the poor performance near the fennel. I had to do a bit of rearranging of the gaillardia and one coreopsis to save them from the fennel roots.

Once the fennel was removed, I transplanted agastache 'Blue Fortune' to serve as a backdrop to the burgundy gaillardia. Another red salvia greggii was placed next to the miscanthus. Next spring, I will add deep blue flowers using both salvia 'Mystic Spires Blue' and salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'.

There are a few yellow daffodils somewhere in this area! I may sow seeds (since I have them) for red poppies for early spring blooms.

The agastache, salvia, coreopsis, and gaillardia bloom all summer and into fall. They are still in bloom. The agastache required deadheading for re-bloom, but this has resulted in a prettier blue (not as dusty looking as in summer). The yarrow blooms great in early summer, but with our humidity the silver foliage tends to turn black, requiring it to be cut back to the ground. It looks good again by fall, but doesn't re-bloom. I have seeds for pale yellow marigolds to help hide the yarrow foliage in late summer through fall.

I have even more makeovers in the works. I've been very, very busy in the the garden!

Words and photos by Freda Cameron; Home Garden

3 Holiday Gift Ideas

This is for the 60 days until Christmas Countdown. Hope some of these will help you out. Toddler:My first recommendation is going to be the Playskool Busy Ball-Tivity Center from Playskool. Why? This was one of my son's favorite toys last year and he was about 18 months old. Even today he plays with this. He loves to watch the balls go round and round, and he has now learned that if he takes off

60 Days Until Christmas....

Are you ready? With only 60 days until Christmas I bet some of you are starting to really begin to feel the pressure of getting that perfect toy or even just any toy these days. For the next 60 days I plan on bringing you 3 toys per day to help you prepare, due to the fact I have four kids and one (at least) in each age range. Baby-Tween-Teen. Plus I'll even update the Top 10 toy lists from

Winners of Child Safety Kit/book

The winners for the Safety Guide for Parents and 4 winners (1 will be included in the grand prize) were all selected by the Random.org generator: 4, 10, 5, 9, 13The winners are:- IdentaKey Medical Records Storage would be very valuable to have.# posted by ydsddd (GRAND PRIZE, meaning you'll get the book and child safety kit)- I like the wean machine, for making your own baby food.# posted by

Shuffling Plants for a New Garden

Have I told you lately that I love to combine purple and orange blooms in the flower garden? I put together a design idea and the new color-themed garden is now almost finished.

To help me visualize the color and plant combinations, I looked through my photos and matched up bloom times. I played with the photos until I had my spring, summer and fall bloom plan. I started an inventory of the perennials in the photos. With some garden rearranging and plant shuffling, I could fill the new area quite easily.

Except for allium 'purple sensation' bulbs and annual larkspur seeds, all of the plants came from my existing gardens. In other words, this was an inexpensive project.

I claimed prime real estate that was being used as a holding bed. The new garden area is at the top of the slope above our large willow tree - in deer country, bordering the meadow between the south and east gardens. It is also a full sun, southeast location so all plants were selected for similar growing and water requirements.

Spring color will kick off with purple blooms of nepeta 'Walkers Low', allium 'Purple Sensation', salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna', verbena 'Homestead' and larkspur 'lilac spires' (annual).

In summer, orange blooms of agastache aurantiaca 'Navajo Sunset', echinacea 'Sundown', crocosmia and asclepias tuberosa will be accented with purple spires of agastache 'Purple Haze' and ground-hugging verbena 'Homestead'. If I need additional purple blooms, I have plenty of skinny verbena bonariensis as well as petunias that can be transplanted.

The foliage of the other perennials, as well as stachys 'Big Ears Helen von Stein' will keep the garden from looking barren after the purple spring bloom. The existing nepeta has frilly foliage while the existing crocosmia provides blades as well as a buffer to the red in the butterfly garden. The existing asclepias tuberosa foliage may be eaten by the caterpillars of Monarch butterflies, but that's part of the plan, too. The larkspur will be pulled after blooming and the allium foliage will disappear.

I have allowed enough space to relocate a few plants for fall bloom, probably using my salvia greggii 'Ultra Violet' (short) and salvia leucantha (tall) to bring more purple back to the garden for the final bloom season. Those are too tender to move now and will have to wait next spring.

Dark purple foliage would be a nice accent in this area. It is difficult to find dark foliage that can stand up to the full sun and the deer. Unfortunately, deer will eat the taller sedum that I would love to use in this garden. I have a sufficient supply of sedum 'Purple Emperor' that I could move. Purple salvia officinialis or purple basil are potential candidates for adding next spring, too.

The primary perennial players include:

Tall background plants, over three feet tall, consist of agastache 'Purple Haze' and agastache 'Navajo Sunset'. I have enough of each to create a mass planting, though I wish I had enough 'Black Adder' to use instead of 'Purple Haze'. The agastache pair are suitable for zones 6-9, need full sun and well-drained soil and are deer and rabbit resistant. These will provide a long bloom season from summer until frost.

A meandering planting of orange echinacea 'Sundown' wind between the tall agastache and five purple salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna'. The coneflowers (1 - 3 feet high) are fine for zones 4-9, full sun and well-drained soil. I haven't had a deer problem with these, but I have to watch out for the rabbits. The coneflowers will bloom in June and will bloom again with deadheading.

Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' is a good spring-blooming perennial with dark purple, upright spikes. Suitable for zones 4-8, it works in a variety of soil types (even clay). It is deer and rabbit resistant. I am using five plants and have another group of three. If the spikes are left on this salvia, they will reseed. The plants are about 24" high and 18" wide. The foliage is pretty after the blooms are gone, so a mass planting of 'Caradonna' makes a nice ground cover, too.

Since it is fall, I will keep the plants watered well to help the roots establish before it gets too cold. Here in zone 7, perennials that can be safely planted in autumn are much larger, and bloom better than spring-plantings for the first season.

I'm pretty excited over the purple-orange color theme garden since these are familiar plants that I can count on for good performance next year. I do have a lot of holes to fill in the other gardens from where I stole the plants - I try to view those as more redesign opportunities rather than wrecked spaces!

Photos and words by Freda Cameron; Home Garden

Blazing Bloomers!

The blazing red blooms are over five feet high and wide, creating quite a bonfire! The fire has been raging out of control for weeks now. Several light frosts this week haven't extinguished the blooms on the salvia elegans (pineapple sage).

This is one of those plants that may be an indicator for global warming, though we had a very cold winter last year. Pineapple sage is considered an annual around here, more suitable for zones 8-11 than my zone 7 garden. I planted this one (and a few others that didn't survive) three years ago.

I never expected this salvia to survive, so I totally ignored it and literally planted agastache 'Blue Fortune' and clumping bamboo on top of it two years ago! In mid-August, I gave the agastache a trim, the salvia got to see the sun and took off like a wildfire. The hummingbirds went nuts over this plant before they packed up their tiny bags and flew south. Deer and rabbits ignore the plant.

The salvia is in a section of the butterfly garden that is getting a makeover. The space is now getting partial shade as the bamboo, a chaste tree and miscanthus have matured. I have relocated some heat-seeking plants to make room for plants that don't have to heat roast all summer. Next year, there will be colocasia and amsonia hubrichtii with the salvia. I may try some of the butterfly ginger or a canna here as well. The colocasia blooms in fall and has dark purple stems and a yellow bloom. The amsonia turns a brilliant gold in the fall. Of course, my PLAN will go up in flames if the salvia doesn't survive this winter!


Words and photos by Freda Cameron; Home Garden; October 2009

Anger Envelops Her

I wrote this post yesterday and wasn't going to post it but I think I need to do it, just so I can later look back and remember. There are only some points in my life that I actually get on my blog and just rant about my feelings and this is going to be one of them once again. Do you remember earlier this year where I told everyone that life really likes to throw wrenches at you? Well I've

A FALL PARTY

Autumn is my favorite time of year. The rich colors, scents, the crunch of leaves and the foods of the season. Having not had a party in eons, we were overdue in returning the favor to our friends.

I forgot how much time goes into the details. Join me in the preparations..............




The landscape designer in me had to begin outdoors



A hard frost ended the impatiens in our front door containers.



What a mess! No amount of scrubbing would have removed the remnants of impatiens goo. What the containers really needed was painting.........no time!


Burlap to the rescue, inexpensive, seasonal and hiding a multitude of sins. This combination includes; yellow mums, red cabbage, purple aster, pansies and cut stems of bittersweet providing a great drape. The potted plants were just set into the burlap. I love to insert faux elements, in this case faux bittersweet clusters. Entwined with the bittersweet foliage they look vibrant and real and are re-used for years to come.




Next was the sad and neglected hanging basket highlighting the lamp post. Out with the dead petunia's and other miscellaneous summer annuals. Keeping the moss lining intact I quickly inserted golden mini mums, pansies, pumpkins and faux lady apples.


Often using faux elements adds interest, texture and the use of materials that might not normally last.



Our 1940's era upper patio with fireplace looks forlorn.



The bronzey metal wall containers flanking the firebox were filled with roadside clippings. Add pumpkins, mums and battery pillar candles. See my Cardigan Corgi, Cooper peeking out from the wool throw?


These battery candles are my best friends during a party, in particular. Sixty, yes sixty candles were used everywhere! Framing a pathway from the parking at the barn to the house. Unlike lumanaries, they are flicked on and that is it..............no wondering if any have burned out, no worries if it rains..........nothing. Indoors I like to tuck them in unexpected places, never concerned if they are "smoking", knocked over or dripping onto an antique piece.


The entrance to the upper patio was enhanced with.........more battery candles. In this instance using "wedding columns" from 1910, previously filled with flowers and flanking an aisle for a long ago bride.


In outdoor containers they are illuminated at night.


Emptied and waiting...............



Wanting to try something unconventional, faux birch stems were inserted upright and adorned with faux bittersweet, real bittersweet branches, a hand full of fallen leaves and all along the back of the birch, a line of battery candles which up light the birch at nightfall.


The night before many hands came to help. Don't you love to see women gathering together to help? I sure do and could not have finished without these women. From the left Susan Olson ( see post on inspiring women ), sister Diane and Betty Chittenden, Susan's mother visiting from Nebraska.

By the end of that night the wine flowed, the pumpkin martini's experimented with, music turned up and the laughs constant...........wish we had a picture of all of us doing line dances thru the house led by Betty!


The day of..........sister in her Halloween "teeth" making an artichoke dip. (I could be taking this too far..........sister may kill me for adding this photo) Don't you think she looks 25 years old?! Don't be mad sister.........love you to pieces :-)




Getting closer to panic mode I needed an arrangement for the kitchen table and wanted to use the Benjamin Carroll terra cotta pots given to me by my friend and artist Patrick Roullier.
note: remember the hallway Patrick was going to faux bois for me? Well he finished, it is beyond my expectations and will be in a future post.

In my garage I had these metal "trees"



Wanting height at the table these were perfect. Supported by tuna cans (how elegant) so they would not wobble,I speared fallen leaves onto the trees spikes.


Rolls of kraft paper is handy to have around. "Nests" were formed to hold......what else......votive battery candles, providing a glow at eye level

.
Naturally needing to hide the tuna cans, voila!..........bunched kraft paper at the base


Inspired by Eddie Ross and his October 13th post on decorating the show kitchen for Grange, just had to add wooden spoons and a gift from Susan a hand carved "salt well". Doesn't it look like the sheep are moving towards a trough?!


A brass and copper scale from Argentina is filled with fresh pumpkins and faux fruit. Labels were peeled off fresh fruit and affixed to the faux to look real. You may be asking yourself "why faux fruit?!" Well..........I get really busy and it just stays put until they need to be dusted.


Almost time! Tables were set with finger foods through out the house so as to not crowd one area. One of my favorite pieces is a turn of the century Crane from France. Looks like he is about to pluck the cookies.


The finished kitchen table, quick, get in the shower.......I'm late!


And finally the hit of the night.........pumpkin pie martini's. Whew, these were fun to create! Reading thru multiple recipes and combining bits and pieces that sounded good I came up with the following inexact recipe.

Pumpkin Pie Martini's

In a large pitcher fill 2/3 of the way with heavy whipping cream (calories do not count when partying!)
To taste add;
-vodka
-butterscotch schnapps
-pumpkin liquer
-pumpkin pie spice
Taste repeatedly until yummy
Dip the martini glass in a plate of whipped cream then dip in a plate of crushed cinnamon graham crackers



Even though I did not want anyone to leave...........this is how I felt the next day, and the day after that, and....................

Happy Autumn!
Debra

Confession Time: When I Strip for Ya'll

It is time that I be completely honest with all my readers and this post is truely doing just that, in a way I'm about to strip completely naked right here for you. No, I'm not going to show you a bunch of naked photos, for all those sicks that found this post through google you can now leave. Many moms have found themselves where I am today, many moms have done the very thing I am doing and now

A B C: A Favorite Flower Combination

I could grow fields of this garden combination and be perfectly pleased... if only it could look this good to enjoy all summer long!

A = agastache 'Purple Haze' (or 'Black Adder')

zones 6-9, full sun

B = bee balm (monarda) 'Raspberry Wine'

zones 4-9, full sun

C= coneflowers (echinacea) 'Prairie Splendor'

zones 3-9, full sun

This trio bloomed beautifully together all of June. The combination consisted of 3 agastache, 1 bee balm and 5 coneflowers when planted in September 2008. This was the first year of bloom, an example of how fall planting can provide great results as the perennials have a chance for root development.

Unfortunately, the agastache 'Purple Haze' grew far too tall to continue in the current location. For some reason, this agastache didn't like to be deadheaded after getting so lanky. I moved the agastache out to the butterfly garden.

By also growing agastache 'Black Adder' in the deer resistant garden all summer, I have decided that it is a better agastache choice for this location and has the same purple spires. A better agastache in my opinion, 'Black Adder' has looked full all summer, still has rich purple spires and taken to deadheading quite well.

This particular bee balm 'Raspberry Wine' has very large stems that are noticeable when deadheaded. I recommend cutting it back severely after it finishes blooming if it is in a prominent location (this is by my front porch). Use annuals (I had zinnias here until yesterday) to fill in the space if you are left with a hole in the garden. An aggressive grower in rich soil, you only need one of these plants. You can divide it in autumn or spring, but I find I get the best blooms from monarda if it is divided in autumn.

These coneflowers (Prairie Splendor) will bloom after deadheading all summer. I still have blooms on these plants. The 'Prairie Splendor' reseeds in the garden, so I also have plenty of kids to transplant to other locations next spring. You could direct sow seeds now and have a few blooms by late summer of next year.

I love the color combination of purple, deep pink and raspberry. The different bloom shapes add interest to the grouping, so repeating these plants in a different color scheme, could also provide interesting results. I will definitely repeat this combination... somewhere in the outer gardens, if I can find some space!

SoccerBoy's Mouse Mobile

SoccerBoy is taking IT (Industrial technology) or wood shop like we probably called it as kids. Well it seems they created CO2 cars and he really loved it, he made his in the shape/color of a mouse. I found it really cute. What do you think?The car didn't beat the rest of them but he said he had fun making it. He's upset that 7th graders only get to have a quarter of the class and must wait to

Child Safety Book Giveaway

Kay over at My Precious Kid wanted to help everyone out and give one lucky "The Life of a Home Mom" reader a chance to win a "Child Safety Book." This book will include the following topics:ChildproofingThe safe cribSafe baby sleepingSafe infant productsProduct RecallsCar seat safetyChoking HazardsPoison HazardsWater hazardsWindow HazardsDefinitely good topics to know about, I know some thinking

The Balloon is Down

The balloon is now down, the man running to it apparently stopped it and they are currently popping it to get the helium out. So far it seems like they can't find the door to the balloon. By the way the balloon looked more like a UFO. The sad news, there is no boy in the balloon. They are believing that he may have fallen out between the time it took off and landed.

6 Year Old Floats Away in Air Balloon

Just a little while ago CNN broke news channels around the United States, sorry not sure if it went around the world. Truth be told I only know as I got a quick call to go to cnn.com and check it out. At first I laughed, a 6 year old in a hot air balloon. But then I thought, wait it's a 6 year old, by himself in an air balloon. What if he falls? CNN reports: Officials are trying to rescue a 6-

~*Chalkboard Love*~

My chalkboard (the frame was a yardsale find...50 cents) is one of my favorite things in my kitchen!

And, the Chalk Ink markers recommended by Aunt Ruthie of Sugarpie Farmhouse are my favorite things to use on it...no more regular chalk for me!

Disney Living Yahoo Video: Mickey Mouse at KC Union Station

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The Disney Living video where Mickey Mouse came to KC Union Station. I didn't have the code before to put it on here but they were kind enough to send it. So click it and watch the kids and Mickey Mouse as they dance, sing, play with trains, color, etc. You already saw the

Clematis and Roses: A Favorite Combination

It is quite the scramble in May as the clematis climb over the roses. Just select your favorite clematis and your favorite rose and mix them up.

In my garden, I use two common varieties. Clematis 'Jackmanii' and Knock Out™ Rose 'Radrazz' are planted along the inside of the cottage garden fence. As with many combinations in my garden, these provide the purple and deep rose bloom colors that I love so much.

The clematis is rated for zones 4-9 and is a Group 3, meaning to prune back in late winter at the same time as roses. I have good results by leaving a few leaf nodes when pruning. There are three along the inside of my front fence.

The roses are suitable for zones 5-9 and are tough, drought-resistant roses that bloom off and on from May through a few frosts. I've had them bloom up until Thanksgiving. The only real maintenance problem is due to Japanese beetles that attack in the summer. I've tried a number of solutions, but cutting off the rose blooms while the beetles are around worked better, and was easier, than other methods. It took a few weeks for the roses to push new growth and bloom again, so there was some down time.

Yes, the deer will normally eat clematis and roses, so the plants need to be inside a fence. In May, there tends to be enough food in the wild that the deer allow me to enjoy the blooms that spill over, outside and through the fence.


Words and photos by Freda Cameron

Wordless Wednesday: Kids and Mickey Mouse

The pictures below will not take you to the youtube page. But I wanted to show their special moments. The Kids (BalletGirl, BabyGirl and Little A) made it on the Disney video when Mickey Mouse came to KC Union Station. It doesn't let me load it as a video so here is the Disney Living Video. Happy WW! Don't forget to look at WordlessWednesday and 5Minutesformom.

CityofOceanShores.com Newsletter ~ 09.2009

Beach Updates
This town is still construction nuts! Do yourself a favor and stay off Point Brown Avenue until at least November now. For the most part, downtown is still ripped up as the city is having all the roads repaved and the roundabout construction is also underway. It's still really crazy. Other than that things are still pretty hoping at the beach even though the tourist season is over. The weekends lately have been particular busy with folks visiting and looking at getaway/retirement. This coming weekend should be very busy as the Razor Clam season gets underway. If you've never dug or ate a razor clam, you're missing out. Trust me. It took me a few years to give it a shot and now I just can't get enough... But don't tell any game wardens that I said that....

Ocean Shores Real Estate Update
It's been really busy. Buyers are buying! August showed three straight months of improving home sales at the beach. September has flattening out as residential sales remained the same as August. What we are seeing is that people with money, who held back when the economy was on the brink, are starting to buy. Smart money is buying real estate again at what many see at the bottom and capitalizing on the best mortgage rates in decades.



September Home Sales
Sales continue to climb out of the gutter at the beach for the third straight month in a row. 16 houses sold in September. Average sales price nudged up to $166,100 (up from $150,688 in August). 21 homes went pending during September. There are currently 39 homes pending in Ocean Shores right now.

There's only 215 homes on the market right now versus 253 in July. Home inventory is still shrinking and sales are still happening. Average price is $231,012.

September Vacant Lot Sales11 Lot sold in September (down from 13 in August for an average selling price of $32,527. The cheapest one was $8,500 and the most expensive was $80,000. Average time on the market was only 209 days. There are currently 12 lots that are pending around town... There's 551 lots on the market right now.


September Condo SalesThree condos closed during September at the beach. Average price was $88,833. The big news in condo sales is that there are currently 6 of them pending (including two at the Dreamscape Condos). That's a huge jump! There are 107 condos on the market in Ocean Shores right now.

Image from:http://oceanshoresrealestate....
Dreamscape Condos are now very serious about selling off their remaining inventory. Only twelve units are left and are now being offered as Short Sales ~ meaning that the owners are now offering them for less than what is owed to the bank. This is a great opportunity that will not last. "Here's More Info."



BrandNewBeachHomes.com is a real estate blog about new homes and new construction out at the beach. Take a look!

If you have any questions regarding Ocean Shores/North Coast Real Estate, call Jeff Daniel of Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties at 360.581.9020 or visit my website at www.cityofoceanshores.com. Thanks! All real estate numbers and stats apply to the Ocean Shores real estate market. All statistics are supplied from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Upcoming Events
Paddle the Shores
Cat Fancier's Association Cat Show
October 24-25, 2009A Cat Fanciers Association All Breed Cat Show . See an incredible variety of cats from the ordinary to the very unusual! Saturday - 10AM to 5PM & Sunday - 9AM to 4PM. Don't bring your dog.

Jazz at the Beach - Jazz Festival
November 6-8, 2009Jazz bands from around the United States and Canada join together to offer over 65 hours of live jazz at several venues throughout Ocean Shores. http://users.techline.com/diggindixie/

Winter Fanta-Sea
November 27-29, 2009
Over 70 arts and crafts booths feature thousands of unique handmade items just in time for the holidays! Bring the kids, Santa will be there to listen to all of your Christmas wishes.

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Razor Clam Season Tentatively set to Open at 5 Beaches in Mid-October (this weekend!)Image from:http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MR...View image on Bing The first razor-clam dig of the fall season will get under way Oct. 16 if marine toxin tests show the clams are safe to eat, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today. Additional digging opportunities are scheduled through Jan. 3. Evening digs are tentatively planned at Twin Harbors (Oct. 16-19); Long Beach and Copalis (Oct. 16, 17 and 18); and Mocrocks and Kalaloch Beach (Oct. 17 and18). Digging at all beaches will be restricted to the hours between noon and midnight. “The results of our 2009 summer stock assessment show that Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Kalaloch Beach have had an increase in their total allowable catch, while Copalis and Mocrocks are about the same,” said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager. “This is great news for Kalaloch, which will have harvest opportunities for the first time since spring 2007.” Image from:http://rodnreal.com/clamtides...View image on Bing The best time to start digging is an hour or two before low tide, said Ayres, who also recommends that diggers check weather and surf conditions before heading out. Harvesters are allowed to take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 they dig, regardless of size or condition. Each digger’s clams must be kept in a separate container. Image from:http://wdfw.wa.gov/science/in...View image on Bing A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2009 annual shellfish/seaweed license or combination fishing license is still valid. Another option is a razor-clam only license available in annual or three-day only versions. Descriptions of the various licensing options are available on the WDFW website at http://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. Tentative opening dates and evening low tides in October are:
Friday, Oct. 16 ( 5:50 p.m. -0.5 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
Saturday, Oct. 17 (6:38 p.m. -0.8 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Sunday, Oct. 18 (7:23 p.m. -1.1ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
In addition, WDFW has tentatively scheduled the following digs:
Saturday, Nov. 14 (4:34 p.m. -0.3 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Sunday, Nov. 15 (5:21 p.m. -0.7 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Monday, Nov. 16 (6:05 p.m. -0.9 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
The Pacific razor clam (Siliqua patula) is an exceptionally meaty shellfish which ranges from California to Alaska. It is abundant on surf-pounded ocean beaches, but also occurs in sheltered areas along the coast. Limited diving observations have indicated some adult razor clams (S.patula) offshore for up to one-half mile. Razor clams dredged in water deeper than 30 feet, although similar to the beach clam, are a different species (Siliqua sloati).

In Washington waters, the razor clam grows to a maximum length of six inches, although they are seldom found. Clams seven inches long have been recorded, but are very rare. The life expectancy for Washington clams is five years. Again, there are exceptions, but razor clams suffer from a high degree of mortality due to predation by Dungeness crabs, shore birds, numerous species of fish and of course thousands of clam diggers. A disease was also discovered in the early 1980's that caused mass mortalities of large numbers of clams. It is unknown how long this disease has affected clam populations. In contrast, razor clams found in Alaska may grow to eleven inches in length and live to be 15 years old, due to colder water temperatures and slower growth rates.

Razor clams are found primarily on the intertidal coastal beaches (those that are exposed at low tide) from a +3 foot level to a -2 foot tide level. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) divides the harvest areas into five major management zones (see map): Beaches scheduled to open are:
Long Beach, which extends from the Columbia River to Leadbetter Point.
Twin Harbors Beach, which extends from the mouth of Willapa Bay north to the south jetty at the mouth of Grays Harbor.
Copalis Beach, which extends from the Grays Harbor north jetty to the Copalis River, and includes the Copalis, Ocean Shores, Oyhut, Ocean City and Copalis areas.
Mocrocks Beach, which extends from the Copalis River to the southern boundary of the Quinault Reservation near the Moclips River, including Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Pacific Beach and Moclips.
Kalaloch Beach, which extends from the South Beach Campground to Brown’s Point (just south of Beach Trail 3) in the Olympic National Park.

Beach News
This is where I've been getting mine lately:

Jeff Daniel Associate Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
Cell Phone: 360.581.9020749 Point Brown Ave NW
PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
360.289.3111 (fax)

Healthy Halloween Treats from Disney FamilyFun

Kids on candy overload? Here are six fun – yet healthy – recipes for parties or after-school snacks from Disney FamilyFun magazine. Black Bean Cat Crudite´sNo bones about it, this kitty skeleton makes a healthy centerpiece for Halloween parties or school gatherings. Just arrange assorted fresh vegetables and a bowl of your favorite black bean dip in the shape of a spooky cat.Edible Eyeballs- Set

Little A's New Jacket

Little A hasn't needed a jacket until recently, he had all types of warm clothes but a jacket he was lacking. That is until today, yep, it got way too cold out here and we were determined to find one. So far we hadn't been able to find a single one that looked warm enough. Walmart had one that was a 4-piece and included hat and gloves for only $25. The jacket is really warm and he loves it so

Baby Einstein: Animail World DVD

You know I just love the Baby Einstein products, one reason, as many of you know is I have a child at that perfect age. The other reason I love Baby Einstein is because they are all about educating young minds. Baby Einstein just came out with the World Animal Adventure DVD, a review is below written by BalletGirl, well by me but she told me what to write.This is about these two monkeys that go

Purple and Deep Rose: A Favorite Combination

I do love to combine deep rose with purple-blue blooms in the garden. In fact, I'm probably growing too many deep rose (includes magenta and fuschia) and purple flowers, but I tend to gravitate toward the colors. I think the combination is soothing and easy on the eyes.

Could it be because these colors are analogous or adjacent on the color wheel? Cornell University has an excellent tutorial on Using Color in Flower Gardens.

Deep rose flowers in the top photo include:

Salvia greggii 'Dark Dancer'
Spirea 'Neon Flash'
rose campion
larkspur 'Carmine Rose'

Purple-blue flowers in the photo:

Buddleia 'Adonis Blue'™
Japanese iris (not sure which one)
larkspur 'Lilac Spires'

I have a tendency to create the look of diagonal swaths across the slope in my garden. This is an example where the monochromatic grouping of deep rose blooms shows this illusion. This is the view when walking along the lower path from the butterfly garden into the front garden. Since I prefer to mix different bloom sizes of the same color, the diagonal line isn't just one particular plant. Perennials, shrubs, and annuals are used together.

All of these plants are keepers, too. This vignette happens to include many favorites that I can easily recommend.

The buddleia blooms and re-blooms all summer if deadheaded. I have tried to be diligent about it this summer and am still being rewarded with fall blooms. It is suitable for zones 5-9, full sun, and the size is a fairly compact 5' x 5'. It is deer resistant and drought tolerant, once established. Of course, it is a butterfly magnet!

Spirea 'Neon Flash' is for zones 4-8, full sun and is a deciduous shrub that blooms abundantly in early June and will re-bloom lightly if deadheaded. I like the foliage, too. Spirea is one of the first deciduous shrubs to grow leaves in spring. The size is easily managed, though it can grow to 3' x 3'. It is deer resistant in my garden, but there is the occasional bloom tasting party. They spit out the flowers between tastings.

Salvia greggii 'Dark Dancer' is one of my favorites. This evergreen salvia loves hot climates such as zones 7-10. It is a heavy bloomer in spring and fall with sporadic blooms all summer. Although it can reach 4' high and wide, it is easily kept smaller with a shaping before blooming in early spring. It is definitely deer resistant and loves full sun and good drainage.

The Japanese irises provide beautiful early summer flowers and the foliage remains attractive until after a few frosts. It expands rapidly to create large clumps that have to be divided when the "donut hole" shows in the middle. These irises are suitable for zones 4-9, full sun to part sun. I grow these where they can have very wet feet on rainy days and be in drought in the summer. They are tough! The deer may taste the fully opened blooms now and then, but it hasn't been a significant problem. They seem to avoid the buds and the foliage.

The rose campion and larkspur are reseeding annuals. I planted three rose campion a few years ago and have never had to plant more. I move the seedlings around wherever I like. The larkspur seeds are sown directly where they are to grow - in late October in my zone. I will never garden without them again!

Not in bloom in the photo, but worth mentioning since the foliage and flowers are important. On either side of the spirea are patches of monarda 'Blue Stocking'. When the spirea starts to fade, the bee balm, along with purple coneflowers and purple agastache, will add blooms to the grouping. The monarda can be grown in zones 4-9 and grows to 30" tall. You only need one if you plant it in rich, moist soil! It is reliably deer resistant in my garden.

I could go on and on... as there are even more flowers on either side of this grouping that fall into the same color range!


Words and photos by Freda Cameron; Home Garden; Summer 2009