Woodinville, WA

Groundhog Day in the Seattle / Woodinville, WA Area --- "Spring Comes Early" - - -

Forget Punxsutawney, PA for the rodent forecast for how long winter will last. You want the smartest rodent alive for that kind of prediction. That rodent, Benjamin, lives in Woodinville, WA. And, here he says, "Spring comes early." Who is Benjamin, this wisest of all rodents? Well, Benjamin is from the oldest existing order of rodents on earth: the Mountain Beaver. The Mountain Beaver is not to be confused with the North American Beaver. Here is a picture of our Mountain Beaver, Benjamin, phoning in the prediction via his iPaw ©. This photo was created with the cooperation of the Wikipedia public domain crew ;-))

You see, our Mountain Beaver, Benjamin, is so shy smart he refuses to come out for the press, even though they've been gathered for days looking to interview this wisest of all rodents. So, he uses his latest tech creation, his iPaw ©. Proving again how smart he is, he avoids the glare of the cameras that would mess up seeing his shadow. Benny, as we all like to call him in the neighborhood, is really even too smart to come out looking for his shadow. He uses remote sensors (which you can see if you look closely at the GPS reading on his iPaw ©). But Benny mostly relies on his consultant, Ziggy, to do the leg work. Here is a picture of Ziggy consulting with Benny. We overheard Ziggy reporting, "Yep, no shadows out here."

Benny mostly hangs out next door, on the other side of our fence, he has a bit more privacy there. Speaking of privacy, that is one of the very enjoyable features of living in the Woodinville area. Large parcels of land, kind of country like, yet next door to Redmond WA, home of Microsoft.

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This is a picture of some new digs for Microsoft at the Bravern in Bellevue, not far away, mixed in with shopping and some favorite Microsoftie playgrounds. In fact, we have Microsofties living in our neighborhood, and as rumor has it, they secretly hunt for consulting opportunities with Benny every chance they get.

Of course, we have Boeing engineers living in our area as well. Word on the street is that they consulted with Benny quite a bit on the new Dreamliner (in between the naps Benny likes to take).

We've been talking about getting Benny a gig with Starbucks, also nearby. Seems like they need his help, and maybe it will make Benny a bit more productive. We're always looking to increase productivity around here. That's why Benny spends a lot of time downloading new books from Amazon, another local employer.

So, if you want to enjoy an early spring, come to Woodinville, WA in the Seattle area, and we'll show you some very nice property where you can settle in, search for a good job, and enjoy the neighborhood. Please find some time to shop and have fun in the great weather we're having, with our early spring. And, maybe you'll get lucky by moving in and having the wisest of all rodents as a neighbor.

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Home Buyer Tax Credit Deadline Extended for Military to 2011 - See One Minute Video Below.

The IRS has done the right thing by taking the pressure off our military personnel relative to the deadline dates to qualify for the current homebuyer tax credit. Please click on the one minute video below to get a quick overview of the IRS ruling for our military and other related services. Thank you.

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One of my favorite decorating styles is what I call "casually elegant". To me that means a home enviornment that is beautiful, yet welcoming and approachable, not stuffy or formal.

We staged this vacant home in Woodville's Bear Creek Country Club last weekend. The view out the living room windows is of the community golf course. This staged home epitomizes a "casually elegant" lifestyle!

Staging Provided by SISTERS Interior Redesign, Edmonds, WA, 425.776.7890, www.sistersredesign.com

Give your listing the advantage of professional staging. Contact us today for a complimentary quote.

We look forward to working with you!

Snoqualmie Falls - - - Great Puget Sound, WA Destination - - -

Snoqualmie Falls is one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Washington State. Located near the scenic North Bend area and the fabulous collection of old railroad trains and equipment in the town of Snoqualmie. Fortunately, it is not far from my hometown of Woodinville, and Nina's home at the south end of Lake Washington.

Also in the area of the falls is one of Mary's favorite dining spots, the Fall City Roadhouse. What a great area to spend a few days, just soaking up all the wonderful scenery and things to do.

The Snoqualmie Falls area also offers wonderful hiking opportunities down to the river below for magnificent views of the falls from the river. But be careful, the hike down and up is not for the faint-hearted stroller. The area was the location of the Twin Peaks television series, and now attracts more than 1.5 million visitors a year.

The gift shop has some very unusual items, definitely worth the time. You'll need to leave your pets in your vehicle, but it does not take long to soak in the views and capture excellent photos not too far from the parking areas. The viewing area is wheelchair accessible.

Next time you are around here, you've got to check out Snoqualmie Falls, in the Puget Sound area . . .

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Good News at the Columbia Winery in Woodinville, WA - - -

It was disheartening to have read a while back that the Columbia Winery in Woodinville, WA was considering closing up after the dinner train was placed on a siding for the time being. It must have been a real shock to business not to have that great crowd stop and get off at the Columbia Winery. But, there is good news to follow . . .

When Mary and I stopped by the other day, it was good news to hear they've had a change of heart and are planning on staying open for years to come. The Columbia Winery is a wonderful destination for many reasons. Tasting some of their incredible wines is the obvious one, but then there is also a fine gift shop, cozy fireplace, and banquet facilities.

It is also fun to just stroll around the property and look back on the marvelous architecture represented by the main building of the Columbia Winery.

If you want to find a beautiful wedding venue or hold an unforgettable business seminar, the Columbia Winery is the place to go.

Don't miss your next chance to spend some enjoyable time at the Columbia Winery in Woodinville, WA, in the heart of the famous Washington State wine country.

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