Minot, ND

Their Here! Millions and millions of snowflakes that is. It's our first snow storm of this winter season and it certainly is a mess. I'm making this post in an effort to help all the NEW folks in Minot due to our Air Force Base as well as all the Texans up here working on our oil boom. Watching traffic here would be comical if it was not for the fact people are getting hurt and their automobiles are sustaining a lot of damage. Here are some pointers for you:

1) If you are not scared to drive on snow you should be. If you have never driven on snow and you are not afraid then you are an idiot. Even the most experienced drivers in this area respect the snow and we all know that when that first big one comes it's a new learning experience all over again.

2) Minot ND is located in a river valley. The areas of town are called North Hill, South Hill, and The Valley. In a storm your chances of going up either hill diminishes greatly. The chances of stopping at the bottom from the top and ending up where you want to be is also a crap shoot.

3) That sports car you brought to the Air Force Base or out to the oil boom is not a good choice during a snow storm. The snow can get up to two feet not counting much higher drifts. A sports car can handle an inch or two, not a foot or two. (There is a reason that most of us have 4 wheel drive and it's not that we are a bunch of gun to-ten hicks).

4) Don't lock up your brakes if you are heading for disastor. If you have time then pump your brakes, if not you will actusll have more controll by accelerating then slamming on the breaks.

5) Many North Dakotians keep a tow rope in their vehicle and most of us do not expect payment for helping out a stranded citizen. Still, even today, most North Dakotians will stop to help.

6) If you are stuck but it doesn't look like you should be (very little snow) you can most likely get out of it by making sure your wheels are straight and then rock the car from forward to reverse back and forth until you break free. Do not gun the engine or spin the wheels when doing this. Soft and gentile will get you out.

7) Keep a scoop type of shovel in the car. If you get stuck in a drift or snow bank you need to shovel as much snow as you can that is behind the wheels (front and back). Once your car is no longer "hung up" you should be able to do the rocking thing and get out. Remember to keep those wheels straight, this is vital to getting free.

8) Don't put yourself in a position that you have to hurry. That more then anything is going to get you stuck in a snow bank or in a collision. As painful as it may be double the time it used to take you to get to and from the Air Force Base or what ever. I'm sure I don't need to through this in but I'm going to: Don't drink and drive, it's a bad idea when the roads are good but it is a really bad idea in stormy weather.

I hope this is helpful and I hope others will throw in some additional pointers. Thanks,

Bob

Oak Park Realty, Minot North Dakota's First and Only Green Realtor.

Why: You know how you get set in your ways but then all of a sudden the light bulb comes on and you have a totally different view of something. Well this is what happened to me. In the past I felt the entire go green idea was a load of, well you know, fertilizer. There are still aspects of going green or terms that are used that make me cringe like "Save the Earth/Planet". Only Jesus can/will save the Planet but WE can be good stewards of what God gave us.

What: What really turned me on is that I can do things in my own home that are not only Green but safer and healthier for my young children and myself. Why have harsh chemical cleaners in the home that could hurt or even kill a child when safe alternatives are available? Why use generic untested supplements when I can use tested, guaranteed products? While those two things were the spark that ignited the desire to be Green there are other things I firmly believe in such as: recycling, purchasing used when possible, and conserving energy (saving money). I'm not going to pull any punches here, Shaklee is what/who got me excited with their product testing (no animal testing), and the total dedication to quality and safety.

How: Oak Park Realty is Green because: We recycle non-sensitive papers, purchase and recycle recycled ink/toner cartridges, turn off the lights when we are not in the office, use the energy saving settings on our computers, we have asked and will receive soon a newspaper recycling receptacle to place in our parking lot, we are giving monthly seminars to the public on going Green in the home (if you would like to be invited please let us know by notifying us. We have applied for and hope to be part of the elite EPA Performance Track team (an honor only 600 companies have in the USA), we are producing a monthly Get Green Newsletter that is published on recycled paper and with soy ink as well. We have partnered with several Local and State Companies to promote being green (ie if you look at our newsletter you will see contributions by Morgan Printing, Farmers Union, and Gate City Bank who also gave us a large supply of reusable & recyclable shopping bags to distribute). We are open to more suggestions as to how we may be a Greener Company if you would like to make them then click on the "Contact Us" menu button.

To visit my Shaklee website and see the safe ecological products that got me thinking Green please click here.

The Roosevelt Park Zoo in Minot North Dakota holds an annual open house called "Boo at the Zoo" and it starts this Friday (October 24th).

Kids day is Saturday and I strongly suggest it for younger kids. On kids day they leave the lights on so it's not so scary. My kids went when they were 6 and 5 and they were so scared they were crying and we had to back out (this was with the lights on). Also when you come be sure to bring your patience as there is usually an incredible line.

The scary version is October 24, 25, 29, 30 and the 31st. For more information go to www.rpzoo.com . Hope to see you there!

Bob Timm, Minot ND

This has been a beautiful evening with a full harvest moon. Up here in North Dakota the leaves have been falling and we have had a couple of frosty nights. Tonight my bride and I raked leaves with the help of our little ones (Tina 8 & Timmothy 7). It was nice to get the most out of our short evenings as the sun is now down by 7PM. Timmothy wasn't a lot of help tonight as early on he stepped in some dog do-do and then whined about it for half an hour. Burning leaves in our Fire Department approved fire pit is one thing I look forward to every fall, just love the smell. I mention the Fire Department approved fire pit because one of my neighbors who obviously doesn't care for the smell always calls the Fire Department every time I light it. I actually look forward to greeting my Fire Department friends several times in the fall. They are always very friendly to me and it's fun to hear them lecture my neighbor and question his IQ. Tonight was no different. After five years of lectures from the Fire Department you would think he would catch on but then again he does have a Barrack Obama sign in his front yard (I had to throw that in). Sincerely it was a very nice evening. To top it off another neighbor just came home from pheasant hunting and gave us a couple of birds, he even cleaned them for us. Best yet, and very unusual in North Dakota it was an absolutely calm night, not the slightest breeze. It was a perfect night for burning leaves, visiting with my pheasant hunting neighbor and my Fire Department friends. All is well in Minot North Dakota tonight.

Bob Timm, Minot ND