Warren Schutt

Are you aware that less than miles from Main Street, Danbury, there are 21 miles of hiking trails wandering through the 722 acres of Tarrywile Municipal Park?

Many people have heard about the park because they have attended a wedding, business meeting or some other gathering at the Tarrywile Mansion. It has been serving as a Community Center for almost 20 years now and can be rented out for your special events and gatherings. But there is so much more to the park.

When I need a break from the doldrums and stress of life, I slip on my hiking boots and head out to the park. I like to hike through the woods, but you can pack a lunch and enjoy a picnic in the meadow, near the lake or the gardens.

If you want all the details about Tarrywile Park and Mansion, go to: http://tarrywile.com/ and you'll find lots of information. Be sure to check out the children's Garden, the Hearthstone Castle, the gardens, the gazebo, many old farm buildings and of course Tarrywile Lake.

And if you are ready to hike in the woods and get away from it all for a little while, go to: http://tarrywile.com/files/Tarrywile_trail-map.pdf for a map of the trails. The white trail is gentle and the yellow trail can be quite steep. It's a bit more strenuous than walking around the Mall, but it won't cost you a cent and the fresh air is just fine.

You can look for me out there, I generally start at the silo, take the white trail to the blue, go up the steep yellow trail to Mootry Peak Lookout where I take some time to enjoy the panoramic view of the area. On a clear day I can sneak a peek of Candlewood Lake and north, a great view of Danbury Hospital, a exciting vista in the direction of Newtown and beyond, and the tops of the hills with those flashing red lights. Wow!

And on a clearer day - I'll take some more photos and post them!

From the silo, you can reach Mootry Peak in 45 minutes to an hour and the return trip is about 45 minutes to an hour. Some of the other trails can hiked in even less time. And if you are really lucky you might meet one of my friends or be blessed with a wonderful sunset view.

If you want to refresh your senses, stretch your leg muscles and find yourself out in the woods, I highly recommend you take a few hours to enjoy one of Danbury's best kept secrets. Give me a call and you might even twist my arm to hike with you.

To Reduce your stress!

Stop feeling defeated - it's time to attack the problem again, using a different tact.

Take on one task at a time and finish it.

Don't set arbitrary goals such as, "I will work on marketing this property for the rest of the day.

Vision your tasks successfully completed.

Stop being defensive - your self-esteem is not something that can be easily destroyed.

Don't focus on the obstacle. Instead, focus on what your personal strengths are so your energy is brought to bear where it is needed.

Remember to breathe!

It all started when one resident of the Bethel Convalescence Home let the staff know that riding in a hot air balloon was on his bucket list. A call to RE/MAX Unlimited Real Estate and a hot air balloon event was scheduled.

What a pleasure to see all of the residents sitting outside the facility, on a beautiful sunny day, watching the RE/MAX balloon being spread out and inflated.

And then the excitement really started - as more than 50 residents, most in wheel chairs each had their moment in the air. The process of lifting each resident out of their wheel chair, into a chair placed carefully in the balloon, a 4 minute ride into the air up and down and then a lift back into their wheel chair. And then a small glass of champagne to celebrate an exhilarating moment of freedom! The smiles on resident's face were the reward for all the volunteers who helped the event happen.

So balloons are not just for kids - we had definite proof yesterday!

It once again made me proud to be a RE/MAX agent who provides service to the community - far beyond the normal tasks of real estate.

The American Dream for me encompasses many things - but I do remember many years ago, the opportunity of homeownership was highest on that list.

When I purchased my first home in 1976 - I was told that house prices never go down. Then in 1982 and 1983 interest rates reached 19% - the few buyers who could purchase were generally transferees with financing subsidized by their corporation. Prices really didn't fall too steeply - it was just that few people could afford to buy a home and it meant that very few people could sell.

Then starting in 1984, interest rates came down, the opportunity and demand for homeownership rose dramatically and so did prices. And the myth returned that house prices would only go up. The dream returned as the prices for homes rose until 1988 when they peaked.

House prices took a tremendous drop. In my market area, it wasn't until 1998, that prices returned to where they were 10 years prior. And of course the next boom arrived.

Now we've passed that boom and we're witnessing the aftermath of those many years of easy money, over demand and great inflation in the pricing of houses. The situation this time is even more disastrous with foreclosures in neighborhoods you would have never thought and an untold number of homeowners upside down in their mortgages. Lots of homes are vacant and many houses are for sale.

The promise of homeownership for many folks has become a hope - a hope of finding assistance to keep their house. Was the American dream an illusion?

Perhaps the real problem was the delusion - the delusion of entitlement ... the expectation that housing prices would only go up and a house was an investment. Buy a house, live there a few years; sell it at a profit and move up to a bigger better house. And better yet buy several houses and make even more money. The delusion is this premise treats a house as a material thing, an investment and a vehicle of monetary value.

If only we could find the basis of our personal values in other ways. Then a house could once again be a home; a home that could be a great place to live the dream.

Alas, we have been here before. If only the next time around we can remember that the American Dream is better understand as the opportunity to have a home to live in, make a life in and be satisfied in.

If more people believed that, they wouldn't be walking away from their houses and giving them back to the bank. They just might be fighting to keep their homes.