Linda Ferrara

November 6, 2009. It's the end of the week and time for some nice photos. Enjoy.

This is a photo of the mountains north of Silver City. Like the view?

There are doors and gates all around town like this one near our office.

Large Lizard on the house of a friend.

Cowboy Action Shooting:

Have you ever heard of Cowboy Action Shooting? Or the Single Action Shooting Society www.sassnet.com ? Well if you want to play cowboy / cowgirl, you'll want to check this sport out.

Using 3 different types of guns (2 pistols, 1 shot gun and 1 rifle), you ‘get' the bad guys by following a scenario. You may shoot 10 pistols, 9 rifle and 4 shot gun, being timed and misses counted along the way. The fun begins before hand when you choose an alias, get dressed in 1890's garb and build a gun cart.

My husband belongs to the local club, www.gilarangers.com . What a nice, fun bunch of people! They shoot out in the Mimbres on John Fowler's ranch. They have permanent stages set up for variety. Imagine shooting your pistol from the bar doors, then moving to the train ticket counter and shooting your rifle and then to the jail house and shooting your shot gun.

And it's fun to watch too! I'm not a shooting kind of a girl - - - but I am the best darn score keeper in these parts!

This is a photo from Border Dispute in July 2009.

We've met people from all over the country (and Germany too). It seems that with this organization, people aren't strangers; they're just friends you haven't met yet. It's a national organization so there's a good chance there's one in your area. There are folks who enjoy getting in their RV and travelling to all the different clubs around the country. And the National Headquarters are in NM! I encourage any of you who are SASS members reading this, to add a comment and photo so people can see what it's all about.

Until then, shoot straight and be safe!

Today's Saying: One must be a god to be able to tell successes from failures without making a mistake.

November 5, 2009

The animals of Silver City, NM

Today I'd like to talk about animals in our area. I love the fact that every day I get to see deer and horses on my way to or from work. Regularly I see other animals - wild and tame - Jack rabbits, skunks, cattle, chipmunks, javalina, hawks, donkeys, coyote, fox, woodpeckers and snakes. When I'm walking or hiking I like to check out the variety of tracks we see or try to identify the scat. My neighbor gives me a list of birds he has recently seen. Once, when I was south of town, I saw a herd of ibex (a gift by the Shah of Iran back in the ‘70's). If you're in the Fort Bayard Game Preserve you're bound to see a herd of elk off in the distance. While on my 3 day walk to Lordsburg, I saw either a wolf or large coyote (friends helping me identify couldn't come to a consensus). There are a few folks raising llamas. I saw an ostrich in a yard once. (As a Realtor, I get to see it all!).

It seems that most people around here just love animals or things related to animals. So many people I know have dogs. Being a large ranching area, there's lots of cattle and horses. The Gila National Wilderness attracts hunters.

My favorite animals are my own pets (of course!). We have 1 cat and 2 dogs. And for me, they make my house a home. They never cease to make me laugh and keep me moving. I'm amazed at what they understand.

If you're feeling down, pet an animal! Make it a great day!

Today's Saying: May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day. May songbirds serenade you every step along the way. May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that's always blue. And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through."

Mr. Seller...Let the Buyer's Agent Sell Your House

Scenario: Mr. Seller is very eager to sell his house. He just "happens to be home" when a lot of the buyers and their agents pop by for a visit. Mt. Seller likes to be the tour guide highlighting all the parts of the house he [the Seller] likes about his house. Mr. Seller also likes to talk money.

Yes, that's right. Stuff like "I can do this with closing help or I can do that with less closing help or....." Get the point?

So I get the call from the agent with a low ball offer. I present to the Seller. The Seller tells me, "I told Ms. Agent what I could do and not do and yadda, yadda, yadda. I thought she was on board." Or I get feedback about how awkward the agent felt or that the buyer really didn't like the main feature of the house the Seller was so proud of.

No matter how may times I ask Seller clients to take a walk around the block or go to a movie or hide in the basement, there are those that insist they can sell their house just fine, thank you very much.

I don't get it. If they really didn't want the help, why'd they ask (and agree, in writing, to pay my fee)?

Please...to all you Mr. and Ms. Sellers everywhere: you may get more than you thought, in less time than you thought, with less stress than you thought...if you let your Realtor do their job. Sit back. Relax. We'll get it done.

Many people in Silver City volunteer for a wide variety of programs. I am on the Board of Literacy Link - Leamos. We are the local literacy program located in the Silver City Library on Cooper Street. Our many volunteers assist the local community in a large variety of ways. We read to children in pre-school and give them books. We teach English and Spanish. We match learners with teachers for private tutoring needs, and a host of other things. I am very proud to be a part of this highly successful organization. The people involved in running it are of the highest quality.

Leamos = "We Read".

In February 2010 we are having our annual "Love Your Library" Day. Each year we host this event where families come and are able to do fun things including, receive a free book, win prizes, play on-line games, listen to local musicians, learn about the Library, play Bingo, create works of art, eat treats, and be LOUD in the library! It's a ton of fun and a very popular community event. If you're in town, please be sure to stop by and say hello! If you'd like to learn more about volunteering at the program, call 575-388-0892 or on-line at: http://www.gilarangers.com/leamos.htm Saying of the Day: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead