Linda Bourgault

We witness the beauty of life when a child is born, when we meet the Love of our life, or when we see magnificent waves rolling on the ocean. We are surrounded by nature's beauty every moment of every day. Then when we least expect it, nature pounds us into the ground as we lose a child to drug addiction, the passing of the Love of our life, or a rogue wave unexpectedly erupts and tosses our dreams into the depths of the sea.

We also witness nature's highs and lows in our professional lives as realtors, mortgage bankers, home inspectors, loss mitigators and others in our industry. When we place the keys into the hands of new home owners we receive big smiles of gratitude. We receive kudos from our clients when a tough deal is approved and a big "whew" when the inspector tells us the roof repairs are minor and will only cost $500 instead of $5000!

Then a bad wave comes along and spits us out on the beach—when a buyer backs out of a contract for no apparent reason, when the loan officer doesn't do due diligence or the title search finds an unexpected lien on a property. And now, with the downturn in the economy, many of us are scrambling for any deal we can find and when we find a deal we have to work twice as hard to make it work.

Each of us has the power within us to choose how we will handle the positives or negatives life puts before us. We have the power to take the beauty to a higher level... to accept it with gratitude and share it with one another. And we have the power to take the destructive forces and turn them around... to accept it and take the opportunity to learn a vital lesson and keep our momentum moving forward instead of backward.

I discovered this video while I was posting photos on my lulugraphix Flickr photo site a couple of days ago. It inspired me to think about nature and it's influences upon us in our daily lives. I emailed the creator of the video to request his permission to use it in my blog. The gentleman's name is Boyd Miller, a photographer and artist, from Newport, Oregon. He has created videos, with natural sounds and music, I think you will enjoy at: www.youtube.com/user/boydmiller.

I hope you'll take a moment today to consider the beauty and not so beautiful in your life and choose to harness the power within to enhance your life in a meaningful way... and be inspired by nature!

Copyright 2009 Linda Bourgault lulugraphix. All rights reserved.

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Thanks for reading my Activerain Blog!

Linda Bourgault, Loss Mitigation Consultant

Cell: 808.779.2194

E-mail: lulugraphix@yahoo.com

I can help you with your Loss Mitigation needs whether it's avoiding foreclosure or closing a short sale.

Cheese! Cheese!—Glorious Cheese!

A few months ago I was lurking around the house... searching for something to eat and all I could think about was cheese. After two trips to the refrigerator I had an inventory of the cheeses available. There were a couple of cheddars,  a small piece of provolone, parmigiano reggiano,  manchengo and mozzarella. A plethora of cheeses, but none of them were appealing. I was craving something very special—Chevre, French for goat cheese.  So, off I went to the market in search of goat cheese. While I was at the market I started thinking about making homemade cheese. On a whim I purchased some goat milk thinking I'd either drink it or maybe actually make some cheese.

I researched the web for "how to make goat cheese."  Once I found several recipes, I culled through them deciding upon one with basisc instructions, a list of ingredients and equipment. I realized this cheese making thing had the potential of becoming a life long pursuit of how to create the perfect cheese in all of its infinite varieties. I digress...

My first attempt was time consuming with pain staking attention to cleanliness and uncertainty as to the results.  By the time the curd developed, drained and molded I was rewarded with a yummy, creamy, mild goat cheese.  I started talking to people about cheese and cheese making all the while handing out samples of my first batch of goat cheese. Everyone loved it—I was hooked!

If I could make "good" goat cheese from store bought goat milk, the fresh stuff had to be even better. So, I was off again researching where I could locate the fresh stuff. I accidentally discovered a goat dairy less than three miles from my home. I placed an order and met the owner/operator of Latte Da Dairy, Anne Jones, while I was picking-up my order. Anne makes fantastic artisinal,  handmade goat cheese and a winner of numerous awards. She's also a gold mine of information. She introduced me to her "divas," her very special Nubian and La Mancha goats, and wished me luck.

Off I went back home to make more cheese. The result this time was even better! I'm now a believer of "fresh" cheese is best when seeking a cream cheese or feta cheese. I could see myself becoming more involved with cheese making, but I have too many other interests to allow it to become a singular passion.

I enjoy sharing my love affair with cheese. One of my favorite things to do is to invite a few friends to gather over a good bottle of wine and cheese platter. To enhance your enjoyment of a cheese platter there are a few basic ideas to follow that will increase the enjoyment of eating different cheeses. Start with three to no more than five different cheeses. Begin with a mild tasting cheese then move towards a medium one and finish with a stronger tasting cheese. It's good to offer cheese made from sheep, goat and cow's milk to provide a variety of tastes. Grapes and apples compliment the greatest variety of cheese and mild breads or crackers complete the tasting experience.

Just ask if you'd like more serving tips or ideas about using cheese to enhance your eating experiences. Or if you want to learn on your own, go to a market that offers a variety of cheeses. Markets such as Central Market and farmer's markets will let you taste before you buy. So, get out there and have a cheese tasting adventure... you may get hooked they way I did!

Now, "What does cheese making have to do with real estate?" you ask.

The lesson is... when you don't know how to improve your book of business or you want to offer your clients more, but don't know what to do about it just remember to THINK about what you want to achieve, ASK assistance from those who are successful, and LEARN from the best in the RAIN.

Copyright 2009 Linda Bourgault/lulugraphix. All rights reserved.

Copyright 2009 by Linda Bourgault/lulugraphix.

All photographs and/or written content produced by Linda Bourgault. All rights reserved and may not be reproduced or reprinted without express written permission of Linda Bourgault/lulugraphix, Flower Mound, Texas.

Lake Lewisville is a Texas Favorite because it offers shoreline camping, cruising, food and music, a fun party cove, and places to ski or board. Lake Lewisville is a large (28,980 acres) Corp of Engineers lake with plenty of camping and day use areas.

Typical Day at the Lake
Cruise by some of the big houses on the west end of the lake (just before you get to Pilot Knoll Park), raft up and swim in the party cove at Westlake Park, and then head over to Charlie's or Sneaky Pete's for a drink of your choice, fun crowds, some munchies, and good music on the deck.

For something different, try boat golfing - pack your clubs and Frisbee golf discs and boat over to Stewart Peninsula Golf Course (tie up to their dock and walk about 150 yards to the pro shop). It is a very fun and challenging course. Beach your boat at the west side of Lake Lewisville Park and play the disc golf course (a really fun course that winds through the trees, up and down some hills and along the water, plus dog legs, blind shots, and more).

Try to find some calm water for skiing, tubing, or boarding in one of the coves at the north end of the lake, along the dam, or on the west side of the lake by the Highway 35 bridge.

Other Cool Things To Do
There are quite a few coves for swimming or fishing. You can watch the wind surfers at Lewisville Lake Park. Or for the really adventurous seeking a thrill, go for a powered parachute, parasail, or hot air balloon ride with Flying and Floating Toys. Cruise over to Sneaky Pete's and play or watch volleyball, swim in the pool, and have drinks on the deck.

For a unique, exciting, fun experience, you can charter a 70' beautiful catamaran and sail on Lake Lewisville. Check out Big D Cats for a day, evening, or dinner dance cruise

What If I Don't Have a Boat?
You're missing a lot of fun so go rent a boat or some other water toy from some of the watercraft rental locations on Lewisville - click here to find a listing of each one, what they rent, and a link to their website. Take advantage of some of the day use areas at Oakland Park, Hickory Creek Park, or any of the other parks on the lake - swim, fish, picnic, and play games.

Nearby Activities
There are lots of restaurants, golf, shopping and anything else you need within 20 miles of Lake Lewisville - check out Discover Texas and the Golfing Section of Texas Outside.

Restaurants, Bars, & Music
Sneaky Pete's and Charlies have good food and live music. Both are fun places to spend a few hours eating, sipping a cold one, people watching, and listening to local music.

Wake Boarding & Skiing
Try the far east end near Stewart Creek Park, by the dam, or the far west end by Pilot Knoll Park. Windsurfing is excellent off the point at Lewisville Lake Park.

Fishing
White crappie and white bass provide the most angling activity on Lake Lewisville. Largemouth bass, the most popular fish in Texas, is also popular at Lewisville. Hybrid striped bass have been stocked and provide anglers with another open water sport fish. The blue and channel catfish fisheries are excellent.

Day Use Parks, Camping, Lodges, & Cabins

• Day use areas include: East Hill, Westlake, Copperas Branch, and Harbor Lane
• Read the Texas Outside campground reviews on Hickory Creek and Oakland Park. Others parks with camping include: Stewart's Creek, Eastvale Park, Hidden Cove Park, Little Elm, Willow Grove, Sycamore Bend, Pilot Knoll, and Cottonwood.
• I am not aware of any lodges, cabins, or other rental properties on the lake.
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Ramps & Marinas

Gas, ice, and other basics are available at Eagle Point Marina (hiding in the back and down the last row of boat slips on the east side of Sneaky Pete's and past the volleyball courts) and Pier 121 Marina. There are plenty of ramps in the day use parks.

Check-out Lake Lewisville... pack a picnic, rent a boat, go for a walk, or try any of the activities mentioned earlier—you'll be glad you did!

Information provided by Lewisville Visitors Guide, Lake Lewisville Info Center & Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Copyright 2009 Linda Bourgault/lulugraphix. All rights reserved.

© Copyright by Linda Bourgault/lulugraphix. All photographs and/or written content produced by Linda Bourgault. All rights reserved and may not be reproduced or reprinted without express written permission of Linda Bourgault, lulugraphix, Flower Mound, Texas.