Mimi Osterdahl, Bellingham Washington Realtor

The Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend, Washington. A hop, skip and a jump (and a very short ferry ride) from Bellingham. Just one more reason I LOVE where I live. Live good. Be happy. Fall in love with the Pacific Northwest. Mimi Osterdahl / The Muljat Group Realtors / Bellingham, Washington / www.LiveGoodBeHappy.com / Founding President, Northwest Washington Women's Council of Realtors (Simply click on the photo for the web album)

Wooden Boat Festival

Hello again Active Rain...it's been a while.

I stopped by to check out my blog today, and saw that ALL of the Postlets I have posted are inactive. Reason : They are all SOLD!!! WOW!!! It has been a GREAT SUMMER for Real Estate in Bellingham and Whatcom County Washington! I have quite a number of new listing Postlets that never made it here, because I have been too stinkin' BUSY this summer to update the myriad of sites I belong to.

(It sure would be nice to post to my Active Rain site using the ADD THIS feature. Does anyone know how to do that?)

It's good to be busy. It's good to be a Realtor. It's good to help people buy houses to call "HOME". It's good to remember that Real Estate has and always will move in tides, Buyer's markets, Seller's markets, Buyer's markets, Seller's markets...in and out, and so-on and so-on... And it is GREAT that I am now a Washington State Certified Instructor!!!! Yippee!!! (More blogging on where that is going to take me later....)

It's also good to ride bikes in the rain. Eat sushi. Fall in love. Buy a house and renovate it. And read a book on the kayak while the crab pot sits in the water. Just a few more reasons I have not been by my Active Rain blog lately. :)

And so it goes as we close-out the Summer of 2009:

Live good. Be happy. Make hay.

-Mimi

Mimi Osterdahl / The Muljat Group Realtors / Bellingham, Washington / www.LiveGoodBeHappy.com / Founding President, Northwest Washington Women's Council of Realtors

I went to my Real Estate Masterminds group yesterday. Real Estate Masterminds is a group of agents from different offices who have decided to come together to form a 'collective', to meet twice a month and share business ideas and inspiration with eachother. What a fantastic, Live good. Be happy...FRESH approach to real estate opportunity! Through being open with each other about what makes our businesses prosper, we make each other better agents, we inspire each other with new ideas, we pump each other up. WOW! I love this business philosphy!

At our meeting yesterday, we took personality profiles. This exercise was meant to give clarity to who we are, what our strengths are...but, also very importantly, to help us understand that all people are different. And, when we go to meet with a client, to not only bring our own "personality" to the table, but to be cognicent of the fact that our client's process information differently than we do, and that we should meet them where THEY are. AWESOME exercise!

What truly came out of the exercise for me, is that, to be successful, truly successful, in all aspects of my life (business, personal, spiritual) I need to not only embrace who I am today, but also embrace some CHANGE. (Yikes! Change!) Yes, if I want a different outcome tomorrow, I need to be willing to take on the 'risk' of being willing to 'change' today. To do something differently than I have done it before. Willing to step out of my comfort zone, try something new that might not immediately 'feel' comfortable. COOL!

So, I am writing down the areas where I am comfortable-vs-those that need change. And in my quest for a better tomorrow, setting goals for change so I can grow.

I had this quote in my Fridge Friendlyⓒ mAds from long ago, and it just fit so perfectly with the message from Masterminds that I thought I might send it out as inspriation for you too.

"Growth means change

and change involves risk,

stepping from the known

to the unknown,"

-George Shinn

Live good. Be happy. Grow.

-Mimi

Mimi Osterdahl / The Muljat Group Realtors / Bellingham, Washington / www.LiveGoodBeHappy.com

2008 President, Northwest Washington Women's Council of Realtors

Hovander Park, A Treasure in Ferndale, Washington

Hovander Homestead Park, steeped in cultural history and rich in natural beauty, has something of interest for everyone. It is a park that was once a family farm and is now a family legacy. Come and picnic on a sunny weekend or plan a large group event. Tour the historic farmhouse and big red barn, and the farmyard full of cows, chickens, rabbits, pigs, peacocks, goats and horses. There are acres of grass and fields to play on and ample parking. Included within the park is the nearby Tennant Lake Interpretive Center and award-winning Fragrance Garden.

The park was named after Swedish architect Hokan Hovander. He and his family of nine immigrated here in 1897. Shortly after arriving in Ferndale he began designing the house and barn. Today the park and Tennant Lake Wildlife Area encompass over 720 acres. The farm was restored by Whatcom County Parks & Recreation in 1971. The site includes over a mile of river frontage along the Nooksack River and 60 acres of fertile farmland that is still used for hay and alfalfa harvesting. The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife manages a portion of the Tennant Lake Wildlife Area.

In the Spring, the Highland Games come to the park and fill the barns surrounding fields with bagpipers, Scottish Dancers and Ancient Scottish Highland Games.

Also in the Spring, the Master Gardener's from around Whatcom County bring their 'starts' to the Master Gardener Plant Sale. Where green thumbs line up with their wagons to at the 'starting line' to rush and fill their wagons with sturdy starts for their spring and summer gardens. Such fun!

If you would like to know more about the wonders of Ferndale, Bellingham and Whatcom County Washington, please visit the "Local" tab on my website, www.LiveGoodBeHappy.com , and if you decide you would like to make this area "HOME", I would be pleased to help you realize that dream.

Live good. Be happy. Discover Whatcom County.

-Mimi

Mimi Osterdahl / The Muljat Group Realtors / Bellingham, Washington / www.LiveGoodBeHappy.com

2008 President, Northwest Washington Women's Council of Realtors