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It’s a beautiful day

Posted on March 19, 2008 | Filed Under Random Thoughts

Just wishing everyone a happy day. Spring is almost here and I’ve already noticed the number of phone calls I’ve received have increased significantly and my web visitors have doubled in the last month!

Folks are looking to buy and sell real estate this year, contrary to the nay saying we hear in the media.

The Bald Eagle

Posted on June 28, 2007 | Filed Under Random Thoughts

“I know he’d be a poorer man if he never saw an eagle fly“
John Denver from Rocky Mountain High

Although not a Smith Mountain Lake real estate story per se, I felt that writing about the delisting from the endangered species list today of the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) was definitely a topic worth writing about. The Bald Eagle has always held a special place in my heart as the symbol of our great country and also having earned the rank of Eagle Scout as a younger me in the Boy Scouts it holds even more significance (did you know only 5% of boys who enter Boy Scouts earn the Eagle Scout rank?).

Several news organizations wrote on the delisting today-

Washington Post - U.S. Declares Bald Eagles No Longer Threatened
CNN - Bald eagle soars off endangered list
New York Times - Bald Eagles, Thriving, Settle Into Suburban Life

Former Roanoke Postmaster runs for Botetourt Supervisor

Posted on June 12, 2007 | Filed Under Random Thoughts, Roanoke Happenings

My cousin, Billy Martin, former USPS Postmaster for Roanoke, local artist and mediator has been endorsed by the Botetourt County Republican Committee for a seat on the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors, Blue Ridge District.

You can read more from the Roanoke Times and this Botetourt County blog.

Website recommendation to save you $$

Posted on May 9, 2007 | Filed Under Random Thoughts

I’ve used this website for some time to save money on my online purchases. RetailMeNot.com allows you to search for coupons and discounts for online merchants. It’s as easy as pie. Visit their site, type in the web address of the site you’re shopping at (here’s a sample search: www.amazon.com) and then click search. It will present you with a list of online discounts to use when you’re checking out. I recently saved $20 on a purchase using their service!

Visit their site: www.retailmenot.com

Wal-Mart to offer $4 generic prescriptions

Posted on September 21, 2006 | Filed Under Random Thoughts

This isn’t really real estate related but worth mentioning for all of you out there, who like me, have to watch their dollars!

From USAToday-

Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) said Thursday that it would slash prices of 291 generic prescription drugs to $4 starting in the Tampa area with plans to expand the plan to all Florida and other states in January.

You can read Wal-Mart’s press release here.

This is really great news for the insured but also the uninsured as this offer will also be available to individuals without insurance who have a valid prescription.

You know it’s been a while since you mowed when…

Posted on August 5, 2006 | Filed Under Random Thoughts

…you pull the mower out of the shed and uncover a nest of baby mice. Not little pinky baby mice, but baby mice with hair (although their eyes were still closed)! I felt awful for disturbing their comfortable little nest, but I closed the shed back up (after removing the mower) and trust Momma Mouse will tidy everything up under something else. I’ve included a photo of one of the more attractive of the mice, notice the little white spot on its head? I imagine he’ll grow up to be something special, kind of like the Mikhail Gorbachev of mice.

In my defense, I didn’t mow the grass the last time it needed it, I was on vacation and my dad surprised us by mowing it himself while we were away! Wasn’t that nice! (Sorry for the graininess of the photo, I snapped it with my cell phone camera.)

A day of sixes

Posted on June 6, 2006 | Filed Under Random Thoughts

Today was the day of sixes, much doom and gloom predicted by some but I just think it’s cool. It won’t happen again for 1000 years. Of course, 6-6-66 will be around in 60 years! Thanks to Vic for holding the atomic clock!

Tadpoles at the Greenbrier Nursery

Posted on May 30, 2006 | Filed Under Random Thoughts

My wife and I visited the Greenbrier Nursery in Cave Spring off of Starkey Road the other day looking for some herbs and vegetables for the garden.  They have tremendous greenhouses and would you believe, two of their inground ponds have little tadpoles.  I’m curious as to what kind of frog or toad they will become.  My guess is they’re little spring peepers but I could be wrong!

Used Coffee Cans

Posted on May 9, 2006 | Filed Under Random Thoughts

I picked up a cleaned, used coffee can today and for whatever reason opened the lid to smell it (perhaps to see if it was clean!).

I was instantly taken back to my childhood. My grandmother used to save her old coffee cans for me to hold the crawfish, red-spotted newts and other fauna I would pull from the creeks at Camp Bethel near Troutville. I would spend Labor Day weekend at camp and never venture much further than 100 yards from any particular creek. By the end of the weekend, I had more cans, cups and containers with critters in them than you could shake a stick at. I always enjoyed letting them go though; they had been unwillingly brought me much joy over that weekend and even now the memories are fantastic.

Fiercely Virginian

Posted on May 6, 2006 | Filed Under Random Thoughts

I just arrived back at home about an hour ago from the commencement ceremonies of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. The drive to Huntington is absolutely wonderful…mountains, hills and hollers a’plenty for enjoying. My mother and her family are from West Virginia (Fayette County), as are my wife and all of her family (Greenbrier County), so I have pretty strong ties to our neighbor to the west, but I remain fiercely Virginian.

To be a Virginian either by Birth, Marriage, Adoption, or even on one’s Mother’s side is an Introduction to any State in the Union, a Passport to any Foreign Country, and a Benediction from Above.

-Anonymous

No matter where I’ve been, I love crossing back into Virginia.