Articles Tagged "winter"

Looking for some fun and exciting things to do in Riverfront Park this December? Our real estate agents have you covered. Many Spokane homes for sale put you within minutes of this bustling hub of the city's social scene. There's always something new to see and do, especially around the holidays. And the surroundings are truly beautiful!

Let's take a look at some December Riverfront Park events you won't want to miss:

• Riverfront Market – 574 West North Howard Street, Spokane, WA 99201
  Found at the Spokane Pavilion on Wednesdays, including December 14 and December 21, Riverfront Market is one of the most popular events around Riverfront Park. With an eclectic assortment of all kinds of local vendors, live musical performances, and delicious food, it's a lovely way to spend a day. What a perfect opportunity to wrap up your holiday shopping with gifts you can't find elsewhere!
  
  
• Skate for a Cause – 720 West Spokane Falls Boulevard, Spokane, WA 99201
  Taking place at the Numerica Skate Ribbon, a popular Spokane ice skating rink in Riverfront Park, this year's ultimate Skate for a Cause held on December 14 will benefit the Spokane Parks Foundation. Guests will strap on their skates for an amazing time between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., with all ages welcome. Whether you're new to the ice or a pro, you'll find a friendly environment with rental skates available.
  
  
• DJ Night on the Ice – 720 West Spokane Falls Boulevard, Spokane, WA 99201
  Also at the Numerica Skate Ribbon is this popular Friday night event: It runs at 6 p.m. December 16, 23, 30, and on New Year's Eve. One-hour admission for adults is $9.95, while kids 3-12 pay $6.95. Children aged 2 and under attend free. Skate rental is $6.95 for all, while helmets are available at no charge. There'll be themed costumes, lights, contests, and more, so don't skip DJ Night on the Ice!
  
  
• Learn to Skate Group Lessons – 720 West Spokane Falls Boulevard, Spokane, WA 99201
  Once again, the Numerica Skate Ribbon is where it's at for Learn to Skate Group Lessons. Ever wanted to learn how to skate but felt a little bit intimidated? The experienced coaches from Lake City Figure Skating are here to help. All ages are welcome, and lessons will continue from December 17 into the new year. Be sure to pre-register on the website, and note that other locations are also available.
  
  
• Coaches Corner – 720 West Spokane Falls Boulevard, Spokane, WA 99201
  Need something a little bit more informal than the Learn to Skate Group Lessons? Stop by the Numerica Skate Ribbon on December 17 for the very last Coaches Corner of the year. At Coaches Corner, the staff of Lake City Figure Skating will individually coach emerging skaters. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., kids aged 2 through 18 can swing by for pointers. Standard admission and ice skate rental fees apply.

Contact us to discover more of all that Spokane, WA, has in store for you.

Wishing You All the Joys of the Season

When eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's SUN newspaper, the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial on September 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, as well as on posters and stamps.

DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'   Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

VIRGINIA O'HANLON
115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET

***** 

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little.

In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

January Blues?

For a lot of people, January is the longest month. The hustle of the holidays is over. Visiting family and friends have returned home. The weather is, well, blah, especially for non-skiers/snowboarders, and it can seem dark. All. The. Time.

You can lift your spirits by employing a few little tricks:

Add a bouquet of fresh flowers to your dining table. Pick up some flowers in your favorite colors to adorn your dining room.

Light summer-scented candles. Scents such as coconut, lemon, tangerine, or light florals will boost your mood by reminding you that warmer weather will be here again soon.

Bring in some daylight. Daylight LED light bulbs mimic the natural light of the sun. With more of a blue light, these bulbs better mirror actual daylight.

Host a Hawaiian-themed party. Ask your guests to wear their brightest "Aloha" shirts and come ready to shine.

• Order your supplies or check your local party supply store:
  • Colorful sunglasses
  • Leis
  • Cocktail toothpicks & drink umbrellas
  • Paper plates, cups, & napkins
• Keep your menu simple
  • For drinks, make it easy by serving homemade lemonade, both hard and non-alcoholic. See our blog post with great recipes from last summer HERE. Garnish with a lemon slice and a strawberry or two along with a colorful umbrella.
  • Make easy fruit kebabs with green and red grapes, blueberries, tangerine sections, pineapple chunks, and kiwi slices.
  • Speaking of kebabs, one of our favorite recipes is for baked Hawaiian chicken kebabs that take only 40 minutes from start to table. And you can do them in the oven! Get the recipe HERE.
  • Add some basmati or jasmine rice and a nice green salad with a light dressing, and you're good to go.
• Music
  • Beach Boys, of course!

Fire up the BBQ. Not feeling the Hawaiian theme? Light the grill and cook up some burgers and dogs. Pair them with some potato salad and maybe some chips and salsa, and you'll be feeling the summertime vibe in no time.

Before you light your BBQ, make sure to remove all the snow and ice from around the grill and give it plenty of time to preheat. Grilling in colder weather takes longer, so keep the lid closed, and plan accordingly.

Don't let the winter blues take away your summertime joy. Recreate it until it's here again for real.

Really!

Believe it or not, fruitcake is a well-loved dessert known throughout the world. It is only in the United States that this cake is the butt of jokes, probably because they were, at one time, mass-produced for mail order and tended to be dry and of questionable age. Some say the ridicule can be traced to Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show, but research shows "fruitcake trashing" occurred much earlier in the 20th century.

Though celebrated by some as the delicious tradition it is intended to be (National Fruitcake Day is December 27), others applaud this dense loaf laced with fruit and nuts only when it is flying through the air on National Fruitcake Toss Day, January 3 (or the 7^th, depending on which website you visit).

Historically speaking, some believe that ancient Egyptians sent fruitcake to the afterlife with their deceased loved ones. We do know that they did not become common, though, until Roman times, when pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, and barley mash were mixed together.

Preserved fruit, spices, and honey were added during the Middle Ages. Sugar became a main ingredient in the 1500s in the American Colonies, and alcohol was widely used starting in the 1800s. Somewhere along the way, nuts became a staple, as well.

Today, fruitcake is served year 'round in Australia, but is generally enjoyed as a Christmas cake across Europe, India, and parts of the Caribbean.

So, will you buck the trend in the U.S. and give this recipe a try? If you don't like it, you can always save it for January 3!

No-Bake Graham Cracker Fruitcake

3/4 c. sweetened condensed milk

3 c. mini marshmallows

1/2 c. orange juice

1 box + 1 inner seal pkg graham crackers

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1 c. raisins

1 c. dates, chopped

1 c. nuts, chopped

16 oz. assorted candied fruit, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Combine milk, marshmallows, & orange juice in large bowl. Let soak 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until marshmallows soften & dissolve slightly. Crush graham crackers into fine crumbs & mix with spices. Add fruits & nuts, stir. Slowly add liquid mixture and stir by hand until well combined.

Press fruitcake into non-stick, lightly greased, or waxed-paper-lined bread pan or mold, cover with plastic wrap, and then with foil. Refrigerate for 2-3 days for flavors to combine. Slice & enjoy.

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

Instead of the listed fruit, experiment with craisins, dried apples, peaches, mangoes, blueberries, and/or strawberries, or get crazy and use gumdrops, gummy bears, gummy worms, and/or chocolate chips. If you use dried fruit, soak it in additional orange juice (or brandy) in a glass or ceramic bowl (not metal) a few hours or overnight to soften.

Decorate Safely This Holiday Season

Delta Media Group

Decorating for the holidays is one of the fun perks of being a homeowner, because your whole property becomes a blank canvas. Decorating is a great opportunity to get in the spirit of the season, show off your sense of style, and get your kids (even more) excited for the holidays. No matter how you choose to decorate your home this holiday season, just remember that it's also important to keep home safety in mind as you deck the halls. We've put together 5 decorating tips to help keep your home safe, without cramping your holiday decorating style.

1. Check It Twice – Holiday lights are among the most popular decorations, and for good reason! They're bright, beautiful, and can transform the look of your entire property. Before you start stringing up those lights, however, be sure to check for any signs of wear. If there are broken lights or exposed wires, it's time to purchase some new outdoor holiday lights. Remember that outdoor lights are exposed to the elements, so even minimal signs of wear can pose a risk.  Bonus Tip: If you're in the market for new lights, try LED lighting rather than incandescent bulbs. LED lights are more energy efficient, burn cooler than incandescent bulbs, and come in just about any color you can imagine.

2. Don't Overload Outlets – Overloading a single outlet is a fire risk, even if you're plugging in new, energy efficient decorations. Avoiding tangled wires is also good for holiday decorating safety, and it's easier to do when you use multiple outlets. Always plug decorations into outlets with Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters, which are designed to shut down the circuit automatically if certain signs of electrical danger are detected.

3. Indoor/Outdoor – That giant, inflatable Santa Claus won't fit in your living room, so it's probably a safe bet that he can be used outside. But not every decoration makes the distinction so clear. For any decorations that rely on electricity, always check whether they're rated for outdoor use before you plug them in outside. This is a great step to take care of while you're shopping for decorations, as the necessary info should be available right on the packaging.

4. Rooftop and Ladder Safety – For many homeowners, the holiday season is one of the few times each year when we take our ladders out of long-term storage and venture onto our rooftops. Stay safe by taking your time, having a plan, and wearing sturdy boots (or sneakers) with strong treads. If you do plan on climbing on your roof or using a ladder to decorate, never do so alone. Make sure there's someone on the ground to "spot" you and aid if you run into trouble.

5. Clean Gutters – Since you're likely to be spending time up there anyway, it's a great idea to clean your gutters before stringing up any holiday lights. Dried leaves and plant matter in gutters can serve as kindling when a faulty wire leaks electricity. As a bonus, keeping your gutters clean is a great way to lower your risk of water-related roof damage throughout the year.

The biggest thing to remember for holiday decorating home safety is that electricity can be dangerous, especially if you're using older decorations. Check any decorations for signs of wear before putting them up, make sure that any decorations you wish to use outside are rated for outdoor use, and keep your gutters clean to reduce fire risk. And of course, don't forget to have fun!

Parks and trails in the Spokane area offer amazing hiking opportunities during the warmer months... but the fun doesn't end when the snow flies. Winter in Spokane means it's time to strap on the snowshoes!

When there's a good base layer of snow on the ground, there's no place quite like Spokane County for an outdoor adventure. Our real estate agents are excited to share their favorite snowshoeing destinations in the Spokane area. 

• Mount Spokane State Park - 26107 N Mt Spokane Park Dr, Mead, WA 99021
  There may be no better place to enjoy the outdoors in the Spokane area than Mount Spokane State Park. In winter, when the park's 12,293 acres and 100 miles of trails are blanketed in snow. The centerpiece of the park is the towering summit of Mount Spokane, which gets upwards of 300 inches of snow each winter and is popular for downhill skiing. Many of the less strenuous trails that meander around the meadows, forests, and foothills at the base of Mount Spokane are perfect for snowshoeing. The park is a short drive from many Mead homes for sale and less than an hour from Spokane. 
  
  
• McKenzie Conservation Area - 15898 N West, NW Newman Lake Dr, Newman Lake, WA 99202
  A beautiful park just 40 minutes from Spokane, McKenzie Conservation Area offers great beginner-friendly snowshoe trails, including some that hug the picturesque shoreline of Newman Lake. The 3.3-mile loop formed by the Bedrock Ridge and Turtle Rock trails is a great place to start. One thing to keep in mind is that the weather can be a bit of a wildcard here. Because of its elevation, McKenzie Conservation may be a winter wonderland, or the ground may be entirely bare. You may or may not end up needing your snowshoes, but either way, it's a beautiful winter hike. 
  
  
• Antoine Peak Conservation Area - 15501 E Brevier Rd, Spokane, WA 99217
  The trails in Antoine Peak Conservation Area traverse rolling meadowlands and forests of Ponderosa pine and juniper around the slopes of the park's namesake peak. Popular among hikers and horseback riders in summer, these trails usually offer excellent snowshoeing in winter. As in McKenzie Conservation Area, snow is likely but not guaranteed. Many routes here follow old roadbeds, while others veer off on their own and cover somewhat more rugged terrain. The moderate Emerald Necklace loop, which begins at the West Trailhead and encircles Antoine Peak over the course of 4.6 miles, is a good choice for snowshoeing near these Spokane homes for sale.
  
  
• Colville National Forest - 475-469 Indian Creek Rd, Newport, WA 99156
  Located north of the city near some lovely Newport homes for sale, the trails up here are more likely to get a decent coat of snow than those at lower elevations in Spokane proper. A highlight of the forest is Geophysical Sno-Park, which has 6.2 miles of trails that are groomed specifically for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Nearby Bead Lake is another popular spot, with a trail that encircles the shoreline through ancient cedar forests.

For more information on snowshoeing in the Spokane area, check out Spokane Parks & Recreation's upcoming guided snowshoe outings. The Parks & Rec department leads guided snowshoe trips throughout the winter months in many of the areas listed above, providing great opportunities for beginners as well as experienced snowshoers. 

Contact us today to learn more about enjoying all the great outdoors have to offer in Spokane.