Allyn days and salmon bake are traditionally held on the third weekend in July at the Allyn Waterfront Park. This year the festival will be held Saturday and Sunday, July 17-18 and marks the 28th anniversary of Allyn Days! The festival attracts over 1,000 visitors and residents who come for a delicious alder-smoked salmon dinner cooked outdoors and two days worth of lively entertainment.  In addition to salmon, the festival also features local micro-breweries and a local winery in an outdoor "garden" near the gazebo. You  can enjoy a brew of choice while listening to lively entertainment. Hope to see ya there its a blast! www.daryldatus.com 05/21/2010

Tahuya is the most remote of any town in Mason County. At the tip of the Tahuya Peninsula and at the end of a long, winding road, Tahuya acquired its first electricity and phone lines less than 20 years ago. People in Tahuya cherish their seclusion, as well as their view homes from the beach front and steep slopes rising over the Great Bend of Hood Canal.  The first Saturday of every July the town holds the Tahuya Day Parade, celebrating their unique and quirky heritage as a place you live in "by choice." Hope to see you there! Covering much of the Tahuya Peninsula, the 23,100 acre Tahuya State Forest provides more than 160 miles of marked and maintained ORV trails, plus plenty of primitive camping and fresh water lakes, making it a nationally recognized Off Road Vehicle recreation dest... 05/21/2010

A little pat on the back..... OKAY A BIG PAT ON THE BACK!!!!   I don't generally post too many personal blogs, but both I and my husband are just busting at the seams with pride once again!  Our youngest child, Rebecca Lillian Spaulding (shhhhh.......don't tell her I told you her middle name or that I blogged about her......) just graduated from the Communications Department of WSU AND she was chosen as a VIP graduate to represent all of the successful Communication Department Graduates of WSU at the Graduation Ceremony!   Talk about a proud mama and papa!!!  WHOOO HOO!!  She was chosen as the VIP for her great accomplishments and success at overcoming many obstacles along the way and for never giving up but forging ahead to success as a WSU graduate!   Adapt and overome!  All of her fr... 05/19/2010

LakeLand Village Homes for Sale and Sold~Market Report~April 2010 Real Estate Market Report~ Spring is in the air, the weather can't decide whether it wants to rain or not, the days are longer and brighter with the time change, so what's the real estate market doing this spring season for homes for sale in LakeLand Village ? Just as the weather seems to be fairly uunpredictable in the spring season, the real estate market seems to be following the same pattern in some areas.  Although LakeLand Village has seen a steady rate of 2 homes sold per month on the average over the past year. We had great hopes of having many buyers out and about to be able to take advantage of the  First Time home buyers tax Credit as well as the expansion credit to current homeowners, and LakeLand Village did ... 05/19/2010

Its Saturday mornin, Sun shine on the Hood Canal, I  am racing in my mind the listings that need better pictures, and well the files that are closing for second quarter , its time just to sit on the deck and have a good cup of coffee. Days like this are great for reflecting on why I have chosen the Hood Canal to live! I hope everyone has a great weekend! www.daryldatus.com   05/08/2010

I just made the coolest discovery...imagine online marketing that will pay you when you clients use it for free. Not only is it free to them, it saves them money (on average $300.00 per month)when they shop to find the best prices online. They don't have to purchase... just search. Your link is embedded in the free AP bar and you will be there, a click away, as a reminder, that you are helping them find the best deals ALWAYS. Could this get any better? Go to www.myshoppinggenie.com/griffey and grab your free ap. E-mail me at dinahgriffey@windermere.com or call me at 360-551-8888 if you need additional info. My clients, past and present love this and my kids are handing these out to their friends (future clients) like candy! 05/07/2010

Its a windy day in the Northwest, and what a great time to fly a kite. With the stress we find ourselves know wonder many forget the simple things in life, like flying a kite, out a the park, or on the beach. Its time to just say"GO FLY A KITE!" Have a great second quarter! www.daryldatus.com 05/03/2010

Just what I needed, blue skies and clear view of the Hood Canal. With the buyers credit over, and moving towards summer, its a beautiful day in the northwest. Staying positive and looking to the future helps with my out look, so many Realtors have the ho hum drum syndrome, that well its good to reflect and say " today is a good day!"  www.daryldatus.com 05/03/2010

As the April dead line comes to close check this info out Extends deadlines for purchasing and closing on a home. Authorizes the credit for long-time homeowners buying a replacement principal residence. Raises the income limitations for homeowners claiming the credit.   Under the new law, an eligible taxpayer must buy, or enter into a binding contract to buy, a principal residence on or before April 30, 2010 and close on the home by June 30, 2010. For qualifying purchases in 2010, taxpayers have the option of claiming the credit on either their 2009 or 2010 return.   For the first time, long-time homeowners who buy a replacement principal residence may also claim a homebuyer credit of up to $6,500 (up to $3,250 for a married individual filing separately). They must have lived  in the sa... 04/27/2010

When dealing with bank-owned properties, there's a usual ranking in which buyers' offers get accepted, Generally, they start with cash buyers, then they go to the 20 percent down borrowers, then they go to the FHA people ,those with mortgages approved by the Federal Housing Administration which require a 3.5 percent down payment There's a proliferation of cash buyers at the entry-level of housing, with some groups buying multiple properties, fixing them up and then renting them. When buying call a REATOR Happy hunting! www.daryldatus.com 04/26/2010

Things to ask yourself as you go thru the buying process-  Does the home include the most important things on the list? What qualities made the house you chose stand out from the others you looked at? Did you find many houses that met your needs or was this one a rarity? If you can back out of the contract, is it realistic to think you will find a house that's "better?" What was special about the house just a few days ago and how has it changed--really changed? Analyzing the facts that lead you to the home will help you sort out your feelings about the contract. Was it truly a poor choice or would you be nervous moving forward on any house? www.daryldatus.com 04/26/2010

The worst day fishing is better than the best day at work!  Those words keep ringing in my ears as we get closer to Shrimp season! Below are some great dates to be gone fish'n The 2010 Hood Canal Recreational Shrimp Fishery is scheduled to occur from 9 am to 1 pm on Saturday May 1st, Wednesday May 5th, Saturday May 8th, and Wednesday May 12th. Additional dates and times for the 2010 fishery will be announced, if sufficient quota remains after those first four days. Hope you have a great year, and take time with family & friends!! www.daryldatus.com   04/25/2010

For buyers and sellers who are new to the garage sale scene, here are some tips: What to know if you're selling-Price low. That should be the goal if you want to get rid of stuff. For pricing guidelines, visit thrift stores, not eBay.-Heed the signs. Keep signs on every other block and every corner where a turn is required in the city (a half-mile apart along longer stretches in the suburbs). Make sure the address and sale dates are large and easily readable. Add balloons to attract the eye.-Sell with others. Doing it alone is too much work.-Sell to early birds, but charge extra, say a $10 "tax" for a purchase. Keep it short. Make the sale one or two, but not three, days.-Promote yourself. Advertise as much as you can in the newspaper and on Craigslist, Facebook and bulletin boards.-Cut... 04/24/2010

The Hoods Canal Spot Shrimp sport season generally opens during the month of May with clear blue skies and majestic Olympic Mountain views. This has lured the sportsmen and ladies out like only Hood Canal can. With baited and set pots the fishermen awaited the first easy limit. By 10:00 am the first shrimp are in the cooler . . Still, limits (80 shrimp/person). This is truly one fishing activity that the boater and crew need to be prepared for and not have any impaired senses.DEPTH: Didn't matter the first opening, 200-230 ft worked well and was supported by local knowledge. I fished 250-300 ft but you need the right length of lines to fish 300 ft. Double buoys or additional floatation is important in the Hood Canal because of the tides. Weighted pots for quick descents and to hold posi... 04/22/2010

Thought you would like this, we have it good in the north west! www.daryldatus.com 04/17/2010

With the weather warming early this year,  and the excitment of the out doors. Every day I hear "Is it spring yet?"   Its ok with your evergreens, dogwood, spirea, maples, deutzia, mock orange, elderberry and buddleia. Its best todo your roses in stages, starting by removing dead or diseased wood and large old canes right down to the ground. To avoid impenetrable thickets later in the year, its best to also thin shrub roses and ground cover roses before they leaf out. In mid-March,  start pruning the roses with careful attention to detail and begin  fertilizing program. Some vines like clematis and honeysuckle also need early attention. Here's where you need to do some thinking. If your clematis flowers early (with the tulips), it is one that flowers on old wood. Wait to prune it until ... 04/17/2010

Tips for SellersThe key to selling your home quickly and at the right price is in preparing it appropriately. Here are some tips to help you get started. Give home a though cleaning. Oil door hinges, tighten door knobs. Have carpets professionally cleaned, or replaced if damaged. Repair dripping faucets and leaky toilets. Replace all burned out light bulbs. Repair defective light switch. Get rid of clutter both inside and out. Cut and edge grass. Trim hedges and weed gardens. Paint, fix or wash railings, steps, storm windows, screens and doors. Clean out the gutters. Wash the windows. Tidy up the garage. Paint, wash and fix garage doors and windows. Here are some helpful tips for showing your home. Keep pets out of the house. Either take them with you or keep them pennedin the yard or g... 04/17/2010

LakeLand Village Homes for Sale and Sold~Market Report~March 2010 Real Estate Market Report~ The calendar says it is spring, but the weather sure has been a little more wintry than we would expect!  I know we are all waiting for some warmer and sunnier weather and soon it will be upon us.... SO how about the real estate weather in LakeLand Village for the month of March?  What's been going on?  Let's take a look.... We had great hopes of having many buyers out and about to be able to take advantage of the of the First Time home buyers tax Credit as well as the expansion credit to current homeowners, and March showed quite a few homes for sale in LakeLand Village with accepted offers. Pending sales and solds do reflect that the buyers are all shopping in a price range of well under $300,... 04/10/2010

This picture is of Dan at his Kick off event for State House. You can see my Mom and two of our daughters seated on the right. As I listened to my Husband speak about bringing jobs to Washington State through Free Market Principals and living within our means it got me thinking. Dan and I wanted to give our girls the moon. He adores his children but due to budget constraints and not wanting to spoil them we had to say no sometimes.Even when we didn't want to. This next part may amaze you...THEY SURVIVED! not only did we tell them no in front of witnesses but the girls lived through the experience. They even asked again later. Sometime is bordered on nagging. If we did not have the money or it was not allowed...the answer was NO. We didn't have to buy their votes or impress them. We were... 04/07/2010

We need to grow jobs through free market principles Did you know, that on average, it takes approximately 6 private sector jobs to support one government job? By increasing government size and bureaucracy, the burden imposed on the economy is staggering. Government regulations, mandates, fines, and fees imposed on businesses, drive them out of this state and undermine the general welfare of the public. We can turn this around and fix this, but we must cut back the size and scope of our state government. Increase freedom and free market priciples, inovation and business will return and with those businesses come jobs.Together we can do better! 04/07/2010