Island Lake on a cold winter's day. The sun is out and everything just seems to sparkle. I think the colors have even more life in them.This area is a wetlands and it is wonderful to come by in the spring to listen to all of the frogs. In the evening just as the sun sets natures sounds pull you in. The trickling waters croaking frogs, & crickets singing can make it feel like a world all it's own- 02/05/2009

The capitol of Washington State is Olympia. Full of rich History and a dedication to a courageous nation the Capitol of Washington State is a grand monument to the dawning of a new age with the respect and admiration of a past we can all be proud of. The capitol was constructed in 1928 by Wilder and Whites. It has survived three major earthquakes, thanks to it's superior craftsmanship. A remodel was completed in 2004 and consisted of recycling over 80% of the construction waste.The capitol now consists of 144 solar panels to promote conservation, and has the largest amount of solar panels of any capitol in the United States. Washington is truley the green state.The capitol is the 4th largest masonry dome in the world and is 287 feet tall. To learn more intersting fact about Washington S... 01/22/2009

I wanted to share with you a little secret I discovered. It is the Olympic Bakery in Shelton, Washington.I have been looking all over for the perfect surprise for my husbands birthday this year, and believe me this is quite a chore. He can buy anything he wants for himself, and what I could buy I can not pronounce ( you know ladies...Car Stuff) so I wanted to buy him something special that was personal, and he could enjoy right now. That is when I discovered the Olympic Bakery. Not only can I get him a personalized 64 1/2 Mustang Gt cake, it will taste delicious... and be delivered. Beyond buying the real thing how could I get it more right. One of my favorite cake is a real estate related of course, and it is on the 5th fairway of a local golfcourse with a Bride dragging her husband o... 01/22/2009

Tiberlakes is a great lake community located just outside of Shelton City limits. Private saltwater beach access and use of the two lakes are available when you own propery in this community. Timberlakes also offers two parks for people to enjoy. Many properties and homes are availble. Resale and new construction and lakefront lots. Call Dinah and Michelle today or visit us at www.TheNorthWestLife.com  360-649-1195 You can also visit www.timberlakecc.com for more info on the community 01/22/2009

This is a photo taken from the Lagoon at Hartstene Pointe. This is one of my favorite communities. They have a private beach, and marina as well as miles of trails, fitness center and club house with hot tub and pool. Beyond what I mentioned is a great sense of community spirit. If is a friendly happy place to be, and time spent there is peaceful, relaxing and fun. I encourage you to call of e-mail and set up a personal tour of this community that you will not soon forget. Dinah Lee 360-551-8888 01/21/2009

In the cool crisp air of winter you can peak at sights that were once covered by the leaves of spring. This is a unique place to spy the Harstine Island bridge. At one time the only way to access this beautiful Island was by Ferry. This photo was taken from "Ferry Loop", once a gathering place for all of those who wished to spend time here.  If you have an interest in the Island's history, you can find some of the relics from days gone by at the Community Hall. It is still a place for those on the island to enjoy plays, purchase local produce, and spend time with one another. If you would like to visit Harstine Island just drop me a line and I will arrange a personal tour. 01/11/2009

My three children and I were out and about yesterday and we stopped at the wonderful Olympic Bakery on Pickering Rd in Shelton. It had been a while since I went and had one of there many tasty pastries and treats. They recently did a huge remodel and if you are in the area you should stop by and see. You can even view the bakery while they are working and their cakes,cookies,etc.   Call Dinah and I at 360-551-8888 or 360-275-5002 We will take you out for breakfast or lunch and discuss your Real Estate Needs!   You can visit the Olympic Bakery on the web at www.olympicbakery.com 01/11/2009

The Olympic Bakery is renown in Shelton, Washington as having delectable wines served with fine foods. They have a unique perspective, and are able to promote an experience of marrying excellent foods and wines like no other. They are not only famous for their wine and cheese selections , but their fresh baked bread, delectable desserts, and primo espresso selections have given them a reputation worth envying. I make a point of stopping by every chance I get. It is well noted that if you happen to stop by, or even drive near by a call in to your office for Olympic Bakery requests is a must! With food like that you can't help but be popular and if you happen to be the delivery guy that is not so bad either. So take my word for it. If you loved fresh baked wholesome food, and the adoratio... 01/10/2009

This is a picture I snapped today as I was driving to Shelton, Washington. This shimmering body of water is Oakland Bay. I used to be mesmerized by it when I was a kid. Parts of it are completely exposed when the tide goes out-I would not recommend trying to walk across- no matter how tempting-there is a reason Mom said no...trust me! The majority of the time it appears like this- Beautiful, sparkling, and mystical when it is foggy. It is also a great place to dig oysters and enjoy watching otters play, and eagles soar!I thought you might appreciate this picture, especially if you are a local- and we get snow on Saturday. 01/08/2009

While I was driving through Shelton Washington today, I found a very lucky home. The tree limb must have given way in the recent windstorm we had. I could not believe it did absolutely no damage at all to this house- not even a broken window! One of the small twigs broke up against the house, but the house it's self is perfect.I wish I had a better picture to show you just how significant this was, but I am certain the home owner knows! Do you have any lucky houses where you live? 01/08/2009

My 23 year old nephew, Mark, just purchased his FIRST HOME. How Cool is that?   What is really Cool, is that his Realtor is a remarkable new Agent recently licensed to our Belfair Windermere Office. Realtor, Josh Murphy, just graduated from North Mason High School... in 2008! Is that not really Cool!   Ok, back to being more mature in my expressive discourse. I am the Managing Broker of the Windermere Offices in Allyn and Belfair and I referred my nephew to Josh. I felt that these two young men would get along and both have a great real estate learning experience.   In simple terms, Josh's customer service was AWESOME! And nephew Mark could not be happier.   The entire buying process was completed in 31 days.   The purchase was a Brand New Home and was Bank Owned. The home is located in... 01/02/2009

This is one of the friendly locals in Mason County.I know in most places it is rare to see wildlife this close, but we are used to it here. Most of the deer will eat right out of your garden,or for that matter right out of your hand. Many of the little communities here ask that you do not feed the wild life. They are fun to watch, and it is kind of cool after spending time living in the city- to see them napping in your back yard! 12/28/2008

This is one of my favorite places to show homes. Harstene Pointe is a private gated community, and it offers, a pool, exercise center, library, tennis courts,trails and a marina. The Pointe as residents call it is a home to many wild animals. Families of deer make their home here, and can be seen just laying around the neighborhood at any given time. The community has a lot of events that members are encouraged to join in. One of my favorites is the sand sculptures- there are a lot of really creative and talented people here. If you would like a personal tour of the Pointe or additional information please contact me at TheNorthwestlife.com or call me at 360-551-8888 12/26/2008

Yesterday morning,my friend Doug and I went to Shelton to enjoy the Mason County Treasurer tax auction.  There were 10 properties on the list.  The sale started promptly at 9.  Thinking that there would be few people there with cash or a cashiers check, I had my cash roll ready to find a steal on a Shorecrest or Phillips Lake lot (across rd. from the lake).  Unfortunately, both lots went for $6500, more than I chose to pay.  About 40 buyers were there and most had quite a bit of cash available.  One 10 acre piece went for $19,900 off Wallace-Kneeland Blvd.  Someone got a steal on that commercial zoned property. 12/13/2008

 This is a bridge in Timberlakes that leads to a small island. It is the perfect place to sit back and enjoy nature, or just read a good book. I wanted to find a picture today that showed are simple winters here in the Northwest, because we are expecting snow Friday, and the this is not typical for us. I can't wait to post the pictures! 12/10/2008

Friday December 6, 2008, the Mason County Association of Realtors held their Annual Installation of the Incoming Board of Directors and Officers. The event was held at the Little Creek Casino in Shelton Washington. The event was Grand as always and everyone had lot fun. Thought I share a few snap shots of the affair. T Margie Heath of John L Scott - Belfair is the new "Incoming President" and receives her new gravel from President Jerry Obendorf of Re/Max Top Executives. You might notice the Gravel is nearly as tall as she is. 2009 MCAR Board Members being sworn in by Washington Realtor's Terri Jefferies.   Realtor of the Year Lori Brady of Re/Max Top Executives, Shelton Wa.   Affilate of the Year Vickie Nunez of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage -Shelton,Wa. Entertainment by the Agate Passage ... 12/09/2008

    Beautiful Harstine Island on a rainy day. The beaches here were made for exploring. I found a lot of shells and enjoyed the deer and other wildlife that make their homes here. This is one of my favorite places to be. On a clear day you can see Mt. Rainier hovering over the sound, and to the left you can see the Olympic Mountain range encircling the west side of the Island.It is a grand sight. 12/07/2008

What more can I say... 11/19/2008

I just read a blog that shared about walkscore.com. I went to the site, and it is amazing. It tells you exactly how far away you are from stores, schools and more. If you would like to know how your neighborhood rates go to www.walkscore.com Let me know what you think, and how your neighborhood scored! 11/17/2008

Out of curiosity, how many of you on Active Rain submit articles and pictures to Localism? Do you find it to be a benefit? I do. I am really excited about sharing our community all over the world. They say pictures speak a thousand words. What are you sharing about your community? I look at Localism to be an awesome tool to show people just why they should consider our community, and what better way then to let them in the back door to see first hand what we are offering.From local restaurants, to golf courses and bed and breakfasts let the world know just why they should stop by and take a closer look. I can't imagine looking for a home,vacationing, or visiting without checking that community out on Localism first. I thought that I would look on Localism this year to see if there was a... 11/08/2008