By Dixon Bledsoe
It is snowing and the streets are quiet as the world around Silverton finds the warmth of their fireplace much more inviting than a 20-car pile-up. A fresh blanket of snow tried hard to conceal my newspaper this morning, to no avail. This layer of new snow reminds me a lot of the New Year – a clean slate, fresh start, and a Pollyannish sense that things will be better.
We know, for example, that spring is right around the corner, 2014 has to be better than 2013, and a good snowpack brings ample water supplies when warmer temperatures arrive.
February is a month for love, and though I have been accused of being a Pollyanna from time-to-time during my outbreaks of optimism, it just makes sense to focus on the good things in life.
I love Harold Johnson’s yard, beautifully situated on the corner of North Water and Grant streets. I love it because he loves it so much. Even with drifts of snow presently piling up around the perennials, you can tell it is a work of art and a canvas on which the artist has created a masterpiece. The late Becky Rice’s garden passes the “impeccable” test, too, at the corner of South Third and East Main. The horticultural gem has been carried on beautifully by her husband, Dennis.
My daughter Briana spent her 23rd birthday doing 23 random acts of kindness for others, from delivering hot coffee drinks to a favorite teacher or two to treats for the police and firefighters/paramedics. That was a beautiful gesture.
I love the Olympics are in Sochi, Russia. Russia has never hosted the Winter Olympics, and now is the time for them to show the world their pride, their history, and yes, their progress. NBC coverage of the opening ceremony was terribly biased, critical and just downright rude. Let’s focus on the Olympic spirit, the fact that 80+ countries are getting along for almost three weeks, and the athletes realizing life dreams. Let’s embrace the Russian people, despite the shortcomings of a government that makes progress at the speed of a glacier.
I love Gordon Lightfoot’s classic hit, Song for a Winter’s Night. Look it up on You-Tube. It was made for love and winter. Those bells get me every time.
I seldom cross the threshold between writing about people and my journey in the world of real estate, but I truly enjoy helping people find the perfect home, get a great price for the old family farm, and working through the many challenges that will hopefully lead to a successful closing. It’s fun to match people up to properties, builders, and dreams. Watching a young couple go through the experience of buying their first home, or a senior couple downsizing from an old two-story farm home on 50 acres to a single story in town that is much more forgiving on maintenance and aging knees, is a beautiful thing. And I like working with my real estate peers, local lenders, title companies, and insurance pros. It’s a good group working for you.
I love writing People Out Loud and talking about those who make this such a special place. Feel free to text me at 503-602-4320 or email me at [email protected] and let me know about special people doing special things. Let’s work together to get their stories out loud.
