Variety is the Spice of Life

You've probably heart this saying all your life. If it is true, then the Tri-Cities area of northeast Tennessee is a spicy place!

This will be a multiple part blog. This first part will address the variety of activities available during the spring months that are related to the natural beauty of the area. There's lots' going on! For the second part, come back shortly. You may be surprised to find the variety in future blogs.

Festivals and flowers seem to share an affinity. The northeast Tennessee area is abloom now and would be gorgeous had we not had temperatures in the 20s over the weekend! My azaleas that were just about ready to pop are now brown. However, other bloomers will show their beauty soon.

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Garden Faire will be held in Abingdon, VA less than an hour drive from the Tri-Cities on April 20-22. The same weekend, the Spring Nature Festival will be held at Warriors' Path State Park in Kingsport. And, on the 21st, a Landscape Seminar and Plant Auction will take place at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area in Elizabethton.

On April 28th the Community Plant Exchange will be staged at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area in Elizabethton and the Spring Garden Fair will be at Exchange Place in Kingsport.

The ramp is an indigenous plant and has its own festival! Even though ramps are highly odiferous members of the onion family, locals do enjoy eating them. So, for something a bit dirrerent, check out the Ramp Festival sponsored by the Flag Pond Ruritan Club on May 12th. Flag Pond is between Johnson City and Asheville.

Gardens planned and executed by the homeowner without professional input are featured in a Garden Tour sponsored by the Shady Oaks Garden Club in Johnson City on May 12th. Members of the club and the creator of the garden will be available to answer questions.

While plants and flowers signal the arrival of spring, birds do as well. On May 19th, Bird Walks will be held at Sycamore Shoals Historic Area in Elizabethton.

Greeneville, which is about 30 minutes west of Johnson City will hold its Iris Festival May 19-20. In addition to the blooming iris, the state flower of Tennessee, expect to see artisans, crafters, entertainers, and a "Miss Iris Festival" pageant. There'll be much more going on--just go and browse to find something for every family member!

Jonesborough is the oldest town in Tennessee and has lovely gardens. On May 26, several of the gardens will be open for the Annual Garden Gala.

Not to be outdone, Abingdon, VA will stage its Annual Garden Tour on June 23 and 24. This same weekend, the 61st Rhododendron Festival will be held at Roan Mountain State Park. The native rhododendrons are certainly the stars of this festival, but ohter family oriented activities are included, as well.

Does the opportunity to enjoy over 18,000 plants in one place pique your interest? The the Scott County Lavender Farm in Dungannon, VA just north of Kingsport should delight you. Here, from May 8 thru Juoly 7, you can cut your own lavender bunches, watch steam distillation, learn to make lavender wands, and enjoy lavender lemonade and lavender cookies. Sandwiches will be available for a picnic by the beautiful Clinch River.

On June 16, join the folks at the lavender farm for the Lavender Festival. During the day you can make lavender crafts, enjoy musicy by Copper Ridge, Tim Underwood, and Virginia's banjo picker of the year Blaine Gilliam with Kelly on bass guitar. Vendors will be present. There will also be more lavender food, plus a wine tasting at 12 noon featuring wines from Mt. Rose Vineyards.

For more information on any of these events, respond or email me.

Handcuffs in the Medicine Chest!

"Stage it!" "Think like a buyer!" "Have a garage sale." "Your house is a commodity now."Every real estate agent has said at least one of the above phrases to a seller. And each of the phrases is important for successful marketing.

A friend and I were discussing such recently when he said something that really made me think. I'll share what he said, some ideas that I then generated, and the reason that these ideas are excellent ones for sellers to remember.

So here goes:"We have noticed that severed heads mounted on the walls always seem to get people's attention. That can be a good or a bad thing depending on one's raisin'."OR...."Believe it, everyone who goes through your home will look in the medicine chest. If you want to have a little fun consider storing a pair of handcuffs therein".

Ok, my friend DOES have a strange sense of humor! But, his humor contains hidden jewels for sellers. First, what is on walls does impress buyers. Granted, not many are impressed favorably with heads! Just enough decor to give a lived-in look but not so much that the buyer can't imagine their own decor is always the right amount. You want buyers to look at the HOUSE, not at your favorite trinkets or family pictures. Selling time is not a time for extremes!

Second, yes they probably will look in the medicine chest, the vanity, every closet in the house, the cabinets, and everywhere else, especially if they are impressed and considering the house. You aren't into handcuffs?? That's fine. Just clean all closets and cabinets so that they look impressive. A stuffed area doesn't impress a buyer with the amount that can be contained therein. Sort, throw away, sort, throw away, then do it again so that your storage areas will appear large and organized.

Third, (this one isn't funny and my friend didn't address it), if you have children, involve them in the preparation for showing the house. When that garage sale is held, older children can participate and, in my opinion, be able to keep the money earned from their belongings. And, even younger ones can understand the need for dirty clothes going in the hamper, even if they didn't seem to understand at any other time. Several years ago, I marketed a house occupied by two boys about 6 and 8. Their rooms had always shown well. The night that their parents accepted an offer their question was "Can we now put our clothes hampers back out in our rooms?" They had adapted by now having the hampers out where they could practice shooting hoops with their clothes. It paid off!Selling a house involves stress. Put a bit of humor in it!
Posted by Marilyn Robertson