Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions—Homeowner Version: Not Paper Roses…Wooden American Beauties in Blaine, MN

Last week on the way home from an orthodontist appointment for my son we detoured down a Blaine street following a bright pink sign advertising a late season garage sale. We turned into a dead end road but not a single garage door was opened on this cold gray early morning but we discovered an even more exciting treasure…Another Uniquely Minnesota Artful distraction.

At the end of the cul de sac there was the remnants of a beautiful perennial garden. In the center of the garden, surrounded by wood chips and hostas with leaves starting to yellow, was a wonderfully carved display of wooden roses. Now I know Marie Osmond had a hit with Paper Roses way back when, but these wooden American Beauties are really something to sing about! Good thing I had my camera with as we were going to take a photo of a Blaine water tower for a real estate market statistic post. I was able to get a picture of this unique wooden carving to share.

Look closely at the bottom and you will see a hidden treasure. There is a small dog carved into the bottom of the sculpture. I am guessing the dog is named Rosie!

Other Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions:

• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions-Hometown Version: The North St. Paul Snowman
• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions-Homeowner Version: Grrrr....Black Bear in Columbus
• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions-Hometown Version: Giant Mouse and Buffalo in Center City
• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions-Homeowner Version: Forest Lake Steam Train
• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions--Homeowner Version: Ham Lake Bald Eagle in Nest
• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions-Homeowner Version: Little Gnome Facts in Forest Lake
• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions--Hometown Version: Lindstrom Teapot Watertower
• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions-Homeowner Version: D'oh! Homer at Home in Centerville
• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions--Hometown Version: East Bethel’s New Resident Black Bear
• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions--Homeowner Version: Steel Dragons in Blaine
• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions--Homeowner Version: Move Over Tiger! Yogi’s Ready for the Links in Forest Lake!
• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions—Homeowner Version: Skol Vikings! Minnesota Viking in Roseville, MN!

Don't be distracted when making YOUR important real estate decisions! If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional Realtor, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Copyright 2008 terieckholm.com

Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions--Homeowner Version: Move Over Tiger! Yogi’s Ready for the Links in Forest Lake!

As a Realtor I get the opportunity to canvas the countryside looking at homes and properties throughout the north metro. Time and again I stumble upon unique treasures. This time, I discovered an artful roadside distraction because of a detour just over two months ago. The tornado devastation in Hugo rerouted me from many of my regular real estate routes to and through Anoka and Washington Counties. On one such detour, I drove past this guy who acts as part of a welcoming committee in a Forest Lake home. Now this is a bear that is ready for one of Minnesota’s favorite summer activities…GOLF! I knew that I would have to take this detour again with camera at hand soon!

So this past week on my way to show homes to out-of-town buyers in White Bear Lake and Stillwater, I made a scheduled detour to get the shot. This guy stands on one side of the driveway while his friend (BooBoo maybe?) who is not decked out in golf attire, stands stately on the other. There was some thought put into the clothing as the beautiful two story home of the owner has the same whimsical color scheme: butter yellow siding with forest green trim.
In my real estate travels, I tend to take the same roads so if it wasn’t for the tornado detour, I would never have traveled past this pair of distracting bears. But this gets me thinking…Maybe I should take alternative routes more often as you never know what uniquely Minnesotan artful distraction could be around the next bend in a Minnesota roadway.

Other Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions:

• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions-Hometown Version: The North St. Paul Snowman


• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions-Homeowner Version: Grrrr....Black Bear in Columbus


• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions-Hometown Version: Giant Mouse and Buffalo in Center City


• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions-Homeowner Version: Forest Lake Steam Train


• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions--Homeowner Version: Ham Lake Bald Eagle in Nest


• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions-Homeowner Version: Little Gnome Facts in Forest Lake


• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions--Hometown Version: Lindstrom Teapot Watertower


• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions-Homeowner Version: D'oh! Homer at Home in Centerville


• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions-Hometown Version: Giant Polar Bear in White Bear Lake


• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions--Hometown Version: East Bethel’s New Resident Black Bear


• Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions--Homeowner Version: Steel Dragons in Blaine

Don't be distracted when making YOUR important real estate decisions! If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional Realtor, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.
Copyright 2008 terieckholm.com

Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions--Homeowner Version: Ham Lake Bald Eagle in Nest

As I headed to a listing appointment in Anoka County this summer, I rounded a corner and noticed a beautifully carved oak tree at a Ham Lake residence. The carving was not unusual as I have seen carved and painted bald eagles at craft fairs but this one was carved out of the tree about 15 feet in the air.

Bald eagles were removed from the endangered species list earlier this year. Due to their protected status for the past several years and efforts to bring back this beautiful bird, the amount of breeding pairs has grown from a low of 417 in 1963 to nearly 10,000 today. According to the Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) 2005 Bald Eagle survey, Over 1,000, roughly 10% of bald eagles nest in the state of Minnesota. I have seen these huge majestic birds fly over my Ham Lake home, along the roadside in Columbus Township and soar over the 4th of July parade in Forest Lake.

At the Minnesota DNR building at the state fair this year, there was an example of an eagles’ nest on display. Their nests are built of interwoven sticks about ¾ to an inch in diameter. I have seen an actual nest where a pair of eagles built a few years back in Keller Park in Maplewood. My estimation is that it is the size of a child’s swimming pool woven up into the treetops. The DNR display was just about eye level and easy to view.

The week after we were at the fair, I was back to check on my listing. As I rounded that same corner, I noticed that the beautiful carved eagle now had a nest! What a Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distraction created by an innovative homeowner. This is one landscape decoration that will add to the property value of this lovely Ham Lake home.

Another Artful Distraction Post from Series:Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions—Hometown Version: The North St. Paul Snowman

If you are relocating to Minnesota, are looking for Homes for Sale in the north and east Twin Cities metro area and need help from a professional Realtor, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet. I specialize in acreage properties! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Copyright 2007 www.terieckholm.com