Intentional Communities

Chatting with a friend the other day about the rising cost of living, we mused about ideas surrounding communal living for the Baby Boomer generation. As synchronicity would have it, I was browsing the Dollar Stretcher e-newsletter a few days later and came across an article about communal living in retirement. Turns out there is quite an "Intentional Community" movement going on out there! The University of New Mexico is hosting a 3-day workshop on "the evolution of cooperative, sustainable culture" May 30 - June 1. And the 2008 National Cohousing Conference is being held in Boston June 12 - 15. Did you know Chico has its very own cohousing project? Valley Oaks Village is a 28-unit community on 4.6 acres on Wild Oak Lane (corner of Forest Avenue and E. 8th Street). You can take a little photo tour here. The project was designed by architect Michael Black, who currently resides in the Yulupa Cohousing project in Santa Rosa with his wife Alexandra Hart. For five years prior to that, they lived in the "Two Acre Wood Cohousing" project in Sebastopol, which he also designed. Cohousing has come a long way since projects like "The Farm" (in operation in Tennessee since 1971!) Check out the ChicoLaura website at www.ChicoLaura.com

Chico Residential Market Update

First Quarter stats are in at the Chico Association of Realtors. With the current excellent interest rates and softer prices, it appears the "$300,000ish" range is attracting more first-time buyers and investors. Although average sales price for residential sales (including condos) has been declining, the "days on market" (# of days from listing until opening escrow) has also been declining, from 118 days in February to 69 days in March. So homes are selling more quickly now. I've even seen some "multiple offer" activity on a number of listings--something we haven't seen in a while! Spring/summer is typically our "busy" selling season in Chico, and every week new listings hit the market. What a great time to buy!

Sierra Nevada Brewery Shines!

Browsing through the March issue of Vegetarian Times, I was pleased to see a "carrot" (kudos) given to our local Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. for being a leader in "green" industry. The brewery recently added solar panels to existing fuel cells that will provide about 75% of its power. Sierra Nevada is also a model of sustainability with its innovative programs in recycling and carbon dioxide recovery. Not only is founder/owner Ken Grossman dedicated to operating the award-winning brewery in as ecologically clean and efficient a manner as possible, he consistently supports our community in everything from small fundraisers for education to our local NPR radio station. And added bonus is the lovely outdoor patio dining and the gorgeous "Big Room," offering fabulous live music from such world-renowned performers as Elvin Bishop, Dave Brubeck and the Brubeck Brothers, and Tommy Emmanuel, to name just a few. Thanks for all you do and for helping put Chico on the map, Ken! (Check out the ChicoLaura web site: www.ChicoLaura.com )

NPR Kitty

Due to popular demand, I'm posting a photo of "BK," the now-famous NPR Kitty. Yesterday I called in my NPR membership pledge, dedicated to "BK," AKA "NPR Kitty." (What's with all these initials anyway?) "BK" for "Bell Kitty," because she rings a bell when she's hungry or when she wants to go outside. (While she can meow--I heard her once-- she chooses not to, for whatever reason. Hence the bell.) "NPR Kitty" because, being the polite, thoughtful feline she is, she always waits until my clock radio alarm comes on (tuned to NPR) before climbing on me to wake me up in the morning. No matter what time the alarm is set for, she waits until the radio comes on (usually "Morning Edition") before sweetly asking for her morning head rub. Now that's considerate! Click here to see a short video of BK being crazy, playing with her favorite toy, a twisty tie. (Check out the ChicoLaura web site www.ChicoLaura.com )

"Grounding" your plants

Don't have the space to compost but love healthy plants? Instead of adding those coffee grounds or used tea leaves to the landfill, just spread them around your acid-loving plants (roses, azaleas, blueberries etc.). Not only do the plants thrive on this nitrogen-rich stuff, it can help deter slugs and snails. (Many coffee shops have bins where they offer free coffee grounds to patrons.) Especially here in California, where the soils are typically highly alkaline, coffee grounds can improve both the quality and texture of the soil. If you DO have an area where you can create compost, all the better! I simply picked an out-of-the way spot, dug three holes, and started throwing all my kitchen waste (no animal products other than smashed eggshells), coffee/tea grounds, grass clippings, and garden waste into the first hole (occasionally supplemented with horse manure from a friend), turning it occasionally with a pitchfork and sprinkling it with the hose during the dry season. When that hole got full, I rotated the compost to the next hole and started a fresh batch in the first hole. But the time the first batch got rotated to the third hole and ripened there for a while, it was ready to use: rich, dark, and crumbly. My plants (including houseplants) LOVE the stuff! And I feel better about reducing the amount of household/yard waste going to the landfill. Try it; you and your plants will like it! (Check out the ChicoLaura web site: www.ChicoLaura.com )

First Woman Presidential Candidate

Women didn't even get the VOTE until 1920! So how is it possible that Victoria Claflin Woodhull (born Victoria California Claflin in 1838) ran for President of the United States in 1872? As there was no law on the books preventing women from running for office, Woodhull was nominated by the newly-formed Equal Rights Party on May 10, 1872, at Apollo Hall, New York City. Frederick Douglass, famous orator, newspaper publisher, abolitionist, and former slave, was nominated Vice President. (Douglass never acknowledged this nomination. Instead, he served as a presidential elector in the United States Electoral College for the State of New York.) At the beginning of her campaign, she owned a stock brokerage (in partnership with her sister, Tennessee) and published a New York journal, "Woodhull & Claflin's Weekly." Yet Victoria spent election day in jail, having been arrested by the U.S. government under the Comstock Act for sending "obscene" literature through the mail. By the end of her historical run (Ulysses S. Grant was elected President), she had been evicted from her home and, by one account, had been jailed by the U.S. Government EIGHT times (during which time her printing press and personal papers were confiscated). Eventually acquitted of any crime,Victoria was nonetheless financially ruined by the experience, having spent a fortune in legal bills and bail. (For more info, read Miriam Brody's 2003 biography, Victoria Woodhull: Free Spirit for Women's Rights) What an amazing story! (Check out the ChicoLaura web site: www.ChicoLaura.com )

Tax Man Cometh!

I actually managed to get my tax prep work done BEFORE the 11th hour this year! Nice to have this annual chore out of the way. (Someone once said you should always pay your taxes with a smile. I tried this once, but they wanted money, if you can believe that!) The IRS has created a web site, The Digital Daily, to provide forms and help with commonly-asked questions. Wishing you a good result and many happy returns! (Check out the ChicoLaura web site: www.ChicoLaura.com )

No April Foolin'!

Spring is here, and the market is definitely picking up! Today we have 405 active single-family residential listings in our Chico area Multiple Listing Service (down from an all-time high of over 600 last year). There are 107 s-f homes in escrow (pending), and just in the past month 40 s-f homes sold (closed escrow). As CSUC graduation approaches in May, we'll no doubt see more "parent investors" coming to Chico to check out the possibility of purchasing a home or condo for their students' remaining years of school. Depending on condition and location (I always say the students like to be within "spittin' distance" of campus), one may be able to rent the extra bedrooms for $400 - $450 per bedroom per month. (In some of the funky old "porch-couch ready" campus area homes, every nook and cranny has been turned into a "bedroom"!). The ChicoLaura Team is gearing up for a busy spring and summer! (Check out the ChicoLaura web site: www.ChicoLaura.com )