New Listing - 1823 Capstone Ct., Chico, CA

GORGEOUS home in a lovely west side Chico neighborhood offered at $550,000! Spacious 4 bdr, 3 bath with formal dining and living rooms, family room with woodstove off kitchen. Beautifully landscaped with covered patio, perfect for entertaining. Master bdr and 2nd bdr at one end, 3rd & 4th bedrooms and bath at the other. All this AND a 3-car garage! Located near Emma Wilson Elementary School and large Oak Way park/playground, with lighted walking paths, covered picnic/BBQ areas, and some of the best outdoor basketball courts in Chico.

With it's many appealing features and great location, this beauty is not to be missed! Click here for the virtual tour, or go to http://www.chicolaura.com/ and click on "Active Listings/Sales" for more photos.

Update: Capstone Ct. is currently in escrow, but we have others!

Earth Day

Happy Earth Day, Mother Earth! I'm sure anyone driving (or better yet, walking or biking) down the Esplanade here in Chico has noticed the "Earth Day" flags these past few weeks. The Earth Day flag was designed in 1970 by Earth Day founder John McConnell, inspired by the first photos taken during America's Apollo 10 space missions in 1969.

The "Earth Flags of Chico" project was passed unanimously by the City Council in March of 2007 in support of "green initiatives and ecological responsibility." I think they are a good reminder to us all to do whatever we can to take care of this amazing planet we call home.

(Click here for a list of Earth Day activities occurring this month.)

Chico Cozy

"Chico Cozy" vs. "ChicoLaura Cozy"!

Popping into a local java shop the other day before hitting the road, I noticed a display on the counter featuring a new local product: The "Chico Cozy." It's an "eco-friendly alternative to the cardboard sleeve." Another clever, innovative idea by a fellow Chicoan! The Chico Cozy web site says their product is "named for the town in which it is made...A vibrant city with small-town appeal, Chico possesses a great sense of community and an appreciation for the environment."

So what do you think about my "ChicoLaura Cozy"? It's a little something I knitted up with leftover yarn a year or so ago after my daughter-in-law, Eva, made several (much nicer than mine) versions from a pattern she found.

If you want the "Chico Cozy," go to their web site to order. (It would make a great gift for your environmentally-aware-caffeine-loving friends.) If you want the "ChicoLaura Cozy," email me to make an appointment to meet at the yarn shop!

Get Out the ZooToo Vote!

OMIGOSH! Don't forget to VOTE for the Butte Humane Society animal shelter in the ZooToo.com nationwide contest beginning 9:00 a.m. TODAY, April 13th! You can vote 10 times a day, and the voting continues until Sunday, April 19th. Our little Chico shelter has made it into the Top 10, and the push is ON! Practice a not-so-random act of kindness for our less fortunate little furry friends; cast your votes now for our shelter! Click here to get started. (No worries if you don't have a pet or a photo of you and your pet; any profile photo will do.)

UPDATE: Our Chico shelter took 2nd PLACE in the ZooToo contest! In addition to the excellent exposure for Butte Humane Society (and increased adoptions and donations), the cash award of $50,000 will be a huge help toward improving conditions for our local animals. Kudos to everyone who helped with this very worthwhile endeavor!

New Cal Park Listing!

We just listed this beauty in California Park, the lovely "lake" subdivision near Upper Bidwell Park in Chico, CA. Click here to view photos, and here to view a virtual tour. This lovingly-maintained 3 bdr 2 bath home features a separate office, sunny breakfast nook, hardwood floors, sweet covered patio area, and has RV potential. Such a wonderful neighborhood, with a park/playground area just around the corner and lots of walking trails, picnic areas and lakeside amenities. Give me a call at 530-864-6632 to view this honey of a home! 359 Brookside Dr., offered at $309,000 by The ChicoLaura Team.

Top Ten on ZooToo!

Hurray for Butte Humane Society! We were the only animal shelter on the west coast to make it into the Top Ten in the ZooToo.com contest for the Million Dollar Makeover! Here is a video I took of the welcome speeches during ZooToo founder Richard Thompson's visit. Click here to view a video done by CSUC students of the shelter. Info to follow about how to cast your votes (beginning April 13th) for our shelter. Meanwhile, go to ZooToo.com and register so you'll be ready to cast your votes! (Look in upper righthand corner of the web site, "Join ZooToo Now!") It costs nothing, and it's fun. Be sure to post a profile photo of you and/or your pet. Please feel free to contact me if you need help, and be sure to select Butte Humane Society (zip code 95928) to support.

ZooToo Visits Chico!

Click here to view Part 1 of my Chico ZooToo Day video! Our local animal shelter, the Butte Humane Society, was visited by ZooToo founder Richard Thompson last Sunday, the final stop of his tour of the top 20 contestants for the Million Dollar Makeover contest sponsored by ZooToo. (Check out the Chico E-R article here and a recent KNVN/KHSL news report here.) It was an exciting day for the hard-working volunteers and supporters of the shelter!

Visit the Butte Humane Society ZooToo page by clicking here.

If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering or being involved in building a much-needed new shelter, please contact Heather Schoeppach (Executive Director) at 530-894-9066.

Stay tuned for an update on our ZooToo rankings!

Chico Kite Day

The incredibly powerful, gusty wind last Sunday couldn't keep kite enthusiasts away from Chico Kite Day in Martin Luther King Park (also known as "20th Street Park" or simply "Community Park" to locals).

I just happened to have my trusty Flip Video with me and shot this fun little short film of the festivities. (click here to view)

On a recent jaunt to upper park, I happened to notice a few large, beautiful kites being flown at Wildwood Park. My son Gabe and I struck up a conversation with the flyer of a huge, gorgeous red beauty. Turns out he is the owner of a local biz, Gone with the Wind Kites. We visited his place of biz. In addition to getting my "vintage" kite repaired, we purchased a few new ones. While I didn't launch mine on the official Kite Day, I've marked my calendar for the first Sunday of each month, when the "kite people" commune in Wildwood Park to fly their colorful dragons, frogs, and parafoils. Come check it out!

One Amazing Climber--a MUST READ!

Ever since hearing Erik Weihenmayer speak at a CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) conference about five years ago, I've had a photo of him crossing an icey crevasse on a bowed ladder high up on Mt. Everest. I keep the photo there to remind me that, no matter how challenging life may be, we can accomplish nearly anything we put our minds to if we maintain a positive attitude, work hard, and support each other in our dreams and goals.

As if climbing Mt. Everest wasn't enough of a challenge, Erik's story is all the more powerful because he has been blind since the age of 13! That climb was funded by the National Federation of the Blind with the hope that Erik would inspire today's visually impaired as Helen Keller did during her lifetime.

I recently came across an article about Erik's successful summit on February 12th of Colorado's Bridal Veil Falls, an epic 365-foot ice climb that "ranks among the most classic lines in North America," according to the National Geographic article (CLICK HERE to read the article). Eric was joined on that climb by Iraq war veteran Chad Jukes, who lost his right leg to an explosive device in 2007.

Thinking back to Erik's presentation Eva (daughter-in-law) and I attended five years ago (you could have heard a pin drop in that room of 1,000+ people!), I feel the same sense of amazement and inspiration now, reading about his recent accomplishments. In these difficult times, isn't it awe-inspiring to know that there are people like him to show us how courage and commitment can overcome just about any adversity we may face?

( To read one of Erik's inspiring books, check out his web site: www.TouchtheTop.com )

Home, Garden & Antique Show!

Sure hope to see you at the Annual Soroptimist of Chico Home, Garden & Antique Show this weekend! (March 21st and 22nd) I took photos at last year's show (click here to view) just to show folks how much fun it is. In addition to lots of items and ideas for the home and garden, there is a huge building devoted to antiques and another building with floral displays.

Lots of fun activities for the kids too! And the best part is that 100% of the gate proceeds support local community service projects. Click here to see a list of some of the good work this great group has done here in Chico (in addition to other parts of the country and world).

S/I Chico started up in 1931 and has been going strong ever since. (Emma Wilson and Hester Patrick were early members.) Soroptimist International was founded in Oakland, CA, in 1921. Currently there are over 90,000 members in more than 3,000 clubs in 124 countries/territories. Needless to say, this is one thriving organization!