I'm still not sure if it was the broken blue canopy or the big "I'll Be Back" sign (that is soooo Arnold, eh?) which captured my heart and made me realize I really like this place and have every intention of visiting Middletown, CA again. This time, not by myself, but with my immediate family in tow. I made some nice acquaintances here that my kids are really curious about. I am looking forward to catching up with them and making some fun introductions. The plotting and planning has already begun, from New York to Miami, with my kissing cousins getting their shades, sun screen and hiking gear together. A couple of fun blogging buddies will also be meeting us there (next year, either spring or summer), so we are all trying to tweak our schedules and save up for this future event.Tourism ... 10/14/2015

I have a precocious nine year old going on forty. When he was a wee bit younger, my son Stephen, the Minion Blur, used to bombard me with mind-numbing must-be-a-guy-thing chicken jokes, like: Where do tough chicks come from? Hard-boiled eggs... During my lunch break, as I squat in the shadows of burnt out trees on the edge of a quiet, dirt mountain lane, I found myself thinking of my hubby and kids while curiously satisfied to observe the pecking order of a family of chickens. It is a subtle art, their ability to yield way, and you have to watch carefully to see it slowly emerge during their subtle ballet of feeding etiquette. It is a ballet of solemn business as they leisurely and daintily stroll around downed power lines, melted communication cables, scorched rocks, ash covered gravel... 10/11/2015

Being a native New Yorker, I'm somewhat used to traffic jams, but have never experienced a traffic jam up on narrow, twisty mountain lanes. These roads, carved and blasted through stone, are tight little narrow ribbons of freedom, clustered with perpetual curved blind spots that inspire people like me to drive weeeell below the speed limit... Not because I wanted to gawk at the gorgeous views peppered with sheer cliff drop-offs and pretty-pretty lakes, which I enjoyed with wide-eyed wonder, but because my racing heart did not (and still does not) Want. To. Die...Yeah, all those Rock Slide warning signs coupled with lots of missing landscaping will get you wondering about your odds of being knocked off the mountain. Especially after witnessing them clear one away. Not gonna forget that d... 10/09/2015

Knock Before EnteringAlthough blackened with debris, littered with melted insulation, crumbled dry wall and imploded rooftops, there is evidence everywhere that the residents are doing all they can to seek out and preserve any remnant of what used to be the beauty of simply living their lives..There are wire sifters propped near former entrances and little piles of burnt items carefully collected and arranged. It is a stark, defiant reminder for all stepping foot on these hallowed, grieving grounds that this is still a displaced family's treasured, badly mangled, burned-to-the-ground home.The survivors are returning to salvage what they own, even if all they have left is the quiet dignity of a silent, tearful nod to burnt offerings... Some are up at the crack of dawn feeding distressed ... 10/09/2015

Beauty For Ashes...The healing of the brokenhearted is complicated... How does one provide for those who grieve? Loss is an emotional and intimate thing, a wound that burns a gaping hole in your emotions, distracting you with the pain of knowing your life will never quite be the same again... Sometimes, grief can be triggered anew by the little, mundane things in life - like walking into the neighborhood laundromat to wash your Salvation Army donated clothes when you used to own a drool worthy wardrobe and just upgraded your appliances. Might seem like a petty thought, but you weren't there when that family of four only had minutes to flee for their lives, watching a major part of it go up in smoke in the rear view mirror of a partially melting car; or right before their eyes because th... 10/07/2015

Enter at your own risk... I see this warning daily as we deal with the aftermath of the wild fire disaster. Normally, on a sunny California morning, I'd be itching to go jogging down a country lane to soak in the sun and enjoy the view...Instead, I am carefully following the advice of experienced disaster response veterans, watching every step I take while plotting a visual grid of the wild fire damage surrounding a five mile radius of our Red Cross staff shelter. I really miss my Nikon, but I have been making due with my multiple cell phones...You may want to brace yourself... My gal pal and I hiked over 5 miles up and down this mountain side to offer you a brief, unique view of just how badly these victims need your help and support: This is just the beginning of the disaster relief s... 10/07/2015

All American Red Cross (ARC) disaster assistance is free...Considering what it takes to get the job done, I find that fact truly remarkable. It is probably why I enjoy being a cog in their corporate, non-profit wheel. Wearing the Red Cross Volunteer mantle is like Clark Kent hiding his Superman suit until it is time to get busy. One email call to action is enough to mobilize and energize supporters to prep for a disaster. It is a unique and rewarding position that is rarely ever boring. Best part? If you apply yourself to your training, this organization will waste no time putting your skills to use. Yup. True dat. This middle-aged gym rat, unpredictably quirky Curious George kinda gal who enjoys Army cot pajama-writing is a newbie ARC volunteer who is NOT a paid employee, or an ARC vet... 10/06/2015

What a tragic event that you are having to endure. We are so very sorry for your losses. You have to take action however and we are trying to get the word out.  Don't let anyone remove your foundation. When Katrina hit years ago, we volunteered to get down there and see what we could do to help, HUD told us no, we have it under control. Then FEMA moved those temporary trailer housing into the area, many people relocated, wow, we'll we are sad to report the government didn't do much to rebuild, in fact, very little if anything. The homes around New Orleans are still in disrepair, the water and sewer systems are still not in and operational, and we could have done all this if they had only let us.We cannot let this happen in CA, These cities and towns and you and your neighbors deserve mu... 09/24/2015

Yvette Sloan | C21 House of Realty | 707-355-2171 18642 Hidden Valley Road, Hidden Valley Lake, CA REO listing in golf course community 3BR/2BA Single Family House offered at $187,900 Year Built 2003 Sq Footage 1,534 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 2 full, 0 partial Floors 1 Parking 2 Car garage Lot Size .47 acres HOA/Maint $141 per month DESCRIPTION New Foreclosure listing, 3bd, 2ba open floor plan with vaulted ceiling in living room with fireplace, dining area and bar that leads into kitchen. Off kitchen is spacious laundry room that leads to garage. Fully landscaped front and back yard fenced. Ready to move in and make your own. Any additional information please give me a call Yvette Sloan 707-355-2171 see additional photos below PROPERTY FEATURES Central A/C Central heat Fireplace High/Vaulte... 03/31/2009

Hidden Valley Lake Market Report 2009 is off to a decent start in the Hidden Valley Lake Real Estate Market.  As of 2/2/09 there are 104 homes on the market with an average listing price of $242,000.00.  17% of those homes are in either contingent or pending status with an average listing price of $191,000.00.  The average days on market for these properties is 132 days.  The high listing price is $299,900.00 and the low is $123,300.00.  77% of the homes in contingent or pending status are foreclosures.  When a foreclosure hits the market, and it's in good condition, the property will move quickly.  May even receive multiple offers.  If you are in the market for a foreclosure you have to do your homework prior to and during your purchase.  As a buyer you should hire a home inspector to ... 03/05/2009

As of February 24, 2009, there are only 11 houses on the market.  Two of those homes are in escrow.  The average listing price is $523,488 and homes are sitting on the market an average of 130 days.  27% of those homes are bank owned properties. The majority of homes on the market in town are on larger parcels, 1 or more acres, compared to homes in Hidden Valley that are on common sized lots.  Even though the competition isn't as fierce in Middletown compared to Hidden Valley Lake, sellers still need to make sure their homes are "sale ready".  Presenting your home for sale means a giving it a good spruce up (spring cleaning and depersonalization), add little touches out front to make your home more appealing and list with an agent that will market your property to get your home SOLD!  M... 03/05/2009

Middletown, CaliforniaApprox. Population 1,020"I Sell Lake County!"Ray PerryGRI, e-PRO, Lake County Expert,  Multimillion Dollar Producer, Most Listings in The CountyCPS Country AirOffice (707) 277-9255 ext 1#Cell (707) 245-8376Fax (707) 277-7840Ray@RayPerry.comhttp://www.rayperry.com/ Middletown Homes For SaleMiddletown homes for sale typically range from $300,000 to $600,000. On the low end, Middletown housing can start as low as $250,000 and go up as high as $750,000. Land for sale in Middletown typically averages from $50,000 to $200,000 for a lot or acre. Available homes in Middletown include Single Family Homes, Multi Family Homes, New Construction, Lots, New Development, Modular Homes, Pre-Fabricated Homes, Acreage, Investment Property, Golf Course and Retirement Communities, Lux... 06/26/2007

Hidden Valley, CaliforniaApprox. Population 3,777"I Sell Lake County!"Ray PerryGRI, e-PRO, Lake County Expert,  Multimillion Dollar Producer, Most Listings in The CountyCPS Country AirOffice (707) 277-9255 ext 1#Cell (707) 245-8376Fax (707) 277-7840Ray@RayPerry.comhttp://www.rayperry.com/ Hidden Valley Homes For SaleHidden Valley homes for sale typically range from $300,000 to $500,000. On the low end, Hidden Valley housing can start as low as $260,000 and go up as high as $700,000. Land for sale in Hidden Valley typically averages from $ 70,000 to $110,000 for a lot or acre. Available homes in Hidden Valley include Single Family Homes, New Construction, Lakefront homes, Lots, New Development, Modular Homes, Pre-Fabricated Homes, Acreage, Investment Property, Golf Course and Retirement ... 06/26/2007