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Balsam, NC Real Estate News

By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
  This was the first day in a long time with no rain. The frogs are very happy...it's hard to walk on the driveway in the evening without running into one of them.  The peke-a-poo, Zoe, is convinced that they are some sort of squeeze toy.  So far she hasn't been able to get one and she should be glad about that, I'm feeling certain that she wouldn't like the taste.        Obviously, the conditions have been perfect for mushrooms.  I noticed several clusters while I was out mowing the yard.  The pine cone fell from the spruce tree, that's what's left when the squirrels get through with them.  
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
  A little downtime on a Sunday never hurt anyone, especially a certain cat named Charlie. Somehow, we managed to get all of our work done yesterday in the 95 degree heat and today we're recharging our batteries in some blissfully pleasant 70 degree weather.       Being REALTORS, we never come to a full stop...there's always phone calls and emails but that's easy.  For today we're staying home and hanging out.
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
  Last night it was almost too hot to move or breathe. Normally, having no air-conditioning is not a big deal…in fact, I prefer the feel and smell of uncanned air and the sounds of the night coming through the screens. Once in a while though, during the summer for just a couple of days…I’ve got to admit, A/C would be nice. So, last night sweltering sitting on the sofa watching television I was struck by the commercials of new upcoming shows for the season and wondered, not for the first time,  “how did we get here?”. Does something happen during your fifties when the direction that television shows are taking all of a sudden seem stupid and pointless? So called "reality" show after reality show seems to be the main thrust that the viewing public has to choose from. We deserve better tha...
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
These mushrooms were noticed at the base of the granddaddy Dude tree while I was mowing the grass last weekend.  Sometimes the fungus among us is harder to photograph than you might think, being on the ground and all.  There are times that I think it would pay off to be shorter.                                                
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
  After talking about curb appeal in a post earlier this week, it got us thinking about our own curb appeal. So, the weekend was a frenzy of Juniper trimming, branch lopping, shrub pruning, hole digging, yard mowing, rock evacuating, hydrangea planting and hosta moving.   We had a downpour of rain last night, just what the transplanted plants yearned for. This morning revealed that the hostas and hyrdrangeas appear very happy. I was fortunate enough to catch these little blooms early this morning after the rain but before the raindrops had fallen off the flower.    
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
Well, its been a couple of weeks since Charlie moved into the house.  He seems to have relaxed.  He's like a little kid though, still doesn't like to be put to bed in his cat condo...a couple of protest meows and then quiet until morning.  Ahhhh.        
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
  What kind of flame doesn’t burn? This time of year that would be the native Flame Azalea. In Western North Carolina, this azalea goes from bud to bloom in just a couple of days. We’re really lucky to have one on the property here in Balsam, NC.   The blooming usually heralds the arrival of fireflies too and sure enough, this evening the woods and the yard had those fairy sized lights dancing all over the place, thousands of them…they aren’t as easy to catch photographs of though! ;-D  
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
  Last year I posted a number of Rhododendron photos, they are so plentiful here in the mountains of Western North Carolina during late April and May. I love them, they are showy and vibrant … not to mention some of my favorite colors. This year though, I noticed them before they burst into full bloom and was taken by the richness of the bud’s color.   I also had a little fun with editing in Daguerrotype... This Bud’s for You!
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
  Every morning lately in Balsam, NC a new Iris unfolds into all its glory. All views are beautiful but I like getting up close and personal with the new blooms. This particular Iris was folded up tightly in a green bud the night before I shot this photo. Then, first thing in the morning I was looking into the eye of the Iris.    
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
Say What? Dog Water at the Edge…what the heck does that mean? Each REALTOR starts their day differently, but after seeing the active participation in the Pet Project contest, I now know that a good percentage of REALTORS in this country and Canada start their day out with something having to do with dogs or cats. Thankfully the Office Manager doesn’t need a pedicure every day but she was overdue for one yesterday, so that’s how the day started. After her feet were back to their beautiful selves, I tossed the bowls of dog water off the deck and a drop hit the deck rail and the sun glistened in it. The dogs would have to wait on fresh water….I had a photo op. No, I don’t distract easily! Maybe it would be better if we still used film. I’m the teensiest bit embarrassed to tell you how man...
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
Which photo is the artier of the two?  I captured a photo of this azalea just at dusk, right before the rain started yesterday.  Since Picnik is no longer available I've been using PicMonkey to edit my photos.  Other than a little cropping, there are no special effects on this first shot.            Then I had a little fun with the editing.  This effect is called smudging.  I kind of like it.        What do you think?
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
Right now in Balsam, North Carolina, the temperature is hovering around 35 degrees.  Outside the sliding glass doors I can see a few flurries and the doors are rattling with the gusty winds.                                                                                                                                 Ahhhhh April, the beginning of spring.  Glad I caught the photos of these Lilies of the Valley this morning.
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
Are you seeing this too? The woods surround me where I live in Balsam, NC and it brings great comfort to know that the Blue Ridge Parkway property surrounds the house and there will never be any clearing or building there. I like knowing that forest wildlife, creeks and grand old trees are less than 100 feet from the front door.     This grand old tree, some form of poplar…tulip poplar...I think, has been here longer than we have. I see it several times a day and can’t believe I never recognized him for who he really is. Are you also seeing his true persona with me?  
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
Tree dudes abound here in Western North Carolina and are favorites of mine to photograph. They're always accommodating subjects. Usually once they’ve put down roots they don’t tend to wander and are so easy to capture in their native habitats.  Luckily for me, working in real estate here...their native habitats are in my workspace. The littlest tree dude was introduced to me last night at dinner. Our buyers have a house under contract in Franklin had come to town for the home inspection with Tom Johnson. While in town they were very kind to invite us to dinner at Sweet Onion in Waynesville before heading back home. The littlest tree dude is small enough that he fit in the buyer’s purse! Dinner was delicious, the conversation lively and the littlest tree dude sat at the table with the r...
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
Wouldn’t you think that if you had lived in the same place since 1989 you would be pretty familiar with just about anything concerning that location? I like good surprises and that’s what I got when I looked at one of the walls in the dining room Wednesday morning. Never, in all the time I’ve lived here have I seen the sunlight grace us with artwork like this, a little bit of Shadow Art. Now, the trick will be to remember to watch for it in mid March and see how often it reappears.  
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
  Early mornings are my favorite times to visit ActiveRain and post whatever has been brewing in my head overnight. It’s lovely to live in a south facing property in the mountains of Western North Carolina, the sun comes up over my left shoulder when I’m at the computer. That’s what happened yesterday when I was typing the post about LinkedIn’s sleep survey. I glanced over my shoulder and thought…perfect, there’s my Speechless Sunday post out on the deck. Everyone would like jeweled mechanic’s cloth, right? Even though I did capture the photos, I missed posting them in favor of getting some sparkle of a different sort back into the kitchen! Our deck has ½” squared mechanic’s cloth to keep the dogs from plunging 25 feet into the backyard. Yesterday when I saw the sun shine through the dr...
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
This truly has been a welcome Silent Saturday with the exception of the sound of raindrops falling throughout most of the day. It felt really good to be in the house all nice and dry while appreciating the fog and the rain here in the mountains of Western North Carolina.
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
Here is the rest of the story I began the other day with the Prince of Privilege and his liberation from the sad situation he and his sisters were living in.  He had lost his human to a horrific auto and truck accident and was living with his human’s mother who did want to provide a good safe home to him but she herself was in the middle of awful circumstances. The day we met Frosty, Sabrina and Zoe was cold and damp…a Sunday…sometime in late October…maybe early November six years ago. At that time they had been living outside in all weather for about a year in 6x10 chain link fenced enclosures after having had an exquisitely pampered life indoors with their human.   Their small faces were unhappy and resigned. We packed them into the car and they smelled so badly that we called a groo...
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
  This morning I wanted to revisit Monica’s Gift, but with a Study in Fog for the Friday’s Fotos group. Today will be sunny in the mountains unlike last week when we had several foggy mornings. One of the most absolutely best things about living in the mountains of Western North Carolina is that the view never ever looks the same. For those of you who saw the posting of Monica’s gift the other day against the lush green and sunny background, here is the same piece against the same background shrouded in fog. We haven’t seen Monica in probably ten years or talked with her by email in probably two. How does that happen? How can you lose regular contact with someone you really enjoy? It happens with lots of people all the time. I emailed a link to Wednesday’s blog to the email address I ha...
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By Mona Gersky, GRI,IMSD-Taking the mystery out of real estate.
(MoonDancer Realty, Dillsboro,NC)
He’s really not a seal pup, but sometimes he sure looks like one. He’s little, but he’s all canine. Frosty’s had quite a life. He started out as someone’s very special darling…going everywhere with his human. Then tragedy struck and his human was killed in a terrible traffic accident. His human’s mother took care of him for a while…but she was dealing with the grief of losing her daughter and also her husband’s developing Alzheimer’s disease. As a result, Frosty and his sister Sabrina along with a third companion, Zoe spent a full year living outside in chain link pens. Because of some fostering work we’d done and our involvement in raising money to help people get their pets spayed and neutered, the mother contacted us to see if we could help her find good homes for these little dogs....
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