Beginning in 2007, the City of Lake Oswego has used the month of February to host a city-wide reading program. The concept is to encourage everyone in town to read the same book at the same time. The community then hosts events to show-case and share the ideas found in the book. This year’s book selection is The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig.
The Whistling Season is a coming-of-age story set in 1910. It tells the tale of a rural family of 3 boys and their widowed father. The book was selected because, tying into the Lake Oswego Centennial Celebration, it will transport the reader back to 1910, the year that the City of Lake Oswego was originally founded. The book was selected by a panel of librarians, community leaders, High School English teachers and High School students.
Throughout the month of February events will be held all over Lake Oswego to bring The Whistling Season to life in the community:
February 1, Lake Oswego Writes, Chuck’s Place, 7pm
February 2-28, Art Exhitition at Graham’s Book and Stationary and at Chrisman Picture Frame and Gallery. 18 artists have created original pieces based upon their vision while reading the book.
February 3, History of the Telephone, Heritage House, 7pm
February 5, Pioneer Lunch, Noon, Adult Community Center
February 8, Book Club Quilter’s Tea, 2 pm, the Library
February 9, One Room School House Panel Discussion, Holy Names Heritage Center, 2pm
February 10, Spelling Bee, Lakewood Center, 7pm
February 11, Tales of the Secret Life of Lake Oswego, Library, 7pm
February 12, Photo Scavenger Hunt for Teens, Library, 7pm
February 13, Apron Making Classes, The Pine Needle, 10 am for kids, 1pm for adults
February 17, Dream Analysis, Lake Oswego Country Club, $15, 11:45 am
February 17, Hear Ivan Doig in Person, Lake Oswego High School, 7pm, tickets are free and given out 1st come 1st serve on January 30, 11 am, at the Library (see you there!)
February 18, Star Gazing, Luscher Farm, 7pm
February 18, Book Discussion, 7pm, West End Building
February 19, Book Discussion. 1 pm, Adult Community Center
February 20, Horse Carriage Rides, 11am to 3pm, Graham’s Stationary
February 20, Hoe Down, 5-8pm, West End Building
February 24, Historic Recipe Tasting, 1pm, Adult Community Center
February 24, Book Discussion, 7pm, the Library
February 25, Book Discussion, 10am, Mt. Park Church
February 25, Hear a real hand whistler, 7pm, the Library
February 26, Book Discussion, 1pm, Adult Community Center
February 27, Horse Show/ Jumper Night, 5:30, Oswego Hunt
For specifics on each event, click here.
I am an avid reader. I jumped into the Lake Oswego Reads idea when it was first introduced in 2007. I don’t attend all of the events, but I do try to get to a few of them. This year I will make the effort to get to the art show as well as the evening with Ivan Doig. I also plan to take my Mom to the One-Room-School-House discussion on the 9th (she actually went to school in a 1-room school house). I have learned that the book discussions are interesting, both in person and on-line. I think what I like most about Lake Oswego Reads is that it introduces me to really good books that I might otherwise not read. Here is a brief list of past book choices and my take on them:
2007, Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. This book takes place in post-WWII Barcelona. I liked this book. It reminded me of The Davinci Code with its intrigue and espionage. I particularly enjoyed the setting. You feel like you are meandering through alleyways and breathing in Barcelona. I know that this book was selected because one of the goals of LO Reads is to draw in High School students as well as adults. The local High Schools use the selected book in their classrooms. This is a fast-paced story that successfully appeals to diverse age groups.
2008, Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Relin. This book is hands down one of the most important books of our time. It is non-fiction. It is about one man and his mission to bring peace to Afghanistan and Pakistan by building schools. As I read it I found myself wishing that every world leader could take the time to read it too. It is remarkable, amazing, and inspiring what one individual can accomplish. And Greg Mortenson did it rather by chance. You will find yourself with him as he comes off of climbing K2 and lands in a remote village in the Middle East. He deals first-hand with The Taliban. His mission is important and when your read about it you will be forever changed.
2009, Stubborn Twig by Lauren Kessler. This book traces 3 generations of Japanese immigrants from their early beginnings in the Hood River Valley, through their ordeals and the alterations of their lives during WWII, to the gradual assimilation into American culture after several generations. I was completely touched by their story. Like Three Cups of Tea, it is non-fiction. This family came to the United States to find a better life, built a very successful business, and then lost nearly everything while being both jailed and put into Internment Camps. And yet, they were and are Americans, with lives of determination and patriotism.
I want to encourage you to get involved with Lake Oswego Reads. If The Whistling Season is as good as the other book selections have been, then I know it will be a worthwhile experience. And, let’s face it, one of the great things about February in Oregon is that it is the perfect time of year to curl up with a good book.
Dianne
Happy 2010 to each of you! I don’t know about you, but I can feel the excitement (and dare I say relief) in the air. It’s a new year, and things are looking good. Lake Oswego is already celebrating its Centennial, employment figures are up, real estate tax incentives are in full force (for a few months anyway), stocks started the year with a rally, and “the trend is still up” according to Rob Lutts, chief investment officer at Cabot Money Management.
The beginning of the year also always brings some legislative changes, like needing a hands-free device to talk on your cellphone in the car. The new law does, however “…exempt motorists who are on their hand-held cell phones ‘in the scope of the person’s employment if operation of the motor vehicle is necessary for the person’s job’.” Hmmmm, I wonder if that includes Realtors? Well, I think I’ll opt for safety anyway, but I can smell some friction (is that burning rubber?) ahead in the way of challenges to these minimum $142. tickets.
Realtor (or Dianne and I if you are without a Realtor) if you have any questions. Some of the changes could affect the timeline of your transaction if you are not aware of them. For instance, if a transaction includes any seller-carried financing, and the document is prepared by escrow, there is a 3-day mandatory review period… so if the Buyer is just seeing the document for the first time at signing, there will be a 3-day delay in closing. Also, you will notice that our ML#’s have gotten a bit longer. As we are starting a new decade, the ML#’s now start with “10”… so they’ll be longer numbers & have lots of zero’s for awhile : ) As an aside, the count on these, and therefore the number of new January listings as of today in Lake Oswego number 24, and range in price from $90,000 to $998,500.
Last, but definitely not least, I want to address the excitement of the ongoing Centennial Celebration in Lake Oswego. I’m including a 
A very merry Christmas and holiday season to each of you from Dianne and me!
Adult Community Center New Year’s Luncheon ~ Doors open on Wednesday, December 30th at 11:30 for this fabulous feast & opportunity to celebrate with your neighbors. Suggested donation is $4.00 for those 60 & older, and $5.00 for all other attendees. The Community Center is located at the intersection of 5th & G Avenues.
Let’s face it, December is dark. The sun comes up about 7:30 and sets about 4:30. That’s just 9 hours of daylight. And that’s why Christmas lights are pretty darn important to me. I know they are put up to celebrate religious traditions. But as far as I am concerned they are put up for ME. I love them and need them to get through the month of the year with the shortest daylight. My own turkey barely has a chance to go cold on the counter before I am putting up my own Christmas lights. And I push the boundary on the other end too by leaving them up past Christmas. (Yes, one year I had them up until Valentine’s, but haven’t been that extreme in quite awhile.)
This week we get to take a step back from our daily routine… usually we take a few days to kick back & enjoy family, friends, and good food… and at the very minimum, we enjoy a few extra moments or hours to reflect on all we have to be grateful for.
There is a wonderful assortment of Holiday Events coming up here in Lake Oswego. It is a great time of year and the community comes together to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.
I have two things on my mind today: Thanksgiving and how much Linda and I are loving writing the PropertyBblotter. I am thinking about Thanksgiving because it is my favorite holiday and because it has been so incredibly gorgeous the last few days. The air is crisp. The sunshine is bright. It just makes me feel grateful to be alive. And somehow those feelings tie into how I feel about the Property Blotter. We have been writing this blog for 20 months. In that time we have had the pleasure of sharing our passion for real estate and for this wonderful town that we live in. We have also been fortunate to have people contact us to get information, and even to buy and to sell homes. We are grateful for our loyal readers and hope that you are enjoying and learning from what we are able to share.
It isn’t often that we shine the spotlight on any particular property, but when we heard that the new luxury town homes on Sixth St in sought-after First Addition had just lowered their prices by $100,000 each to $599,900., Dianne and I just had to run over there and take a look.
ML# if you want to get a preview is 9057549. Each has 2258 SF, 3 bedrooms, 3 & 1/2 baths, 2 levels with additional full finished basements, and probably just everything you’ve been looking for.
cabinets also boasts additional built-ins and smart features like a pull-down bar. The dark french doors to the front porch area off the dining room are a rich contrast, and the white wainscoting throughout adds that crisp old-world cottage feel. The 2-car detached garage out back with private courtyard to the house is an added bonus in First Addition, and from there you enter the great room compete with gas fireplace and more built-ins.
Downstairs you find another gas fireplace and generous media room as well as another bedroom & bathroom w/an additional laundry area for guests or your reclusive teenager. Upstairs is the master bedroom & bath showing off glorious travertine w/onyx, a clawfoot tub & separate shower as well as an additional bathroom w/soaker tub & yet another bedroom. Walk-in closets of course, and the main laundry near the upstairs bedrooms check those final “must-haves” off the list.
Overall, these are just so unique & have that easy-living feel that goes hand in hand with the First Addition lifestyle… you know, walking to all the services, trendy shops and restaurants, not to mention Millenium Park Plaza for a view of the lake & all the festive local activities like Farmer’s Market, open air Movie Nights, Holiday Tree-Lighting festivities and on & on. First Addition is just a strolling kinda place; a small-town feel with all the amenities. Cottage Living 
magazine named First Addition as one of the ten best cottage communities in the country. American Planning Association name it one of the top 10 neighborhoods in America. The accolades go on & on.
Come on down & take a look. Bring a Realtor as there has been a lot of interest. They will be held open both Saturday & Sunday from 1 – 4.