July 30-31: Tinhorn Creek presents The Shakespeare Company in: Love’s Labour’s Lost

August 6-8: Bluegrass Country in Osoyoos

August 28: Tinhorn Creek presents Dustin Bentall

August 29: Subaru Iron Man Triathalon

And don’t forget, every Saturday until October from 8:30am-12:30pm, at the North End of the Lion’s Park on Hwy 97, you’ll find Oliver’s Country Market A-Fair for all your local baking, arts & crafts, and fruits & veggies!

PLUS Thursday nights at 6:30 meet up at the Lion’s Park for Music in the Park, presented by the Oliver Community Arts Council:

August 5: Singer/Songwriter Deborah Lee with Guitarist Glen Koide, accompanied by guests Ken Hayes and Kenn Dramon ~ popular and original songs

August 12: Chenoa MacKenzie ~ classical to contemporary music

August 19: Ingrid Schellenberg ~ celtic, classical and popular harp music

August 26: Jazz Out West with Jim Wyse, Iris and Bob Larratt, and Bob Park ~ light jazz and old standards

Personally, I’m looking forward to the August 5th performance for Music in the Park – I love to go listen to my dad play!!  Anything that interests you?

The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation has raised more than $10 million to support women and children living in shelters across Canada.  Through agent commission contributions and the fundraising activities of the Royal LePage network, we are helping to provide a safe haven and new beginnings to more than 30,000 women and children each year.  To break the cycle of violence, the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation also supports long-term violence prevention and education programs.  All funds raised by Royal LePage offices remain in their local community and because Royal LePage pays the costs of administration, 100% of all money and effort goes toward this important cause.

Let’s put abuse out of commission!

Creating safer homes and safer communities.
www.royallepage.ca/shelter

If you would like to join our campaign to end violence, donations can be made online at www.royallepage.ca/donations.

The proposed new rates, according to CIBC Mellon, are:

Domestic Lettermail (up to 30 grams) : $0.57 (up from $0.54)
U.S. Lettermail (up to 30 grams) : $1.00 (up from $0.98)
International Lettermail (up to 30 grams): $1.70 (up from $1.65)

Good idea to stock up on stamps now!

To sum it all up…

Top 5 points on home search

• Analyze the home’s exterior and interior
• Check heating, cooling, plumbing and electrical systems
• Have a home inspection
• Listen for surrounding noise levels
• Ask your Royal LePage agent for their analysis of the home

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To sum it all up…

Key points to assess what’s right for you:

• Make a list of features you want
• Separate the list into ‘must have’ and ‘would like to have’
• Ask your Royal LePage agent to use these criteria to search for properties suited to you
• Explore multiple housing options
• Narrow down the search criteria

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Proper maintenance of your home and garden will help preserve your investment. And best of all, keeping your house in tip-top shape this fall will prevent any unnecessary chores in the spring.

Outdoor Projects

- Complete exterior painting before cooler weather arrives

- Check and repair exterior lighting before daylight fades

- Store lawn ornaments and patio furniture in a shed or basement. If space is limited, weather-resistant covers can protect outdoor furnishings

- Cover air conditioner and barbecue to prevent winter damage

- Close your pool before leaves start to fall, and nighttime temperatures begin to drop. Sooner than that and you risk an algae bloom

- Store kids toys indoors or in an outdoor shed to prevent rusting and fading

Lawn & Garden

- Till and prepare planting beds when the soil is relatively dry. By adding soil and mulch to your beds, you’ll be a step ahead for spring planting

- Plant spring blooming bulbs and perennials

- Protect roses, saplings and small trees by sheltering them with a burlap screen

- Pull weeds to reduce the number of seedlings next spring

- Mow grass short for the final cut of the year by reducing the cutting height gradually to 3.5 cm (from 7.4 cm) until the grass stops growing

Indoor Preparation

- Bring container plants indoors, making sure they are free of pests. Doing so may enable plants to survive the season and bloom again in spring

- Check and clean your humidifier. Empty the tank, dry the inside surfaces and refill with clean water. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

*courtesy of Royal LePage*

Nicely Maintained Strata Complex

Tons of updates have been done for you in this end-unit townhouse in Park Lane Villa. Centrally located near parks, hospital and main street shopping, this 2 bedroom, 2 bath home also has an office/den, and a private concrete patio. Updates include new flooring, light fixtures, windows, sinks and toilets, interior doors, and a fresh coat of paint. Outside, you’ll find a storage shed in the back, and motion sensitive lights for both entrances. 4 Appliances are included, plus a wall-unit air-conditioner found in the master bedroom.

Click here for more details and photos!

What is the Grouse Grind? It’s a 2.9 Kilometer hike up Grouse Mountain, with an elevation gain of over 850 metres and a total of 2830 stairs. Sebastian plans to complete the Grind a total of 13 times in one day, beating the previous record (shared by Sebastian and another guy) of 12 times. WOW!!

If Sebastian’s efforts inspire you, click here to donate, and help him reach his goal.

Sebastian will be attempting his record this Monday, June 22nd, 2009…but donations are open until July 31st!!!

GO SEBASTIAN!!

De-fuel. According to Statistics Canada, using a standard gas mower for one hour causes the same amount of pollution as driving a new car 550 kms. For a greener alternative, try using push reel or electric mowers and cordless trimmers. These non-gasoline powered solutions help eliminate harmful emissions, are quieter, and can save you anywhere between $55-550 in annual fuel costs.*

Cut high. Set your lawn mower so it cuts high (approximately 7-8 cm from the ground) to encourage the growth of deep roots. Taller blades and deeper roots make grass more naturally resistant to insects, help control crabgrass, and conserve moisture better by shading the soil.

Grow up, not out. For condo dwellers and those who lack landscape space, growing vertical plants or herbs on the side of your building is a great alternative to a traditional garden. Vertical plants require minimal care, help cut down on noise, and will improve air quality around your living space.

Waste not, want not. 50 per cent of water used for gardening in Canada is wasted as a result of overwatering.** To prevent water waste, use the soaker instead of the mist setting on your hose. This delivers water directly to the base of the plant and reduces water loss due to evaporation. If using a sprinkler, keep the water low to the grass and make sure it doesn’t fall on nearby sidewalks or driveways.

Let it rain. Rainwater, not chemically-treated tap water, is the best source of nutrients for growing your plants and collecting it is always a good idea. Creating your own rainwater collection system can be as easy as setting up jars, bowls, or barrels to collect and store water for drier periods. You can also take advantage of rainwater by positioning downspouts so that water flows directly onto planted beds, lawn areas, or directly into your rainwater collection system. Either way, you can watch your plants grow up, and your water and utility bills go down.

* Analysis based on data from Environment Canada.
** Natural Resources Canada.

~courtesy of Royal LePage Article Library~