I am Watching...Always Watching  Red Hawks- Birds of Prey   Hawks are carnivores (meat eaters) that belong to the category of birds known as raptors -- birds of prey. They have strong, hooked beaks; their feet have three toes pointed forward and one turned back; and their claws, or talons, are long, curved and very sharp. The hawk's vision is much better than humans. They can see spiders and beetles from afar. Hawks can see a mouse from a height of one mile.   The adult has a rufous colored tail that may or may not have a black terminal bar. Adults are dark brown on the back and the top of their wings. The Red-tail is the largest hawk, usually weighing between 2 and 4 pounds. As with most raptors, the female is nearly 1/3 larger than the male and may have a wing span of 56 inches.   T... 01/21/2013

  California Indians cherished the poppy as both a source of food and for oil extracted from the plant. Its botanical name, Eschsholtzia californica, was given by Adelbert Von Chamisso, a naturalist and member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences, who dropped anchor in San Francisco in 1816 in a bay surrounded by hills of the golden flowers.     Also sometimes known as the flame flower, la amapola, and copa de oro (cup of gold), the poppy grows wild throughout California. It became the state flower in 1903.          Every year April 6 is California Poppy Day, and Governor Wilson proclaimed May 13-18, 1996, Poppy Week.           April 20-21, 2013 is the Poppy Festival in Lancaster, CA. For more information, go to http://www.poppyfestival.com/generalinformation.php.   Kristin Hamilton DRE... 01/10/2013

Have You Tried PicMonkey to Make Cards and Collages? Since we lost Picnik, I have been trying out all the different editing software sites and had been pretty happy with another one that works efficiently with any photo you upload.     But during the holidays PicMonkey sent a couple of pictures done on their site onto Google+. It was a pair of snowmen and I go nuts for snowmen so of course I had to check it out.         I even emailed PicMonkey and asked where it was on the site as it was hidden. Within 5 minutes they answered me. A day later I emailed them again and they responded immediately. Very impressive customer service, don’t you think?           PicMonkey has some free pictures you can use and they change weekly. Here are some email cards I made off the site this week. I like ... 01/09/2013

Guess what we got for Christmas this year?                         Yes, we got new pink jackets with hoods and they keep us warm.                                 We are happy to go for walks and stay toasty warm.                   Well at least 2 of us our happy because CoCo doesn't like coats and dresses but she does love walks.         California is a dream come true state no matter what your needs or wants are. We have year round warm weather, beautiful beaches, rustic mountains and desert communities. If you are looking for a home in southern California, please contact me. I am a local California Realtor, live in the Inland Empire community and aware of the local market. I am here to help you find a home or to sell the home you currently own. California has great opportunities to vi... 01/03/2013

Are you looking for Highland CA real estate agents and Highland CA REALTORS to sell your Highland home in this tough real estate market? Do you need a Highland Real Estate agent that can maximize your realty sale to ensure the highest possible price for you Highland CA home or property? Do you believe that extensive marketing and advertising of your Highland listing is how to attract the most possible buyers to bid? Do you need a tough negotiator with attention to detail to avoid the many transaction and other real estate sale pitfalls that can arise from a Highland CA real estate transaction? We are Garrigus Real Estate, of Coldwell Banker Kivett Teeters and we have experience with standard sales, short sales, foreclosures, land sales and commercial real estate sales. We also have exte... 01/03/2013

  Keep those Short Sales Coming…Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Act Extended   Happy days are here again because late last night, Congress reached a settlement in the “fiscal cliff” negotiations. As a result, the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act has been extended for another year. The measure will continue to exempt from taxation mortgage debt that is forgiven when homeowners and their mortgage lenders negotiate a short sale, loan modification (including any principal reduction) or foreclosure.   REALTORS from all over the country have called their members of Congress to put pressure on them to vote to extend this bill for another year. So glad it was extended as it would have put us back 4-5 years ago when sellers couldn’t afford to pay the taxes on the short amount and had to walk away.... 01/02/2013

  Ideas to Get Your Business on Track in 2013   Do you ever feel like you are alone and working for nothing.  You hustle, follow leads, have rejected offers and just feel like you are wasting your time. We all have those days or months but I believe hard work does pay off. Many agents just sit and wait for their phone to ring and these agents do not last in the business.       It has been a slow year for many but I believe hard work and dedication will pay off and you will have a good year in 2013. If this year was slow and you did not perform up to your expectations, don’t beat yourself up but instead move forward and do not look back. Tomorrow is the first day of your business for 2013 so enjoy and look forward to success. Sometimes you feel you are in a rut and need a change. Maybe y... 12/31/2012

Bread Pudding with Brandy Sauce Recipe    Hi Everybody, I made this recently for Christmas and received many requests for the recipe. It is a little different than the other recipes in books and on the internet. I make it a little less sweet since the sauce is very sweet. Enjoy©     Ingredients:  Loaf Italian bread 16oz Bag (Discard 2 ends but use crust on bread) equals 3-4 cups. Try not to mash down bread cubes. 2 Cups Milk or Half and Half 1 ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar 5 Eggs 2 tsp. and 1 tsp. Cinnamon  ¼ and ½ Cup Butter ½ cup Brown Sugar (light) 2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract ½ cup chopped pecans   Sauce: ¼ cup Brandy or Rum (your preference) I prefer Brandy. 1 Cup Sugar 2 tsp pure vanilla extract ½ cup butter   Day before: Cut up bread in large cubes and sit out to become stale.   1 hr bef... 12/27/2012

  What, No Pie for Christmas   Many of you may have read several of my recent posts. My husband and I could not agree on pie for Thanksgiving. I wanted Cherry or Pumpkin and he wanted Apple or Pecan. Well the day of Thanksgiving had come and we had still not bought a pie yet. Then he had to go to the store for some forgotten item and returned home with 2 pies; pumpkin and apple. My hero!   Knowing the kids were coming home and again everyone would have their own opinion of what pie to buy, I bought a ‘Cherry Pie’ 2 weeks ago. Trust me, I was not the only one who ate the pie.       This week again everyone had an opinion on what pies but then my daughter suggested ‘Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce’ so that is what we had. Warm right out of the oven with the Rum Sauce poured over the top.    ... 12/27/2012

  ©Gingerbread Houses are so Much Fun to Make©   Gingerbread houses are so much fun to make. It is something the entire family can create together. You can buy the kits, make one out of milk cartons or graham crackers. This is one that my daughter and I made together. Here is one my kids made at school.   I always make them completely edible in case someone takes a bite or breaks off a piece. Gingerbread houses are great to take to parties or school functions as the smaller children are so intrigued by them.   I sell real estate in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. I am a trained and experienced Short Sale agent. If you are looking for a professional and experienced agent, I am just a click away. Google me at Kristin Hamilton-Real Estate Agent. Homeowners and Buyers both will find ... 12/16/2012

Christmas Trivia Quiz 1.    Why do people eat mincemeat pie on Christmas? 2.    What state first recognized Christmas as an official holiday? 3.   What story does the reindeer Rudolph come from? 4.   What are “boughs of holly and what Xmas song did it come    from? 5.   What year did the store Macy’s start having a yearly parade and who is on the final float? 6.   How many Reindeers were there? 7.   What were the Reindeers names? 8.   What is top selling Christmas movie ever 9.   Where did the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe begin? 10. In the movie ”National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”, what was Chevy Chase going to buy with his work bonus? 11.In the TV special “Charlie Brown’s Christmas”, who wins the decorating contest? Lucy, Linus, Snoopy or Charlie Brown. 12.In the movie ... 12/11/2012

Short Sale Agents in Highland Short Sale Agents in Highland CA arrange with mortgage lenders to agree to accept a mortgage payoff that falls short of the balance that is owed by a borrower. In other words, a bank agrees to accept less than what is owed on a borrower's mortgage. Foreclosure is avoided through the Highland CA short sale process, which is the primary goal so that the borrower's credit is not severely damaged as it would be through a foreclosure. If a foreclosure is imminent, a Highland CA short sale can help soften the blow.A foreclosure can seriously affect an individual's credit and financial future. As a result, and because of the stress that the foreclosure process can cause, most Highland homeowners are willing to consider just about any alternative. When facing forec... 12/07/2012

 Practice Tree Safely During the Holidays   According to the National Fire Protection Association, from 2007 to 2010, Christmas tree fires caused an average of 14 civilian deaths, 21 civilian injuries, and $16.8 million in property damage per year. On average, one in every 22 reported home Christmas tree fires resulted in death. Additionally, electrical malfunctions, candles, heaters, and children playing with fire started many of these preventable tragic fires.   When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green with needles that are hard to pull from the branches. The trunk butt of a fresh tree should be sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles. Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than tw... 12/07/2012

BEHIND ON YOUR HIGHLAND MORTGAGE PAYMENTS? ARE YOU CONSIDERING A HIGHLAND CA SHORT SALE? WE CAN HELP.... First off, do you really understand what a foreclosure is? It's when the bank repossesses a Highland, California home due to non-payment of the mortgage. And do you know what a Highland short sale is? A short sale occurs when the bank is willing to take less than what the homeowner(s) owes on the property. The property is sold at fair market value (less than what is owed). When should you call us for help? Now! Information can only empower you and help you understand your options and limitations. -------------------- Why should you call? If you've tried to refinance or get a loan modification with your loan servicer (who you send your mortgage payments to), but they either denied you... 12/06/2012

    ©Little Bee Enjoys Some Pollen© This is the sunflower that grew in my yard below the birdfeeder a few weeks ago.                                                       California is a dream come true state no matter what your needs or wants are. We have year round warm weather, beautiful beaches, rustic mountains and desert communities. If you are looking for a home in southern California, please contact me. I am a local California Realtor, live in the Inland Empire community and aware of the local market. I am here to help you find a home or to sell the home you currently own. California has great opportunities to view Nature and Bird Watching. Whatever your needs are, you will find it here in California! From the Inland Empire you are 45 minutes to the beaches, mountains or desert.... 12/03/2012

  Pool Homes for sale in Highland If you are currently looking to purchase a pool home in Highland California, but don't know where to begin, SCA Real Estate is here to help! Our team can provide you with instant access which will allow you to view all Highland Pool Homes For Sale with the simple click of your mouse!   Highland MLS Pool Home Search  Often times Real Estate websites can be confusing and misleading, and most have outdated data! Our Highland Pool Homes website is updated daily, which means you will only be shown Homes for sale in Highland with a pool that are actually available, vs homes that are pending or already sold.    Work with a top Highland Pool Home Realtor When you choose to hire an experienced and knowledgeable Highland Realtor, it can & will make all the differ... 12/03/2012

A Warm Hello from Sunny California…Happy Thanksgiving   It is my wish for everyone to have a Happy Thanksgiving filled with happiness and good food. It is the time of year to reflect on what we are thankful for. This year there are so many things to be thankful for:   My family – My family; husband, daughter, and my mother-in-law who was sick last year but is doing 100% better this year I am grateful to my three little doggies who give us such joy- CoCo, Tootie and Gidget.   My Friends- My longtime friends and co-workers.   My Clients - Everyday we work hard to provide for our families. This is the time to reflect on everyone who has trusted me to help them with their real estate needs and to my future clients too. Happy Thanksgiving!       Here are some fun facts to share:   vThe Drink... 11/21/2012

Autumn Trees on my Nature Drive Inland Empire   This morning I drove around and took pictures of the beautiful trees in the Inland Empire. This is typically the best time of the year to see the leaves changing colors. I love all the golden tones and this is my favorite season.                                                                                                                                                                                                   California is a dream come true state no matter what your needs or wants are. We have year round warm weather, beautiful beaches, rustic mountains and desert communities. If you are looking for a home in southern California, please contact me. I am a local California Realtor, live in the Inland Empire community and aware of... 11/21/2012

Happy Voting Day to Everyone!   Make sure you all vote today no matter who your party is, everyone should vote as it is important. We live in a democracy and it is great that we can all vote. Freedom to vote is so important. I just returned from countries where the people cannot vote or if they do, the unpopular winner is just removed or worse...killed. I voted Absentee Ballot as I was not available to get to the polls. I am now on the permanent Absentee Ballot list so they automatically send them to me 1 month before the date. It is the best way to do it and you never have to reschedule other appointments or even worse…forget and not vote. Tomorrow we will all know who will be the next term president of the United States. May everyone be happy but of course that will not be possible. .... 11/06/2012

  Several years ago I found the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and have been going to it ever since. I use the shortcut and just go to their website at www.allaboutbirds.org/. I have never joined and paid the yearly fees but I signed up for emails and get some very interesting facts, new bird species, migratory practices and new bird species all over the US, Canada and beyond.   A few months ago, I signed up for a free bird chart and here it is below.   Today, I signed up for a free bird calendar and it will be here in a few weeks. So you can sign up for one to be mailed to you also. Click here for your free bird watching calendar today.   There are two sites to view.  The first site "All About Birds" is great for updates, identifying a bird, signing up for the annual bird counts, reading a... 11/04/2012