A few miles down the road from Alderbrook Properties you will find the community of Belfair. And at the heart of Belfair you’ll find something called the Theler Community Center & Wetland Trails.

The Mary E. Theler Community Center was named for the wife of real estate developer Sam Theler, who donated land to the community. The Community Center provides a wide variety of services to the community: events for youth and senior citizens, weddings, boy and girl scout groups, family events (like family bingo), community social events … all of these find a home at the Community Center.

The Theler Wetlands are an additional community resource, providing four separate walking trails contained within 75 acres of wetlands. This is prime bird-watching and photo-taking territory, where you might see a blue heron or even a bald eagle. The trails are open daily from dawn to dusk, and admission is free. (No pets allowed.)

If you want to support the Theler Center, then you’ll be glad to know that they are holding a Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Art Auction on March 1 from 5 – 7:30 p.m. to help recoup the costs of resources used during the December 2007 Flood Relief effort, when Theler Community Center provided shelter, food and other necessities to those in need. The monthly art show hosted by the Community Center will also be selling watercolors and pen and ink drawings of trilliums (on notecards and bookmarks) as an additional fundraiser.

Come on out and support this great community treasure … you’ll be glad you did your part to keep this heart of a community beating!

I have always associated scuba diving with exotic, tropical locations like Hawaii or the Caribbean. White sandy beaches with warm, clear, azure waters and dazzlingly colored sea life … these are the images that flood my brain when I think of scuba diving. And I know I’m not alone in these stereotypes, thanks to an article on scuba diving by Sarah Kahne in South Sound Lifestyles magazine.

I was surprised to learn that the Pacific Northwest is a popular destination for divers, and one of the most popular dive sites is right here on Hood Canal, at Sund Rock in Hoodsport, just a few miles from Alderbrook Properties.

OK, I know it’s February, and submerging yourself in the cold waters of Puget Sound – even in a wet suit – seems … well … let’s just call it “counter-intuitive.” But I learned that underwater visibility is often better here in the winter, because the warmer summer weather can cause algae blooms which cloud the water.

If you’ve always wanted to try scuba diving, or want to learn the secret of what makes Hood Canal such a treasure for divers, check out the information in the article linked above.

It’s just another one of the perks of living here on Hood Canal.

I don’t have to commute anymore, since I work from home. But I remember what commuting was like, and I imagine most people have commutes that look something like this:

And here’s a commute scene similar to what you might see in the Pacific Northwest:

Now compare those photos with the photo below, taken by a resident of the Alderbrook community as he drove to catch a ferry one recent morning.  I would guess there aren’t too many places where people can enjoy a commute with a view like this one:

Well, OK, I’ll grant you that it might not look like this every day. On cloudier days, the mountains may go into hiding, but you still have the evergreen-studded hills rising out of the water. And stormy days have a beauty all of their own, with white-capped waves whipped up by the wind against a backdrop of green trees and gray skies.

This is one of the great things about living on Hood Canal: you have close proximity to western Washington’s largest, most influential cities (with all the amenities they provide) but you don’t have  many of the hassles that come with living right in the midst of those cities.

What do you think? Would you like to have a commute with a view?

Do you like to dance? If so, you won’t want to miss the Allyn Community Association Dinner, Dance and Auction on Saturday, February 9th, 2008, benefiting the Allyn Community Association.

It all starts at 4:30 p.m. with a social hour and a silent auction running until 6:45 p.m. Dinner (catered by Lennard K’s Boat House of Allyn) will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. A live auction begins at 7 p.m. Then at 8:30 p.m., the band Swing Fever (directed by Mr. Stan Yantis) will perform. Let the dancing begin!

The Allyn Community Association is a non-profit corporation devoted to the betterment of the greater Allyn community. Some of their successful projects include the development of the waterfront park and gazebo. They also publish a newsletter called the North Bay Review which serves Allyn residents, as well as those in small surrounding communities like Victor, Grapeview, and Mason.

So if you like to dance, come on out and support the Allyn Community Association. Tickets are $25. You can find more information at the North Mason Chamber of Commerce Web site. It sounds like a lot of fun!

All of western Washington has been enjoying beautiful, sunny days this week. Contrary to what many believe, it really doesn’t rain all the time here. And when the sun is out, it’s just gorgeous! Snowcapped mountains outlined against a blue sky, sparkling blue water at the base, vibrant evergreens on the hills … I think there may be no prettier place to live on earth.

Of course, it’s still January, so even though it’s sunny it’s also very cold out (mostly 20’s and 30’s). But that’s easily remedied with a few extra layers of clothes and a hat and gloves, and well worth it. (And still relatively balmy, compared to the northeast part of the country!)

If you happen to be someone who associates the Pacific Northwest with ridiculous amounts of rain, you may be thinking that this week is an aberration, but I can assure you that after living in western Washington for 20+ years, we often have a week or two at the end of January that is sunny, cold, and stunningly beautiful. It’s all part of the appeal of living in this part of the world.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, why not leave a comment and share your favorite aspect of life here?

Some exciting developments are on the horizon for the Alderbrook Golf & Yacht Club, and there are two meetings happening in the next week where members can learn more. (Non-members can also get a peek at the future by visiting the Alderbrook Golf & Yacht Club web site.)

First, there will be a dinner meeting at the clubhouse on Wednesday, January 23rd. The Board and General Manager will give their monthly reports to the members, and there will also be a Q&A discussion about the new clubhouse, including logistics/timeline for the demolition and building process. Dinner costs $5, and Chef Morgan will be preparing cheese steak sandwiches, french fries, onion rings, salad and dessert.

Then on Sunday, January 27th, the community will say goodbye to the old clubhouse with a special breakfast from 9 – 11 a.m. This is the last meal that will be prepared in the old clubhouse kitchen, and Chef Morgan is going all out, preparing eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes, pastries, fresh orange slices, juice and coffee. There’s nothing like going out in style. (The clubhouse, that is … not Chef Morgan!)

If you’re a member of the Alderbrook Golf & Yacht Club, you won’t want to miss these events! Leave a comment below sharing your favorite memories of the old clubhouse (or what you’re looking forward to in the new clubhouse).

One great benefit of living in Washington is a good base of snow in local mountains (well, most years, anyways). So far this year, things look promising for a spectacular 2008 ski season, and we’ve got a great way to get you from north Mason County to Stevens Pass in the Cascades: the North Mason Ski Bus!

The Ski Bus leaves Belfair (just a few minutes drive from Alderbrook Properties) each Saturday morning at 6 am, arriving back in Belfair around 7:30 pm that same day. Riders age 10 and up are welcome to ride for $45 per trip (or you can get a special deal: 3 trips for $125). The bus will make a run each Saturday through February 23rd. And don’t think you’ll be riding in an uncomfortable school bus … this 47-passenger bus offers DVD entertainment screens and an onboard restroom.

Stevens Pass offers great opportunities for snowshoeing, snowboarding, and downhill and cross-country skiing for all skill levels. Because of its location on the crest of the Cascade Range, Stevens Pass enjoys cool air from the eastern slopes which helps keep the snow dry (and great for skiing!) on its 37 major runs.

If you’re interested in taking the North Mason Ski Bus, contact coordinators Pam Merrill (360-277-0919) or Cami Geyer (360-275-0852) for more information.

And if you’ve ever enjoyed a ride on the North Mason Ski Bus, or a run down one of Stevens Pass slopes, leave a comment below and share your experience!

What could be better than life in a golf course community? Just this: life at Alderbrook Properties, enjoying your lifelong membership in the Alderbrook Golf & Yacht Club.

Did you know that your purchase of a semi-custom home here at Alderbrook Properties gives you unlimited golfing rights for your family? And our golf course is one of the finest on the Olympic Peninsula.

Just imagine yourself teeing off on a crisp fall morning, enjoying the beautiful views of trees and mountains. But watch out for that 8th hole – it’s a doozy:  a par 5, 536 yards, with a double dogleg just to make it fun!

When you get to the 18th hole, you’ll see one of the reasons we love living here in western Washington: a breathtaking view of the Olympic Mountains. Check this out:

If you like that picture, you’ll also enjoy these photos of our amazing golf course.

So come on out, take a few swings and check things out for yourself. We double dogleg dare you!

If you’ve played our course, we’d love to hear your thoughts: favorite holes, toughest holes (in your opinion), and anything else about the course.

Fore!

Welcome to our blog – our virtual living room – a place where we can chat with each other about how invigorating life can be when you’re living it at Alderbrook Properties.

We’ll talk about golf course community living (it’s wonderful!), the stunning beauty of the Olympic Peninsula, the mild climate, and ideas for finding the perfect home.

For most of us, buying a new home is much more than a financial decision. We think about shopping, and friends, and activities, and getting around, and environmental features, and maybe most importantly … intangibles like a sense of community and belonging.

Bottom line? We want to give you a taste of the amazing quality of life we enjoy here at the South end of Hood Canal.

And we want to hear your thoughts, ideas, insights … anything you want to say! Our comments section is ready for your questions and comments about life in western Washington in general, and at Alderbrook Properties in particular.

So join the conversation. It may just be the beginning of a whole new way of life for you with a semi-custom, Alderbrook Properties home; so close … yet worlds away.