Hi Folks!

As I left the Mendocino Coast tonight for the 26-mile drive to my home in the Anderson Valley, the wan winter sun struggled bravely to break out at the horizon. It punched through the dark dome of a low early winter ceiling, drawn toward the sea by the ancient sunset ritual. The clouds seemed reluctant to let it dip through to the clear horizon and then slip below the rim of the sea. In the Valley, a light fog hugged the ground. It wasn't cold — 55 degrees — but a constant drizzle kept the wipers beating a comforting, intermittent tempo. As I turned onto the ranch roads (the last 3.5 miles of my trip are on gravel roads) I looked up from Highway 128 but my home on a far ridge at 1100 feet was obscured by the low hanging fog. As I traveled the last few hundred feet of my drive, I was stunned by the apparition ahead. The perimeter of the roof of my Japanese pole house was strung with icicle lights! The rain turned the lights to stars and blurred by the mist, the house looked as if it had just touched down from some distant planet. My husband, Ernie, had, in the rain, strung the lights as a surprise! My first Christmas present!

These are the things I treasure about my country life: the ordinary things that seem so extraordinary here. There are no malls, no sixteen-screen theaters, and no pizza delivery (unless you live in Fort Bragg), but there is so much more. Just the pleasure of a long view — a glimpse of the horizon or a distant mountain where the eye isn't stopped by something man-made — is a relief for the spirit.

The search for this kind of freedom has marked this year in North Coast real estate. Gone are the days when only the retirees came to live in this part of the world. Younger people — some with young families — looking for a better, less congested life and the peace of a quiet night and a starry sky made the trek to this part of paradise. Fort Bragg was "on fire" — a very hot resale home market. Anderson Valley properties continued to climb in value with the zoning codes that limit land divisions and preserving larger parcels driving the market. There are very, very few vacant ocean-front lots left. Those that are available are at a premium — supply and demand! Older style homes on a good piece of ground with the infrastructure in place continue to be the value purchase.

It's been a wonderful year — thanks to all of you. I was gratified to be featured in the October 6th issue of Fortune magazine, due to the nice work by free-lance writer, Mike Grudowski. The article generated emails to giorealtor.com from all over the country!

At home, our animal family grew by one. Zoe, the Wonder Dog, was joined by Gracie Joy a Maltese who is, at this writing, a three pound five month old. As you can see they are good buddies and often mistaken for mother and daughter. Having a puppy is a forgotten pleasure and a full-time job! We're giving Gracie her favorite toy for her first Christmas: a fresh roll of toilet tissue! Zoe will be grateful for the brief respite from the puppy's "attentions." Chloe the cat — though amused by her antics — will be wondering why we wanted another one of "those" thing in the first place!

May you have a Christmas that's merry, a New Year that's happy and a Hanukkah filled with light!