Everyone have a safe and Happy Halloween

For an event that has been celebrated in one form or another for at least over 400 years,  Halloween and its variants have brought untold amount of fun, mischief, mystery, awe, solemness, and fright.  It is a unique mix of religious, secular, remembrance, costume, and food.

This time, Halloween looks to fall on a Thursday and possibly have showers and thunderstorms so many will go early for trick-or-treating to try and beat the weather.

So whatever you plan on doing or how you're spending your time have fun and be safe.  Happy Halloween everyone!

Huntsville Metro Area Homes

Winterization or Don't Let the Dollars Float Away

With the Temperatures deciding to drop quickly this week into possibly below freezing territory, we decided to put out a quick and informal checklist just for you to get started on.  Add your own ideas to this list as this is only a jumping off point.  Being here in the South, I'm sure we're going to be missing several big things that would be an automatic to put on the list in a more deeply colder area such as Minnesota or New Hampshire.

Check your HVAC and make sure its working correctly.  There is no use in waiting for it to conk out in December or January if it can be prevented.

If you have a chimney and use it, make sure its checked out for the safety of everyone living in the house.

Clean your Gutters.  We've said this before under fall cleaning but as we know it takes forever for some leaves to fall off the trees and they'll do it when they're good and ready.  Sometimes we have a problem with sleet and the leaves in the gutters are just in the right spot to be exposed to the elements to refreeze the water that's left behind.  And  if you have lots of leaves in the gutter and they're all frozen its possible that the gutter won't be able to hold the weight and it could come crashing down.  But its better to be safe than sorry and avoid other damages.  And remember if it seems to risky for you to do it, get others who can do it or use a professional.

Winterize your hoses and exterior faucets.  Make sure you get all the water out of your hoses (hang them up & put away) and sometimes just a simple cover of Styrofoam can work to protect the faucet by covering it and attaching it to the house exterior.

Check the weatherstripping and caulk on windows, doors, and any other place where there are holes, gaps, and bad seals.  The heat loss can cost you extra money that you won't even realize!

Now an easy one which many people won't realize.  Smoke & Carbon Monoxide detectors.  Make sure they are working and change their batteries.  Fall/Winter are the months in which all the windows are closed and sealed and there's no movement of air to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.  Remember it is odorless, tasteless, and colorless gas that can kill while people are sleeping.

Remember this is just a starting off point.  Get involved yourself and see what you can find to get your house ready for the colder months.

Huntsville Metro Area Homes

Last Weekend's Roundup

Just a quick post on last weekend.  The Team went out last weekend and popped in at several spots around Huntsville in the many events which were ongoing.  (And thankfully for the good weather)

Friday, the Team strolled Bridgestreet in the morning for a few hours before settling in the afternoon at The Gem, Jewelry, & Mineral Show at the VBC.

Saturday, it seems everyone was at the Huntsville Ghost Walk to hear the stories and see the historical homes during the 2.2 mile trek.  When our group led by Robert Reeves came back to the starting point, there were many more people on the four corners waiting for their turn to go for the 8PM Start.  The amount of people that came out was overwhelming to see.

Sunday, we enjoyed ourselves immensely at the Maple Hill Cemetery Stroll.  Like the Huntsville Ghost Walk on the previous day, Maple Hill Cemetery was completely packed full of people.  The crowds which surrounded the Huntsville Historical Figures where bustling at the seams.  The Black Widow of Hazel Green, Elizabeth Dale Gibbons could even have her pick of any of the multitudes of men in attendance.
We even managed to take a nice picture of Mary Bibb as she talked about herself and her tomb behind her.

Mary Chambers Bibb 

(Photo by Carol Jacobs Team)

All in all it was a very fun weekend but exhausting to try and make all the wonderful events.  Going to all the events was well worth it for both self enjoyment, involvement in the community, as well as interacting with other people we met along the way.  So if something like these events comes again we'll go again, and we can only hope you will as well!

Huntsville Metro Area Homes

Autumn Cleaning - The 2nd Coming of Spring Cleaning

Many people do not realize that Spring Cleaning comes twice a year.  The first being Spring, and the second being Autumn.  Autumn cleanings don't really make an impact as much as Spring cleaning due to the fact that they're not as invasive and prolonged.  Where as Spring can take a week to two weeks, cleaning in Autumn can be more along the lines of a few days.  It takes place right when the first chill hits the night air.  And Autumn Cleaning does not include the chore of raking and bagging all the leaves.  That is its own event.

Let's get started shall we?

Clean windows, drapes, carpet, patio, sidewalk, porch, bedding.  This is everything that pollen and allergens can stick to.  No reason to keep them around, and now is a good as time as any to get rid of them especially if you have sinus/allergy problems.

Change your bedding and wardrobe for cooler months.  Do it now, so you won't have to throw blankets and clothing around later from the attic or hall closet where everything else winds up.

Change your HVAC air filter.  Many people forget to change this one regularly.

Outdoors? Begin cleaning up the patio, from furniture, dead plants, and summer clotheslines everything has a time and with the onset of cooler weather its best to either move them to a discrete place like a shed, or throw away if no longer of use.  Make it appear clean, also makes it much easier when the leaves really start falling in that you don't have to maneuver around obstacles.  Speaking of leaves, remember to check your gutters regularly for leaf blockages or nests on the top sections of the gutters and the downspouts.

If you can think of any more have at it.  Just remember not to overdo it!

Huntsville Metro Area Homes

Next weekend activities, for Oct 11-13

It seems like there are many events which fall on next weekend of Oct 11-13 and because of the team's busy schedule we may not get a chance to get the information out.  Here are just a few of them to go to.  The team will try to hit at least three of these wonderful events.  If you see the team show up with new jewelry, pictures, fresh vegetables and looking full of food, you will know what happened.  Best thing that can be said about these events that people don't realize that these events are mostly local with a possible exception of a few vendors at the Gem and Mineral Show.  A few vendors might come from the edge of the Tennessee Valley or outside of it.

Huntsville's Maple Hill Cemetery Stroll  10/13/13 from 2-4:30PM
Usually more than 80 historical figures among the 80,000 dead tell their story throughout the afternoon in a delightful experience of walking, listening to stories, and listening to music.

2013 Gem, Jewelry & Mineral Show Oct 11 & 12 10AM-6PM & Oct 13 Noon-5PM
A great experience for finding great jewelry, loose gems, and fun table and corner placements.  With many vendors and possible combinations of jewelry, this visit is definitely worth it.

Huntsville Ghost Tour 6PM on weekends Fri & Sat
Fun stories of Huntsville's first residents, intrigue, murder, and scandal.  These walks make you go back for weeks on end to hear something you may missed.

Madison City Farmers Market 10/12/13  9AM-1PM
1282 Hughes Road, next to Discovery Middle School.

Inaugural Downtown Street Food Gathering Oct 11th  6-9PM
Complete with Food Trucks and Music by Goat Hill String Band, Parking behind Regions Bank.

Today's Tidbit: Get out with friends and family and enjoy the fall harvests and parties.

Huntsville Metro Area Homes