CaryRealEstate.com | Cary NC | Local Specialist for Cary Real Estate
A Christmas present for you in Downtown Cary!
Here’s another splendid example of the good life in Cary, NC…the town is hosting what’s sure to be a fantastic day of enjoyment for the whole family, next Saturday, December 5th!
There’ll be Santa’s Workshop starting at 10am with crafts and refreshments for the 10yr and under crowd, with a visit by a certain someone from way up North!
Also on the agenda, is an art exhibit at Town Hall called ‘The Artist Within’ featuring works by Town employees and staff.
Apparently, the downtown Cary merchants will be participating with special refreshments, crafts and entertainment…
The Page-Walker History Center will host a Victorian Christmas celebration with refreshments and activities sure to please any age!
The evening will bring the annual tree lighting ceremony which will include live entertainment and refreshments.
And something I’m personally looking forward to is the radio play, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ to be performed in the Cary Town Council Chambers!
Check out this article in the Cary Citizen for all the details and then, I hope to see you there!
A Nature Walk in the heart of Cary-Hemlock Bluffs
Well, it was another Chamber of Commerce day here in Wake county…blue skies and I believe we hit the mid 70’s for a high temp…the best part is that today is November 9th!
I spent an enjoyable afternoon at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve with a friend. This unique place in the mi
ddle of Cary, NC is full of beautiful natural vistas, interesting plants (including a large stand of Eastern Hemlock trees) and abundant animal life. We just stopped by for a stroll and a chat but I was amazed by the large nature education center. It was staffed by at least 3 uniformed attendants…who were answering kids’ questions and taking folks on guided walks along the 3 miles of trails.
Seriously, this such an unexpected spot. Just another example of what The Town of Cary has done right when it comes to the quality of life it provides to the residents here!
Cary area retirement living options abound!
So, are you like me? Are you a member of the sandwich generation…responsible for your children and taking on an ever increasing role in your aging parents’ lives? Even if you haven’t found yourself in this position yet, I promise that if you have parents, you will one day face some difficult decisions related to either their health care, their living situation or their quality of life.
Senior adults think Cary is the place to be!
As I was driving around Cary and Wake county today, I was noticing how many truly top-notch retirement communities, senior centers and assisted living facilities we have here. I know first-hand about a large number of them since I have just finished the long, sometimes painful process of placing both of my parents in an assisted living facility. Since this area is particularly known for it’s wonderful climate, exceptional health care, stable economy and great real estate market…it has enjoyed the unique phenomenon of parents (grandparents) following their grown children and their families here. This is, of course a wonderful situation for the families who can enjoy the multi-generational bonds that are so rare these days. However, as the parents age…their ability to live on their own diminishes, leaving their children in the difficult ’sandwich’ situation. The good news is that Wake County has done an exceptional job of providing access to resources and information which can help families navigate these difficult waters.
Resources for Seniors is an exceptionally useful website with a staggering amount of information to guide and direct you and answer any questions you may have! I couldn’t have even started my search without it…I hope you’ll find it useful too!
A Grandma in Cary orders a bowl FULL of Cherries!
Today is an extremely rare day for Cary Real Estate Grandma…there is NOTHING scheduled on my calendar. Not to say there’s not quite a few things on the ‘radar’ but none of it is time sensitive.
So, I’m sitting here reflecting. Reading through my friends’ status updates on Facebook and the Tweets of people I’m following on Twitter. And, I’m hit with a thought…life is good! This whole ’social media’ thing is so FANTASTIC for keeping in touch with what really matters. I mean, we all know life isn’t a bowl of cherries (oops, sorry if that’s news to you), there are plenty of pits that find their way into our bowl. But when I read through all these posts, I realize…we all want to accentuate the positive! Happy smiling faces in our photos, sharing the exciting news of our team’s big win, a restaurant we tried and loved, big plans for the weekend…etc.
Here’s the thing, I want to encourage you (and myself) to tune into all this positive energy! No, I’m not going ‘new age’ on you-but I believe if I learn to keep the focus on the blessings in my life and in the lives of my friends, then I might not have very much time left to contemplate where I think my life falls short. Count your blessings and be happy for the good things in your friends’ lives!
What a concept!
For the record: girls night out, hopefully some real estate, serving at Hope Community church, taking parents to Cary’s Bond park is all 
on the agenda for the weekend! Even if life isn’t just a bowl of cherries, I’m going to spit out the pits as I come to them instead of letting them break my teeth and make me cry…
Toddler loves the choices at MacDonald Woods Park in Cary!
Well, today was another beautiful day in Cary! Mackenzie and I took full advantage of the cool, sunny weather by heading to one of the many Town of Cary parks. This one, MacDonald Woods, has a particularly wonderful toddler area with a rubberized play surface, small slides and a very cool activity station built just the right size.
Lovin' MacDonald Woods!
She loved the sandbox…actually thought the sand was tasty. Yuck! The older kids have a full size jungle gym, slides and swings. This park also has full-court basketball, picnic tables and is adjacent to the Hinshaw Greenway connecting to the new 1/64 pedestrian bridge and ending at the Kids Together park.
We had a great time there today! Since she’s still so little, I didn’t really expect much of a reaction but she LOVED it and got a little miffed when Mema said it was time to go. As I got her packed up in the stroller, she figured out what I was doing and let me know that this was not a good time to go…I prevailed (because it was lunch time) but we’ll be back soon!
Hot and Hip!
I just love it when my perception of things lines up with the ‘experts’! Check out what the Wall Street Journal had to say about Raleigh, NC.
Have I mentioned how much I LOVE this place!!! I live in Cary…my home is an easy 15 minute drive to downtown Raleigh, 20 minutes from RDU (Raleigh Durham Airport) and about 30 minutes from RTP (Research Triangle Park). I can get to a Carolina Hurricanes game in about 15 minutes or to a Durham Bulls game in 40. The NC Symphony performs in downtown Raleigh. I have Kolka Booth Amphitheatre right here in Cary.
As this short article points out…we have amazing weather and an ever-increasing population of well educated young people who come here to attend one of the many top quality universities and then STAY!!! They stay because they’ve found good jobs, a relatively low cost of living and a quality of life they want. While Raleigh may be smallest city on the list…there’s no question about it, the best gifts come in small packages!
Some like it H-O-T…others not so much.
But no matter…there’s a company that makes THEEE best salsa around! Yah’s Best hangs out at the NC State Farmer’s Market in Raleigh. Everything from ‘SEARING’ to Peach/Mango Salsas! Specialty salsa’s like Salsa Verde or Ole…they’ve also got dips and seansonings. Mmmmm!
If you’re new to the area or thinking about moving here, the Farmer’s Market is a fabulous place to buy fresh produce, honey, plants, baked goods and SALSA! It’s also a premiere destination for people watching! ; ) Right now, it’s loaded with apples and pumpkins along with tons of Mums! It’s about a 15-20 minute ride from Cary Towne Center on Rte 40 east. 
Tennis Anyone?
Wow, the weather this morning is astounding! 
Autumn is definitely in the air…which means the absolute BEST time for tennis. I can hear the courts calling to me as I type this. In particular, the courts at the Cary Tennis Park on Louis Stephens Rd. I remember the first time I saw the complex there several years ago…I was blown away that this was a PUBLIC facility! 30 pristine lighted courts, including a stadium court, a full service building with pros, equipment and showers. Somehow, all this has a tendency to elevate my game whenever I play there…I still usually lose to my son but it doesn’t feel so bad as you’re walking off these courts! As if this isn’t enough, Cary has 25 OTHER courts at 4 different parks. I’ve played on all of them and they are top notch as well, just not as new or set up so specifically for organized play. The one closest to my home, on Walnut St at R.S. Dunham Park has 5 lighted courts, 3 of which are individually fenced in-fantastic when you’re playing with a new player that has a hard time keeping it on your court! ; )
I can’t wait to get out there and whack the ball around! How about you?
If only…
But alas, I do NOT have a green thumb. My friends and family know that giving me something green and living…well, it’s a death sentence for the afore mentioned green thing! That doesn’t mean however, that I dislike green and growing things at all. On the contrary…it’s much the same way I feel about dancing and singing…I just KNOW I could do it if someone would teach me!
Well, I stopped in at Garden Supply Co. on Old Apex Rd in Cary this morning. I was hoping to find a couple nice mums to set out on the front steps-which I did, but oh my goodness! That place is AMAZING! I don’t know how big it actually is, maybe a couple acres outside but it feels so cozy and organized. There were tons of experts around to help the other folks who were thinking about actually planting something ; ) But then, I went in to pay and the INSIDE is like another world…they’ve got garden supplies of course, but the place is just brimming with patio and home decore…MORE plants and even more helpful folks. I recommend checking it out whether you have a green thumb or not.
Cary Real Estate Market Update for Number of Homes For Sale
It appears the inventory peaked over the summer as usual and has started the seasonal decline has we move into the fall and winter months.
