HomeSeller: November 11, 2022

Column on gun use sparks rebuttal from gun owner

Q: A while ago you published a letter from a property owner who was complaining about the gunfire coming from his new neighbor’s property. Well, based on the contents of the letter, I’m convinced the “new neighbor” is me, or at least could be me. I would ask that you give me equal time to explain my side of the story and to ask you if it changes your position.

In your response you seemed to be anti-gun and were upset the county doesn’t forbid the use of guns on private property. I bought this property specifically with the idea of being able to shoot. Both my sons and I love to shoot and this particular property offered a spot which is surrounded by hills to create a natural and safe firing range. Undoubtedly my neighbor has heard me and some of my friends shooting since the sound does crazy things as it bounces off of the hills.

I am a very responsible gun owner and have taught my kids to be the same way. We respect weapons and the damage they can do in the wrong hands. We only load a gun when we are ready to use it and are certain of our backstop and that no person is anywhere near the line of fire. I can understand my neighbor’s fear of the guns, especially if he hasn’t been around them before. But don’t you think it makes a big difference who is handling a weapon? Don’t you think the freedom to use fire arms is at the very core of our nation’s history? Given what I’ve told you, don’t you think there is a better response for my neighbor to take rather than calling the sheriff?

A: I’m always happy to give equal time to someone who has felt slighted by my opinions, legal or otherwise. However, when I read your email, I had no idea what you were talking

about! I haven’t written about guns for many years so I went back and searched . . . and searched . . . and searched. Finally, I found the column I wrote well over a decade ago that you’re responding to, so you must have found it online. Or else you wait way too long to read your morning paper and you have a lot of catching up to do. There have been three differ ent presidents since then.

In any event, let me recap for readers who may have missed the column because they were in grade school when I wrote it.

A gentleman wrote in complaining of gunfire coming from a new neighbor’s property. These are large, rural prop erties located outside the city limits. I advised the writer that Solano County, unlike many counties, has virtually no ordi nances limiting the discharge of firearms. If you don’t shoot from or across a highway, or into a public building, you are gener ally within the law.

The one exception is if your

gunfire creates such a nuisance that it could be considered dis turbing the peace. A property owner can always file a lawsuit against the neighbor, regard less of the county, for creating a nuisance. That’s simply Cal ifornia law.

Now, let’s fast forward to the email at hand.

I have been around guns all my life. I am certainly not antigun. But I am just as certainly anti-irresponsible gun owner. Of course, none of that has anything to do with the law.

You may well be the most responsible gun owner on the planet and you should be com mended for your respect for firearms and their potential. However, accidents happen, and you can’t blame your neigh bor for being concerned that an errant 30-06 round could come through the kitchen window, despite everyone’s best intentions.

But then again, life is inher ently dangerous. So, it seems to me that knowing the degree of risk is an important factor in deciding how much risk is acceptable.

You know how and where you use your weapons. Does your neighbor? The writer of the email that caused me to write the column in the first place said he

tried to talk to his neighbor about the shooting. Did his neigh bor show him where he shoots? Did he explain to him what you explained to me in your email?

Let’s be clear. If the law allows it, you have an absolute right to shoot on your property with very few limitations. But if your neighbor feels threatened, he has a right to have a judge decide whether that fear is rea-

sonable. And if it is, the court can put restrictions on your use of your weapons.

Then there’s the noise.

The guns may be used in a perfectly safe manner, but the noise bombardment could rise to the level of being so disturb ing that your neighbor has a right to try and have the sheriff

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DOGGY SHOWERS

help these mudrooms live up to their name

THE WASHINGTON POST

When Philadelphiabased designer Lucy O’Brien started mapping out a mudroom for a client in Wayne, Pa., last year, she took a maxi malist approach. She lined the walls with Pierre Frey wallpa per dotted with Parisian gardens and whimsical creatures, and she added plenty of built-ins for functionality.

She also included a dog shower. The designated washing station for the client’s two pups, accessible from the outside of the home, made life easier and added charm to the space.

Amy Vermillion, an inte rior designer in Charlotte, says that when the pandemic forced people to spend more time at home they realized they wanted more functional, user-friendly spaces. Mudrooms – and dog showers – were a part of that.

“There were a lot of unusable spaces in people’s homes, and people were doing so much out there, and then all of a sudden they realized, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve got to do my own laundry, my own dry cleaning, my housekeeper’s not coming, this, that and the other,’ “ Vermillion says.

These dedicated washing stations, a practical luxury of sorts, keep dogs from track ing mud through the house and save their owners trips to the groomer. And although they are called “dog showers,” they can be used for other tasks, including watering plants and hosing off toddlers’ feet.

O’Brien chose porcelain tile for her client’s dog shower and installed an extendible shower head that makes it easier to

bathe the pups from head to muddy toes. To match the room’s “French and English garden, whimsical vibe,” O’Brien says, she used a brass claw-foot shower head, blue porcelain tile on the floor of the shower, and white porcelain tile on the walls. A bull nose along the edges adds a decorative touch.

Vanessa Torres and her husband incorporated a dog shower for their golden retriever, Kai, in the laundry room of a home they built in Dalton, Ga., during the pandemic. The Atlanta apartment building they had been living in since 2017 had a dog-washing station, and they loved the convenience of being

able to wash mud and debris off Kai’s paws after a trip to the park across the street, Torres says. They wanted to replicate the feature in their new home.

The bottom of their dog shower is pebble tile in shades of gray and white; the walls are lined in glossy gray ceramic tile. The shower is about three feet off the ground, making it easier for Torres to scrub Kai. It has steps that retract under the shower when not in use, which he uses to climb in and out.

Kai isn’t a fan of water (unusual for retrievers, Torres acknowledges), but he has gotten used to the washing station. It’s easy for him to get in and out,

but it’s also easy for Torres to contain his wiggles – and the water. A shower head that com bines the soap and water saves time; baths that previously took about 40 minutes have been cut in half. Bath time “was some thing I dreaded before, and now I’m happy to do it,” she says.

Here are things to keep in mind if you’re consider ing installing a pup-primping station at home.

1. Choose the right height for you (and your pup)

Determining the right height is a matter of personal prefer ence. (Your washing station

doesn’t have to be elevated.)

Your dog’s size will probably factor into your design decisions.

April Hershberger, a DIYer who lives in a renovated barn home in Somerset County, Pa., with her husband, two sons and multiple dogs, installed a dog shower in a mudroom that they added to the house about eight years ago. Her dog Tank, an American bulldog, weighs about 65 pounds, and she has a medium-size mutt, Sparky, as well. She didn’t want to have to lift them or deal with stairs, so she installed a 48-by-33-inch dog shower at ground level. It does have a lip, though, to keep the water contained.

Vermillion measured her client, then designed the show er’s height so that she wouldn’t have to bend over too far to wash the dogs. They were able to stand with their paws on the lip, then their owner could scoot their bottoms in.

The size can be flexible, too. “You could have it be a 2-by1-[foot] space, as long as you can put the drain in and the fixture,” O’Brien says.

2. Select the best tile for the job

There’s no single ideal option when it comes to tile for a dog shower, but choose with an eye toward durability and safety. You don’t want your pup scratch ing a delicate finish or sliding all over the place. O’Brien opted for porcelain tile that resem bles marble for the threshold of the shower she designed, then used a combination of porcelain and ceramic tile for the floor and

JUSTIN MERRIMAN/THE WASHINGTON POST

April Hershberger bathes her dog Tank, an American bulldog, in a 48-by-33-inch dog shower in her home in Pennsylvania.

Real estate transactions

BENICIA

TOTAL SALES: 3

LOWEST AMOUNT: $485,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $880,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $880,000 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $748,333

457 Ofarrell Drive - $880,000

10-04-22 [3 Bdrms - 3162 SqFt - 1977 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-21-03, $505,000

838 Oxford Way - $880,000

10-06-22 [3 Bdrms - 2212 SqFt - 1987 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-31-13, $360,000

100 Sunset Circle #74 - $485,000 10-06-22 [3 Bdrms - 1197 SqFt - 1972 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-19-09, $111,000

DIXON

TOTAL SALES: 6

LOWEST AMOUNT: $535,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $839,500

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $667,000 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $686,917

1445 Blossom Way - $773,000

10-03-22, Previous Sale: 02-09-21, $4,572,000

630 Glenside Drive - $535,000

10-07-22 [4 Bdrms - 1439 SqFt - 1974 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-02-04, $360,000

1900 Gold Street - $659,000

10-06-22 [4 Bdrms - 2697 SqFt - 2018 YrBlt]

1940 Rehrmann Drive - $675,000

10-07-22 [4 Bdrms - 2220 SqFt - 2000

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-15-07, $525,000

730 Sunstar Drive - $839,500

10-03-22, Previous Sale: 07-10-20, $5,840,000

1080 Tulane Court - $640,000 10-03-22 [4 Bdrms - 2338 SqFt - 2019 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-11-19, $518,000

FAIRFIELD

TOTAL SALES: 23

LOWEST AMOUNT: $332,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $880,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $597,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $614,761

2570 Alford Court - $500,000

10-04-22 [5 Bdrms - 1738 SqFt - 1968 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-26-11, $209,000

2716 Almondwood Way - $505,000

10-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 1040 SqFt - 1983

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-26-17, $330,000

2749 Ambrosia Way - $831,500

10-06-22 [4 Bdrms - 2578 SqFt - 2021 YrBlt]

5009 Brittany Drive - $545,000

10-03-22 [3 Bdrms - 1168 SqFt - 1983 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-26-16, $392,000

2049 Cambridge Drive - $464,000

10-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 1038 SqFt - 1962 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 05-11-22, $350,000

1117 Coulter Court - $700,000

10-07-22 [4 Bdrms - 2379 SqFt - 1991 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 08-02-99, $227,000

760 Emerald Bay Drive - $704,000

10-07-22 [4 Bdrms - 1622 SqFt - 1998 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 07-01-22, $525,000

783 Glacier Way - $717,000

10-03-22 [4 Bdrms - 1775 SqFt - 1993 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-02-14, $435,000

2438 Harbor Court - $525,000

10-06-22 [3 Bdrms - 1129 SqFt - 1966 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 06-20-02, $167,500

1763 Howe Street - $597,000 10-05-22 [3 Bdrms - 1470 SqFt - 1977 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 03-16-21, $540,000

5274 Klingsell Place - $620,000 10-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 1730 SqFt - 2011 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 09-03-20, $520,000

702 Marsh Place - $599,000 10-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 1544 SqFt - 2002 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-04-22, $612,500

2012 Moss Valley Drive - $760,000 10-05-22 [4 Bdrms - 2998 SqFt - 1992 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 00/1991, $290,000 2759 Parkview Terrace - $595,000 10-06-22 [3 Bdrms - 1332 SqFt - 1994 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 12-15-04, $415,000 1494 Quail Drive - $595,000 10-06-22 [4 Bdrms - 1608 SqFt - 1974 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 06-29-22, $420,000

1710 River Oaks Circle - $790,000 10-07-22 [4 Bdrms - 3005 SqFt - 2000 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-28-11, $349,000

725 San Marco Street - $505,000 10-04-22 [3 Bdrms - 1280 SqFt - 1964 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 10-09-20, $400,000

1130 Sandpiper Court - $385,000 10-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 1438 SqFt - 1971 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 03-25-98, $114,900 2864 Shelter Hill Drive - $700,000 10-06-22 [5 Bdrms - 2846 SqFt - 2001 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-15-10, $375,000 2460 Skyview Circle - $880,000 10-04-22 [5 Bdrms - 2716 SqFt - 2001 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-27-15, $630,000 2724 Soho Lane - $550,000 10-04-22 [3 Bdrms - 1424 SqFt - 2015 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-21-21, $460,000 1535 East Tabor Avenue - $740,000 10-04-22 [3 Bdrms - 1008 SqFt - 1956 YrBlt] 224 East Tennessee Street - $332,000 10-03-22 [5 Bdrms - 1985 SqFt - 1952 YrBlt]

RIO VISTA

TOTAL SALES: 1

LOWEST AMOUNT: $525,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $525,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $525,000

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $525,000

386 Silver Ridge Drive - $525,000 10-06-22 [2 Bdrms - 1837 SqFt - 2016 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 01-23-17, $415,500

SUISUN CITY

TOTAL SALES: 8

LOWEST AMOUNT: $475,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $900,000

MEDIAN AMOUNT: $533,750

AVERAGE AMOUNT: $579,813

89 Chipman Lane - $475,000 10-05-22 [3 Bdrms - 1000 SqFt - 1977

YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-25-16, $237,500 403 Kings Way - $900,000 10-04-22 [5 Bdrms - 3252 SqFt - 1981 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-04-02, $399,000 922 Limewood Street - $580,000 10-07-22 [4 Bdrms - 1724 SqFt - 1992 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 00/1992, $167,000 611 Placer Lane - $500,000 10-07-22 [2 Bdrms - 1130 SqFt - 1983 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 09-12-18, $360,000 1381 Potrero Circle - $567,500 10-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 1747 SqFt - 1999 YrBlt],

Previous Sale: 08-09-04, $425,000 1021 Prairie Drive - $476,000 10-07-22 [4 Bdrms - 1544 SqFt - 1982 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-02-07, $310,000 419 Railroad Avenue - $645,000 10-06-22 [3 Bdrms - 1190 SqFt - 1972 YrBlt] 704 Wigeon Way - $495,000 10-03-22 [4 Bdrms - 1304 SqFt - 1976 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-06-04, $300,000

VACAVILLE

TOTAL SALES: 18

LOWEST AMOUNT: $292,500 HIGHEST AMOUNT: $697,000 MEDIAN AMOUNT: $525,000 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $511,583 316 Acorn Court - $400,000 10-03-22 [2 Bdrms - 1124 SqFt - 1974 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-11-04, $245,000 3642 Alamo Drive - $390,000 10-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 1395 SqFt - 1987 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 09-03-09, $145,000 1910 Aletha Lane #4 - $292,500 10-05-22 [2 Bdrms - 966 SqFt - 1981 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-07-04, $219,000 1630 Amapola Street - $500,000 10-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 1127 SqFt - 1966 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-29-19, $355,000 1001 Amber Ridge Lane - $599,000 10-06-22 [3 Bdrms - 1933 SqFt - 2008 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-01-19, $460,000 1869 Brookwood Drive - $535,000 10-05-22 [3 Bdrms - 1274 SqFt - 1976 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-09-20, $440,000 421 Buckeye Street - $510,000 10-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 984 SqFt - 1956 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-22-21, $440,000 1116 Cloverbrook Circle - $510,000 10-06-22 [3 Bdrms - 1328 SqFt - 2000 YrBlt] 333 Elder Street - $462,000 10-06-22 [3 Bdrms - 1191 SqFt - 1954 YrBlt] 379 Grand Canyon Drive - $515,000 10-03-22 [2 Bdrms - 1345 SqFt - 2003 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 03-05-09, $250,000 240 Grape Street - $539,000 10-06-22 [3 Bdrms - 1672 SqFt - 1956 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-16-20, $455,000 325 Grape Street - $380,000 10-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 1582 SqFt - 1961 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-18-10, $170,000 148 Kiowa Court - $697,000 10-06-22 [5 Bdrms - 2265 SqFt - 1979 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-04-99, $230,000 836 Meadowhawk Drive - $550,000

These are the local homes sold recently, provided by California Resource of Lodi. The company can be reached at 209.365.6663 or CalResource@aol.com.

10-03-22 [3 Bdrms - 1509 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-18-18, $400,000

567 Morningstar Court - $600,000 10-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 2066 SqFt - 1989 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 02-09-12, $240,000

718 Scottsdale Drive - $590,000 10-03-22 [4 Bdrms - 1489 SqFt - 1978 YrBlt]

442 Wick Court - $579,000 10-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 2089 SqFt - 2000 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-12-13, $230,000

462 Zachary Drive - $560,000 10-04-22 [4 Bdrms - 2012 SqFt - 1997 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 11-17-16, $390,000

VALLEJO

TOTAL SALES: 24

LOWEST AMOUNT: $315,000

HIGHEST AMOUNT: $750,000 MEDIAN AMOUNT: $557,500 AVERAGE AMOUNT: $534,833

141 Benjamin Street - $475,000 10-03-22 [3 Bdrms - 1100 SqFt - 1956 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-23-13, $128,000

104 Brigantine Road - $610,000 10-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 1178 SqFt - 1986 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-22-98, $163,900

331 Bw Williams Drive - $450,000 10-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 1194 SqFt - 1954 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 10-12-09, $109,000

136 Chesapeake Drive - $725,000 10-03-22 [3 Bdrms - 2419 SqFt - 1987 YrBlt]

200 Coughlan Street - $420,000 10-04-22 [3 Bdrms - 1080 SqFt - 1954 YrBlt]

360 Dapple Drive - $545,000 10-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 1474 SqFt - 1985 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-11-18, $470,000

203 Devonshire Court - $675,000 10-06-22 [4 Bdrms - 2367 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 12-09-20, $650,000

911 Florida Street - $590,000 10-07-22 [3 Bdrms - 1811 SqFt - 1917 YrBlt]

25 Frey Place - $623,000

10-07-22 [5 Bdrms - 3039 SqFt - 1980 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-28-15, $349,000

79 Garthe Court - $639,000 10-05-22 [4 Bdrms - 2001 SqFt - 1976 YrBlt]

131 Gina Court - $625,000 10-05-22 [4 Bdrms - 1856 SqFt - 1987 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-21-05, $465,000

1543 Granada Street - $590,000

10-03-22 [3 Bdrms - 1350 SqFt - 1965 YrBlt]

206 Grapewood Street - $570,000 10-03-22 [3 Bdrms - 1008 SqFt - 1955 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-22-22, $400,000

201 Grapewood Street - $515,000 10-06-22 [4 Bdrms - 1420 SqFt - 1962 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 05-26-17, $406,000

314 Hawkins Street - $750,000

10-06-22 [3 Bdrms - 1823 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-18-16, $399,000

601 Hilton Avenue - $449,000

10-03-22 [2 Bdrms - 1085 SqFt - 1942 YrBlt]

321 Lighthouse Drive - $315,000 10-07-22 [2 Bdrms - 840 SqFt - 1988 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 08-07-20, $239,000

1519 Mcdougal Street - $600,000 10-06-22 [4 Bdrms - 2182 SqFt - 2004 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 06-26-08, $320,000

102 Navone Street - $450,000

10-07-22 [2 Bdrms - 1092 SqFt - 1942 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 01-29-19, $230,000

671 Newport Way - $600,000 10-07-22 [4 Bdrms - 1698 SqFt - 1984 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 04-16-14, $277,500

228 Ohio Street - $420,000

10-06-22 [2 Bdrms - 1336 SqFt - 1895 YrBlt] 120 Sawyer Street - $415,000 10-04-22 [3 Bdrms - 1292 SqFt - 1957 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-10-09, $72,000

50 Selfridge Street - $345,000 10-04-22 [3 Bdrms - 988 SqFt - 1975 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-20-21, $320,500

536 Starr Avenue - $440,000

10-04-22 [3 Bdrms - 1096 SqFt - 1939 YrBlt], Previous Sale: 07-07-16, $285,000

SOLANO REAL ESTATE SCENE

Flowers, jelly doughnuts and farming for work

Marketing for loan officers was different in 1989 in comparison to 2022 with no cellphones, email, text messag ing, social media or the internet.

My marketing routine started when I moved up here in 1989 and began working in Vacaville for Weyerhaeuser Mortgage. I didn’t know any Realtors in Solano County, and I knew they were the key to my success.

As I have written many times, Realtors have what buyers want, a nice home, and a lender has what a buyer needs but doesn’t necessarily want, a dreaded debt. Lenders depend on refer

rals from Realtors because most of the time potential buyers call a real estate agent before they call a lender.

My marketing routine was simple: I got in my car three days per week and would drive around Vacaville and Fairfield and visit real estate offices to see

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ABOVE: American Gold Rush rudbeckia, the 2023 Perennial Plant of the Year, is disease resistant and in this photo creates a prairie look with ornamental grass.

RIGHT: American Gold Rush rudbeckia also makes an idyllic partner with echinacea.

ON GARDENING

2023 looks to create a Gold Rush for this award-winning rudbeckia

ext year will be a horti cultural occurrence or phenomenon I don’t ever remember happening. It is going to be like the gold rush, except this time to get an award-win ning plant. We can credit Brent Horvath, owner of Intrin sic Perennial Gardens, with this invention that has everyone excited. It is known as the Amer ican Gold Rush rudbeckia.

Growers and industry alike are celebrating the first rud beckia resistant to Septoria leaf spot. You may not have ever paid attention to the leaves of your Rudbeckia fulgida selections or hybrids, but the nursery industry has, and they are helping drive this hybrid to the top of the rec ommended list.

This is where the chain of events has mesmerized me. First, American Gold Rush was awarded the All-American Selections Herbaceous Peren nial Winner in 2020. Many of us were unaware of a cooperative venture with the Perennial Plant Association.

In 2022, Proven Winners added this to their peren nial lineup, which added great impetus in getting it into garden er’s hands across the country. Then the Perennial Plant Asso ciation further strengthened the effort by announcing it as its 2023 Perennial Plant of the Year. But it all comes to a crescendo as the National Garden Bureau has designated 2023 as the Year of the Rudbeckia.

These national honors cer tainly go hand in hand with university trials where high

American Gold Rush will be loved by bees and butterflies like this gray hairstreak and seeds left to mature will be enjoyed by visiting songbirds.

numbers were revealed. But the press from the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Chicago Botanical Garden, where peren nials are given a little more time to, as we say, perennial ize, speaks volumes. This is the perennial rudbeckia you should choose.

Whether it is a perennial garden, modern flower border, habitat garden and the meadow look you have always dreamed about, the American Gold Rush is for you. This hybrid packed with native DNA will bloom not only to reveal its golden yellow beauty, but to the delight of bees and butterflies, too.

My favorite neighborhood in Columbus, Georgia, was like a summer parade of visi tors driving by gawking at the hundreds of rudbeckias, but as summer was coming to an end, the foliage and stems turned black and ugly. This wasn’t fatal, but simply points out what many other gardeners have experi enced. America Gold Rush is different; the hairs on the leaves and stems that give a silvery cast in the sun also give protection

from this dreaded fungus.

The American Gold Rush has a different habit, too, that you will quickly notice. The plants reach up to 27 inches tall with a wider spread to 40 inches. In other words, it makes a real show. While it brings in bees and butterflies, patient gardeners will notice favorite songbirds come to enjoy the delicacy of maturing seeds.

This rudbeckia was made for our native soils. As long as your soil is well-drained, you don’t have to worry about adding copious amounts of amend ments or trying to modify pH as alkalinity and acidity are typ ically not a problem. Choose a site with plenty of sun. American Gold Rush is recommended for zones 4-9, so most of the country can relish in its beauty. Space your plants at 36 to 40 inches to allow for the welcomed spread. In late winter or very early spring, cut back like you do other perennials.

You can’t beat creating a prairie or meadow look com bining with native grasses. The Garden Guy, however, will be combining his with plants in the pollinator garden like Color Coded echinacea, Unplugged So Blue salvia, Meant to Bee Queen Nectarine agastache and Upscale Red Velvet monarda.

Make your plans now: Get in on the American Gold Rush and join in the 2023 rudbeckia celebration.

Norman Winter is horticultur ist, garden speaker and author of “Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South” and “Captivat ing Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.” Follow him on Facebook @NormanWin terTheGardenGuy. He receives complimentary plants to review from the companies he covers.

NORMAN WINTER/TNS

COURTESY OF MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN/TNS

COURTESY OF INTRINSIC PERENNIALS/TNS

Grand Opening - Open Hous e Event

Saturday, November 12th, 2pm - 4pm 2001 Bluebird Way, Fairfield

Cometour this charming ranch style single story on a large corner lot with low maintenance yards. Newly remodeled kitchen and some newer fencing. Most of the home is all original. Dual pane windows are about 15-20 years old. Some newer toilets and fixtures. Perfect flip property or first-time homebuyer home. 4 Bedrooms with 2 full bathrooms, family room with wood burning fireplace, dining area near remodeled kitchen. Original hardwood floors and some newer laminate throughout with carpeting in all 4 bedrooms. Lots of storage space. All closets have cedar board flooring. Newer furnace, AC unit and water heater. Extra-large parking in front, 2 car garage with sheet rocked walls and laundry hook-ups. There’s currently a wheelchair ramp from the garage to the kitchen. Large backyard with a covered patio could accommodate boat/RV parking easily and still have plenty of backyard. Offered at $489,585 Fully hosted by “Loney & Worley Team” Refreshments will be served.

www.loneyandworleyteam.com

Honey Stop The Car!

295 Sage Meadows Dr. Rio Vista

Calistoga model, with private courtyard, located on a corner lot. New interior paint (including garage) & tile/grout cleaned, gives this home a fresh look. Island kitchen w/granite tile, blk appliances, w/5 burner gas stove top. $559,000

Don’t Miss This One!

1536 Michigan Street, Fairfield

Updated 3 bd 2 ba with new interior paint, carpets & laminate flooring, new stainless appliances, painted cabinets & resurfaced counter tops. Home also has dual pane windows, tankless water heater, newer roof and new air condenser. Reduced to $475,000

Ralene Nelson

REALTOR® BRE#01503588 (707) 334-0699

Open House Saturday 1-3PM

689 Waterwood Dr Rio Vista

Breath taking views as you step into this beautiful home, located on the 11th green & pond. Popular Reflect model with quartz counters, white cabinets, 5 burner gas stove top & refrigerator is included. Tile floors with carpet in bedrooms $585,000

OPEN OHOUSE PEN HOUSE OPEN HOUSE

Open House Saturday 12-2PM

101 Isle Royale Circle, Vacaville

2BR 2BA on a spacious corner lot w/ private backyard. Kitchen has been updated w/ granite counters & newer appliances. Open floor plan flexible living spaces that can be living & dining or living, dining, & family room or all one big area. $434,000

Open House Sat & Sun 12-2PM

4831 Silver Creek Rd. Fairfield

3bd/2ba. Vaulted ceiling, exposed wood beam & recessed lighting. Simulated wood, tile & carpet. Eat-in kitchen w/granite counters, large pantr y, SS apl. $544,950

Open House Saturday 11:30AM-1:30PM

4574 McCready Ct., Fairfield

Overlooking the highly desirable Green Valley area. This estate provides seclusion and open skies with its 8.17-acre hilltop site, while offering refined, yet casual, living inside 5302+/-SF that includes 4BD, 3.75BA plus 600sf art studio. $3,300,000

Open House Sunday 12-2:30PM

2737 Almondwood Way, Fairfield

4BR 2.5BA w/updated & reconfigured Kitchen w/granite counters, updated bathrooms, newer dual paned windows, central heat/air, great room w/fireplace, tile floors in living areas, 1st floor bdrm. Detached garage w/laundry area. $575,000

Sandy Stewart &

Open House Sunday 1-3PM

424 Mandarin Cir, Vacaville

Senior living at its BEST in beautiful Diamond Grove. 2bd/2ba+den, 1323sf. Gas fireplace between LR & dining area. Eat in kitchen. Large covered patio runs width of home. Easy care garden w/fruit trees & roses. Community pool. $529,000

ON THE M ARKET

FOR THIS WEEKEND

November 12th & 13th

Updates Galore!!

524 Honker Lane Suisun City

Step Inside & ENJOY!! 4 BD,2.5 BA home with New Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring & Carpet, Kitchen remodeled with Granite Counters, Main BA/Hall BA upgraded. Opportunity for huge savings on your PG&E bills with the Pay Per Use Solar System. $570,000

Open House Saturday 11AM-1PM

764 Shannon Dr. Vacaville

New listing! Browns Valley 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, over 2200 sq ft & 6420 sq ft lot. Updated kitchen & baths, Laminate & tile flooring. Separate living & family rooms. $690,000

Open House Sunday 12-2PM

2907 Owens Ct, Fairfield

3 bedroom/3 bathroom home w/ .18 acre lot. Massive bed & bath on ground level which has a sliding glass door to the private back yard. Kitchen has quartz countertops, custom cabinetry, & breakfast bar. New interior paint & carpet, a tankless. $659,000

Solano County Listings: Homes for sale

$499,000 4 4 Bryan Ave Antioch 3 2 /0 1,022 0.13 322085439

$629,900 14 La Cruz Ave Benicia 3 1/0 1124 0.13 322096895

$840,000 116 Mountview Ter Benicia 4 3/0 2,288 0.11 322031987

$484,900 1320 Blackberry Ct Dixon 3 2 /0 1487 0.073 322062507

$582,000 1410 Cornell Dr Dixon 3 3/0 1,917 0.07 322085404

$665,000 1950 Dailey Ct Dixon 4 2 /0 2021 0.248 322084370

$785,000 515 West Cherry St Dixon 4 3/0 2755 0.124 322083817

$4,500,000 6156 Clark Rd Dixon 4 4 /0 5906 78.98 322047718

$425,000 318 E Utah St Fairfield 3 1/0 985 0.12 322095893

$474,900 2043 San Luis St Fairfield 3 2 /0 1,824 0.13 322098057

$475,000 1655 Hemlock St Fairfield 3 2 /0 1,274 0.16 322082879

$479,000 2330 Baldwin Ct Fairfield 3 2 /0 1204 0.18 322087210

$485,900 231 E Utah St Fairfield 3 2 /0 1517 0.12 322083815

$499,000 2373 Cabrillo Dr Fairfield 4 2 /0 1704 0.13 322086472

$559,950 4 831 Silver Creek Rd Fairfield 3 2 /0 1082 0.185 322077342

$575,000 2737 Almondwood Wy Fairfield 4 2 /1 1512 0.08 322080695

$580,000 782 Ash Ct Fairfield 4 2 /0 1773 0.13 322090911

$608,000 962 Julie Ct Fairfield 4 2 /0 1804 0.19 322097450

$640,000 4756 Canyon Hills Dr Fairfield 4 3/0 1,816 0.12 322076136

$650,000 2018 Windsor Pl Fairfield 3 2 /1 1862 0.26 322078194

$695,000 4 480 Rolling Meadows Ln Fairfield 4 2 /1 2210 0.169 322086454

$799,000 3132 Muse Wy Fairfield 4 3/0 2602 0.115 322095827

$799,000 4627 Green Valley Rd Fairfield 2 2 /1 1821 2.56 322089935

$824,999 3032 Muse Wy Fairfield 4 3/0 2841 0.135 322078149

$918,888 5181 Palace Ct Fairfield 5 3/0 3007 0.168 322082111

$1,495,000 1106 Skywest Ct Fairfield 5 3/0 3414 0.804 322068078

$420,000 101 Cedar Ridge Dr Rio Vista 2 2 /0 1671 0.129 322064595

$499,000 635 Klamath Wy Suisun City 3 2 /0 1492 0.14 322079444

$500,000 420 Canvasback Dr Suisun City 4 2 /0 1440 0.13 322096457

$525,000 411 Avalon Wy Suisun City 3 2 /0 2152 0.23 322067943

$550,000 906 Anderson Dr Suisun City 3 2 /1 1759 0.116 322096978

$608,899 1709 Carswell Ln Suisun City 4 3/0 2,061 0.08 322095129

$639,997 429 Dobbins Ct Suisun City 5 3/0 2,338 0.14 322079187

$650,000 330 Engell Ct Suisun City 3 2 /1 2206 0.160 322070250

$385,000 167 Mckinley Cir Vacaville 2 2 /0 1,043 0.13 322089026

$399,000 116 Mckinley Cir Vacaville 2 2 /0 1,043 0.13 322086513

$434,000 101 Isle Royale Cir Vacaville 2 2 /0 1152 0.15 322080839

$457,000 105 Rainier Cir Vacaville 2 2 /0 1152 0.13 322078018

$460,000 125 Christine Dr Vacaville 3 2 /0 1,062 0.11 322080818

$478,000 135 Maple St Vacaville 3 1/0 1040 0.11 322093532

$495,000 107 Edwin Dr Vacaville 4 2 /0 1540 0.13 322096304

$519,000 407 Deodara St Vacaville 3 2 /0 1168 0.13 322059937

$525,000 4 84 Manchester Wy Vacaville 3 2 /0 1602 0.13 322083162

$529,000 424 Mandarin Cir Vacaville 2 2 /0 1323 0.116 322066345

$539,000 686 Mashall Rd Vacaville 3 2 /0 1402 0.18 322059279

$545,000 600 Fox Pointe Rd Vacaville 3 2 /0 1320 0.160 322089563

$567,500 801 S Orchard Ave Vacaville 3 2 /0 1230 0.12 322073187

$575,000 107 Colony Way Vacaville 4 3/0 1,887 0.07 322068608

$579,000 312 Woodhaven Dr Vacaville 4 2 /1 1840 0.14 322088768 $590,000 512 Florence Dr Vacaville 4 2 /0 1785 0.21 322090024

$595,000 148 Shefield Dr Vacaville 4 2 /1 1799 0.14 322089957

$610,000 667 Laurelwood Cir Vacaville 3 2 /0 1,750 0.14 322080908

$615,000 231 Kildare Ln Vacaville 3 2 /1 1988 0.209 322091198

$648,000 636 Silver Star Ct Vacaville 4 2 /0 1661 0.134 322071775

$675,000 263 Bantry Dr Vacaville 4 2 /1 2143 0.184 322086137

$675,000 643 Dahlia Dr Vacaville 3 3/0 1,728 0.08 322095268

$689,900 596 Dunsmuir St Vacaville 3 3/0 1,950 0.18 322053861

$710,000 754 Arabian Cir Vacaville 3 2 /0 2,066 0.26 322067856

$719,000 307 Epic St Vacaville 5 3/0 2,219 0.11 322094278

$739,000 173 Encinosa Ave Vacaville 4 3/0 1944 0.18 322098170

$759,000 901 Cedarcrest Dr Vacaville 5 3/0 3014 0.207 322061115

$839,000 606 Hillcrest Cir Vacaville 4 2 /0 2202 0.233 322054244

$899,000 1000 Brighton Ct Vacaville 5 3/0 3,431 0.21 322090634

$899,500 155 Foothill Dr Vacaville 3 3/0 1,919 0.60 322068886

$989,000 7885 N Locke Rd Vacaville 3 2 /0 1,493 3.95 322095123

$460,000 2940 Georgia St Vallejo 3 2 /0 876 0.13 322087029

$519,000 208 Mica Dr Vallejo 3 2 /0 1,255 0.10 322092061

$570,000 815 Valle Vista Ave Vallejo 3 2 /0 1,829 0.13 322068195 $575,000 184 Smokey Hills Dr Vallejo 3 2 /0 1532 10890sf 322084742 $595,000 118 Fairmont Ave Vallejo 4 3/0 2,107 0.16 322069781

$650,000 701 Keats Dr Vallejo 4 2 /0 10500 10018sf 322091636 $875,000 8 457 Plesants Valley Rd Winters 2 1/0 22.16 321006700

LOTS & LAND

PRICE A DDRESS CITY LOT/AC SUB TYPE MLS#

$550,000 Liberty Ln Vacaville 25.01 AGRI 322061524 $4,500,000 6156 Clark Rd Dixon 78.98 AGRI 322049465 $500,000 360 Butcher Rd Vacaville 1.10 Comm 321098151

$1,250,000 8 362 Auction Ln Dixon 2.16 Comm 322014651 $1,870,000 2300-11 E Monte Vista Ave Vacaville 3.66 Comm 321102156 $265,000 2060 Pinecrest Ct Vacaville 1.15 RESA 322048328

$359,950 Gibson Canyon Vacaville 1.55 RESA 22029146 $384,500 3757 Wild Oak Trl Vacaville 4.96 RESA 322061715 $399,000 English Hills Rd Vacaville 6.09 RESA 322096839 $499,500 3745 Wild Oak Trl Vacaville 5 RESA 322061705 $875,000 8 457 Plesants Valley Rd Winters 22.16 RESA 321000406 $15,000,000 Mankas Fairfield RESA 21825708

MOBILE/FLOATING

PRICE ADDRESS

$129,000 150 Silverado Trail Trl #17 Napa 2 2 /0 1368 322096809 $170,000 10 Del Rey Ct Vacaville 2 1/0 1000 322065331 $180,000 161 Lemon Tree Cir Vacaville 3 2 /0 1440 322093675 $198,000 140 Calle Chapultepec Vacaville 3 2 /0 1300 322072141 $75,000 2500 Springs Rd #252 Vallejo 1 1/0 360 322065332 $260,000 54 Kay Dr Vallejo 2 2 /0 1400 322091550

COMMERCIAL

$625,000 120 E Tabor Ave Fairfield Retail 322088826 $350,000 424 Davis St Vacaville Mixed 322095434

Doggy

From Page 3

walls. “It’s not going to be ruined or have any sort of complica tions of upkeep, so it’s a good option,” she says.

Flat river rock is another great choice, because it camouflages dirt and is gentle on paws. Ver million chose this in a black shale hue for a shower she designed. The rocks come in a mosaic, and installers add grout around the pieces. “I wanted a nice surface for the dog’s paws, but I also wanted to be able to sort of hide the dirt,” Vermillion says.

And make sure the sur rounding tile goes high enough to protect the walls when your doggy shakes all that water out, O’Brien says. She also suggests using dark grout, particularly on the floor, to conceal dirt and to guard against discoloration.

3. Make room for towels, both clean and dirty

Your pup will need a towel (or two) after a shower, and you don’t want to have to run to another room to grab them. Torres had two cabinets installed in the base of her dog shower, and she uses them to store towels and other supplies for Kai.

To handle wet towels, Her shberger hung a drying rack above the shower in her farmhouse mudroom. It doubles as a place to hang other wet, dripping family items, such as swimsuits or winter clothes, she says.

4. Dog showers aren’t just for dogs

Even if a washing station is dubbed a dog shower, it can also be used for cleaning dirty kids, washing outdoor gear and gardening tools, and watering plants. If your shower is on the ground, you can do as Hersh berger does and step into it to spray off your boots after slosh ing through snow or puddles, or after working in the yard.

or a judge shut you down. That would be true for anything you do that causes too much noise.

Frankly, the issue between you two, and the writer of the email and his neighbor, has more to do with compromising than it does with the law.

Two reasonable people in your respective situations shouldn’t have to go to court to have a judge tell you what is reasonable and what isn’t. As adults, I’d hope you could come to some specific agreements that

give each of you what you want. Here are a few suggestions. Show your neighbor where you shoot. Explain to him the efforts you go through to be sure he is safe.

Agree to days and times when you won’t shoot, like after 8 p.m. on work nights and never after 10 p.m. Or whatever works for both of you.

Perhaps even limit the number of people who are shooting unless you notify your neighbor ahead of time that you’re having a group over, and the times you expect the noise to start and stop.

Neighbors who can’t cooper ate with each other contribute to the Lawyer Full Employ

ment Act. Which is unfortunate when two open minds talking to each other can accomplish more in 12 minutes than 12 months of a lawsuit.

And finally, to everyone reading this: Even though I write a legal column and not an opinion piece, I generally stay away from “gun” questions because it has become such a hot-button issue. Holders of strong views on either side of that issue tend only to see what they want to see in a newspaper

column and I then get bom barded with hate mail. So, if you feel compelled to lash out and it will make you feel better, then please feel free. Just know that I won’t read it but will make gen erous use of my delete button.

Tim Jones is a real estate attor ney in Fairfield. If you have any real estate questions you would like answered in this column, you can send an email to AllThingsRealEstate@ TJones-Law.com.

JIM AND DARLA STEVER

Jim Stever was born in Fairfield and has been selling real estate here since 1978. Darla was born in Vallejo and has been selling real estate since 1989. They know Solano County and strive to meet the specialized needs of each client,

Jim

the agents I was courting and try to meet new ones.

The key was the guard at the gate and getting by the receptionist into the back room where all the real estate agents worked the phones and on paperwork at their desks. If the receptionist liked me, she would allow me to stuff each agent’s mailbox with rate sheets and fliers, but the big goal was to start new relation

ships and nurture existing ones.

Flowers and See’s Candies were an effective way to say thank you to the kind and considerate hard-working recep tionists. It wasn’t a phony thing. I greatly appreciated the office staff who helped me get to know the agents and brokers at their office.

Once in the door, I would often bring in doughnuts and orange juice for the bro ker’s weekly sales meetings in exchange for a five- to 10-minute opportunity to speak to the group. I was farming for busi ness. I was planting seeds all

around Vacaville and Fairfield hoping to find and grow mean ingful relationships.

After three or four years of farming, I realized all I could handle and all I needed was two or three top producers, two or three average producers and three or four beginners and veteran part-timers.

A great loan officer-Realtor relationship requires the loan officer to be totally committed to the Realtor seven days per week, 24 hours per day to help the agent sell more homes.

Financing is critical here because we have very few cash

buyers in Solano County. A loan officer needs to close escrow on time, be competitive, cre ative and financially savvy, and make the Realtor look good by exceeding the buyer’s expecta tions. Having 10 good real estate agents is like having 10 bosses you love working for because they treat you like part of their family business.

Relational selling is way more rewarding than product pitching because meaningful friendships

can last a lifetime. This is still true in 2022.

Jim Porter, NMLS No. 276412, is the branch manager of Solano Mortgage, NMLS No. 1515497, a division of American Pacific Mortgage Corporation, NMLS No. 1850, licensed in California by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the CRMLA / Equal Housing Opportunity. Jim can be reached at 707-449-4777.

THE DAILY REPUBLIC DELIVERS. CALL 707-427-6989.