At Home With Coldwell Banker Tomlinson - January 2023

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FOURFAVORITESNOWSHOEHIKESAROUNDTHEINLANDNORTHWEST

Snowshoeingisoneofthemost accessiblewinteractivitiesonecan enjoyduringSpokanewinters— besidesbinge-watchingyourfavoriteTV showsandwearingsweatpants.Withplentyof opportunitiesbothinSpokaneandwithinaday’s drivethroughouttheInlandNorthwest,here’safew ofourfavoriteplacestostraponthesnowshoesand hitthetrails.

MountSpokaneStatePark

Theremaybenobetterplacetoenjoywinter adventuresintheSpokaneareathanMount SpokaneStatePark.Therearemanybeginnerto intermediatetrailsthatmeanderaroundthe meadows,forests,andfoothillsatthebaseof MountSpokanethatofferbreathtakingviewsofthe surroundinglandscape.Justremembertodress appropriately,bringplentyofwaterandsnacks, andbepreparedfortheweather.

AntoinePeakConservationArea

Ifyou’relookingforamorechallenginghike,

tryCanfieldGulchatAntoinePeakConservation Area.Inthesummermonths,thesetrailsare popularamonghorsebackridersandareaperfect placetosqueezeinashortout-and-backonthe wayhomefromwork.However,ongoodsnow years,AntoinePeakoffersexcellentsnowshoeing totestone’sfitnesswithitslongclimbtothe summit.Manyofthetrailsystemsherearenotwellmarked,followingoldroadbedsandsomewhat moreruggedterrain.Theviewsfromthetop outlookingSpokanemaketheeffortwellworthit.

McKenzieConservationArea

This465-acrepropertyprotectsimportant wildlifehabitat,makingitafantasticplaceto partakeinaneasysnowshoehikeforfamilies. StartingonBedrockRidge,thenconnectingto TurtleRockwillforma3.3-mileloopthatincludes opportunitiesforwildlifewatchingandlakeviews. It’srelativelylowelevationcanhoweveris somethingtokeepinmind.Dependingonthe weather,thesetrailscaneitherbeawinter wonderland,orcompletelybaregroundhike.Either

way,makingawayouttoMcKenzieConservation Areawillmakeforabeautifulwinterhike.

ShermanPeak

LastlyisShermanPeakwestofKettleFalls intheColvilleNationalForest.Locatedatthetopof ShermanPass,thisisahikethatisbest appreciatedonsnowshoes.Withitbeingthe10th tallestpeakineasternWashington,thetrailsup herearemorelikelytogetadecentcoatofsnow thanthoseatlowerelevationsofotherSpokane snowshoeinglocations.It’simportantthathikers checkavalanchereportsbeforeattemptingto maketheascentfollowingsnowstorms.Onaclear day,it’spossibletoseetheeasternflankofthe CascadeRange,makingforabeautifuland peacefulwinterexperience.

Nomatterwhereyougosnowshoeingin aroundSpokane,you'resuretohaveagreat time.Justremembertodressappropriately,bring plentyofwaterandsnacks,andbepreparedfor theweather.

WinterHomeMaintenance

Sparklingiciclesandfluffysnowmay makeforagreatwinterspectacle,but theycanalsoaccountforanumberof winterwoesasthetemperaturedrops. Belowarefivekeyareastofocusonthiswinter seasonwithyourhomeasthetemperaturesdrop:

Heating&Insulation

Ifoneareaofthehousesuddenlyseems colderorifyounoticeanystrangenewnoises comingfromyourheaters,havethesystem lookedatbyaprofessionaltoidentifyany potentialissuesandmakeanynecessaryrepairs. Youshouldalsomakesuretocleanorreplace thefurnacefilterregularlythroughoutthewinter tokeepitrunningefficiently.Properinsulationin youratticandsealinganygapsaroundwindows anddoorscanalsohelpkeepyourhomewarm andreduceyourenergybills.

PreventHeatFromEscaping

Afteryou’vespentthemoneytohaveyour furnacecheckedandfiltersreplaced,you’llwant tomakesureitisn’tgoingtowasteeverytime youturnupthethermostat.Checktomakesure yourweather-strippingisn’tfaultyaround windows,doorsandothercracks.Addor

replaceweather-strippingandcaulktosealany cracksaroundyourwindowframesanddoor framestocreateasealagainstthecoldairgaps.

Plumbing

Coldtemperaturescancausepipesto freezeandpotentiallyburst,causingcostly damage.Topreventthis,makesuretoinsulate yourpipesandkeepthethermostatsettoat least55degreesFahrenheit.Ifyouwillbeaway fromhomeforanextendedperiodoftime, considershuttingoffthewatersupplyand drainingthepipestopreventthemfromfreezing.

Landscaping

Winterweathercantakeatollonyour landscaping,soit'simportanttoprepareyour plantsandgardenbedsforthecolder temperatures.Considercoveringtenderplants withaprotectivelayerofmulch.Trimbackany deadordamagedbranches.Bigsnowfallscan settleontotreelimbs,makingthemheavyand morepronetobreaking—whichcanbe especiallydangerousifatreeiswithinreachof yourhouse.Easetheburdenonyourtreesby brushingoffsnowaftereachsnowfall,usinga broomtoextendyourreach.

ProtectEntrywayFlooring

Toprotectyourentrywayflooringinthe wintermonths,considerplacingamatorrugat theentranceofyourhometocatchsnow,salt, andmoisturefromshoes.Thiswillhelpprevent thebuildupofdirtandgrimeonyourfloorand helpincreasethelongevityofyourflooringand carpet.Youcanalsoconsiderplacingaboot scraperorbrushoutsideforremovingexcess snow,andawaterprooftrayinsideforplacing wetshoesandboots.

EmergencyPreparedness

It'sagoodideatohaveasupplyof necessaryitemsonhandincaseofawinter storm.Thiscanincludenon-perishablefood, bottledwater,flashlights,batteries,andafirstaid kit.Youshouldalsomakesuretohaveaworking carbonmonoxidedetectorandsmokedetector inyourhome.

Byfollowingthesewinterhomemaintenance tips,youcanhelpensurethatyourhomeisready forthecoldertemperatures.Takingthetimeto properlyprepareyourhomenowcansaveyoutime andmoneyinthelongrunandhelpkeepyouand yourfamilysafeandcomfortableallwinterlong.

NOTES

LandofEnchantmentPosole

Serves5

WitharegionalfocusinMichoacan,Mexico,thisexhibition presentsaselectionof54dancemasksfromtheMAC collectionandcontemporaryMexicanartists,aswellas danceregaliaandvideopresentationsfeaturingtheartists, dancers,andperformancesofthedanzas.

Thesevibrantartpiecesdepictdevils,holymen,celebrities andevenpoliticians.Theindigenousartformisstillalive andwelltoday,havingrootsinthecelebrationofcertain religiousholidays.

INGREDIENTS

•1-1/2poundsporkstewmeat,cutinto3/4inchcubes

•1largeonion,chopped

•2tablespoonscanolaoil

•2garliccloves,minced

•3cupsbeefbroth

•2cans(15-1/2ounceseach)hominy,rinsed anddrained

•2cans(4ounceseach)choppedgreenchiles

INSTRUCTIONS

•1to2jalapenopeppers,seededand chopped,optional

•1/2teaspoonsalt

•1/2teaspoongroundcumin

•1/2teaspoondriedoregano

•1/4teaspoonpepper

•1/4teaspooncayennepepper

•1/2cupmincedfreshcilantro

•Tortillastrips,optiona

1.InaDutchoven,cookporkandonioninoilovermediumheatuntilmeatisnolongerpink. Addgarlic;cook1minutelonger.Drain.Stirinthebroth,hominy,chiles,jalapeñoifdesired, salt,cumin,oregano,pepperandcayenne.

2.Bringtoaboil.Reduceheat;coverandsimmerfor45-60minutesoruntilmeatistender. Stirincilantro.Servewithtortillastripsifdesired.

Whentheworkdaywindsdown,that’swhenwegetfired up.Withlessthananhour’sdrivefromcitytoslopes,there isstillplentyoftimetogetyourturnsin.Notonlydothey lightupsixteenrunsmostWednesday–Saturday,butthey alsohaveavarietyofactivitiesincludinglivemusic,parties, newlessonprograms,andactivitiesforthekids.

ThefourthannualCoeurd’AleneBoatExpowillbeheld atHagadoneMarineCenter,locatedat1000SMarina Drive,February1stthrough6th,2023from10AM-7PM daily.TheCoeurd’AleneBoatExpowillfeatureleading brandssuchasRegal,Cobalt,Malibu,Axis,ChrisCraft,Harris,Barletta,CruisersYachts,CoeurCustom, andmore.Ticketsarefree!

MarketInsights

BYJULIEKUHLMANN

Demandforhomeloansslowedattheend oftheyearafteradjustingforseasonalfactors,but ratesremainwellbelow2022highsasthespring home-buyingseasonapproaches,accordingtoa weeklylendersurveybytheMortgageBankers Association.“Theendoftheyearistypicallya slowertimeforthehousingmarket,andwith mortgageratesstillwellabove6percentandthe threatofarecessionlooming,mortgage applicationscontinuedtodeclineoverthepasttwo weekstothelowestlevelsince1996,”saidMBA DeputyChiefEconomistJoelKaninastatement. Whatdoesthismeantoyou?Itmeansifyou areabuyerthereisnobettertimethannowto jumpintoahomepurchase,shouldyourbudget allowit.Buyercompetitionislow,thusnotdriving upthepurchaseprice.Ifyouareasellerknowthat the"MakeMyDay"marketislonggone.

ACCURATEpricingusingcurrentcompsisVITALif youdon'twanttospendmonthsonthemarket andyour REALTOR®,yourbestresource,cando thatforyou.