Go at whatever pace suits you. Focus on foods you want to eat yourself.

In the book The Beautiful Edible Garden, the authors suggest swaps, like replacing a magnolia tree with a fuyu persimmon, peppers in place of zinnias, and boxwood in place of blueberries. Onions add texture and flowers, while leafy greens replace broad-leaf fillers. An indoor planter full of herbs or even a tomato plant provides both decor and food.

Many edible landscapers like the idea of having an “off the grid” food source in case of emergency, and many prefer to use scarce water to grow food, not ornamentals.

Food gardening is thrifty, good for the planet and for our health. But many people avoid growing food because they can't imagine planting and maintaining a vegetable garden.

Luckily, edible landscaping doesn't have to be so utilitarian. Making edible plants part of your landscaping can result in beautiful outdoor spaces and decorative houseplants, full of interesting textures and designs.

An easy approach to edible landscaping involves starting with a one-on-one replacement. Switch out just one ornamental plant, tree, or houseplant with something edible. Then try it again with something else.

Spooky Tongue Twisters to Share on Halloween!

Say these three times fast...

Creepy crawler critters crawl through creepy crawly craters.

Dracula digs dreary, dark dungeons.

Ghostly ghouls gather gleefully golf on ghostly golf courses.

Gobbling gargoyles gobble gobbling goblins.

Horribly hoarse hoot owls hoot howls of horror in Halloween haunted houses.

If big black bats could blow big bubbles, how big would the bubbles be that the big black bats blow?

How Much Is Your Home Worth Today?Home prices have risen almost universally. If you haven’t checked lately, you might be surprised at what your home is worth today. Send your address to LDurant@LAERRealty.com and I’ll send you an instant estimate.

Try Edible Landscaping—Indoors & Out

I know people...In my work, I’m connected to service people of all kinds. I’d love to recommend them to you. So if you need a painter, gardener, handyman, plumber, etc, I can refer you to someone who’s really good at what they do!

Just pick up the phone. Call me!

978-257-5009

October 2014 Lisa Durant ~ 978-257-5009

The Roar Report Lisa Durant ~ 978-257-5009

Why You Might Not Have Gotten a Raise LatelyDuring tough economic times, employees are more worried about keeping their jobs than getting a raise. Times are changing, though, and if you haven't had a raise lately, here are some reasons it might not be happening:

• Your achievements are invisible. Don’t be a showoff, but make sure your bosses know what you’ve accomplished in the previous year.

• You’re focused on the wrong priorities. You can work hard, but if you’re not supporting your manager’s objectives, you won’t be able to justify a raise.

• You haven’t asked. Don’t make demands, but tell your manager what you’d like to earn.

• You don’t know your value. Keep track of the employment market for people in your job and region. Current data will help you make your case.

• You’re not pushing yourself in the right ways. The days of getting more than a cost-of-living raise for just showing up are dwindling. Show your willingness to take on more responsibility—stretch your skills, and demonstrate a commitment to going the extra mile when necessary.

October Quiz Question What is the dot over the letters ‘i’ and ‘j’ called?

Story: Don’t Look Down!A man who was afraid of heights decided to conquer his fear by rappelling down the side of a steep cliff. A guide was on hand to help him, but as he stood on the edge of the cliff, the sight of the long drop and the rocks waiting for him down below made him freeze.

The guide gave him some simple advice: “Don’t look where you don’t want to go.”

By this simple twist on familiar goal-setting advice ("look where you want to go"), the man was able to complete his descent.

The following Monday at work, the man remembered his mountaineering advice. He had been stressing about all the stuff he didn’t like about his work: his boss, his effectiveness, job duties, co-workers. His efforts to fix these issues just made him feel anxious.

After his climbing trip, he realized that, metaphorically speaking, he had been staring directly down the mountain at these issues at work—looking only where he didn’t want to go. He decided to try an experiment.

He resolved to “see” only things he enjoyed about his job for the entire day.

The result? He found himself relaxing more, getting along with his boss better, and getting more done.

Next time you find yourself buried in pessimism…take the guide’s advice and don’t look where you don’t want to go. Focus on things you enjoy about the situation. It may not fix the problems, but you’ll probably feel better...and that’s worth a lot in a hectic life!

Want to Win a $10 Starbucks Card?It’s easy! Answer the quiz question on page 2. Each month, all correct entries have a chance of winning a FREE $10 Starbuck’s card. Put the word QUIZ in the subject line and send it to: LDurant@LAERRealty.com

Last month’s quiz: A flock of crows is called a murder. What is a flock of ravens called?

Answer: A congress, a quorum, unkindness, conspiracy, or flight of ravens.

The Roar Report Lisa Durant 978-257-5009

Welcome & Thank you

Welcome to new clients and Thank You to friends who’ve trusted me with their referrals.

Jackie and Jon Wade

James Graham

The Caseys

The Marcouxs

I appreciate my wonderful friends and clients who feel comfortable

introducing their friends, family and coworkers to me.

Quiz Answer. A tittle (rhymes with little)

Have you ever wondered how the practice of turning pumpkins into jack o’ lanterns was born? The origin is fascinating.

O’ lantern sounds Irish, and it is. The carved pumpkin faces that animate the Halloween landscape worldwide derive from an old Irish custom of creating lanterns from vegetables. The Irish child’s typical Halloween flashlight was a hollowed-out turnip or potato with a

candle Inside.

When the Irish landed in America in the nineteenth century, they were quick to spot the possibilities of using pumpkins for the same purpose.

Where Did the Concept of Jack O’ Lanterns Start?

New Consumer Report

Self-Staging Secrets to Use Whether Selling—or Not

After staging, home sellers often say, “Gee, my home looks so nice now, I wish I had staged it when I was still living in it.” Here are a few pointers that stagers recommend. If you’re selling, you can use them to get a better offer, and if you’re not selling, you can stage now and enjoy the fruits of your labor while still living there.

Get a copy for yourself or someone you care about. Email me at:

LDurant@LAERRealty.com

5 Simple Ways to Fill Wall SpaceCreate an abstract painting. Buy a large canvas, use your favorite colors, then do something fun, like a large flower, splashes of paint, chevrons, etc. Add a frame and it will look like you bought it at a home decor store.

Super-enlarge a favorite photo. Go online to find a photo enlarger who can print your image into poster size.

Use four of any images you like. Print the image into different color saturations using your home printer on good paper. Frame each image and hang them in a square pattern.

Paint a favorite quote or words directly onto your wall. If you can't paint well enough to make it look good, search wall lettering on YouTube for instructions about how to make smooth designer letters.

Add a shallow shelf around the top of a room, two feet from the ceiling. Paint the wall above the shelf a contrasting color. Set album covers, books, or other decorative items on the shelf around the room.

Selling a home can be scary. There's a lot to know, a lot to do, and a lot to worry about. Will you get the price you want? Will you get a good buyer who won't ask you to make every little repair? When should you pack up? What do you need to do to get the most money? And many more questions.

Ms. Jill had these questions. She was selling her long-time family home after the death of her husband. She needed more than a real estate agent. She needed an understanding person who could sympathize with her feelings as she went through a trying time.

I was grateful that she trusted me to be her champion, and I was able to get her the most money possible with the least hassle. If you know anyone with elderly family members who need to sell their home, please call me so that I can be their champion!

~ Lisa Durant, 978-257-5009

Lisa DurantLAER Realty PartnersLDurant@LAERRealty.com978-257-5009License: 9523773

Building Your House- Author Unknown An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business to live a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the paycheck each week, but he wanted to retire. They could get by. 

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but over time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career. 

When the carpenter finished his work, his employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, "This is your house... my gift to you."

The carpenter was shocked! 

What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Success Principle:So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then, with a shock, we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we'd do it much differently.

But, you cannot go back. You are the carpenter, and every day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Someone once said, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Your attitude, and the choices you make today, help build the "house" you will live in tomorrow. Build wisely!

This newsletter is for entertainment purposes only. Credit is given to the authors of various articles that are reprinted when the original author is known. This information is solely for entertainment, and should not be substituted for medical, legal, financial or tax advice. Any and all decisions and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a qualified physician, attorney, financial advisor and/or CPA. Do not hold us responsible for actions you may take without proper medical, financial, legal or tax advice.

Making the Last Big Move Easy