Build Your Own Backyard Fire Pit

Outdoor living  fires are so hot right now. Seriously. Mankind has called the hearth home for the centuries, it's true, but these days people are going ultra-retro and getting their heat from stone-walled pits set into the earth.  On cool summer nights, you can melt marshmallows and nibble s'mores while you lounge . So if you really want to light up right, do it in style. Take a few days to build your very own ring of fire.

If you bought your home in 2005, made zero improvements and expect to get more than what you paid, you're bound for disappointment. But if you're willing to listen to your agent's suggestions, spend a little money upfront to give your place that "shiny penny" look, and don't price yourself way above the other homes for sale in your neighborhood, you'll find the path to a "SOLD!" sign much easier than you think.

Despite not hitting the market until the end of summer, when home sales had slowed considerably from a busy spring, we were able to sell our Broad Ripple bungalow in less than three months, from listing to closing. And though we had to give a little more on price than we'd wished, we still came within a couple thousand dollars of hitting our goal.

How'd we do it? Mainly, we endeavored to make our house as "move-in ready" as possible, so it would stand out from the rest.

We'd made many upgrades since purchasing the home -- exterior paint, repainted several rooms, repaired/stained the old decking, refinished the hardwood floors, replaced the ancient mechanicals and most of the appliances. As we approached listing, we made other small touches, like swapping out several old light fixtures for chic modern ones and having the bathtub reglazed.

We felt pretty good about how our house would show. But our agent, Gary Swift, advised us to pull up the old carpet in the bedrooms and repaint the entire kitchen, including cabinets. We balked at first, but the extra money spent was well worth it. We were rewarded with a significant number of showings, and within six weeks, we had an offer that eventually became a sale.

Meanwhile, the house across the street that listed a few weeks before we did is still sitting with a "for sale" sign. They started with a very high "wish price" -- $35,000 more than it's currently listing -- and offered an allowance to have the worn hardwoods redone.

Because we listened to our agent and made every effort to ensure our house was totally "turnkey," we were able to make a quick sale, while other sellers are enduring a long, bitter winter.

Christopher Lloyd is a writer/editor for a local marketing firm and freelance journalist.

FACT: One thing we do know for sure is that interest rates will be going up at the beginning of February. Due to the legislative compromise involving the tax credit extension, Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac are raising their "g fee" or guarantee fee on every mortgage for the next ten years. Which ultimately means that starting February 1st, interest rates will be going up .125-.25%.

With interest rates this low and home values down, it is a buyer's market. It is also a good time to consider refinancing. We understand the complexities that you may be facing. We are here to listen and offer advice. We want to help put the power in your hands by educating you and giving you the information you need to make sounds decisions.

Give us a call to discuss if it's the right time to buy or sell! We are here with a no pressure approach. 317-691-0623.

There are actually a lot of homes in the Village of West Clay that are this style.  The style was popular in Indiana from 1860-1885.  It came from the Americanization of nineteenth-century French Renaissance Revival style that was popularized in Paris during the reign of Napoleon III.  These homes will almost always have a mansard roof of slate.  A mansard roof is one that is almost flat on top.  It will have elaborate brackets and projecting dormers. And, it will usually have a central tower.

The second empire style is sometimes associated associated with haunted houses.  There is a scene from the movie Psycho with this style home in it and also in the movie the Adam’s Family .  It is rumored that our Colt’s kicker that lives in the Village of West Clay who lives in this style of home, liked the look of his Second Empire home because his favorite holiday is Halloween!  Every year, he sits on his front steps during trick-o-treating and hands out candy to the kids while parents take pictures. Here is a picture of Adam Vinatieri's Second Empire Home in the Village of West Clay, as well as, another home with this style of architecture in our neighborhood.

I hope you are enjoying learning about the different types of architecture.  Next week I will write about  the Queen Anne style.  It is often referred to as Victorian.

We'd like to welcome My Toy Garden to Carmel!  Owned by Tim & Janet Pillbury. Janet was a classroom teacher for 17 years teaching everything from preschool to 8th grade. She also worked for 5 years with a direct sales company specializing in educational toys. She worked with a variety of families including many with special needs. It is through a love of these families that My Toy Garden was created. It is their goal to give all families a place to come, enjoy, connect, learn and be inspired. The shelves are brimming with everything from the completely silly to the fun yet deceptively educational toys.

I visited the store not long ago and was surprised by how much the owner knows & cares about children! Just give her your child's name and some general information & she will help you select the perfect (developementally appropriate) toy for them. Stop by this weekend if you're out Christmas shopping & tell them that the Little Blue House sent you!

My Toy Garden is located at 301 East Carmel Dr, Suite A500...in the same shopping center as McNamara's. Call 317-571-1234 if you need directions.

Visit www.mytoygarden.com for more info. And DEFINITELY check them out on Facebook as they are posting about events & new items daily!!!

"Why deep fry a turkey and have to worry about the safety hazards and all the mess and cleanup? Cooking the perfect, juiciest, mouth watering Thanksgiving turkey is as easy as popping it in the oven and knowing with absolute certainty that at the exact time you plan your meal your turkey will be done. And your turkey will be the most tender, moist and succulent turkey you and your family and guests have ever tasted!"

OK, before I tell you how it's done, there are Four Prerequisites for successfully cooking turkey using this method:

Number One: The temperature in your oven has to be accurate. You might want to test your oven before the big day by simply preheating it to 250° and testing it with a cooking thermometer.

Number Two: Your turkey has been safely and totally thawed and cleaned. The only safe way to thaw a frozen turkey is to place it in the refrigerator. Other methods such as running cold water over it or placing it in a microwave oven are not safe because of the chance of bacterial growth and contamination. So, because of that risk I will only give you guidelines using the refrigerator method.

Number Three: And this one is for the newest aspiring chefs in the audience. Be sure to remove the neck and giblets from the inside of the turkey! Don't laugh! People have done this.

Number Four: Know the actual weight of the turkey excluding the giblets and the ice many fresh turkeys have stuffed inside to keep them cold. Yes... sometimes you pay for a couple pounds of ice.

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DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat the oven to 475°F. This is not a typo! I will explain later.
• Melt some butter. It doesn't take much. You just want enough to put a light coating on the breast.
• Now the part that some people find a bit gross. But it's essential! Gently separate the skin from the breast but don't remove it. You just want to be able to get your hand between the skin and the breast meat. Your goal is to rub that melted butter on the turkey breast between the breast skin and the meat. Don't butter the outside of the skin.
• This part is optional. But I recommend putting some Rosemary and Thyme again between the breast skin and the meat. I've used fresh and dried and I can't really notice the difference. I wouldn't go overboard. Just use a little bit. If you think it needs a little more you can always add more the next time you cook a turkey. Note: A professional cook suggested chopping up the spices finely and whipping them in the butter that is spread between the skin and breast in the previous step above.

• Lightly Salt and Pepper all the skin on the outside. This will help make the skin crisp!
• Don't place stuffing in the turkey! Stuffing plays havoc with cooking times and is a recognized health hazard. Cook your stuffing separately in a casserole dish and be safe.
• Place the turkey in a covered roasting pan place in the oven preheated to 475°F for 20 minutes. I place the turkey breast up because it makes it easier for me to insert the thermometer. Many people argue that the breast meat is even more juicy by placing the turkey breast down. The choice is yours and it will come out great either way. Just be sure you get that thermometer into the thickest part of the breast when you test it (you'll find out more about testing to see if the turkey is done further down this page).

You don't have to add any water. Our goal here is to "seal the bird" to help keep it juicy!

• Reduce the heat to 250°F. This again is not a typo! Don't let anybody tell you that the temperature has to be higher for it to get done. The reason that turkey is so often very dry is that it's overcooked. We want to slow cook the turkey. You do not have to remove the turkey from the oven. Just reduce the heat!!
• Cook the turkey at 250°F for 20 additional minutes for each pound. No basting is necessary. You start counting the 20 minutes per pound immediately when you turn the oven down to 250°. You don't wait until the oven has cooled down.

Note: Some people including myself have found that at least some fresh turkeys cook much faster than store bought turkeys because they are lean and contain no additives. If you have a fresh turkey be sure to monitor the temperature about 2/3 of the way through the calculated 250°F cooking time using a meat thermometer.

Many variables come into play when cooking a turkey. The only way to be absolutely sure that your turkey is fully cooked is to use a quality meat thermometer. Interior breast meat should be 170°F and 180°F for thigh meat. I recommend using an electronic meat thermometer you would insert in the breast or thigh after the oven has cooled to 250°. Check it regularly after half way through the cooking time just to make sure the turkey doesn't get done sooner than expected and, conversely, to make sure the bird is fully cooked.

• Remove the turkey from the oven and allow it to rest uncovered for at least 20 minutes before carving it. This allows the juices to redistribute themselves inside the turkey making the turkey even more juicy, delicious, and easier to carve.

For more info on the author of this recipe visit http://www.howtocookathanksgivingturkey.com/ Happy Thanksgiving!!

Something to be grateful for? Places that cook Thanksgiving dinner so you don't have to!!!!

Say you’re a group of Thanksgiving orphans, or perhaps you just don’t feel like cooking and washing dishes. Let someone else do the work for you this year! Make your holiday special by heading Downtown to try one of the area’s wonderful restaurants that are open on the Thanksgiving holiday. Many of the following offer gourmet Thanksgiving dinners, buffets &/or special menu items. Call for details!

This house in the Village of West Clay is a great example of the Greek Revival. As you can see, like all houses from this era, there is not a visable garage. With this particular house, you enter into the garage from a back alley. See, you learn something new every day!

This house was built by Dale Woodall, who has built many of the homes in the Village of West Clay. Dale is currently constructing a home on Finchley in the Finchley section of the Village. It is still in the foundation stage but we will be excited to see what style of architecture the homeowners choose for this new home! I will have to keep you posted on that as well. Next week I will focus on the Second Empire style. Stay tuned!

We are looking for homes to "feature" in upcoming posts about the Village of WestClay. Let us know if you want to share your house's "story" with us and our readers! Contact us for more information melanie@c21scheetz.com