Brainerd Lakes Real Estate News

     Here in the Brainerd Lakes of Minnesota,  2 special corn fields have been silently growing and planning for the Fall.  Soon these innocent  looking fields will be sculpted and designed into twisty labyrinths for the sole purpose of making you walk in circles. You can spend an afternoon winding your way through the towering stalks and the evening on a hayride drinking cider.  There are special days for families with small children and appropriate age crafts.  Several nights will be for those who like a little excitement with their confusion.  Scary creatures will inhabit the maze ready to make it a screaming adventure.

"Our labyrinth of twists, turns, and dead ends, carved into a 14 foot high cornfield, offers an experience that is perfect for those searching for adventure.

Near Halloween, what was a dark, quiet, gentle maze becomes a field of screams, with ghosts and goblins added for your late night spooking pleasure!"

     Support local farms in your area and enjoy our Autumn Season.  To learn more about corn mazes visit Corn Maze Directory.

    This week I was invited by Wells Fargo lenders to travel by covered wagon (coach bus) to Minneapolis.  We left by 9:30 AM and I got home by almost 9 PM so it was a long but educational day.  It is always fun to see old friends in the real estate business and to meet new ones.   Hello, Brian Emerson! Our ride down was conversational and real estate was the topic of the morning. Wells provided us with delicious box lunches to eat on the way and we were ready to face the educational session.

     Our speaker was  Rich Casto and along with a good deal of coaching and tips, we got a few laughs from his stories and examples.  As always,  the listening part is the easiest and then the implementation another story entirely  Although probably no one ran home and put into play everything that was suggested - we all learned and picked out a few things to do now and many to do later. 

     Sam (Stephanie) Hall from Wells Fargo Baxter, MN shared a few of her inventive ideas on the way home.  If anyone is looking to invest and get a sure fire product patented and produced -Sam has one that women would buy.  Absolutely necessary!  She could probably arrange the loan for you as well.

To my C-21 friends ~ my apologies!

Summer is winding down but the number of stinging insects, such as yellow jackets and wasps, flying through the air, have not. In my case getting stung results in a big ouch, temporary redness, swelling and itching at the site of the sting. Hoewever for a small number of people with severe venom allergy,  these stings may be life-threatening.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) and the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) urge people who suffer from a stinging insect allergy to take extra precautions and to carry epinephrine with them at all times.

"September through October is prime sting season; a nest that had a few dozen yellow jackets in July may have thousands in late September" said David B.K. Golden, MD, Fellow of the AAAAI and member of the AAAAI's Insect Allergy Committee. "Therefore, be careful when doing yard work or attending football games this fall."

Up to 5% of Americans are at risk for severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reactions from stinging insects. Unfortunately, most people are not aware that they are allergic to insect stings until after experiencing a reaction.

When an allergic person is stung, his or her body produces an antibody called Immunoglobulin E (IgE). The venom reacts with the IgE antibodies which trigger the release of histamine and other chemicals that cause allergic reactions. Severe allergic reactions to insect stings can involve many body organs and may develop rapidly. This reaction is called anaphylaxis.

Symptoms of anaphylaxis are:

• Itching and hives over large areas of the body
• Swelling in the throat or tongue
• Difficulty breathing
• Dizziness
• Stomach cramps
• Nausea
• Diarrhea 
• In severe cases, a rapid fall in blood pressure may result in shock or loss of consciousness

The AAAAI's Insect Allergy Committee recommends the following tips to avoid insect stings:

• Stay out of the "territory" of stinging insects' nests
• Hire a trained exterminator to destroy nest and hives near your home
• Don't drink from a straw or can that you cannot see inside of, this is a favorite place for yellow jackets to hide
• Do not swat at stinging insects if encountered by them
• Avoid wearing heavy perfume and brightly colored clothing outdoors
• Keep all food covered outside until eaten

In my area of the Brainerd Lakes in Minnesota, ground nests are common and difficult to find until you disturb one ( then run like the wind). Yellowjackets also love piles of old hay or straw. They nest under stairs, in dark cavities and get particularly annoyed by vibrations.

Play safe , they do not play nice!

     Recent sightings of four great white sharks have prompted a swimming ban for the rest of the Labor Day weekend at some of the area's Oceanside beaches, including North Beach, Lighthouse Beach, South Beach and Harding Beach and Nauset Beach.

       No swimming this Labor Day weekend and maybe for another month.  The Great White Sharks have moved in and are enjoying the ideal water temperatures and the abundant fresh food, in the form of seals.  They do not care if you planned a beach weekend retreat, are there on your first vacation in years, or if you are going back to school tomorrow.  They are doing what sharks do and they are doing it very well.

Great white shark scientific name : Carcharodon Carcharias   photo by Flickr: hermanusbackpackers

     The Great White is between 12-16 feet long, and can grow up to 19-21 feet. The Great White is the most feared fish for humans. Great White Sharks are a very large species of shark. They are streamlined swimmers, and have a torpedo-shaped body with a pointed snout.

     They have about 3000 teeth, arranged in several rows. The first two rows of teeth are used for grabbing and cutting prey, while the teeth in the last rows rotate into place when front teeth are broken, worn down, or fall out. The teeth are triangularly shaped with serrations on the edges. (How cool is that!)

     The back of the shark is a dull grey color and the underside is colored white. They have three main fins: the dorsal (on back) and two pectoral fins (on the sides). The tail is crescent shaped. There are five  gill slits on Great White Sharks. The Great White reaches maturity about 9 years after it's birth. The growth of The Great White shark is about 25-30 cm per year. The White Shark has litters of about 7-9 pups. The females only reproduce twice in her whole life.

Some  shark information from  www.indianchild.com