I'm an idealist. I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way. Carl Sandburg

Dear Friends and Clients,


At this special time of year, I would like to express my sincerest appreciation for the trust you have placed in me. I look back on the years with thanks for your loyalty and I look forward to the New Year as we work together to successfully fulfill all your real estate goals. Thank you for being you and best wishes for the holidays and 2024!


On that note: I have some questions for you. Are you ready to down size or up size? Is it time to build your dream home? Is it time to sell and move into town or buy or build in the woods? Our inventory still remains a bit tight and once a property goes on the market, it doesn't stay long!


Give me a text or call and let me know your needs and wants. Whatever your real estate goals, I can help. I'll listen to you, and together, we'll set expectations based on current market conditions. Remember, not every buyer is looking for a mortgage and many buyers are looking for a safe and stable place to put their money. This is a time for bold thinking.


I am known for walking all the way with my clients, giving them the benefit of my knowledge and experience and I never let them slip. Times may have changed in real estate, but my experience and knowledge will guide you in the right direction. I will help you meet your needs and we'll have some fun, too! We can and will do it--together. Call me, we'll make it happen. 


Sending you happy times from our home to yours,

Denise

Activities Around the  Flathead
What's Happening in Bigfork

FEATURED BUSINESS - Woods Bay Wine Bar with David and Emily Meester

At Woods Bay Wine Bar, you can relax with a glass of wine, beer or whisky while noshing on a charcuterie platter or other small plates.

 

Enjoy dinner starting at 5pm Wednesday to Sunday and a prefixe menu Thursday through Sunday. Call to be placed on our email blast for the weekly menu.

As your Woods Bay Wine Merchants, we select wines from many regions of the world and are always keeping our eyes out for unique varietals and indigenous grapes from far off lands.

Woods Bay Wine Shop sells cold beer, cider, and wine. Grab a six pack, bomber, or bottle for your next dinner or party.

 

Owners, Dave and Emily Meester


Wood Bay Wine Bar is located at 14942 Montana Highway 35 in Woods Bay. Call 406-420-2247

NATIONAL NEWS

It's cold season. Here are five simple and natural home remedies to help ease sore throat discomfort.

Mortgage rates continue downward for the 5th consecutive week, according to the Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

The Magic Number:

What mortgage rates would get buyers and sellers excited to move?

Today’s average homebuyer has a six-digit household income, according to new data released by the National Association of Realtors.

NEWS AROUND BIGFORK AND THE FLATHEAD VALLEY

Champagne Tasting at Woods Bay Wine Bar.

Join the fun Dec 16th anytime between 2- 5pm. 

Perfect for the holidays!

7 of US 's Best Lake Towns. Bigfork is a lake lover’s paradise located between Glacier National Park and Missoula, Montana.

These amazing places In the world will help you plan your next vacation. Our own Glacier National Park is on top on the list!

Around these parts, we like a live tree and we have plenty of them! Here are some tips on caring for your living Christmas tree.

LISTINGS

SOLD

123 Barron Way, Kalispell

MLS #30012289

UNDER CONTRACT

318 Old Sawyer Way Bigfork

MLS #30014790

UNDER CONTRACT

80 Ranchetts Road Bigfork

MLS #30005981

Testimonial

“It was an absolute pleasure working with you and your staff in selling our home. I appreciated your attention

in the steps along the process. Your integrity, professionalism, experience and suggestions made my decisions easier. I will also miss your sense of humor. I thank you very much, and I would recommend you to anyone looking to buy or sell a home in the Flathead Valley.”

Ruthann Grossman

CURRENT STATS FOR FLATHEAD AND LAKE COUNTY

CERI says... "All I want for Christmas is..."

Custom Dog Bowl

Precious Tails Modern Orthopedic Dog Sofa

Compendium Our Years Together:Memory Keeper

Paravel Cabana Pet Carrier

Dog Bathrobe

Bonne et Filou Lavender Macaron Treats

Fi Fi Smart Collar Series 3

Wild One Walk Kit

Rainbow Heart Pet Sweater

LESHaute Diggity Dog Perignonn Champagne

Little Beast Silver Linings Sweater

OUAI OUAI Pet Shampoo

Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush

PetPortraitGalaxy Custom Pet Portrait

Peerless Sidekick Shower System Combo

Frisco Hide & Seek Plush Chewy Box Puzzle Dog Toy


I think that will do it, Thanks Santa!

For more ideas for your furry friend, click here.

DENISE'S COOKING CORNER - Mushroom and Beef Stroganoff

This comfort food classic uses the same basic ingredients as a typical beef Stroganoff but re-proportions them, so the dish is better for you with a balanced richness that satisfies in a lighter way. Serves 4


I like to pair with a Belle Glos pinot noir. Even a Shiraz or dry rose would complement the dish nicely.


INGREDIENTS

12 ounces boneless sirloin steak, trimmed and thinly sliced across the grain

Generous 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 to 2 large shallots, chopped (1/2 cup)

20 ounces white button mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed and sliced (6 cups)

1 clove garlic, minced or finely grated

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups low-sodium beef broth

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Cooked whole-grain egg noodles, for serving 


DIRECTIONS

Step 1

Season the meat with 1/8 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil until shimmering. Add the beef and cook until seared but still pink inside, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the meat with its juices to a plate.


Step 2

Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their water and it has evaporated, for 8 to 10 minutes.


Step 3

Sprinkle the mushrooms with the flour and stir until well combined. Add the broth and, stirring, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the remaining salt and pepper and cook until the mixture thickens and reduces slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mustard until well incorporated. Add the sour cream, stirring until incorporated. Return the meat and any accumulated juices to the pan and cook until the meat is just warmed through, but still medium-rare, 1 to 2 minutes.


Step 4

Serve warm, garnished with the parsley, over the noodles.

DENISE'S READING CORNER - The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Jeannette Walls shares the difficult but honest story of her childhood. She was raised in a highly dysfunctional family with her three siblings. Her parents were nomads and couldn’t settle down. Jeannette’s mother loved to read, paint, and had a teaching degree, but mostly didn't work, thinking work as a waste of time. Her dad was a very intelligent man who worked off and on; however he was an alcoholic and at times abusive. With delusions of grandeur, he thought he could find gold, get rich and build the family a glass castle.


“When Dad wasn’t telling us about all the amazing things he had already done, he was telling us about the wondrous things he was going to do, like build us a Glass Castle.”


Regardless of their living conditions, whether the children had clothes or food to eat, and regardless of their safety, nothing seemed to bother Jeannette’s parents. They expected the children to navigate their own ways to take care of themselves.


Author's Note:

Writing about myself, and about intensely personal and potentially embarrassing experiences, was unlike anything I’d done before. Over the last 25 years, I wrote many versions of this memoir -- sometimes pounding out 220 pages in a single weekend. But I always threw out the pages. At one point I tried to fictionalize it, but that didn't work either. When I was finally ready, I wrote it entirely on the weekends, getting to my desk by 7:30 or 8:00 a.m. and continuing until 6:00 or 7:00 p.m. I wrote the first draft in about six weeks -- but then I spent three or four years rewriting it. 




406.249.1758

[email protected] 

DeniseLangRealEstate.com

Visit me on Facebook