Sandpoint Blog Articles, Pics, & More

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Remembering Why We Celebrate on the 4th: Sandpoint Blog - Back in high school I remember performing Hanson's Song of Democracy. It was our bicentennial celebration.

Northside Fire Department near Sandpoint in Bonner County saving lives: Sandpoint Blog - Last night my girlfriend called me to tell me she was on a call. She is part of Northside Fire Department and the call was a breached large gas line. An excavation crew had punctured the large pipe in spite of having a map. Maps are only so…

Two Waterfront Closings to Couples from Virginia since October - Success in Sandpoint: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - In the $500, 000 to $1, 000, 000 range of homes on Lake Pend Oreille in Sandpoint, Idaho, I'm not doin' too bad. In October I closed a home on Sunnyside for a very nice couple from Virginia. The home was originally listed for $1, 200, 000. Through…

With this post, I have just broken 100,000 points on Activerain and am ranked #13 in Idaho! - At last I've broken the 100, 000 point mark. I promise much more to come. Gary Lirette and his love O'Hally enjoying life…

First American Title Co. in Sandpoint used to be our Public Library - I was at a closing for a waterfront home today I was attending for my client. While I am very happy to be one of the few selling waterfront homes, I couldn't help but note how lovely the old building was. I listed a new waterfront home Thursday for..

Chuck's Slough - A beautiful waterway off Pine Street in Sandpoint, Idaho - As I was driving through Sandpoint the other day, I couldn't help but note that Chuck's Slough is in full bloom. Pretty beautiful. What do you think?..

Dover Bay Cafe - A New Style of Waterfront Dining in Sandpoint, Idaho: Sandpoint Blog - As another beautiful summer shines upon Sandpoint, Lake Pend Oreille, and North Idaho the NEW Dover Bay Café is updated and upgraded by the experienced restaurateur Gary Peitz and his team.

In spite of the rain, Sandpoint held its first Farmers Market: Sandpoint Blog - So, music was scheduled, but electronics and rain don't get along. Still, there was fresh bread and produce, bric-a-brac, and all sorts of sundries at the Sandpoint Farmers Market today.

National Day of Prayer in Farmin Park, Sandpoint, Idaho: Sandpoint Blog - National Day of Prayer was Thursday. It was held in Farmin Park at noon for a time of prayer.

BIKING & HIKING GUIDE for SANDPOINT IN NORTH IDAHO: Sandpoint Blog - So, there are some trails that are not exactly legal, like the one off Brisboys and Lakeshore, or the Pend Oreille Bay Trail. Why go on one of those when there are so many great ones to choose from in North Idaho?

Sweetie & Sinatra - The story of the wonderful geese at Arlo's in Sandpoint: Sandpoint Blog - Nine years ago Lisa and Tom Guscott gave up the corporate life in New York and started their new life in Sandpoint, Idaho. Theirs was a storybook romance.

Sometimes you just have a good week: Sandpoint Blog - Have you ever been so busy you wonder if you are actually accomplishing your real goals? I have had a good and busy week.

Jackie Henrion and Dan Earle - an extraordinary artistic couple: Sandpoint Blog - Several years ago I had the great pleasure of meeting Jackie Henrion and Dan Earle. Dan was displaying his art at the annual show I used to host: the Midwinter Art Fest.

Tango Cafe - A Great Place to Eat before our weekly meetings: Sandpoint Blog - I stopped at Tango Cafe on the way to my weekly meeting for Tomlinson Sandpoint Sotheby's International Realty at the Panhandle State Bank.

K2 Inn Reopens with their Grand Opening in Sandpoint: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - For a couple of years two Sandpoint landmarks have sat in Purgatory.

Idaho veterans acquire helicopter for memorial: Sandpoint Blog - Today on my North Idaho Arts & Adventure show I had the good luck to talk for a few minutes with Bill Collier.

Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper helping to keep our waters pristine: Sandpoint Blog - Anyone who has listened to my North Idaho Arts & Adventure radio show knows I have a special place in my heart for Lake Pend Oreille. We all do. Time after time I have heard the story about how when first approaching Sandpoint crossing the…

Looking for a good time...call...946-9876! Yappy Hour at Laughing Dog: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - Karen and Rich e-mailed this to me: Rich and I are hosting Yappy Hour for the Panhandle Animal Shelter (PAS). This is an event that was started in order to have a social hour for owners and their dogs. Last year, PAS began bringing shelter dogs to…

History of Sandpoint, North Idaho, & Bonner County: Sandpoint Blog - Click here for a North Idaho History Timeline To understand the history of Sandpoint, and Bonner County, North Idaho, one must first take into account our geography. While our area is dominated by mountains, the most prominent feature is Lake…

A simple handshake can make all the difference to a soldier: Sandpoint Blog - A woman I know stopped me today to tell me a story. Her son had joined the army and had returned for a visit post-basic training. Pretty typical to come home between AIT and basic. The soldier and his mother had decided to have a bite to eat at…

Sandpoint at the North End of the Long Bridge - A documentary celebrating the Sandpoint Centennial: Sandpoint Blog - "David Thompson first referred to it in one of his journals as "a point of sand" that pushed into Lake Pend Oreille. Members of the Kalispell tribe called it Qapquape, which translates to "sandy place. " Today, Sandpoint is nothing similar to the…

Real Estate Gimmicks - Remember the Mobile Artists' Open House? Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - We all know some of the various methods sellers and REALTORS® use to close the sale. In this market, it can be frustrating. How do you get buyers to even notice the home, much less put pen to dotted line? Some things are pretty standard, such…

Idaho 360 Virtual Tours: Sandpoint Blog - Idaho 360 Virtual Tours There are six 360º Virtual Tours showing landmarks from our area. They are pretty cool, but a couple are questionable, even lame. Still, here they are: Sandpoint Long Bridge Sleep's Cabins Lake Pend Oreille…

Beautiful Priest River, Idaho at the confluence of the Pend Oreille and Priest Rivers: Sandpoint Blog - Various pictures along the Pend Oreille River, through the Panhandle Historic Rivers Passage Scenic Byway, near Priest River, Idaho.

YouTube is one way to get your message out: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - We all have learned about social media and YouTube. Are you using these new tools. I have used them in minor efforts for seven years. I am stepping up my game and trying to post videos, blogs, messages, and use things like Activerain and Facebook on a daily basis.

St. Patrick's Day in Sandpoint: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - On St. Patrick's Day I went around town a few spots a to see what was happening in Sandpoint, Idaho. Here are a few pics, and check out the link below for the video:

Life in Sandpoint - A Video Commentary: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - This last two weeks Sandpoint, Idaho had lots going on. The Follies wowed audiences, like usual. I had the good fortune to perform a tongue-in-cheek tribute to Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis with Lars Larson. (See the video here, and understand, it is not for the easily offended.) The event raises close to $25,000 for local charities. Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters had an event at the roastery last Saturday. My friend Ray Allen performed at the Pend d'Oreille Winery, Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort had fresh powder, and town was kickin'.

North Idaho TravelCast-Sandpoint, Idaho and Bonners Ferry: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - A great website for Idaho is the Visit North Idaho website. While there are plenty of resources, such as events, interactive maps, and loads of ideas for things to do in North Idaho, I particularly enjoy this new feature of videos about different areas of interest.

A Concern About Wetlands in North Idaho: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - I received an inquiry from some folks looking for property and they had a concern about wetlands in our area. Here is part of what I sent them in response:

Pictures of Sandpoint, Idaho in March: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - In like a lion, out like a lamb, March can be a crazy month. Spring is in the air, and in North Idaho, we look forward to the snow melting and a bit of warmth. In 2007 and 2008, two of the biggest snow years on record, March was frosty and the snow…

Reheasal for the Follies in Sandpoint, Idaho: Sandpoint Blog - This last week we had our rehearsal at the event center for the Follies See pictures of our antics below. The Follies is one of several events put on by Angels Over Sandpoint T he Angels Over Sandpoint is a non-profit (501c3) organization that…

A Sunny Day Drive up to Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - With fresh powder from the last snow and a sunny day beckoning, I took a leisurely drive up to Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort and snapped these shots along the way: Road up to Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort Entering…

Pictures of North Idaho near Sandpoint: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - While driving clients around I snapped these photographs of the area of North Idaho surrounding Sandpoint: Train passing Lake Cocolalla on a sunny day View of Lake Pend Oreille mountains in Trinity at City Beach Pend Oreille as seen from…

Sunny Winter Day in Newport, WA & Priest River, ID: Sandpoint Blog - I took these pics yesterday to be included as lifestyle pics for a new listing: Merrit Brothers Bridge in Priest River Pend Oreille River leading into Newport, Washington Newport, WA from the air Pend Oreille River on the Idaho/Washington…

Pictures of North Idaho near Sandpoint: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - While driving clients around I snapped these photographs of the area of North Idaho surrounding Sandpoint:..

Sunny Winter Day in Newport, WA & Priest River, ID: Sandpoint Blog - I took these pics yesterday to be included as lifestyle pics for a new listing...

Questions a good Sandpoint Realtor might ask a Seller: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - Here are some notes which are a compilation of several meetings of brainstorming about Sellers...

Pictures sell your listing: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - There is no doubt that pictures sell your listing. Many use professional photography to better showcase the homes of our sellers. In a resort area like ours, it is equally important to sell our area. In our last weekly meeting at Tomlinson Sandpoint…

Scenes from Altitude-Photographic Perspectives of Sandpoint & Lake Pend Oreille from on high: Sandpoint Blog - Here are scenes from mountain tops and the air of Sandpoint, Idaho and the surrounds of Lake Pend Oreille and Schweitzer Mountain. There are 87 pictures in all, featured on my Facebook page. The photos will be presented in a presentation at the Hope…

Pictures of Sandpoint, Idaho & Schweitzer Mountain-Scenic Winter: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - We have had the same bitter cold the rest of the country is suffering from, though we really can't complain when the ground is covered by snow and most of January has been in the upper 30s and low 40s. While driving around Sandpoint on a brilliant…

Views of the Pend Oreille River Valley and Sandpoint, Idaho from Baldy Mountain: Sandpoint Blog - Here are some pics of the Pend Oreille River Valley and Sandpoint, Idaho from Baldy Mountain. The pics come from a listing of mine from a house that is an eco-friendly, green-built home by area designer Pete Keller.

Pictures of Sandpoint, Idaho & Schweitzer Mountain-Scenic Winter - We have had the same bitter cold the rest of the country is suffering from, though we really can't complain when the ground is covered by snow and most of January has been in the upper 30s and low 40s. While driving around Sandpoint on a brilliant…

Views of the Pend Oreille River Valley and Sandpoint, Idaho from Baldy Mountain - Here are some pics of the Pend Oreille River Valley and Sandpoint, Idaho from Baldy Mountain. The pics come from a listing of mine from a house that is an eco-friendly, green-built home by area designer Pete Keller.

Sandpoint Longbridge over Lake Pend Oreille: Sandpoint Real Estate Blog - The first Long Bridge began May 26, 1908, and was in operation until being torn down in the 1930's to make room for a new wooden bridge. During the Great Depression that the second bridge was built with help from the WPA and finished March 3, 1934…

Sandpoint Waterfront Blog: Lake Pend Oreille Sunsets - Lake Pend Oreille is a lake in North Idaho, with a surface area of 148 square miles. With 111 miles of coastline, it is 65 miles long, and 1, 150 feet deep in some regions, making it the fifth deepest in the US. It is fed by the Clark Fork River and…

Shades of Lake Pend Oreille - Sandpoint lies on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille, one of the most beautiful lakes in North America. Lake Pend Oreille is so deep and quiet the U. S. Navy has a submarine research facility located here. There are few lakes that host the scenery that…

Pictures of Skijoring - A new event at the Sandpoint Winter Carnival - At the beginning of December I had a conversation with Matt Smart from Mountain Horse Adventures on my show: Speak Up North Idaho broadcast on KSPT and KBFI in North Idaho…

K-9 Keg Pull at the Sandpoint Winter Carnival: Sandpoint Blog - One of the final events for the Sandpoint Winter Carnival is the K-9 Keg Pull. Every shape and size of dog participates, and every age and type of owner urges them on. It is held in the alley beside Eichardt's Pub, and people cheer on the mutts and…

Schweitzer Torchlight Parade and Fireworks for the Sandpoint Winter Carnival - For the 37th Annual Sandpoint Winter Carnival hundreds of people gathered in Schweitzer Village to witness this Winter Carnival signature event where Schweitzer lit up the night with its annual torchlight parade and fireworks. A constellation of…

Rail Jam & Bonfire during Sandpoint Winter Carnival 2011 - Every year, Main Street right in front of my office at Tomlinson Sandpoint Sotheby's International Realty is closed off for one of the main events for Sandpoint Winter Carnival for the Rail Jam and Bonfire. Brent Sleeps handles the fire, and there…

Bio-Luminesce Fire Dancers perform at Pend d'Oreille Winery for Sandpoint Winter Carnival - The Bio-Luminesce Firedancers have performed for the last five years at the Sandpoint Winter Carnival. They have always performed in the courtyard at Pend d'Oreille Winery. However, in the last two years they have attracted a crowd upwards of 200…

Taste of Sandpoint 2011 served up great food and fun: Sandpoint Blog - The Taste of Sandpoint started Sandpoint Winter Carnival with food and fun at the Sandpoint Events Center Thursday night. The Sandpoint Events Center at 515 Pine St. sat empty for years until being renovated just a few years ago. The Sandpoint…

Perspectives of Sandpoint, Idaho - views from altitude - Here is a collection of pictures from the air and mountain tops around Sandpoint, Idaho of the city, the Longbridge, and Lake Pend Oreille...

Longest Ski Hat in the World - Apparently, back in the 1970s, a woman in Sandpoint, Idaho with a knitting machine, made this over 700 foot-long ski hat...

Winter views of Sandpoint City Beach

Perspectives from Altitude - Sandpoint in Winter White

Downtown Sandpoint photos of Winter: Sandpoint Blog

Know where you are going in life, you may already be there: Sandpoint Blog

Dusk on the Spokane River - Took these shots about a month ago before the first big snow on the Spokane River

Great Sandpoint Reviews & Schweitzer Mountain Stories

Ski Joring during Sandpoint Winter Carnival

Love is like a snowflake-I think I'll hike the Roman Nose

Fall season pictures of Schweitzer Mountain and Lake Pend Oreille from Trestle Creek

Owl on Schweitzer Mountain in North Idaho - While driving up to Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort from Sandpoint, Idaho I saw this owl off in the distance:…

Autumn Colors of North Idaho - 2nd installment

Autumn Colors of North Idaho - 1st installment

A day at the pumpkin patch at Green Bluff - On the hills above Spokane is a farming community called Green Bluff...

The last Farmer's Market & a Walk Around Sandpoint

Boating on Lake Pend Oreille

Selling Lake Pend Oreille Waterfront is a blast: Sandpoint Blog - So, in the last month I have sold a home originally listed at $1, 200, 000 for under $750, 000 and another listed originally for $799, 000 for under $250, 000. There are certainly some bargains out there…

My Job is Better than your Vacation

Fawn peeking out of the brush

Photos of the wild goats of Scotchman Peaks

Pictures of the Grand Finale of the Festival at Sandpoint

Hiking the Alpine Lakes and Mountains of North Idaho

Bonner Healing Garden - A Sandpoint Gem

Secret Thai Cafe

Moose appeared out of thin air

Sandpoint & North Idaho Waterfront Real Estate Blog

What Ben Stein wrote about Sandpoint  - American Spectator

Cool pics of Sandpoint, Idaho and Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort

Pictures of Priest Lake and surrounding North Idaho

Pictures of Bonners Ferry and surrounding North Idaho

Seaplane flight around Lake Pend Oreille & Sandpoint in North Idaho

Improvements at Riley Creek Recreation Area truly wonderful

Laughing Dog expands to 26 states: a Sandpoint Success Story

Alpacas, buffalo, elk, & other exotic livestock a way of life in N Idaho

An afternoon on Lake Coeur d'Alene

Gary Lirette-Sandpoint Idaho Real Estate Blog (Tomlinson Sandpoint Sotheby's International Realty)