AVA! stop the barking and tell your Mom to Feed US!

Good Advice for 2011 from a successful business owner

Hire a dream team. No one can be everywhere at once. You must have the right team in place to be successful in any business. I always try to hire the best. I look for an outstanding portfolio, a relentless work ethic, and an ambitious streak. Unfortunately, even if you screen thoroughly, you'll inevitably end up hiring some folks who just don't pull their weight. For the sake of your business, you must be willing to let those team members go. Ineffective employees will eventually drag down company morale and will sap company profits because of their lack of productivity.

Just cute...

"Blizzard" December 2010

Ava says THIS IS THE LAST TIME in a hat

DownEast Mag Cover

Shows that The Swan Agency Sotheby's International Realty is certainly hip and on trend! :-)

One of my favorite places....

Here's a hint of where I got to go today... one of my favorite places on Mount Desert Island. (And it's not so bad helping to choose your own Christmas present either). :-)))

Happy Monday!

LOVE Vince Vaughn

Watching Fred Clause in background while working on budgets...

Press Release from Maine Credit Union League

Fundraiser Off To An 'Amazing' Start

December 14, 2010

The partnership between music and money to help end hunger in Maine is off to an 'amazing' beginning. In just-released figures, sales of The Amazing Music of Mainers - Volume 1, a 2-CD set whose proceeds go to the Maine Credit Unions' Campaign for Ending Hunger, were strong enough for the CD to debut at #14 in CD sales on Bull Moose Music's Top 20 Best Seller list.


The 27-song 2-CD, which also features short cuts by comedian Tim Sample and the late Marshall Dodge, is a compilation of artists who have ties to Maine. Combined, the artists on the CD have sold more than 200 million records and won 15 Grammy Awards. Some of the artists on the CD include: Don McLean, Dan Fogelberg, Rudy Vallee, Schooner Fare, Jonathan Edwards, Devonsquare, Rustic Overtones, Dick Curless, Noel Paul Stookey and many more.

"The response from people has been remarkable. Because of the eclectic mix of artists, this CD has something for every musical taste and generation. The best part of all is that the sale of one CD purchases $72.00 worth of food to help food pantries provide food to the 13% of Maine people who would otherwise go hungry, including 1 in 4 Maine children. Maine's credit unions are about helping the communities in which they serve and this CD captures the credit union philosophy of 'people helping people'," explained Jon Paradise of the Maine Credit Union League.

Paradise said the CDs are available at nearly all 200 Maine credit union locations across the state, Best Buy, Bull Moose Music, Mr. Paperback and other select retail locations. "No matter where someone buys this CD, the proceeds all go to help Maine's credit unions end hunger."

Q & A

Me, to google: "do Yorkies get along with kittens"

google, to me: "no"

Me, to Ava: "sorry Av...."

Note: Yorkies are on the list of most predatory dogs. Seriously. :-)

Yorkie Ville

I could have plush dogs made after Ava! She would love to snuggle in the middle of them all like this New Yorkie.

SURVIVOR Fans!! You'll love this!

Dana took this photo of Erica and me with "Survivor Bob". Bob and his lovely wife Peggy are friends of Mary Herbert's and were guests at The Swan Agency Sotheby's International Realty's Cupcakes and Champagne holiday party at the Danforth in Portland. Plans underway to have a SURVIVOR night at Danforth sometime this winter where Bob will share his experience and answer questions about how he WON Survivor Season 17. What a treat.

Treat!!!

I just got a reminder that I had a store credit at bluefly.com and they were having a 10 hour sale on jewelry. Love! :-)

Marine Mammal Rescue

Years and years ago, John got a call of an abandoned baby seal. When we got to the trailer of the people who called it in, they had the baby in their bath tub. We brought him to the Trenton airport for transport to Boston Aquarium. He was one of the sweetest babies I have ever had the pleasure to cuddle with. There is NO money for this type of save and some very sad things are happening. If you follow this link, you can reserve a license plate supporting the cause and DMR will be able to get money for this very worthwhile cause. Please HELP. I am going to in memory of my little buddy from all those years ago :-) http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rm/mammals/plate/index.htm

Spooner Trio LIVE

For those of you who haven't seen Jason Spooner live yet. Check this out, tomorrow night at Brian Boru.

Ava loves her Grampa

Tim Sample on the Amazing Music of Mainers

http://www.wcsh6.com/video/default.aspx?aid=67064#/Comedian%20Tim%20Sample/702327447001

What the heck, a few more then I'll stop.

More Dana Photos from Sunday

GORGEOUS PHOTOS from Dana Moos

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Santa cupcakes, Ava playing in the snow celebrating no school, even my veggies for tonight have a festive look.

Santa cupcake

Will be posting lots more pictures later but this photo by a guest is too good not to share now. The first annual The Swan Agency Sotheby's International Champagne & Cupcakes event was a huge success!

From Mount Desert Islander

Music to Help Mainers

Friday, November 12, 2010 at 11:00 pm
BAR HARBOR — Many Maine recording artists are joining the Maine Credit Union League’s Ending Hunger Campaign by lending their talents to “The Amazing Music of Mainers” in hopes of providing one million meals to Maine families from the sales of the album.

Included among the 26 participating artists are: Dan Fogelberg, Don McLean, Noel Paul Stookey, Jonathan Edwards, Tim Sample, Paul Sullivan, Aztec Two Step, Devonsquare, Schooner Fare, Gordon Bok, David Mallett, and Cindy Bullens.

The album is a pet project of Bar Harbor’s Kim Swan.

The two-disc compilation includes a booklet filled with stories of the artists’ backgrounds, their musical histories, and their connection to Maine.

CDs can be purchased at local Maine credit unions, as well as all Bull Moose, Mr. Paperback, Best Buy, Borders and The Swan Agency Sotheby’s International Realty locations. Online purchases can be made at www.mainevillepublishing.com and www.exiles.com.

For more arts & entertainment news, pick up a copy of the Mount Desert Islander.

Ava proclaiming innocence...

Whaaaaaaaaaaaat Mom? I was NOT going to get up on the table.... Jeez.....

Cupcake Obsession

Need to get through Sunday for my cupcake obsession to go away. We have ordered a LOT of cupcakes but are going to decorate some ourselves. Fun. Have I posted this pic yet?

Francine Schrock at The Danforth

Francine Schrock's "Portland" show is up at The Danforth and will be until the end of December. There are so many fabulous works of special Portland landmarks and special spots.

Perfect Perch

from which to watch the snow melt....

Please tell your friends!!

Last year at Danforth..

This is from Compositions website. Very pretty, and subtle. Going a bit more green this year. Color, not politically correct position.

Decorating Danforth

So fun.... we have four mantles to do at Danforth, I've decided one is going to be centered around white tulips.

Our Holiday Message

This is in the middle of our Thanksgiving ads for The Swan Agency Sotheby's International Realty.

MY LITTLE GIRL

is THREE years old today!! She didn't know what to make of her birthday treats from Trader Joe's at first but she has now learned to love them and the chewing sound may drive me to turn music up. SO SWEET!!!!!!!!!!! I keep singing to her and hugging her and she just keeps looking at me like "WHAT is wrong with you Mom?" LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Decorating

I want to totally go crazy at Danforth but need to keep it classy. I want to have wreaths on every window and wrap the columns in lighted garland, ohhh the possibilities.............

2011 Marketing Campaign Starts Today

Bogue Chitto

Having so much fun working on marketing for Bar Harbor's first Boating Community, Bogue Chitto, in Hulls Cove. I don't have time to do brokerage myself anymore but once in a while a project comes along that I can't resist. There are going to be five new oceanfront homes, gorgeous. It is a Paul Paradis and Brian Shaw project so you know it will be great quality!

Toykies for Ava

Think.

No pleasure philosophy, no sensuality, no place nor power, no material success can for a moment give such inner satisfaction as the sense of living for good purposes, for maintenance of integrity, for the preservation of self-approval.
-- Minot Simons

Good sign...

I think we have run out of Sale Pending signs....

CMA Awards

FINALLY watching the CMA Awards that we DVR'd last week. So cool. They just gave the songwriter of the year award and it was fun to picture Aaron up there soon! :-)

Acadia Carriage Roads 100 miles 2010

HIGH FIVE FOR 100th Mile 2010! (a gam photo ;-)

Shopping

The Careful Art of Appropriate Acquisition

Amazing Music of Mainer's

Ev and I made a quick trip to Portland today to pick up almost 1000 sets of CDs. (Mom was supposed to come with us but that is a whole other story.... )

SO psyched to get these delivered with their holder to all of our Swan Sotheby's International Realty offices.

www.highlandrosebarharbor.com

Finished this website today, still needs tweaking.

Pillow Snugs

This is a new thing the last few nights. I am reading and Ava is digging around making a nest right beside my head.... this girl's mind...