Courtesy of Sonnichsen Team July 2023

Dynamic Real Estate 3-1450 Corydon Avenue Winnipeg MB R3N 0J3

204 989 5000 tf: 877 800 5066 Info@WinnipegHomes.com The Sonnichsen Team

Visit us at: www.WinnipegHomes.com

Tyson Sonnichsen

Blair Sonnichsen

Nancy Dilts

Volume 16 | Number 7

HOME OFFICE DESIGN

Having a practical and dedicated home office that you enjoy will benefit your productivity whether you work from home everyday or periodically. Perhaps now is a good time to take a look around and see about enhancing your home office. Aside from the necessities (computer, accessories, chair, desk) you'll want to follow these guidelines from designers, entrepreneurs and productivity specialists when setting up (or updating) your space. First look for a quiet place where you’ll be able to focus on work and not be distracted by the television, children, pets, etc. Not only will your productivity increase, but having a quiet space will appease clients and colleagues when they’re on the phone with you or in virtual meetings. Nothing is worse than trying to talk to a customer over the sound of your dog barking at the neighbours. Next, try to choose a room with plenty of natural light as it will help boost your mood and provide energy. Additional lights can be added in the form of lamps and desk lights, but natural light is ideal and more cost effective on sunny days. Another way to keep your productivity levels up is to have a neutral-coloured office area. Think of painting or accessorizing with natural, earthy tones, off-whites, blues or even greens. These colours tend to be more calming and less distracting. Finally, decorate the room to suit your tastes. Consider bringing in plants to keep the air fresh and add a boost of colour. Personal items to help keep you motivated, inspired and in a good mood throughout the day too.

BBQ CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS WITH STRAWBERRY-CHIPOTLE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS : 1 lb ripe strawberries stemmed 3 chipotle chili peppers in adobo 2 cloves garlic 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp honey 1 tsp kosher salt plus more for seasoning 10 -12 chicken drumsticks about 4 pounds Ground black pepper for seasoning

DIRECTIONS: 1. Heat grill to medium heat. Clean grill grates and brush with oil right before you put the chicken on. 2. Make the sauce by blending strawberries, chipotles, garlic, vinegar, honey and salt in a blender until smooth. Pour 1 cup of sauce in a liquid measuring cup and reserve the rest for serving. 3. Meanwhile generously season chicken with salt and pepper on all sides. 4. Grill chicken with the lid down for 15-20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes to make sure it is not burning. 5. After 15 minutes (or when chicken meat starts pulling away from the bone), generously brush one side of the chicken with the measured amount of sauce. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Turn and generously brush the other side of the chicken with sauce. Cook, covered, for another 5 minutes. You should use almost all of the 1 cup of sauce. Discard any leftover sauce that you’ve been using to brush the chicken with. 6. Once chicken is cooked all the way through, remove from grill and serve with reserved sauce.

Courtesy of californiastrawberries.com

WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES ANOTHER OPENS; BUT WE SO OFTEN LOOK SO LONG AND SO REGRETFULLY UPON THE CLOSED DOOR, THAT WE DO NOT SEE THE ONES WHICH OPEN FOR US. - Alexander Graham Bell

Alexander Graham Bell (1847 to 1922) is most widely known as the inventor of the telephone, but did you know he also co founded the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT & T) in 1885? Bell was born in Scotland but resided in Canada for a period of time in Brantford, Ontario, and the house where he lived, Melville House, is now a National Historic Site.

CHOOSING CURTAINS THAT ARE THE RIGHT SIZE With the sun shining longer these days, window coverings are a must to keep rooms dark, cool and comfortable. Hanging curtains is relatively easy and with a few measurements taken beforehand, can be stressless as well. First, determine how many panels you need by measuring the width of your window from the outside of the frame. Double the width to find out how wide your curtains need to be at minimum. Add anywhere from 8 to 12 inches to the total width to account for the curtain rod extending beyond the window if you want to stack the fabric on the side to let the light in. Doing so will allow the panels to hang loosely and not have any gaps between the panels and at the ends of the window. Curtain length is important as well. Curtains that are too short can make the room look shorter and therefore smaller. Curtains that are too long can collect dust, be a tripping hazard or an enticing toy for children or pets to pull on or climb. The right length would hang just above the floor by an inch or two. Typically, you'll hang the curtain rod about six inches above the top of the window, so calculate accordingly. Be sure to take into account the distance from the top of the curtain to any gromets or casings where the rod will go. If you are attempting to make your ceilings appear taller and thus the room larger, you can hang curtains just below the ceiling. This is a handy trick for basements or small windows. Remember, you can always hem curtains, so if the length you need is between two of the standard sizes, choose the longer option. With your measurements in mind, you can choose the proper sized panels for your windows. Don’t be afraid to mix panels that come in different textures, fabrics or colours to add a unique design element to your room.

INEXPENSIVE AND CREATIVE WAYS TO FILL A BLANK WALL

Sometimes leaving the wall blank can be a décor statement in and of itself. It draws your attention to the space and can make a room appear larger. However, sometimes filling a wall with art, photos, furniture, etc. can help make a room feel complete. There are numerous ways to decorate a wall that can be inexpensive and more interesting than your typical photo or art wall. If you like the idea of making the room look larger, hang mirrors – either small mirrors in a grouping or a large mirror with a decorative frame – the reflection will make the room appear larger and there will always be something to look at. If the room’s size isn’t an issue, consider hanging a large statement piece like a tapestry, quilt or rug. Framed or not, these large pieces can add a vibrant and unique detail to a room and can be a focal point to which you base the rest of the

room’s décor around. Something more family friendly, or even a great idea if you frequently entertain guests is a chalk wall. Paint the whole wall, or a portion, with chalk paint or adhere an old-school chalk board at eye level. There are many different chalk pens on the market or the basic white or coloured chalk sticks for kids or guests to let their creativity flow. The best part is, this type of wall art will always be changing and you can decorate it for the season. A final idea to add some pizzaz to a blank wall is to create a plant wall. Living, or artificial, plants can be hung in a giant configuration or a pattern or randomly in smaller groupings. Plants tend to make you feel more relaxed and if you go the live plant route, are a great natural air filter. Think outside the box if you have a blank wall and have a little bit of fun with filling it up.

SEASONAL TIP Here’s your summer time reminder to make sure your ceiling fans are rotating in a counter-clockwise direction. Having them rotate this way will help move the cool air down leaving your rooms more comfortable.

WORD SCRAMBLE Can you unscramble these letters into popular computer terms?

____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________

SOWTFERA

DEYKRBAO

SEOUM

HEAKRC

UMNASREE

Solution: Software Keyboard Mouse Hacker Username Monitor Server Download Password Printer

MTONRIO

ERVESR

DNLDWOAO

RSDAWSOP

NITERRP

Courtesy of www.thinkablepuzzles.com

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN PURCHASING A COOLER

Whether you're camping, hosting an outdoor barbeque, purchasing frozen groceries during the peak of the summer or taking a road trip, having a good cooler can come in handy. With so many coolers on the market, finding the right one for you can be a big task. Determining your needs is key. If you’ll be using a cooler for camping, fishing, etc. your needs will be different than if you’re using one for transporting groceries or heading on a picnic. Also consider that you may need different coolers for various situations. There are a few things to consider when purchasing the right cooler for you: • Handles – long handles on a cooler make it easier to transport when you have two people, but are a bit of a hinderance for one person to lift the cooler onto a table for instance. • Wheels – you can easily move long distances (and over rough terrain) when there are wheels to help you pull the cooler, but if they break you may be stuck carrying it back. • Drainage – you don't want the cooler to leak, but you also want to be able to easily empty melted ice so a drainage spout can come in handy. • Lid insulation – the lid will be the part of the cooler most exposed to sunlight if it's sitting outside so make sure there is decent insulation in the lid. Another handy feature to look for is drink holders or compartments on the lid. • Size – obviously large coolers hold more and can double as an extra table or seat in a pinch, but they are also harder to move and store and may not fit easily on your boat, in your camper, etc. Two smaller coolers that can stack may be more practical. Further elements to consider are cost, durability, what it’s made of, if replacement parts are available and overall design. Hopefully once you narrow down what your needs are, you can find the perfect cooler, or coolers, for your summertime adventures.

MIDSUMMER PLANTING Most gardens at this time of year are in full bloom and/or almost ready to harvest, depending where you live across Canada. However, you may be surprised to know that it's not too late in the season to plant some seeds to still take advantage of the summer sun. Whether you just moved to a new home, finally have some extra spare time or are just simply curious about gardening, here are a few things you can look into planting this time of year. • Carrots – if you plant baby carrots, they should be ready in time for a fall harvest. • Loose leaf lettuce – lettuce tends to grow quite quickly. • Winter vegetables – those that you sow now and will be ready in the spring like turnip, kale and winter cabbage. • Onions – depending on the type, onions can be planted at any time of the year as long as the ground is thawed • Pumpkins and squash – depending on where you live, you should be fine planting in July for a fall harvest. Note, you won’t win any “largest pumpkin” contests, but should have a decent sized gourd or two for eating or carving. If you’re unsure or want more information, contact your local nursery or gardening center. Experts will know your area and can help you determine what will and won’t grow. Furthermore, consider planting your new seeds in pots that can be transported to a warmer area (like a garage or basement) if cooler weather hits early. You can also set up a greenhouse where conditions can be kept more stable for a short growing season. And, if nothing sprouts this season, there’s always next year!

Privacy Disclosure: We respect your privacy. The sponsor indicated on the front panel provides a complimentary subscription of this publication to you, a valued client. If at any time or for any reason you do not want to receive this publication, please contact the sponsor using any of the contact info on the front panel, and your personal information will be removed from the mailing list immediately. Without response to this cancellation offer, we assume your implied consent and permission to continue provision. Disclaimer: This publication is distributed for the purpose of information only. It is not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract by a real estate firm or under contract with another Broker or Mortgage Specialist, nor is it intended to cause or induce breach of any existing agreement. Distributed by: dmsmarketing.ca Copyright© 2023 All Rights Reserved / Printed on recyclable material. The trademarks REALTOR ® , REALTORS ® and the REALTOR ® logo are controlled by CREA and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA.