A nod to Stephen King's IT this Halloween...

Things are looking a little creepy around Casa de Nenonen for social-distanced spooky fun this evening! Have a safe Halloween, friends.

Peek at my Day: Spooky Curb Appeal!

When witches are cackling and black cats are seen...

 The moon laughs and whispers “Tis soon Halloween!”

Gingerbread Architecture

You know how I adore a good home makeover and this property had good bones to begin with... 

Renovation complete thanks to some hardworking elves, a little imagination, and a LOT of leftover Halloween candy! 

Holiday Tip: Trick or Treat to Deck The Halls

Before you toss or swap the kids' Halloween candy... 

...set some aside for your holiday gingerbread house decor!

Realtor Life is more fun in October!

Dare I venture to say that there is no more entertaining week in the life of a Realtor as Halloween?

The absolute best! The entry to Rayner Road In Des Peres never disappoints!🎃

Spooky home invasion at Casa de Nenonen! ☠️

When witches go riding and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers...

... “Tis near Halloween”!

Fall Lawn Care "Do's and Don'ts" for the Midwest

Now that Fall is officially here, it's time to pay special attention outside to get your yard prepped for Winter. One of the most difficult aspects of being a novice home gardener is learning the rules of the what and when, as one little mistake can result in the loss of plants.  We have learned a lot from trial and error over 23 years of home ownership, which I have shared here on the blog from time to time.

As things get a tad more spooky around here, and we shift our own focus outside this week at Casa de Nenonen, I figured it is a great time to share my do's and don'ts for Fall. Let's face it, this is a busy time of year and daylight time is limited with the shorter days.  Focus your energy on what you can and should do now, and leave the Fall "don'ts" for when the warm weather returns to the Midwest.
.
Do's

Do aerate, fertilize, and seed your lawn.
As temperatures drop, grasses put their energy into developing roots. If you only aerate, fertilize, and seed your lawn ONCE during the year, Autumn is the time to do it in the

Midwest! It is your best shot at a lush yard throughout the rest of the year.

Steve and I actually hire a lawn service for our Fall care and it is WELL worth the money spent, approximately $175 for their Fall package. If you have bare patches in your lawn from dog play, as WE do, this is also a terrific time to request they overseed.
Tip: Learn from our mistake- it is easy to burn your lawn with fertilizer so apply with caution.

Do divide perennials.
It'a time to divide your perennials, particularly if they've become so crowded that they bloom less. This is also a fantastic time to split a large clump into smaller clumps to plant elsewhere. Generally, in Fall you can divide perennials that bloom in Spring or early Summer.

Do mow like crazy
Leaving leaves on the grass over winter can actually hinder Spring growth. Keep the lawn as clean as possible before the 1st snow. That is what teenagers are fabulous for, at least in our house where they appreciate a little more spending money. 

Do corrective pruning.
After the leaves fall from trees and bushes, branches that are broken or scrape against the house are easier to spot and get to. Make the cut where they meet a larger branch or the trunk. Reminder not to leave a stub, as it won't heal and leaves the plant vulnerable to disease.

Do plant.
Fall is the only time to plant spring-flowering bulbs! Sink the tulips, daffodils, and crocus NOW. You can plant bulbs until the ground is too frozen to dig. Fall is also a solid time to plant trees, shrubs, perennials, and ornamental grasses. Although you can plant them until the ground is frozen, their chances for survival improve if you plant in early fall, giving them more time to develop roots. Remember to water generously if we don't have a rainy Fall.

Do control weeds.
Perennial lawn weeds such as dandelions and violets get their second wind once the weather cools and ironically are most susceptible to attack during this time. In our current house, we have been successful in keeping weeds at bay but fought a continuous violet infestation at our last house. Wage war NOW! If you pay special attention to your weeds in the Fall, they will be less of a burden in the Spring.

Do protect from deer
Got deer? Particularly if you live West of I-270 in St. Louis, I guarantee that you have had a tree trunk annihilated by the Fall scraping of the antlers. Bucks do this seasonally every year- we know this. Buy corrugated tubes and protect your young tree trunks. Just do it.

Don'ts

Don't shear spring flowering shrubs.
Shaping or lopping off length of Spring-flowering shrubs during the Fall removes the buds

that produce next year's flowers. YOU WILL REGRET THIS MISTAKE COME SPRING, I ASSURE YOU FROM EXPERIENCE. If you must control their size, cut off the longest branches at their base - you'll make them more compact and still enjoy flowers next spring.

Don't fertilize trees and shrubs.
Fertilizing stimulates tender new growth that won't have time to toughen up before winter. If your woody plants need fertilizer, wait until the Spring.

Don't cut back ornamental grasses and attractive perennials.
Wait until Spring growth starts before cutting back ornamental grasses and perennials that look decent in winter. Not only do they give you a little something to look at during the cold months, but their stems trap leaves and snow around the base of the plant, which protects the roots from freezing.

𝗕𝗢𝗢! 🎃👻

One of my favorite things?

Seeing a house that I sold, all dressed up for Halloween! This Webster beauty has seen over a century’s worth of trick-or-treats. I love the spooky makeover!

A peek in my garden, the Fall edition.

I have mentioned before that Casa de Nenonen is a bus stop corner, and before the school year kicked off, I hid whimsical teeny tiny village scenes at the base of the shade trees lining our sidewalk... 

Most neighbors walk right past them, unnoticed, but littles somehow see them right away!  Just for giggles, I gave the scenes a spooky little Fall makeover this morning over my coffee🎃 ...

Halloween Curb Appeal

Seeking a way to amp up your spooky curb appeal, Homeowners? 

Scare the “boo crew” that lands on your front porch with a little DIY Halloween front door magic!  Little touches make MAJOR impact in this quick project.  Happy Haunting!

Hidden Gem: A St. Louis Lemp Style Halloween

Nothing screams "St. Louis Halloween Spooktacular"...

... like a haunted walking history tour of the Lemp complex and Cherokee Neighborhood at night?!  Last night, Steve and I gathered with some of my Coldwell Banker Gundaker coworkers for a little Halloween fun. Ack!

If you are from St. Louis, you likely know all about the legend of the Lemp family, the unfortunate Prohibition demise of one of the largest brewers in the country, and the string of "unfortunate incidents" that resulted in the old family mansion becoming one of the most notorious in the United States for alleged hauntings!

On this tour you get to hear all about the tragic history of the Lemp Family, learn the locations of the lost Lemp Neighborhood Cemeteries, and enjoy the gorgeous Cherokee Neighborhood architecture at night as they share other spooky tales of more haunted and historical locations along the tour route.

The St. Louis Paranormal Society is actually BASED in the old Lemp Brewery complex at the base of Antique Row and offer tours several nights per week.  Check out their website for more information at https://www.seeaghost.com/ or find them on Facebook HERE.

If you want to tour the Lemp mansion ITSELF, they actually offer guided tours every Monday, year round.  They also have a fabulous restaurant, offer fun mystery dinners, and have overnight accommodations for the brave at heart. Learn more at http://www.lempmansion.com/index.html

There is also an October haunted house in the complex and trust me, IT IS FRIGHTENING! 

It involves taking an old warehouse elevator down to the caverns and um, yeah. Been there, done that (thanks to the coaxing of my teenage boys) and not sure I will do it again?!  Ha ha.  Brave?  Learn more HERE.

TIP: 
Whatever you choose, make sure that you round out the evening at Ted Drewes for a "Great Pumpkin" concrete...

The best! 👻

See some of my other local "Hidden Gems" HERE.

Peek At My Morning: It is getting spooky, St. Louis!

October, hands down, is the most entertaining month of the year to be a Realtor! Period.  Here is a teeny peek at my spooktacular morning in Des Peres 👻... 

Hello, October!

"In the entire circle of the year, there are no days so delightful as those of a fine October."

~Alexander Smith

St. Louis Ghost Story: the house that inspired "The Exorcist".

Who doesn't adore a handsome traditional two-story brick home...

Built in 1942, this lovely 3 bedroom, 3 bath property boasts hardwood floors, a wood-burning fireplace, almost 1,700 sqft, and an interesting reputation...

YIKES!!  Happy Halloween week, St. Louis.  Yes, the 1973 cult classic movie "The Exorcist" is rumored to be a St. Louis real life ghost story.

In real estate, a "stigmatized property" is one that buyers shun for reasons that are unrelated to its physical condition or features, most often related to death, murder, suicide, serious illness, or belief that a house is haunted.  Some of the most notorious?

The "Amityville Horror" house...

Jon Benet Ramsey's house...

Jeffrey Dahmer's house...

And yes, one of the most stigmatized properties on the planet...

"The Exorcist" house, located less than 15 minutes from the St. Louis Arch, is nestled in a quiet Bel-Nor neighborhood near the campus of UMSL.

Even though the current Homeowner has encouraged the property's wicked reputation by willingly hosting numerous spooky television shows over recent years like "The Ghost Hunters"  and "Exorcism: LIVE", I won't post the address out of respect to their privacy. That being said, the property is the backdrop of "selfies" from the around the world as spook-seekers have hunted down the address and ventured to this unassuming house to document their visit.

While the movie itself contradicts and embellishes much of the detailed 26 page diary accounts of a St. Louis priest who participated in the actual exorcism itself, most of the rumored locations have been verified by local historians.  THIS interesting NPR article gives the historical accounts of this real life St. Louis ghost story.

So the question is, locals:  would you be interested in attending a Open House or submitting an offer if this one were to hit the market again?  The last sale was in 2005.

Boo at the Zoo is back TODAY, St. Louis!

Haunted Hallow, Sinister Swamp, and Master Weaver's Giant Spider Web...

I swear, I adore the St. Louis Zoo! Sport your costume and explore the Zoo after dark during the special Halloween evenings: Boo at the Zoo Nights! This non-scary, child-friendly Halloween experience is filled with laughs and adventure. Wander the park at night, hear silly stories by the campfire, enjoy live music, and more.

While all children under the age of 12 will receive a small treat bag upon exiting, Boo at the Zoo Nights is not a trick-or-treating experience. This event is the perfect way to enjoy the Halloween season without the scare or sugar-overload!

NITTY GRITTY:
Nightly, October 18-30, 2016
5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

$6/member; $7/non-member; children under 2 are free
$1 discount for children 2 to 12 in costume

Parking is free - details on the website.

MORE INFO:
http://www.stlzoo.org/events/calendarofevents/booatthezoonights/

Just For Fun: Halloween Light Show near Lindenwood Park

Locals- has anyone visited #6632 Bancroft Ave. in South City during the month of October?  Imagine being 8 years old again and walking up to this house to trick-or-treat...


YIKES!

Their incredibly impressive (and terrifying) Halloween light show is viral on YouTube. This is last year's show. Apparently, the lights run nightly during Halloween week and the Homeowner has yet to post what 2016 has in store. NOTE: The house is a stone's throw from Ted Drewes, so celebrate the scare with a pumpkin concrete.  The perfect October evening with the family, right?

If interested, see the Homeowner's past displays HERE.

Autumn Curb Appeal in St. Louis...

One of my absolute favorite aspects of having a Buyer-heavy Fall season is enjoying neighborhood autumnal sights! While many homes take the SPOOKtacular approach to October, other local Homeowners stick to the basics and keep it classic.  

How lovely are these porches that I encountered this week... 

Often times, less is more and the most simple changes pack the biggest visual punch! If you don't like to decorate-to-the-max, consider small seasonal changes to amp up your Fall curb appeal: a fresh autumn wreath, dress up your current established topiaries, yank your summer-tired urn plantings in lieu of a simple pumpkin, or replace your flower bed annuals with mums.  

Just for Fun: Hello October!

Things have gotten spooky in Casa de Nenonen this week!

St. Louis Weekend Happenings: October 16- 18, 2015

Boo at the Zoo Nights

Nightly, October 16-30, 2015
5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Explore the Zoo after dark during the special Halloween evenings: Boo at the Zoo Nights! This non-scary, kid-friendly Halloween experience is filled with laughs and adventure. Children are encouraged to wear costumes. Children 12-and-under will receive a treat bag upon exiting. Boo at the Zoo Nights is not a trick-or-treating experience.

$6/member; $7/non-member; children under 2 are free 
$1 discount for children 2 to 12 in costume

Parking is free - details on the website.

More info:  http://www.stlzoo.org/events/calendarofevents/booatthezoonights/

9th Annual Harvest Festival at Laumeier Sculpture Park
Sunday October 18
11am-5pm

Hosted by Sauce Magazine and Laumeier Sculpture Park, the 2015 Harvest Festival celebrates the best Autumn has to offer: delicious eats from St. Louis area restaurants, a farmers’ market featuring fresh local produce, arts and craft wares, family activities, live Bluegrass music and all of Fall’s splendor in Laumeier’s beautiful outdoor setting.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for Laumeier Members, and children ages 10 and under free. Buy tickets at the door or online

Laumeier Sculpture Park
12580 Rott Road
St. Louis, MO 63127

More info:  http://harvestfeststl.com/


The Great Schlafly Pumpkin Festival
Saturday, October 17
12:00pm - 7:00pm

Calling all beer lovers!  Think county fair meets pig roast meets a trip to the pumpkin patch as Schlafly kicks off the Fall season and the return of their popular seasonal Pumpkin Ale.Complete with live music, local vendor booths, family-activities, amazing cuisine, and tastinsg of unique ciders and harvest-time beers... a great time is guaranteed.

Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood
7260 Southwest Avenue

More info: 
http://schlafly.com/events/calendar/2015/10/17/schlafly-great-pumpkin-festival/

Tis the season for Fall curb appeal!

"Fall Fun" idea for Homeowners...

Let visitors know that they're at the right address by adorning your front porch pumpkins with your house numbers! This is also an incredible Fall curb appeal enhancer if your property is still listed.

"Pin it" HERE!