Fall is in the air…🌻🍂🍁

Pumpkin Bread

(Makes Two Loaves)

2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 tsp baking soda

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

4 eggs

2 cups pumpkin

1/2 cup water

3 cups sugar

1 cup oil

Vanilla to taste

Mix the first five dry ingredients together in a medium-sized mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin, and water (one at a time). Gradually add dry (the first five dry ingredients mixed) into the wet mixture. Mix in vanilla and nuts if being used. Evenly distribute mixture in both prepared loaf pans( buttered and floured) Bake for one hour at 350•

Yummy!

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Things to do this weekend May 10th – 12th: Connecticut, Rhode Island and Westchester

Connecticut

Event: 84th Annual Dogwood Festival
Venue: Greenfield Hill – Fairfield
Date: May 10-12
Description: Celebrate Mother’s Day and the beauty of the dogwood blossoms. The weekend-long festival includes more than 60 vendors, live music, children’s games, food, raffles, and a tag/treasure sale. Special event includes Friday luncheon at noon. In 1938, after a weekend visit to Connecticut, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt writers in her “My Day” column (there) “is an avenue of pink and white dogwood on Greenfield Hill such as I have never seen anywhere else in this country.”
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Event: Mother’s Day Brunch
Venue: The Pond House Cafe – West Hartford
Date: May 12
Description: Celebrate Mom with the deluxe Mother’s Day brunch in the Pond House located in the picturesque Elizabeth Park Rose Gardens. Featuring a variety of savory and breakfast items that the entire family will enjoy.
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View more events in Connecticut on CTVisit.com.

Rhode Island

Event: Free Mother’s Day Concert
Venue: RIC Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts – Recital Room 198 – Providence
Date: May 12
Description: Free Mother’s Day concert with four members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and pianist Judith Lynn Stillman. “Quintessential Quintets” by Mozart and Beethoven. Bring your mom!
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Event: Cocktails with Mom
Venue: Rooftop at Providence G – Providence
Date: May 12
Description: On Mother’s Day, Sunday May 12th, bring mom up to The Rooftop – all moms will receive a FREE signature cocktail from 2 – 6 PM! And from 6 – 9 PM, Kyle Bell performs acoustic reggae for our weekly Sunset Sessions performance. We hope to make Mother’s Day memorable for you and yours!
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View more events this weekend in Rhode Island.

Westchester

Event: Peekskill Garden Club Plant Sale
Venue: Peekskill River Front Green Pavillion – Peekskill
Date: May 11
Description: Annual fundraiser, held rain or shine, on the banks of the Hudson, featuring annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables, roses, hanging baskets & raffles! Proceeds benefit scholarships & local gardening projects; details:  914.208.0293
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Event: Mother’s Day at City Perch
Venue: City Perch Kitchen + Bar – Dobbs Ferry
Date: May 12
Description: Head to City Perch Kitchen + Bar to treat the #1 woman in your life to a Mother’s Day she won’t soon forget! Make her feel like a queen with a complete brunch buffet crafted by award-winning Chef Sherry Yard with items including a build-your-own omelet bar, main entrée choices such as stuffed French toast and eggs benedict, a homemade breads and pastries table, salad station, fruit station, cold station with poached shrimp and oysters, a Sherry Yard dessert station with individual warm mini molten cakes and much more. And, don’t forget to Mom up with a custom cocktail made just for her and appropriately titled the Mom-Osa ($11).

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Things to do this weekend April 19th – 21st: Connecticut, Rhode Island and Westchester

Connecticut

Event: Delamar Eggstravaganza
Venue: Delamar – West Hartford
Date: April 20
Description: Enjoy some traditional holiday fun with an egg-cellent breakfast provided by Artisan Restaurant! Meet and take a photo with the Easter Bunny, experience egg roll excitement on the lawn and end the celebration with an Easter egg hunt.

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Event: Forest Easter Egg Adventure
Venue: Stamford Museum & Nature Center – Stamford
Date: April 13, 14, 20
Description: Start with an egg hunt on the wooded trails, then head to Overbrook Nature Center, where you will meet some animals and craft a craft. Registration recommended.
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View more events in Connecticut on CTVisit.com.

Rhode Island

Event: Newport Daffodil Days Festival
Venue: Clarke Cooke House – Newport
Date: April 19-21
Description: Gather round to celebrate as the muskets are fired and the official ribbon of daffodils is cut at the historic Clarke Cooke House as the festival blooms forth on Bannister’s Wharf. Live music, a stilt walker, face painter, Miss Rhode Island, lemonade and lemon bars – oh daffy my! Next door at Bowen’s Wharf, visit the URI Master Gardener tent for tips on your spring planting and get your free flower seeds.

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Event: Bellevue Avenue Classic Car Display
Venue: Bellevue Avenue & Jones St. – Newport
Date: April 20
Description: Here’s your chance to view and stroll past beautifully restored classic cars at three along legendary Bellevue Avenue. Then visit the renowned Audrain Automobile Museum before you head next door to Bellevue House for the Garden Party. The Audrain Automotive Museum. Champagne & cheese reception and museum tour (only $10 with with your Daffy Pin)  Bellevue House, 304 Bellevue Avenue (FREE). Then stroll in to view the beautiful gardens and celebrate the close of the Festival
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Westchester

Event: Eggciting Easter Egg Hunt
Venue: The Osborn – Rye
Date: April 20
Description: As winter turns to spring, preparations for The Osborn’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt begin. The annual event is held in memory of longtime board member and former chair, Jack Miller. On Saturday, April 20, at 11:15 a.m., The Osborn (101 Theall Road, Rye) will welcome the entire community for a morning full of springtime and Easter fun. Annually, for nearly two decades, the event has been drawing hundreds of participants from throughout Westchester County, as well as southern Fairfield County, Conn. During the festivities, 6,000+ Easter eggs will be hidden for children to find, gather, and enjoy. The event is split into two groups – one for children under 3 years of age and the other for children over 3. This allows the little ones to get a head start on the hunt.

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Event: Hop to it!
Venue: City Perch Kitchen + Bar – Dobbs Ferry
Date: April 21
Description: This Easter, hop on over to City Perch to enjoy a brunch for every bunny! Make it an Over-Easy Easter with a complete brunch buffet by Chef Yard featuring a build-your-own omelet bar, main entrees including eggs benedict, stuffed French toast, chicken with waffles, biscuits & gravy, a breads and pastries table full of homemade rolls and pastries, salad station, fruit station, cold station with poached shrimp and oysters, smoked salmon, sweet and savory sides, a Sherry Yard dessert station with individual warm mini molten cakes, strawberry shortcake push pops, mini fresh fruit tarts and more. Visit http://www.cityperch.com/easter-2019 to view the entire menu. Don’t forget to dress in your Easter best for a photo opportunity with the “Hipster” Easter Bunny.

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Things to do this weekend March 22nd – 24th: Connecticut, Rhode Island and Westchester

Connecticut

Event: 2019 Spring Greenhouse Bulb and Plant Sale
Venue: Elizabeth Park Rose Gardens – West Hartford
Date: March 23
Description: Plants may be purchased by cash or check only on the day of the sale. Visitors are asked to bring their own trays, boxes or carts to carry their plant purchases. Included in the floral display are French hyacinths, muscari, tulips, daffodils, amaryllis, begonias, scented geranium, pansies, violas, and Spanish oregano, as well as a collection of tropical plants. The Conservancy will add additional plants for the sale from Geremia Greenhouse in Wallingford, including hydrangeas, lilies, hellebores, calla lilies and a few fun surprises. The bulbs and plants were grown by Conservancy Horticulturist Rosemary Aldridge; Head Gardener Peter Winne; Gardeners Wesley Gage and David Rivera, and many volunteers.

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Event: Greenwich St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Venue: Begins at Town Hall – Greenwich
Date: March 24
Description: Features Irish wolfhounds, pipe bands, marching bands, floats, horses, clowns.
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View more events in Connecticut on CTVisit.com.

Rhode Island

Event: Family Day and Youth Programs Open House
Venue: Central Rock Gym – Warwick
Date: March 23
Description: Are you ready to see how high you and your family can climb?! Join us for a day of fun climbing and ice cream! With the purchase of a day pass, anyone can enjoy free staffed climbing with gear included! Not to mention free ice cream at 2! We’ll also have our coaches here to answer questions and tell you all about our youth programs. All ages welcome!

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Event: Foundation of Taste Series: Cavier and Eggs
Venue: Cara at The Chanler – Newport
Date: March 15-16
Description: The Foundations of Taste is your invitation to spend an informative afternoon enjoying food and wine with Executive Chef Matt Voskuil. Each month, Chef Matt selects a different ingredient to highlight. That ingredient is featured in three dishes paired with up to six different wines. Wine selections will emphasize comparison and contrast of different winemaking regions, varietals and vintages. These events will havea relaxed atmosphere, encouraging guest interaction.
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View more events this weekend in Rhode Island.

Westchester

Event: Angry Orchard Artisanal Winter Market
Venue: Angry Orchard – Walden
Date: March 23
Description: Come out and enjoy a showcasing of local creative vendors during our Artisanal Winter Market in our Cider Garden on Saturday, March 23rd from 11-5pm! This event will offer a variety of regionally sourced products including pasture-raised meats and hand-made cheeses, all natural skin care products, gourmet sweet treats and local art from a hand-picked selection of community based businesses. We’ll also have exclusive cider style available for purchase in the Bar at The Stone Barn to enjoy as you shop! When you’ve shopped all you can, make your way to the cider house for a complimentary flight of cider by our cozy fire pit.

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Event: How to Perform a Song Workshop (ages 10-13
Venue: Goldstein Fitness Center – Pleaantville
Date: March 16th
Description: Why: A day of education and fun for the whole family Here are a few of the fun things happening that day: Walter’s Hot Dogs, Ben & Jerry’s, and Big Green Truck Pizza will be serving up their delicious delights in front of Choate House. Performances from local high school acapella groups, magician Michael Bochar, Logrea Dance Academy, and bilingual children’s musician Flor Bromley. Show off your jumper with the Westchester Knicks, test your arm with the Rockland Boulders’ speed pitch machine, or showcase your racing skills at Roaming Raceway’s indoor remote control car track. The Bubble Bus will be sending countless bubbles into the sky entertaining everyone young and old. Bring a non-perishable food item as a donation to Hillside Food Outreach. Oh yeah, and we’re giving away a Nintendo Switch bundled with the wildly popular Super Smash Brother Ultimate! You can only enter if you’re in attendance. 13 and under are admitted free! Adult admission is $10. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Hope For Youth Foundation. For more info, visit whud.com/family-fun-festival.

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Things to do this weekend February 1st – 3rd: Connecticut, Rhode Island and Westchester

Connecticut

Event: Chocolate and Wine Pairing
Venue: Sunset Meadow Vineyards – Goshen
Date: February 1-3
Description: Come stop in anytime between 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and taste five award winning estate wines paired to perfection with five specialty chocolates. Now offering two types of pairings! Reservations required only for groups of six or more.

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Event: Moving Forward
Venue:  Hoffman Auditorium at University of Saint Joseph – West Hartford
Date: February 2-3
Description: A themed concert of modern danceworks conceived and performed by members of Figments: a preprofessional, nonprofit dance ensemble composed of 15 talented young dances from throughout central and eastern Connecticut. Designed for all ages, this collection of dances is designed to inspire audiences while showcasing this unique program, which places the choreography reigns in the hands of teens who have long studied dance and who have successfully auditioned into this tight-knit troupe.
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View more events in Connecticut on CTVisit.com.

Rhode Island

Event: Styleweek Northeast
Venue: Rhode Island Convention Center – Providence
Date: February 1-3
Description: Founded in 2009, STYLEWEEK Northeast (SWNE) is New England’s premier fashion week that is held in Providence, Rhode Island. The bi-annual fashion week was created with the vision of connecting the community, regional, and national press with fashion design. The need for a high-quality fashion production at an affordable cost in the northeast led to the birth of STYLEWEEK. Inspired by fashion capitals of the world, STYLEWEEK is a professional production that includes fashion runway shows and focuses on the business of fashion and promoting art and design. SWNE is one of the only regional fashion weeks that have been visited by the CFDA (Councils of Fashion Designers of America) from NYC.

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Event: Foundations in Gardening
Venue: Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum – Bristol
Date: February 2
Description: Discover how to assess your garden starting with the very basics. Explore the importance of light, wind exposure, soil conditions, and drainage on your plant choices. We will go over how to choose the right plant for the right place. We will also provide guidelines on working with the site you have.
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Westchester

Event: City of Science Premiers in Westchester!
Venue: Westchester County Center – Chappaqua
Date: February 2
Description: Join the World Science Festival and Con Edison for this larger-than-life, touring event where the wonderous properties of science, technology, engineering, and math collide.  The day is jam-packed with interactive demonstrations, enormous exhibitions and hands-on activities. Kids can launch objects 20 feet in the air with a seismic accelerator, walk on water, create an orbiting universe at the Warpe Space Gravity Simulator, explore mind-bending challenges and puzzles, bring Newton’s Third Law to life wih a tug-of-war on wheels, and much more!

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Event: Angry Orchard Wassail
Venue: Angry Orchard – Walden
Date: February 2-3
Description: Winter is upon us and Angry Orchard is resting after a bountiful harvest and hosting cider drinkers from near and far. On February 2nd and 3rd, we invite you to share in the tradition and celebrate Angry Orchard’s WASSAIL and the Second Annual bottle release of our Wassail Wooden Sleeper!

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Things to do this weekend January 25th – 27th: Connecticut, Rhode Island and Westchester

Connecticut

Event: Sun Wine & Food Fest
Venue: Moheagan Sun – Uncasville
Date: January 24-27
Description: Wine connoisseurs and food aficionados rejoice! The Sun Wine & Food Fest is back at Mohegan Sun. Don’t miss your chance to sip and sample your way through endless vintages and signature dishes, incredible showcases and tastings during a four-day affair across two spaces, the Uncas Ballroom and the new Earth Expo Center.  A portion of proceeds will go to Channel 3 Kids Camp, who provide fun year-round opportunities to children of all abilities, families and communities through educational and recreational programs.

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Event: Greenwich Winter Sale & Giving Days
Venue:  Mohawk Mountain Ski Area – Hamden
Date: January 25-27
Description: Winter Blizzard Blowout sales featuring approximately 100 merchants in downtown Greenwich, Byram, Cos Cob, Riverside and Old Greenwich offering savings up to 70% or a percentage of sales donated to Think Greenwich, a non-profit organization and campaign to promote Greenwich.

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View more events in Connecticut on CTVisit.com.

Rhode Island

Event: Abstraction Through Magnification with Arnie Casavant
Venue: Bristol Art Museum – Bristol
Date: January 26
Description: Have you wanted to experiment with abstraction? This workshop is for you. Exercises will help you transition from representational painting to non-representational. This is a “loosen up” workshop where we will enjoy the freedom of expression in abstract painting.

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Event: Helefest Winter Tour
Venue: Revival Brewing Company – Cranston
Date: January 26
Description: Revival Brewing Co. in Cranston, RI will be our final stop of our Winter Tour and we hope to see you there! Lots of Live Performances.

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Westchester

Event: The Art of a Handwritten Note
Venue: The King’s Scribe – Chappaqua
Date: January 26
Description: Special Event at The King’s Scribe (15 King Street in Chappaqua) on Saturday, January 26, 11:00am-12:30pm. Come learn how to write a thoughtful effective thank you note for alumni, on-campus and internship interviews, networking meetings, and letters of recommendation.  While email has its place and value, there is plenty of evidence that a personal handwritten note goes a long way! This FREE event will cover what content a proper note of thanks should include, the importance of penmanship, what kind of stationery to use and the proper timing to send it.  The event is free, but RSVP is required

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Event: Billion Oyster Project
Venue: Henry Hudson Library – Montrose
Date: January 26
Description: When Henry Hudson sailed into the New York Harbor in 1609 on his way to the river that would bear his name, the waters were packed with 220,000 acres of oyster reefs. Unfortunately, by 1906, the harbor’s oyster population had been decimated due to over harvesting and pollution. The Billion Oyster Project, headed by Executive Director Peter Malinowski, aims to fix that by planting one billion oysters in the New York Harbor by 2030. Why bring back the oysters? A single adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day, removing pollutants from its environment. So far, the organization has recruited thousands of volunteers to plant over 25 million oysters – an inspiring example of how communities can promote environmental stewardship and the health of our waters.

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My Favorite Holiday Dessert Recipe

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Understanding Market Value

Pricing is the key to positioning your home to attract qualified buyers.

A property’s value is based on:

• Location, design, amenities and condition.

• Comparable available properties, and sold properties.

• Economic conditions what affect property transactions and values.

Factors that have little or no influence on the market value of a home include:

• The price originally paid for the property.

• Expected net proceeds.

The impact of accurate pricing:

• Properties priced correctly generate more showings, more offers, and sell in a shorter period of time.

• Properly priced homes may streamline and fast track the appraisal process.

A Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) considers similar properties that:

Are currently on the market:

• These properties will be competing with yours for the attention of available buyers.

Have recently sold:

• This shows us what buyers in the market have paid for properties similar to yours.

Failed to sell:

• Understand why these properties did not sell can help avoid extended marketing time.

Tips To Improve Your Credit Score

Credit agencies take into consideration various factors when determining your credit score.

Components of Your Credit Score (In %)

Payment History: The largest component of your credit score is showing the ability to make regular payments to all creditors. Even one missed payment can cause your score to drop by over 90-100 points.

Outstanding Debt: The amount you owe is compared to your current credit limit to create your debt-to-credit ratio. The ideal figure for this ratio is 25%.

Length of Credit History: A longer credit history will generally increase your FICO score. Your score takes into consideration how long your accounts have been open, how long it has been since you have used certain accounts, and the spread between the age of your accounts.

Interest in Obtaining New Debt: A potential lender can see how many “inquiries” you have for new forms of credit. If you are trying to obtain financing for a home, you should not open any new accounts in the preceding time period.

Types of Credit in Use: Your credit score will consider your mix of credit cards, retail accounts, installment loans, finance company accounts and mortgage loans. It’s not necessary to have one of each, and it’s not a good idea to open credit accounts you don’t intend to use.

Buyer Don’ts When Purchasing a Home

Don’t Make an Expensive Purchase: It’s best to avoid major purchases like furniture, cars, appliances, etc. until after closing. Lenders are pulling your credit prior to closing to make sure that you still qualify for a loan.

Don’t Get a New Job: Lenders like to see consistent job history. Generally, changing your job will not affect your ability to qualify for a mortgage loan. But in some instances, getting a new job during the loan approval process could raise some concern and affect your application.

Don’t Switch Banks Or Move Money Around: During the loan application process, you may be asked to provide bank statements for the last two or three months. To eliminate potential fraud, lenders may require a paper trail to document the source of all funds. Changing banks or transferring significant amounts of money between accounts could make it difficult to document your funds.

Don’t Disregard Your Lender’s Requirements: You may have been pre-approved for the loan but your work with the lender is far from over. In order to process your loan, you need to meet certain requirements. Your lender will need copies of your bank statements, pay stubs, and other paperwork. Failure to submit certain qualifying documents could delay your loan approval and closing date.

Source: danianniello.phmloans.com

Welcome to Diane Purdy Homes🏡🏡

Thank you for visiting my website! A short time ago we launched this site to be helpful and resourceful whether  you are a seller, buyer or just curious. There will be much new content to follow, covering home staging for sellers, mortgages, credit scores and much more! 

Please visit my drop-down menu under “Sellers” and “Buyers”  to see my mission statement. Feel free to contact me for your real estate needs!