City of Murphy Arbor Day Volunteers Needed

On Saturday, November 5th, the City of Murphy is looking for volunteers to plant trees at Murphy Central Park at 550 North Murphy Road. The event runs from 10:00 a.m. until noon. All volunteers will be provided lunch by In-N-Out Burger at the end of the work session. Also, the first 150 volunteers will receive a T-shirt and ALL volunteers will receive a bulb to plant at home.

Did you know many of the beautiful trees around the Municipal Complex grounds and along the trails have been planted by volunteers? YOU can make a difference! Not only do the trees add beauty but they serve as natural air filters and they supply oxygen to our atmosphere. They also serve as shade for our residents as well as places for our wildlife to flourish.

You may register to volunteer here and all ages are welcome. Any children under the age of 16 need to make sure an adult is in tow:) Be sure to wear closed-toe shoes and bring your own gloves and shovel…if you have one.

If you have any questions about the City of Murphy, contact me at 972-689-8424 so I can help you!

-Dawn Redmond

Murphy Maize Days Vendor Applications

Murphy Maize Days is an event I attend every year! The food, vendors, music, activities and contest are always so much fun. Plus, I always run into so many friends, neighbors and colleagues. Do you plan on attending this year? Mark your calendar for Saturday, September 24 because to join the fun. Also, if you have a business or non-profit organization and you will like to promote and sell your product, you can obtain a vendor application by clicking on the links below:
Food
Retail or Services
Non-profit
I am always on top of the latest happenings and events in the Murphy area. Contact me for more information or if I can help you with ANY of your REAL ESTATE needs!

-Dawn Redmond
Maxwell Creek Resident

Don’t Mess with Murphy Moms!

I am so proud of the Murphy Moms! A past real estate client of mine, Tammy Leflett, had a package stolen from her porch. Her neighbor obtained a picture of the thief from one of her home security cameras. Once that picture was on the “Moms of Murphy” Facebook page, a private group of over 1,000 Murphy residents, the moms went to work!

About an hour after the package was stolen, another Murphy Mom drove past an accident. She noticed the person and car in the the crash matched the person and car on the “Moms of Murphy” Facebook page. She showed the picture to the police officer who then looked inside his car and guess what? The police officer found packages belonging to at least eight victims in Plano, Murphy and Wylie…and one was Tammy’s! The total value of the stolen goods was around $750.

The Murphy police chief presented certificates of appreciation to the moms. Good job ladies! And remember, “Don’t Mess with Murphy Moms!”

If you want to see the video from Fox4News then click here.

Sounds at Sundown

If you haven’t ever been to the City of Murphy’s Sounds at Sundown, then you won’t want to miss it this summer!

Three very popular bands from the area will be highlighted. You will hear Petty Theft on June 12^th, Northern National on June 19^th and Emerald City on June 26^th.

Petty Theft is a Tom Petty tribute band led by radio personality Mike Rhyner of KTCK, The Ticket. Northern National plays pop, folk and rock music in the general style of the Dave Matthews Band. And of course, Emerald City, a local favorite, has a show filled with glitz and glamour!

Besides the great company and music, many different food vendors will be available. PDQ will offer chicken tenders with all the fixings, South Fork Texas will have brisket tacos, SU Amazing Foods will have hamburgers and hot dogs, Mell’s Grill will have BBQ and Kona Ice will have flavored shaved ice.

You are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets or stadium seats. Also, since we had all that rain, bug spray is a must! “The concerts are a great way to join with family and friends for a great dinner and entertainment experience at very little cost,” says Kayla MCFarland.

So join us at Murphy’s Central Park amphitheater on June 12^th, June 19^th and June 26^th. Pre-concert activities start at 7:00 p.m. and the concert starts at 8:00 p.m. for the June 12^th and 26^th show and both start at 6:00 p.m. for the June 19^th show.

Below are videos from You Tube to give you a taste of what is to come!

PETTY THEFT (June 12th):

NORTHERN NATIONAL (June 19th):

EMERALD CITY (June 26th):

Hope to see you there!

Did you check out the Collin County Farmers Market this past weekend?

If you didn’t get the chance to check out the Collin County Farmers Market this past weekend, then don’t worry, I will tell you all about it.  Plus, it will be here every Saturday now thorough October 31st, so hopefully you will get the opportunity to visit it for yourself!

I was very pleased to see how busy and crowded it was. Lots of people were excited to see what our local vendors had to offer.  There was such a variety of items offered…soap, bird houses, beef jerky, eggs, wine, pies, breads, salsa, coffee, meats, spices, body scrubs and honey to name a few.  So many booths were such a hit that two I ran across were even sold out of their items! What makes it fun and interesting is every week might be a little bit different depending on what vendors come out to sell….so no two weekends should ever be the same!  Hopefully I will get a chance to buy some macaroons next weekend:)

It was nice to run into so many neighbors and friends.  We get so busy shuffling our kids around and working, that is was a treat to see some friendly faces.  People also brought their dogs just to stroll around, and some people were just hanging around listening to the live band. Yes, I just said live band!

If you would like some more information on the Farmers Market, you can visit the website at www.collincountyfarmersmarket.org.  It will be open every Saturday until 10/31/15, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Murphy Municipal Complex. Hope to see you there sometime!

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As always, never hesitate to call should I be able to assist you with ANY of your real estate needs!

-Dawn Redmond

Keep Murphy Beautiful

Murphy Friends-

The City of Murphy is hosting a few different events on April 18^th to Keep Murphy Beautiful! What a great time to start clearing the clutter we all accumulated over the winter and to get out and enjoy the warmer air!

The first is the “Clean & Green Trash and Recycling Event” starting at 9:00 a.m. and ending at noon…rain or shine! You can drive through the City of Murphy Municipal Complex to drop off any electronics, batteries, brush, used building materials, etc. There will also be document shredding on site. City of Murphy has partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Collin County as well as the Murphy Middle School Environmental Club to take any items that could be used for their cause!

Second is the “Great American Clean-up” from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Murphy’s Central Park. This is a litter pick-up campaign. The first 100 volunteers will receive a free t-shirt and lunch will be provided to all. Volunteer here!

Last, Progressive Waste Solutions will be sending their trucks out on Saturday morning to the Murphy neighbors that called ahead (phone: 469-452-8000) to pick up any electronic or household hazardous waste. This service will be free of charge. Don’t forget to call and get yourself scheduled by April 17^th at 4:00 p.m.!

As always, don’t hesitate to call me should you need help with any of your Real Estate needs. If you have any friends that want to move to the Murphy area, just send them my way! Happy Spring Cleaning!

7th annual Christmas in the Park

Mark your calendars for Murphy’s annual Christmas in the Park. It will be on Thursday, December 4^th from 5 to 8 p.m. As usual, there will be choirs, arts and craft vendors, food, entertainment and of course…photos with Santa! Don’t forget that live Reindeer will also be waiting to see you, too!

This is a fun event for the family that I really enjoy going to every year. I hope to see you out there!

Please visit www.murphytx.org for more information.

5th Best Place To Live In DFW Also Has Magnificent Gardens!

D Magazine voted the city of Murphy the 2014 5th best place to live in Dallas-Ft. Worth for its neighborhoods, schools and quality of life. I want to add another category: Gardens!

Look at Murphy in bloom! These gorgeous stargazers lilies are from the Leflett family garden who live in  Maxwell Creeks. These lilies are so vibrant and beautiful.  Did you know that the pink stargazer represents wealth and prosperity and are a sign of aspiration? More pink stargazers for me! Thanks to the Leflett family for sharing.

There is plenty to be seen in Maxwell Creek. Not only are the flowers radiant, but the veggies are growing strong, too. My next stop was a few doors down where I had a great visit with my Maxwell Creek neighbor and fellow gardener, Kara, and her family. She has a growing vegetable garden which features tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, a variety of hot peppers, cucumbers, squash, garlic and, my favorite from her garden, the beautiful purple hull pea.

Kara turned a problem area in her backyard into the perfect spot for one of her two gardens. She cleaned the area and placed a nice garden box in the location. This might be an idea for those you who are trying to decide where to build your garden. Look for an unexpected location with lots of sunlight for your beds.

As Kara showed me her garden, we were lucky to see a busy bee pollinating blooms. Ahhh, the plant life cycle continues…

…and I will continue to feature magnificent Murphy gardens.  If you would like your garden to be represented, please email me at http://www.dawnredmond@ebby.com

Stay tuned for next week’s gardens.

Calling all green thumbs!

I want to showcase your gardens and best gardening tips on MurphyintheMiddle.com.

Each spring I look forward to planting my small garden.  I am no “pro” by any means, but I enjoy my annual commune with the earth.  Last year, I had a terrible time with my garden.  I planted my usual bounty, watered it regularly, but I had very little to show for my efforts.  It was so bad, I made this video.    

 This year I used my smarts and built a fence around the darn thing and elevated all of my potted plants. While I do have a rabbit that likes to hide behind the garden, he can’t get to it!

Thanks to the fence and the much needed rain, I actually have a harvest this year.  I know I could have purchased the entire produce section at Sprouts for what I have spent on this garden, but I don’t mind.  I feel victorious every time I pick a ripened gem.

My cucumbers are little deformed, but they taste great.  I just slice them and add a little salt to these babies.

 The grape tomatoes are so sweet.  I have been popping them in my mouth like they are Tic Tacs.  I am trying keep get enough of them at one time so that I can cut them in half, stuff them with a little feta cheese, broil them a bit then drizzle with balsamic vinegar. YUMM-O!

 I also have Big Boy Tomatoes.  But like a big boys, they take a long time to mature…(insert laughter here).

 For the first time, I am growing okra.  I don’t know what to make with the okra as it is not my favorite, I have learned that I like them grilled with a little olive oil.  Any ideas are welcomed.

 The fresh basil and oregano make me want to cook Italian dishes every night.

 HELP!  For the first time, I have been able to keep the squash plant alive and blooming.  Sadly, I haven’t had a single squash.  Nor has the poblano pepper plant given me one baby.  Any ideas or suggestions?

 Enough about my Murphy garden.  How is your’s doing? Tell me your garden story and share photos so that I can share it with others.

Emerald City Band…TONIGHT!

The City of Murphy is hosting “Sounds at Sundown” tonight from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Murphy Central Park Amphitheater.  Emerald City Band starts at 8 p.m. and the cost is FREE!

Click here for more information!