Real Estate Blog for the North & East Twin Cities

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Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions—Homeowner Version: Forest Lake Steam Train


As I slowly wound my way through ice and snow on the slippery North Shore Trail while showing Forest Lake homes this past week, I was momentarily distracted by a colorful garage door. The elements made it difficult to see properly so yesterday I wound around back around the lake where I had showed homes days before to find this wonderful steam train artistic distraction.

While painting a mural on a garage door can be a detriment to a home's value, I will have to admit that this steam train mural would be a welcome sight to many. It really pops out against the white winter snow and many people still love the nostalgic steam train era.

Not all art in Minnesota is found in a museum or created with a chainsaw!

Other Uniquely Minnesota Artful Distractions:

Don't be distracted when making important real estate decisions! If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional Realtor, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Copyright 2008 Teri Eckholm  http://www.terieckholm.com/

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If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet or FREE Homebuyers Success Packet.  I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

 

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Copyright 2012 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/

 

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30 comments • Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes • January 09 2008 11:50AM

Comments

I love your distraction series!  This is beautiful and it sure beats graffiti! Down by our airport on a large building there is a mural of dolphins/whales. Really nice.
Posted by Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman, RA, CRS, HAWAII Real Estate & Relocations (Century 21 Liberty Homes) over 4 years ago
Wow that really does catch your attention! Now if it had a glowing light and a whistle it could cause major accidents.
Posted by Cindy Jones-Northern Virginia Real Estate & Military Relocation Services (CJ Realty Group, Inc.) over 4 years ago
Talk about unique!!! I love the art work and the creativity of this homeowner.
Posted by Camarillo CA Real Estate Agent/ Mana Tulberg (805 County Real Estate) over 4 years ago
Your artful distractions are quite a collection.  My husband would favor the trai, but the teapot is my favorite.  May I have your permission to save it and use it?  Karen
Posted by Karen Kruschka - Prince William, Fairfax ,Stafford County VA Real Estate Service (RE/MAX Olympic Realty) over 4 years ago

HI Teri, it is just as well people don't drink and drive any more.  Can you imagine coming home after having a few at a party and have that come at you as you pull into your driveway?

A fun post, thanks!

Posted by Summit County, Colorado Realtor l Joanne Hanson (Coldwell Banker Colorado Rockies Real Estate) over 4 years ago

Teri, Great Art you are finding in your town, it is inspiring me.

Posted by Michael Eisenberg Bellingham Real Estate Broker (eXp Realty) over 4 years ago

 Teri - I have one for you next time I am south of Farmington...will take a photo for you and send it.

 

Posted by Jennifer Kirby, the Luxury Agent (Kirby Fine Homes) over 4 years ago
Sally--Thanks!! It is a fun series of unique things I see as I travel around showing houses in the Twin Cities!
Posted by Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes (REMAX Specialists) over 4 years ago
Cindy--Considering that it was on a winding 25 MPH road, it was distracting enough without the whistle and lights! :)
Posted by Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes (REMAX Specialists) over 4 years ago
Mana--This is one of the best murals on a garage that I have seen...Most cry out for repainting but this one is pretty cool!
Posted by Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes (REMAX Specialists) over 4 years ago
Karen--Glad that you enjoy my series of photos throughout the Twin Cities and suburbs. If you want to reuse a picture, please give me credit and a link back so that people know where the photo came from and who took the picture. Thanks!!
Posted by Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes (REMAX Specialists) over 4 years ago
Joanne--That would be an eyeopener wouldn't it?
Posted by Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes (REMAX Specialists) over 4 years ago
Michael--I would love to see what you find in Bellingham!
Posted by Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes (REMAX Specialists) over 4 years ago
Jennifer--I know there are more around Minnesota...There is a Green Giant, Paul Bunyan and a giant Walleye in Wisconsin. So much art and so little time! :) Send the photo and I will give you credit for the picture! :)
Posted by Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes (REMAX Specialists) over 4 years ago
Teri, Your distractions series is really wonderful and this is SO creative, just like the others!  Thanks for sharing that with us.
Posted by Laura Cerrano and Carole Provenzale Owner, Feng Shui Long Island & New York (Feng Shui Long Island & New York City/Feng Shui Manhattan ) over 4 years ago
Teri, as always I find your Minnosota art fun.  You have some very creative neighbors.
Posted by Marchel Peterson Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro (Results Realty) over 4 years ago
Carole--You are very welcome...This one was a real distraction and is very creative too!
Posted by Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes (REMAX Specialists) over 4 years ago
Marchel--There are obviously many creative Minnesotans! Glad you enjoy the pictures!
Posted by Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes (REMAX Specialists) over 4 years ago
Hi Ter!, I can't believe I have ever seen a train painted on a garage door! That's hysterical!
Posted by Lizette Fitzpatrick - Lexington KY MLS - Kentucky Homes - Horse Farms (Lizette Realty - Lexington KY - Richmond KY) over 4 years ago
Lizette--It's it great?!! I had never seen one either. It is quite unique!
Posted by Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes (REMAX Specialists) over 4 years ago

Teri-

I LOVE this series! It shows some truly unique aspects of your area. Have you considered compiling all of these into a book? :-)

Great pictures... keep it up! I'm looking forward to the next Artful Distraction you find! (How's that water tower coming along?)

~Emily

The San Diego Real Estate Expert

Posted by Emily Johnston (Keller Williams Realty) over 4 years ago

Hi Teri,

This is really something!  I certainly have see lots of art of this sort in our area, but nothing comes close to this one.

Good job finding it!  I also like Emily's suggestion that you should think of making it into book, something like a coffee table book.

Take care! 

Posted by Marzena Melby Realtor - Twin Cities Minnesota Real Estate (Coldwell Banker Burnet Realty) over 4 years ago

Teri,

I really enjoy this series.  This mural is certainly well done - I envy the snow in the background - send some our way! 

Posted by Rita Taylor | Sanford NC Real Estate & Homes for Sale in Sanford North Carolina (None) over 4 years ago

Emily--Thank you!! It would be a very small book...Unless it was a pop-up book! Now that would be fun! :)

I have a few pictures of the water tower from just before Christmas. Now it is all sealed up and little is happening that can be seen from a camera lens. I will post them sometime this week.

Posted by Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes (REMAX Specialists) over 4 years ago

Marzena--It really just caught my eye as I was out showing homes. There are so many creative people who love to express themselves in their landscaping that it is fun to share!

Posted by Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes (REMAX Specialists) over 4 years ago
Rita--Thank you!! It is a fun piece of art!! As for the snow, our week long January thaw melted most of it. Now we are going to get a week long dry deep freeze...Cold and no snow forecasted!
Posted by Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes (REMAX Specialists) over 4 years ago

Teri~ Maybe it's because of the snow, but there seems to be a lot more creativity in neighborhood artwork in MN then there is in Princeton, NJ!

Lisa Ryan

Posted by Lisa Ryan~Selling Princeton,West Windsor and Montgomery Township New Jersey (Henderson Sotheby's International Realty) over 4 years ago
Teri - You are cracking me up with this series.  I just wonder what you will find next!
Posted by Steve Scheer - Highlands Ranch Real Estate - Denver Real Estate (Realty Oasis - Metro Brokers) over 4 years ago
Lisa--The neighborhood artwork is spread out throughout many different areas of the communities I serve...Most people in MN have very ordinary homes. That is why these fun and humorous artistic endeavors are so distracting!
Posted by Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes (REMAX Specialists) over 4 years ago
Steve--There are a few that I saw when delivering my holiday gifts that will be featured in the future...I have to space them out for maximum entertainment value. :)
Posted by Teri Eckholm, REALTOR® Anoka&Washington Counties Acreage & Lakeshore Homes (REMAX Specialists) over 4 years ago

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