Bluebonnet Swamp allows a glimpse at Louisiana’s natural beauty and allows you to get out of town at the same time.  Complete with a nature center, this mix of forest and swamplands gives the visitor a complete picture of the bayou.  Nature trails wind their way through the 101 acre preserve where people can see a variety of trees, flowers, plants, alligators, birds, foxes and turtles to name a few.  The Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center offers more in-depth information, classes and exhibits.

The mission of the Bluebonnet Swamp is to promote awareness and appreciation of nature and all it has to offer.  The nature center provides educational opportunities to do this through both hands-on and visual learning tools.  If you would like to learn more about Louisiana’s natural environment or simply enjoy the outdoors it is worth the trip to Bluebonnet Swamp.

Hot air balloons will take to the skies in Baton Rouge August 8, 9 and 10, in an annual event that  is spectacular for onlookers. The events will begin at 3 p.m. on both days.  People may arrive early and wander the field to take photos and watch the flight preparations. In addition to the balloons there will be live music and fun for everyone.  There will be a Children’s Village open from 3 to 10 p.m., offering a climbing wall, pony rides, water slides, face painting and arts-and-crafts.   A variety of food will be available as will other forms of entertainment.  At night the balloonists light up their balloons, creating a magical environment to be enjoyed by all.  Fireworks will be lit every evening as well.

       
If you are feeling energetic join in some fun and participate in the Up, Up and Away 3.2 K Fun Run or the half-mile Kids Fun Run at 7 a.m. on August 9. The races will begin at the entrance to the Pennington Biomedical facility.  The cost to run is $10 if you register  before August 8 and $15 on the day of the race. If you are interested in participating, call 225-272-9200, ext. 445 or e-mail megana@brec.org.

Don’t miss out on a fun experience in Baton Rouge, attend the Pennington Balloon Championship for a festive weekend.  To learn more about the event go to http://www.laballooning.com.

Baton Rouge real estate still doing well

While home foreclosures are up in other areas of the country, the Baton Rouge real estate market remains largely untouched by the subprime lending crash. Indeed, Baton Rouge has been blessed with stable home prices and a pretty good economy. The Advocate reports on the Baton Rouge real estate market:

For more information on Baton Rouge real estate news, contact Glenda Daughety.

Parade and other Earth Day activities in Baton Rouge

This year’s Baton Rouge Earth Day celebration is taking place on Sunday the 20 (even though Earth Day isn’t until Tuesday the 22).

Contact Glenda Daughety for more information on Baton Rouge community events, as well as real estate.

$460,000

A lovely modern-style home in Baton Rouge. This home has a lovely lawn and landscaping, and has been custom built on the inside. This 3-way split floor plan home has so many wonderful features:

• 19th century style molding
• Solid wood floors
• Cathedral ceilings
• Two fireplaces
• Surround sound and built in speakers
• Kitchen desk
• Granite countertops
• Stainless appliances
• Formal dining room
• Sprinkler system
• Sunroom

The list goes on…

Visit my website for more information and a photo tour.

Tax day tips from the Baton Rouge real estate blog

Tax Day has finally come. And it is important to remember a couple of things about your tax return this year:

• Still some credit available if you helped Katrina victims.
• You must file a tax return (even if you normally wouldn’t) to get the "economic stimulus" tax rebate in the next couple of months.
• There is free tax help available in Baton Rouge.
• You must have your tax return stamped with today’s date. Most post offices will be open til midnight for this purpose.
• If you need to file an extension, you can do so at www.irs.gov.

For more information on living in Baton Rouge and on Baton Rouge real estate, contact Glenda Daughety.

Mississippi River levee bike bath to be extended

A Baton Rouge bike path that runs from downtown to LSU is being extended, thanks to some help from the federal government. The Mississippi River levee bik path will be extended another 9,500 feet. The Advocate reports on the Baton Rouge bike path:

The funding doesn’t include lighting for the Baton Rouge bike path. Some of the other agreements and details of the path have to be worked out for final completion.

For more on Baton Rouge real estate and local news, contact Glenda Daughety.

Baton Rouge loop plans reinstates north corridor

In order to bring Baton Rouge up to its needs for traffic — as well as prepare for the future — a project for a Baton Rouge loop has been in the works. Different plans have been revealed, and the are changing to meet the needs of community members. However, a northern part of the Baton Rouge loop has been reinstated. A change has been made, however, to the south. The Advocate reports on the Baton Rouge loop:

For more on the Baton Rouge loop, and other real estate projects and news, contact Glenda Daughety.

Trent Johnson named Tigers new head basketball coach

Trent Johnson is expected to be introduced at a news conference today as the LSU head basketball coach. Johnson has been coaching at Stanford, and sources there confirm that the athletic department is disappointed he is leaving. WAFB reports on the career of Trent Johnson:

For more on LSU Tigers sports, and on living in Baton Rouge, contact Glenda Daughety.

Instead, state construction budget funds old projects

The state construction budget that governor Bobby Jindal is sending to the legislature does not include funding for new projects. However, he is vowing to fund projects promised by the previous administration. The Advocate reports on what kind of Baton Rouge real estate might be funded by the construction budget:

For more Louisiana news and Baton Rouge real estate, contact Glenda Daughety.