Palm Creek Update

Catching Up

2012-02-13T15:46:00.006-07:00

A couple people asked where I've been lately because I haven't posted for a few days. Well....let's see. Attended the Palm Creek Follies and was entertained by our local talents.

Spend a lot of time just riding around the resort to observe the pretty landscaping. The trees in front of the main office are in full bloom and are absolutely beautiful.

The great blue heron rests regally by the pond awaiting a good meal.

Watching the lawn bowlers in action on a white suited tournament day.

Watched the AMAZING entertaining Diamonds last Wednesday night. They had the whole audience jumping and jiving to our favorite tunes of the 50s and 60s. If they return again, make sure you get tickets!

We especially enjoyed watching Nancy at the piano keyboard during their presentation. Normally a piano player just takes a backseat but her share of the performance was great! We had a chance to chat with her at breaktime.

A busload of us went to the Festival of the Arts show in Tubac on Friday. Good thing we wore comfortable shoes in order to see ALL the many vendor booths, boutiques, shops, etc. Many of our tour group came back with armloads of goodies.

I snuck away long enough to watch the Meshika Indians demonstrating some of their ancestial dances.

Those who have attended in past years were impressed with the large number of vendor booths lining the streets.

We enjoyed the surrounding scenery on the ride as well.

In my spare time at home, I've been mesmerized by watching some live web cams. My big monitor watches a hummingbird nest where two young have just hatched and a barn owl who is watching over her four eggs. You can tune in and watch also at: http://www.sportsmansparadiseonline.com/Oceanside_Barn_Owls.html

Meanwhile, the action outdoors never stops. Looks like we had a little mishap with one of the mowers over on the 13th fairway. Thank you to Darryl Stephison who sent in this photo. It's Fernando to the rescue again. I'm guessing one of the crew got some wet feet and a red face. :)

Cancer Awareness Weekend

2012-02-04T12:08:00.003-07:00

Cancer Awareness weekend is one of the busiest of the whole season as many of the clubs and organizations hold special fund raising tournaments for this most worthy cause. Volunteers emerge from everywhere to help out with the fun and rewarding events. There were scores of people setting up the thousands of luminaries along the entrance and parade route.

Many laughed (especially Sandy and Chip) about me taking a picture of their better side.

There were many many lovely items at the silent auction tables but these two really caught my eye. I hope I can find out who won the bids on these two so I can go visit their site and drool with envy. (I have a hunch that Jim Dawson had a lot to do with these two donations!)

Our Grand Marshal and Cancer Survivor (Marilyn Roemer) lead the parade with Nathan Vickroy from Chick-Fil-A restaurant. Nathan has been most generous with his financial support and advertising for our activities events. AND.....we certainly enjoyed those free breakfasts during early season. Thank you, Nathan.

We finally got a chance to meet Mrs. Jim Dawson! Thank you for sharing your husband's talents with us!

My little pocket camera simply cannot do justice to the lovely nightime photos of the palm trees and thousands of luminary bags. Hopefully someone with more photo talent will step forward with better shots.

Genealogy News

2012-02-03T14:47:00.001-07:00

Tuesday, February 7 th

7 PM

Santan Room

Research in Great Britain

Guest Speaker

Steve Packer

His career has been in data communications with the final 25 years in International Sales. Steve was exposed to genealogy by his father who collaborated on a book on the Packer family. Since retiring Steve has worked on his family’s genealogy and has made several trips to Germany to find family records that have not been microfilmed or available on indexed data bases.

You do not want to miss this season's guest speaker, Steve Packer, it is the perfect meeting for new members to attend.

If you have not signed up yet for the season, or if you are binging a new member, please arrive early.

Annual Membership Fee $5.00

The Power of 1

Bring a new member to join and each of you save $1

The Woodshop Makes the News

2012-02-03T07:26:00.002-07:00

Palm Creek residents create pieces in topnotch wood shop

By LARRY LOCKHART
News Editor

Published: Thursday, February 2, 2012 10:26 AM MST

Don Quigan admires one of his pieces in the wood shop.

It doesn’t look like anything special from the outside. A mid-sized metal building toward the northwest corner of Palm Creek Golf and RV Resort. It could be a maintenance building, a large storage shed or some other nondescript structure.

But walk through the doors and you quickly realize that the projects being completed inside the park’s wood shop are anything but nondescript. A number of skilled woodworkers pursue a hobby there that, for some, was also an occupation before they started living at least part of the year in the sprawling park on Casa Grande’s east side.

One such man is Don Quigan, who spent most of his life in the Lake George area of upstate New York, nestled in the Adirondack Mountains, before moving to Palm Creek in 2004 with his wife, Dorothy.

“I was a maintenance man at a resort and built a few houses,” Quigan said. “I’ve always done work with wood. I had a cabinet shop for a number of years.”

The Quigans spent about a dozen years as RVers after retiring in 1993, concentrating on staying at national parks. Wanting a more permanent home, they bought at Palm Creek and spend up to 11 months of the year here. Now they seldom fill their car’s gas tank more than once a month.

“When I first came here, Dick Long was doing these,” Quigan said, gesturing toward a table covered with 25 or 30 segmented wooden bowls he’s made at Palm Creek’s wood shop. “He was running the shop here. I asked him to show me how.

“We’ve got some really nice furniture workers over there. We have eight lathes, four table saws, three band saws and a couple of drum sanders.”

Quigan estimates he’s made about 100 of the segmented wooden bowls since he started six years ago. Most have been given to family members. He has five children, 12 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

“Most of these bowls have 12 segments in each ring,” he explained. His most complex project, and one of his first, was a 16-segment-per-ring bowl with 1,150 pieces. Some of those pieces have carved insets with other materials in the insets, forming a variety of colors and patterns.

The different-colored rings result from using different types of wood, though he said it’s important to use compatible wood varieties to avoid splitting, cracking or separating as the humidity changes. And the wood must be completely dry as it is worked and the bowl is assembled.

“I know in my mind the shape I want to create,” Quigan said of how he starts a bowl. He uses a computer program that calculates the many delicate cuts that need to be made in the wood for the hundreds of pieces that go into most of the segmented bowls. “The computer tells you the length and the angle of the cut,” he said.

Then the pieces are glued together, smoothed and polished. Quigan said he doesn’t keep track of the time he spends on any of his projects, so he isn’t sure how many hours have gone into some of his more elaborate bowls.

The wood shop is a busy place, with as many as 40 people working there at some time during the day most weekdays. Quigan is one of 30 to 40 people who volunteer as monitors, dispensing advice and instruction to residents using the facility.

Busy Season

2012-02-03T06:29:00.003-07:00

Hello again. I'm just going to post a bunch of photos and quick notes for the remainder of the season because there's just too much fun stuff to do. No time for long stories or explanations.

The computer repair business is booming. Here is Don and son Kevin busy at work on four machines at once. While they run a virus scan or do a defrag on one, they can take a look at another. To them it is like kids in a toy shop. They love it.

One computer was making a loud humming noise as it ran. Kevin suspected something wrong with the cooling fan so turned the machine over and sure enough.......look at the dust and dirt that blocked the vents. As soon as we cleaned out the vents with some compressed air and a small brush, the computer was happy and ran quietly once again. Check your laptop now and then to make sure the vents are clear.

As I was walking through the main office, I noticed the busy puzzle people in the library. That's Pat Schurr standing at the left. Pat has donated mega hours to our library with her staff of volunteers. Thank you to one and all for your help.

I finally found a morning when I could get back over to the horseshoe pits. I certainly don't score many points but really enjoy pitching shoes with this gang. They're all there to have a good social time and are very gracious when they get stuck with a rookie player like me. Here our fearless leader was showing us the neat trophies that will be given out at the upcoming Cancer Awareness tournament. The trophies were handcrafted by John Schaley. What a clever and creative way to use his woodshop skills!

Later I stopped by the new sewing room to watch other crafters in action. Everyone looks so busy up there but the room also hums with friendly chatter and laughter. Those sewing machines have become very sophisticated these days......way beyond my skills.

Just across the street in the Sales Office is a display of the proposed new sports area. I understand that construction is scheduled to start April 1. It will be an exciting spot to watch this summer. I'm sure my camera will be busy.

I believe February is our busiest month here at Palm Creek. The incoming rigs were lined up in two lanes every time I walked up there the last couple days. Our rangers and greeting staff were busy! I still remember the first time Don and I drove our motorhome into the park. We were so impressed with the beauty of the entrance and how friendly we were greeted by the hostess. So impressed......that we never left!

My next stop was the new casita at Site 1396. I peeked inside to see how the finishing work was coming along. Certainly is some pretty flooring!

What a nice bathroom! Nice big shower.

There is a separate little room for laundry.

The site is very very attractive! Lots of nice landscaping, decorative pavers, and even green turf to set it off. It sounds like there will be 4 or 5 casita models to choose from for anyone else who wants a lovely site improvement like this....but this site is truly a show case!

Next stop was over by the gardens as Thursday afternoons is when the garden club meets. They were busy at work tilling some beds, doing some planting, and harvesting some of the fruits of their labor. Members went home with some cabbage heads, brussel sprouts, different kinds of lettuce, and some other goodies. Lillie Corbet is assisting Jim Dawson with overseeing the garden club this year. Thank you, Lillie.

Palm Creek makes news again

2012-01-29T16:55:00.001-07:00

Just found this nice article about one of our Palm Creek residents getting ready for the annual pottery sale. Be sure to mark your calendars for the big date.

Desert Dwellers

2012-01-28T12:04:00.002-07:00

Wild Man Phil was back again with another of his Desert Dwellers presentations. He is the most entertaining speaker (and informative) that I've met in a long time. He certainly kept our attention with all the critters he kept pulling out of his pockets.

While he joked and told stories about the scorpions, we also learned how many there are, different kinds, wives tales, and sting remedies.

It was amazing to see how brightly the scorpions glow at night under a black light.

Then came the tarantula. We heard the stories about male & female and how they lead separate lives. Again, very informative but oh so entertaining.

Since I had arrived early I was fortunate?? to get a front row seat when Wild Man Phil pretended that the spider jumped from his hand.......and landed RIGHT AT MY FEET!!! I was NOT expecting to become part of the show and really freaked out when the rubber spider landed. I certainly added to the laughter of the audience when they saw my reaction and heard my hysterical scream. I'm so glad no one else had a camera to record my tears of relief and hysteria.

Next came the really cool lizards. This collared lizard was a real blue beauty with a yellow head. He's the fastest critter since he stands up on his back two feet to run.

The Chuckwalla is a placid character who Phil proved could be cute and lovable.

And.....of course....there was the tale of Stumpy and how he came to live with Phil and his family.

Snakes?? Yes, they came out of Phil's pocket also. Red and black: friend of Jack. Red and yellow: kill a fellow

Phil will be back for one more presentation on February 19 when he talks about the birds and other wildlife found abundantly in Arizona. I highly recommend his events for a great evening. You can visit his website at: www.wildmanphil.com

Casita gets a tree

2012-01-27T09:07:00.001-07:00

The Casita spec at 1396 is really coming along nicely. Today they planted a pretty date palm tree……not a simple operation.

2012-01-25T23:06:00.001-07:00

Tonight’s entertainment was a 50s – 60s group singing and dancing to all the songs we grew up with in our younger years. They were great AND at one point had the whole audience up in the aisles doing the twist. Some of our residents wound up on stage for a couple skits too. We all knew the words to the songs and had a wonderful nostalgic moment as we sang the theme song from the good old Mickey Mouse club. Stop up in Activities and let Ann Lykens know how much we enjoyed the group so they get invited back another time.

Let’s Twist!! May we never grow too old to laugh and have a spontaneous good time.

We even played a round of Name That Tune.

While out on my daily bike ride, I noticed some mounds of fresh dirt over where the new pickleball courts will be built. Is this the first sign that construction will begin soon?

Tidbits

2012-01-25T13:01:00.001-07:00

Life during the heart of the season is almost too busy to keep up with the blog so you just get a smattering of photos.

Although I couldn’t attend the Chili Cook-off last night, I am delighted to post a photo of the Winner! Congratulations to Lynne Rogers! I have personally sampled her chili on several occasions and I agree with the judges in that it is a WINNER.

Yesterday was another perfect weather day for softball. There are games almost every Tuesday and Thursday now. With Palm Creek having at least four teams, you’re sure to be there to cheer on friends…..and get a delicious hamburger!

No one won either of the big jackpot games at bingo Monday night! That means the pots will be even bigger next week. The lucky winners could go home with over $700 apiece. The ballroom really gets crowded this time of year and can only seat 360 people. BE SURE TO WEAR YOUR NAME TAG OR YOU DON’T GET TO PLAY!

*Note to those who were in attendance: Remember how I kept mentioning that G55 was a frequently called number? My next door neighbor (Marion Gavin) only needed one number to complete her card for the final blackout where she stood the chance of winning over $300. The one number she needed was G55 which never got called that game. I don’t think she’ll ever let me live it down.

I received this pretty hibiscus plant from a friend (Katie and Jerry O’Brien). Isn’t it a beautiful color?? I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting for the buds to open…like a kid waiting for Christmas. Finally!

The computer club had a guest speaker from Best Buy today. Charles was a wealth of information! His main presentation was about tablets, ipads, etc but he had many tips and tricks to share with us as well.

Check out this handy cart our landscape crew uses to water or fertilize plants that may not be on an automatic sprinkler system.

That’s all for today folks. I must run outside to play and enjoy this beautiful weather.

This Week

2012-01-23T10:29:00.001-07:00

All aboard for the bus to the Arizona Opry! What fun! Not a single complaint about this entire entertaining evening. The bus was nice and comfy giving us a smooth ride and a friendly driver, the roast beef dinner was delicious, and the entertainment was FANTASTIC!

Did you know that George (the lead singer at the Opry) was the lead singer for the Tokens when they recorded “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”? He is an extremely talented musician and vocalist. Everyone on stage was GREAT, but George tops the list. He can play every instrument on the stage and in one song he played the electric piano with one hand and played his trumpet with the other. He can play the sax right side up or upside down. Makes no difference. We were there for the Rock and Roll show … and ROCK they did. Awesome!

Saturday was another patio sale here in the park. I was slow to pull out the camera and wish I would have taken more photos….but….oh well. Some of our residents had tables out to sell their hand-made crafts. Such talented people! I did get a couple pictures of Ken Johnson and his wood projects. Look at this beautiful collection of wine stoppers.

I held my first official computer classes this week and learned a LOT. From now on, I’ll split the Picasa class into a Level 1 and a Level 2. There is so much COOL stuff to learn about the program that it is impossible to cram it all into one class. Watch for future sessions on the clipboard in the Activities Office (Computer Classes).

2012-01-20T10:26:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to our fellow Palm Creek residents who made the news this week!

HAPPY TRAILS: Winter visitors help build trails they enjoy at CG Mountain

Published: Thursday, January 19, 2012 8:29 AM MST

Steven King/Dispatch, Three winter visitors hike along a trail at Casa Grande Mountain Park early Tuesday morning. Pictured are, from left, Peter Hughes from British Columbia, Skip Emerson from Oregon and Jim Price, a full-time RVer from Texas.

While most hikers do not expect to move mountains, a group of winter visitor volunteers have worked for years to help improve Casa Grande Mountain.

As leaders of the Palm Creek Hiking Club, Skip Emerson and Peter Hughes spend much of their week on area trails, leading groups of hikers on excursions, scouting new trails and volunteering, often alongside AmeriCorps crews and others, to create new trails and maintain current ones in Casa Grande Mountain Park.

“We use these trails, and volunteering to help maintain them or improve the park is our way of giving back,” Hughes said.

Hughes and Emerson are among the many winter visitors whose volunteer labor has helped to accelerate development of a system of multi-use trails and paths in Casa Grande Mountain Park.

“We’ve been supporting Casa Grande Mountain Park since the beginning,” Emerson said. “We always have a good time.”

When new National Civilian Community Corps AmeriCorps teams are assigned to the Casa Grande Mountain trail development project, Emerson and Hughes, along with fellow volunteers Jim Price and Dan McDougall, are among the winter visitors who work alongside the crew, helping them to become oriented with the mountain and the project and teaching them to create new trails.

Between the community trail building events and day-to-day work on the mountain, about 60 percent of the volunteers at Casa Grande Mountain Park are winter visitors, said Anita Avila, a spokesman for the Casa Grande Community Services Department.

Since work began in Casa Grande Mountain Park on the southern end of the city in 2007, nearly 12 miles of trails have been created or improved.

The mountain park trails officially opened in November.

“Since the trails are 100 percent built by volunteers, having all hands on deck helped us to open the mountain as soon as we did,” Avila said.

She estimated that to date, about 8,042 feet of newly developed trails on the mountain are the direct result of winter visitor volunteer labor.

“Aside from monthly trail builds, we have winter visitors working with AmeriCorps during the week and preparing for trail builds, which involves marking the trails to be built with construction markers and other preparation like lunch and such,” Avila said.

Emerson, who lives in Oregon and spends six months every year in Casa Grande, regularly encourages members of the Palm Creek Hiking Club to participate in the Community Service Department’s monthly community trail building events at Casa Grande Mountain Park.

The work day events often attract 100 community volunteers at a time and anywhere from 15 to 30 of the volunteers are from Palm Creek Golf and RV Resort, said Hughes.

“We usually end up with more than we need,” said Hughes, who lives in British Columbia, Canada, during warmer months.

Last year, the volunteers from Palm Creek contributed 370 man-hours at Casa Grande Mountain Park, building an estimated 1,500 feet of trail, Hughes said. This year, they expect the same.

Price, a winter visitor from Texas who resides at Eloy’s Robson Ranch, also rallies residents of his community for the monthly Casa Grande Mountain trail building events.

“We don’t have as many volunteers from Robson Ranch as Palm Creek has, but we get a few,” his wife, Sue, said.

Like Hughes and Emerson, Price spends at least one day a month on the mountain, sometimes more.

“When the new AmeriCorps teams come in, he goes out there to teach them how to lay trail,” Sue said.

Hughes said that volunteers often realize the satisfaction of trail building work as soon as a day’s work is completed.

“You work on the trail and then you feel good walking back down the trail you just made,” he said.

Emerson was one of the founding members of the Palm Creek Hiking Club, which was started in 2002. He had retired in 1998 and soon after, he and his wife turned to full-time traveling in their recreational vehicle.

Emerson said he started hiking as a way to see the new places he and his wife were visiting.

“It’s exciting to see what’s on the other side of the hill,” Emerson said.

Hughes began helping with the hiking club in 2006 and over the years, the group has grown to include about 60 members.

Together, the club visits various locales within a 75-mile radius, taking hikes that range from easy four-mile wilderness walks to more challenging nine-mile adventures along rugged mountain terrain.

Besides Casa Grande Mountain, the group tends to visit other popular hiking spots such as Lost Dutchman State Park, Piestewa Peak, Sabino Canyon and other places.

Hughes said the group tries to avoid using the same trail twice, so a group of eight experienced hikers often scout nearby areas for new locales.

“Arizona has some of the most beautiful hikes,” Hughes said.

He added that hiking appeals to people, including retired individuals, because it helps them realize their capabilities.

“A lot of people underestimate their capabilities,” he said. “Then they get out there hiking or building trails and they realize what they can do.”

The New Sewing Room is Open!

2012-01-17T17:14:00.001-07:00

Yahoo! The new sewing room is open, alive, and full of activity. I peeked in the door Monday morning and was amazed to see all the activity. The sewing group seems like a huge sorority of women who share the same talents and skills and creativity to come up with the lovely projects they create. Be sure to mark the annual quilt show on your calendars! Saturday, February 18

Cabinets and lockers are still under construction.

The old sewing room will soon be available for more meeting space for our card clubs, special groups, and activities.

Outside I saw Dora and the housekeeping staff busy at work washing and drying all the tables we used at the welcome back party Saturday. There is so much work done behind the scenes for each of our events!

Weekend Post

2012-01-16T09:32:00.001-07:00

You must go to see the Desert Dwellers presentations! Phil is an amazing speaker! He can even talk faster than me! I talked with him briefly at the Welcome Back party on Saturday and told him how impressed I was that he could pack so much interesting information into a very entertaining presentation. He laughed and said he calls it “Edutainment”. He has even been approached by Nickelodeon to give presentations to their young audiences. He reminds me somewhat of the Crocodile Hunter – Steve Irwin.

There are two more presentations coming up so get your tickets before they’re all sold out. The next show on January 17 will feature the critters of the desert and he promises to have some live specimens. Phil is also the one who leads and sponsors the tours into the Grand Canyon. See his website at: www.wildmanphil.com

You may have already met Phil’s friend “Stumpy”.

We had perfect weather for the big Welcome Back bash on Saturday. Thousands of people were present to get their free hot dogs and ice cream. Had to laugh though when we saw that by far the longest line was always in front of the beer tent.

Zumba dancers entertained us.

Just about every club and organization had a table set up to greet passersby and tell them about the fun and activities available. I was busy working at the Computer Club table most of the time so didn’t get too many pictures but I did want to feature our Urban Miners (the recycle team) as they are the ones who crush all those cans and turn them into cash.

I hope everyone stopped the Chick-fil-A cow and thanked them for all those free breakfasts we enjoyed at their restaurant.

Take me out to the Ball Game!

2012-01-13T05:51:00.001-07:00

What a fun time we had out at the softball field Thursday afternoon!! I believe there are 4 or 5 Palm Creek ball teams this year. It appears this sport is increasing in popularity with our Creekers! If you haven’t been out to watch a game yet, you’re missing out on some great fun (AND some delicious hamburgers and cheeseburgers at the Home Plate Grill!!).

I happened to be at the ball field as two Palm Creek teams were playing against each other. Since these folks all know each other, are good friends, and have great times together, their competition becomes very entertaining. It’s funny when someone gets a good hit. You want to cheer for him…..but you’re hoping your other friend will do well and catch the ball. Then when they do catch it, you feel bad for the batter who had a great hit. So you wind up cheering and laughing no matter what happens. This particular game was a winner for everyone as it ended with a score of 16 1/2 to 16. What???? How can they have a score of 16 1/2???? There are many “special” rules for senior softball. Since they do not allow tie games because of time allowances, the home team automatically gets a free 1/2 point. Thus in a tie, the home team actually gets to record a win.

Check out the league scores and schedule on their blog. Go to Palm Creek Blogs then click on Softball Teams.

Fans were doing the wave to cheer on their super heroes.

Bill has been the announcer for as long as I can remember. His commentaries add to the fun of the event.

Women are not excluded from these teams! Aggie and Lori do a fantastic job and it is so fun to have them on board. Here Aggie is on duty as 3rd base coach while Lori is up at bat.

As I was heading back to the parking lot after the game, I came across this group of characters who made some wise crack about seeing me without a camera in my hand. SURPRISE! My camera is never very far away. I quickly pulled it from my pocket and the guys tried to scatter. Gaylen hid behind his buddy but I caught him in a second shot and photoshopped him back into view. Ha Ha Gaylen.

Wednesday

2012-01-12T03:00:00.001-07:00

This morning at our weekly Computer Club meeting, we had some special guest speakers from the Casa Grande Cartridge World store on Florence Boulevard. Meet owners Dennis and Yvonne Jenkins. What an interesting and informative presentation! Dennis and Yvonne showed us the inside of our ink cartridges and explained how they work.

They also showed how the quality/quantity of ink has changed recently. The sponge pad area of the cartridge is what holds the ink. The bottom cartridge is the previous model, the top cartridge is what we’re buying today. Notice the big empty air pocket! It’s like our boxes of cereal – same size box but lots less contents! Click over to our Computer Club blog for more photos and detail: PALM CREEK COMPUTER CLUB Thank you Dennis and Yvonne for a very informative meeting!

As I walked past the San Tan room later in the day, I could hear the cheerful sound of the chorus hard at work practicing for the upcoming spring musical. The door was slightly ajar so I poked my camera inside for a quick picture of the group hard at work.

I was going to take a quick hidden video when conductor Betty started yelling stop stop stop. I ran for cover because I thought she was yelling at me as an interruption. As it turns out, she never saw me….she was just busy at work to get the gang back on the correct track. It makes for a cute story though.

Around the corner folks were busy having more fun at the card tables.

While outdoors in the wonderful sunshine, lawn bowlers were playing a match while our dedicated landscape employees were hard at work keeping our resort beautiful. I sure hope you all give them a friendly wave and say thank you when you walk by.

Golf lessons were underway out on the course.

Have you seen the new parking area over by the north pavillion? Good idea to give them some dedicated parking space!

AND….Ranger Bob was on duty with radar gun in hand keeping an eye on traffic! SLOW DOWN and drive safely.

Monday Night & Tuesday Craft Fair

2012-01-10T20:17:00.001-07:00

Monday night was Bingo night as usual except we had a bigger January crowd. During the break, I wandered over through the office area and noticed this huge painting that I hadn’t seen before. I guess I haven’t really taken a close look at the lobby lately because it is usually packed full of incoming guests waiting to register.

All new furniture this year.

I stopped in the SanTan room to say hello to the card making group…stamping…paper design…or whatever the group is called. There are so many fun hobbies to take up our time. Look at the beautiful handiwork they create.

Here are some sample cards by Nikki Rainha (pictured at left). I hope these crafters will display their works and sell some of their handiwork at the Palm Creek artists show on Thursday, March 1. That’s another date to make sure is boldly engraved on your calendar.

I’m guessing that scrapbooking is another active and creative hobby.

Today (Tuesday) was another one of our famous craft shows. How fun! It was a beautiful sunshiny day so the place was crowded with eager shoppers.

Some of our local ‘creekers’ had their own booth to display and sell their handiwork. Here is Dale Merschman and his wife showing off Dale’s wood carving talents.

From a scrap piece of bark comes some amazing art work.

Lu Johnson and her hubby were there again with their fantastic pueblo houses. Lu creates all the little characters, bowls, accessories in pottery and then delicately hand paints them. I bought one of these little houses a couple years ago so eagerly look for their booth at every craft fair so I can add one more piece to my collection. It is so HARD to limit myself to just one piece each month!

Bob Hernick displays his craftsmanship with a saw blade and creates some beautiful artwork. I have several of his pieces in my living room too.

Joan is there with her beautiful paintings. Oh to have that kind of talent!

Bob Horvet was carving away at another of his creations. Look at the awesome Santa Claus selection!

George Waters is famous for the uniquely designed earrings he creates but I’m always fascinated by the beautiful workmanship on his Pegs & Jokers game boards or his Fast Track games. If you want one, you’d better place an order with him as they sell faster than he can create stock.

Of course, these fun events couldn’t exist without the flotilla of volunteers working behind the scenes. After wandering through all the booths, we headed out to the sunshine on the patio for a delicious lunch. I stuck my camera in through the window to try to capture the army at work. They really have to be organized to handle the volumes they serve.

And…..let’s not forget the men at the grill. Dang…….those hamburgers are delicious!

I had to smile as I made my way back to the parking lot when I saw all the bicycles out front. I know I can speak for myself and a good number of friends who admit they hadn’t been on a bicycle for years until they moved into Palm Creek.

Of course, the parking lot for golf carts was crowded too. That’s our mode of alternative fuel transport.

To top off the day, we smiled as we watched the Geico banner sailing overhead. I’m guessing our cropduster wanted to put his plane to good use.

It was another fantastic day in our beautiful resort. Do any of you readers have photos you’d like to share?

Today’s Busy Tour

2012-01-09T17:52:00.001-07:00

What a beautiful day it was today. That good old Arizona sunshine felt wonderful, healing, comforting, invigorating, and seems to have put everyone into a jovial good mood.

The sewing ladies were hard at work with the big move into their new building with load after load of items to their new home. I tried to get a glimpse inside but was denied access due to moving day. Must wait till the job is done and I didn’t want to get in the way.

Trenches were dug, cables and pipes were laid, repaving is done, finishing touches still being tended.

My next stop was at the Computer Lab. Bonnie Sewell was on duty as the day’s monitor and it was interesting to talk about how much the computer lab gets used every day. I learned that internet access is now free and the lab is one of the “hot spots” in the park. You can take your own laptop in to get connected or you can use one of the lab’s computers. The only charge is 10 cents per page if you print something.

On my way to the pottery room, I spotted this gentleman outside sanding away on his project. I stopped to chat with him and learned he is making a garlic oven for roasting garlic. This dome fits over a plate and then gets baked in the oven. Ya learn something new every day.

Sandy showed me some beautiful finished pieces that were ready for the silent auction at the pottery sale. Make sure to mark the date on your calendar!! Sunday, February 19. The potters will have their own personal masterpieces on display plus they make many items that will be for sale. They’ve made some beautiful projects!

Suzette was hard at work making small pottery beads that she will bake and paint and glaze (or whatever else gets done) so she can make more of her hand made jewelry.

The pottery wheels were busy as well. This is where the clay gets molded into some of the shapes.

It was such a lovely day that I couldn’t force myself indoors so just drove around the resort and chatted with the folks who were out enjoying the sunshine. I stopped off at lots of sites to chat and share a cup of coffee or tea. (too early for happy hour). I spotted this palm tree? plant? bush? on my way down Cole Circle. It’s right at the intersection of Cole Circle and Desert Wind Lane. I absolutely love all the varieties of southwestern and tropical plants here in Arizona but I have no idea what their specific names are or how they grow, etc. This particular plant really caught my eye though as it seems to be in all different stages of bloom. Very very interesting to see how the seeds? flowers? grow and develop. Maybe someday we can talk Jim Dawson into giving us a horticulture class on the different plants found here in the resort. Somebody please drop a hint to Jim?

That concludes today’s tour. It took quite a few hours to complete so you are getting a small nutshell of today’s fun. Take time to look at the scenery around you. Look at all the different plants and trees and flowers here in the resort. This place is beautiful.

Time for a Quick Tour

2012-01-03T15:36:00.001-07:00

It’s 75 degrees outside so took time for a quick tour around the park. I’ve been down with a killer of a migraine headache for a few days but am finally back on my feet again (thank goodness!!).

We received a letter in our mailboxes saying the sales office has a drawing on display for the next phase of construction. This next phase will introduce two bedroom two bath Village Homes on the Golf Course (200 spaces). The resort will be breaking ground April 2012 constructing all the roads, moving the ball field and RV storage preparing to bring in village homes around July/August of 2012. Soooo….I hurried up to the sales office for a glimpse of the map. Here ya go:

I tried to zero in on the ballfield and new pickleball courts. Remember to use “Control” and the + key to zoom in for a better view. Use “Control” and the – key to zoom out again.

There are two model homes already under construction at 1957 and 1956.

There was a construction truck blocking my view for a better picture but I’ll get more later.

The new Casita model is still coming along nicely too.

I couldn’t see inside the sewing room to check on progress, but new entrance ramps are now in place.

This summer will keep me and my little camera quite busy taking photos of all the action!

Other than new construction, our residents continue to find entertainment. These photos were donated by the water aerobics gals.

These are just some snapshots while on my morning tour.

“Puzzle People”

“Busy Librarians”

“Happy Golfers”

T’was the Night Before Christmas

2011-12-25T07:35:00.001-07:00

T'was the night before Christmas and all through the park

Adults were at play and out on a lark.

What to our listening ears should we hear?

But laughter and greetings and shouts of good cheer.

Our neighbors outdid themselves last night and it was awesome. There was no such thing as a “stranger” among us. We wandered from one ‘open house’ to another to say hello to friends and meet any newcomers. What a delightful evening of fellowship.

Hundreds of candlelight luminaries adorned the streets for blocks and blocks in all directions. Fire pits were aglow to keep us warm with good cheer and FOOD was bountiful on every table. The saga of living in Disneyland for Seniors goes on and on. What a wonderful park full of friendly people!

Sisters Zella and Harriett (hope that’s spelled correctly) host their annual Christmas Eve Open House. Come one come all, meet new friends and spread good cheer.

When it got late before heading to bed, I walked out into the now quiet night and just gazed down the streets full of candle lights still all aglow. What a wonderful feeling!

Merry Christmas to ALL of you!!!

How often do you see this????

2011-12-22T21:10:00.001-07:00

Jacques Avery (site 1632) happened to be at the right place at the right time. How often do you get to see a site like this? He was at the stop light at the corner of Florence Blvd waiting to turn left onto Henness. Talk about a traffic jam!!

Thank you, Jacques and Pat for sharing your video!

Heading south down Henness Road past Palm Creek entrance

Wednesday Tidbits

2011-12-22T13:54:00.001-07:00

Every Wednesday morning the Computer Club meets up at the San Tan room at 9:30. Today’s meeting was presented by President Mike Salter who gave us an updated tour of Google Earth. He showed us a time line of pictures of Palm Creek from 2002 to June of 2011. WOW!! That’s progress.

Here is the most current image taken in June of 2011:

And here is the image taken in 2002. No buildings north of the north pool. Not very many park models north of the tennis courts.

Google Earth never ceases to amaze me. It is really fun to type in the address of where I grew up as a child and then click to see what it looks like today. Wow.

Thank you, Mike, for a very interesting and informative meeting. Mike also spent time explaining how our modems and routers worked here in the park and the need for security and passwords. PLUS….we were treated to fresh yummy donuts as our Christmas celebration.

After the meeting, it was time for my daily bike ride around the park looking for a news story. Progress continues on the spec model of the Casita. RV folks are really anxious to see the completed project.

One of the greatest joys of living in Palm Creek is the multitude of friendly people. I stopped by to walk around one of our few remaining house watch homes and found a friendly group at the site next door. They were just soaking up the sunshine and some friendly chatter. When I said “howdy” and explained that I was just inspecting, they jumped from their chairs and hurried over to my customer’s home to have their picture taken on the porch. What a fun picture to send to Vic and Carol when they see their friends anxiously awaiting their return.

Another strong asset of Palm Creek is how nice people keep up their homes and RV sites. It’s not just Christmas decorations that make the place so attractive but all the little finishing touches. Here are just a few pictures I took along my ride.

This snowman family picture was taken by Marlene Thurlow from the Photo Club. I believe the theme was “lights”.

This “Happy Hour” group located near Cole Circle and Starry Night Lane were building their annual luminaries that will be put out in front of their sites on Christmas Eve. Be sure to drive by that night to see the pretty display.

OH NO!!!!!

Eddie from the maintenance department just stopped by with some extremely upsetting news! He found our great horned owl laying out on the golf course this morning! I actually cried when I saw this magnificent bird. How SAD!!!

We don’t know what happened to him as there’s not a damaging mark on him anywhere. What a beautiful and remarkable raptor.

Out of respect for such a wonder of nature, Eddie assured me he would bury the bird rather than just throw it in a dumpster. I’m sure all you avid readers will be saddened by its demise. So many of you were awed by the original photo that was posted here. (Original photo was taken by Bill and Maureen). So sorry to end today’s post with sad news.

More News

2011-12-20T10:03:00.001-07:00

I spotted these news signs yesterday and thought they were perfect to post on the blog as they’re good advertising for our ACTIVE senior Disneyland.

We all need a steady reminder to SLOW DOWN when driving. There are many walkers, runners, bike riders, dog walkers, golf carts, and even some on roller blades. More and more guests are arriving daily so be sure to obey the speed limit and the stop signs. (That’s our lecture for today.)

I saw some busy members of the “Deadheaders” group yesterday. These volunteers spend some of their precious spare time busy at work on bended knee to help keep our flower beds in tip top condition. A special “THANK YOU” goes to ALL of them.

It took some fancy talking to finally get them to pose and smile for the camera.

The new dog run was in active use too. These canines were happy at play and got a good chance to stretch their legs as they raced back and forth for a good game of fetch.

Another thank you goes to Ann Lykens and Palm Creek management for purchasing and installing the new window blinds in the San Tan room. Now when we watch the projector screen we can get a much better view. All the shades are controlled by a remote which will be checked out to the group in charge of each meeting.

There weren’t many people at bingo last night………….I suppose because so many are traveling home for the holidays………..and also because the big jackpots were won the week previously. We had a good time though and helped Flo celebrate her birthday! Happy Birthday, Flo! Flo has been in charge of Monday night bingo since its inception many many moons ago.

She and her hardy group of volunteers made sure we all received our Christmas treat of hot chocolate and cookies.

Have a GREAT day everyone!

Daily Tour

2011-12-17T09:00:00.001-07:00

Join me as we take our daily tour around the park. The flowers are a little late this year, but here they come! We had some cold snaps that aren’t healthy for young plants so here’s hoping the cold stays away.

We could hear lots of laughter and cheers as we neared the lawn bowling court. I’ve tried this game a couple times and it is NOT as easy and simple as it first appears. Give it a try sometime. Sit and watch or chat with the folks and they’ll be glad to get you involved. It’s fun!

Next we had to stop up at the activities office to check on our bridge scores. Say hello to the gals at the front reception desk.

The billiards room was quite busy when we peeked in the door.

There was a bit of commotion out behind the building so of course we bopped over to see what was happening. The whole staff was busy helping with a delivery of new tables and chairs for the new sewing room.

Wendell Johnson was touring the inside so we sneaked a peek too.

The new style of sky lights are amazing with how much sunlight they cast indoors.

I guess we’re waiting for more city permits before further interior work can begin. It’s hard to wait!!

It looks like the big dog park is ready to go. The grass is green and the fence is up. Can’t wait to watch the pups have fun in their new play area.

The gardens look GREAT! Congratulations to the whole garden group. Do you have a green thumb? Join the group on Thursdays at 1:00 to learn more.

On the way back home we stopped by Lot 1396 where they’re building the model “Casita” site. Nancy from the Sales Department explained that this will be a model site to give RVers & 5th Wheels some nice options for site improvements. I’m betting it will be very popular. I’ll be driving by to watch the progress and will keep you updated.

That concludes our tour for the day. Hope you enjoyed the trip around the park.

By the way…………………..I have many people approach me for “beginner” computer classes so I’m going to try the first one up in the SanTan Room. Wednesday, December 28, at 1:00-3:00 we’ll meet just for BEGINNERS and those who need a refresher of the bare basics of computer use. Describe the desktop, files and folders, and a bit about navigating the web. It’s basically to understand the computer in non-techie terms. How we store our documents and photos and music. Just the easy stuff. Nothing hard or fancy. If you know of anyone who may be interested, there is a sign up sheet in the Activities Office on a clip board that says “Computer Classes”.

There is a second class for January 19 that is all about using Picasa for your photo management. We’ll present a complete overview of the program and what it can do for us.

My favorite class is, of course, the one-on-one sessions when folks bring their computer here to the house for a private lesson. I think that’s the best way to learn when you actually get hands on experience. Don and our son, Kevin, are both here to help with the techie problems too.

This coming Wednesday, December 21, our computer club will be learning about Google Earth and how to navigate the world! Feel free to join us at 9:30 in the SanTan room. Our club President, Mike Salter, will be presenting.

Have a great day!

Craft Fair + New Homes + More

2011-12-15T21:59:00.001-07:00

Normally we would sing “Rain Rain Go Away”…….but not when you live in the Arizona desert. Here every drop of rain is precious to relieve the drought conditions. Monday and Tuesday may not have been ideal for our golfers and outdoor sports but we were happy to have some real rain for a change. I’m sure the desert plants and animals were happy as well.

The gray sky did NOT keep the shoppers away from the Craft Sale on Tuesday. The usual booths in the parking lot didn’t appear due to the weather but the ballroom was packed with vendors and eager shoppers.

Some of our own “Creekers” have booths to sell their hand-made treasures.

Jack Thomason has been busy in the wood shop working on his crafts.

Bob Hotvet from Minnesota was selling his wood carvings.

The boys from the woodshop were selling raffle tickets for this beautiful hand crafted drop leaf table. Go buy some tickets so they can get more tools for the wood shop!

Of course to make every event successful, there must be volunteers who cook and serve up the food.

Just a casual celebrity photo of some popular shoppers.

And….as always….someone has to be on duty to meet and greet arriving guests and residents. Rain OR shine.

Oh………what is behind this big pile of dirt over by the storage area??

WOW!! The hole has been dug for the first house on the new street to run down the other side of the golf course. I hear that two of these big spec homes will be arriving there soon. Seeing the big hole sparked my curiosity to see what was going to be available so we stopped up at the sales office Wednesday afternoon for the weekly tour of new homes. Nancy Paupst from the Sales Office gives a guided tour each Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 so if you want to see samples of the new houses, stop in and join her tour.

Here is a floor plan for the new Carlene 2-bedroom 2-bath home showing 1,319 sq. ft. of space.

We also got the chance to tour through the new 3-piece modular home located at Site 1261. Very nice! The resort has some terrific sales offers in place on some of these new models along with reduced rent for the first four years. Keep an eye on Site 1396 where the park is constructing a sample “Casita”. A Casita is a room that can be built on an RV or 5th wheel site. Lots of exciting news and proof that our park is doing well. The next phase of expansion calls for moving the softball field, building about 16 new pickleball courts, and 200 more home sites.

Wednesday was a busy day as we had our weekly Computer Club meeting that morning. Kevin Fahey from the Casa Grande Public Library was our guest speaker for the day. He told us of a lot of information that is available from the library. You can read all the details at our club blog at: www.palmcreekcomputerclub.blogspot.com. This year’s club president, Mike Salter, always has some entertaining as well as informative info for us as well. Next week he will introduce us to Google Earth.

P.S. I was almost late for Computer Club because I had to stop and wait for “traffic” on my street.

Friend and neighbor, Popkorn, was out testing his newest toy that zips up and down our street like a flash! As I backed out my driveway, his little car could run circles around me. There he was all the way down the street. That car has quite a range!

Never a dull moment living here!

Caywood Cotton Farm Tour

2011-12-12T08:09:00.001-07:00

Seeing all the cotton fields surrounding us and watching the crop dusters roaring overhead aroused my curiosity to learn more about the crop. Yahoo! There came the opportunity for a tour through the Activities Office. We traveled out past 11-Mile Corner to the Caywood farm for a tour. Nancy and Al were our hosts for the day and surprisingly started off by entertaining us with some of their bluegrass music. They are part of a bluegrass ensemble that plays at events. Sure hope we get the opportunity to have them here at Palm Creek some Wednesday night as they were really foot-stomping fun. (Do I send this HINT to Ann Lykens or to the new Special Events Team of Peggy Sue??)

Nancy is an agriculture instructor at the University of California so is a wealth of knowledge about agriculture in general. I found it fascinating to hear about water allocation to farmers and was quite concerned to hear about our current drought conditions and a lack of valuable water to farmers. Because of water restrictions, farmers have had to let some fields fallow. THUS explaining why we had such an abundance of heavy dust storms this past summer. With no crops in the fields, the soil is free to fly away! As I sit here writing this, a light rain is falling outside. While it ‘dampens’ our day for fun in the sun, we NEED every drop of rain so don’t dismay about the gloom.

Our tour hosts explained the whole process of growing cotton…..from planting to harvesting….plus the equipment and machinery needed. We asked tons of questions along the way. Listening to the stories brought back visions of many movies where cotton had to be picked by hand causing serious injury with cuts and sore fingers. I can certainly see why after examining the sharp edges of the pods.

We hopped aboard the hay wagon to take us out to the cotton plants that were left for the tour. These small huts are part of the history where migrant workers used to reside plus there is a display of old machinery along the way.

I appreciated the demonstration of how those big machines can drive through a field and pick the cotton. Modern technology and science have certainly made the harvesting job less painful.

Those big cotton modules we see along the edges of the fields weigh about 15,000 pounds as they are compressed and wrapped in this modular machine.

Most of the weight comes from the seeds within the cotton balls. The seeds are given to the cotton mill in exchange for ginning the cotton. It takes five years for this little seed to be treated before it can be used for replanting. The seeds are actually injected with an herbicide against boll worms. Agriculture is truly a science!

Here’s sending a special THANK YOU to the Caywood/Robertson family for sponsoring this informative tour.

Christmas Concert

2011-12-11T14:08:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Betty Roussey and the entire chorus group for a wonderful program Friday night!!! All their practice really paid off as the program went without a hitch. Great singing, great audience participation, cute skits, delicious home made candy and cookies, and an overall lovely evening. Everyone left in an uplifted and joyous mood. It was another example of why we love living in Palm Creek. Betty can often be seen at the Welcome Table on Saturday mornings as she is there with fellow Greeters to welcome folks to our resort. Stop by and thank her for her contribution to our entertainment. Better hurry to buy your tickets for the Spring Concert.

*Note: My little pocket camera doesn’t do well in the ballroom at night. I’m hoping to get better photos from a friend so stop back again later for possible update.

Special thank you to Dolores Forbis (piano) and Donna Keay (organ) for sharing your talents. There are over 45 members of the chorus so can’t list them all here but thank you EVERYONE for a delightful evening.

Derrick Johnston and his wife, Iris, read a cute poem that Derrick wrote about Palm Creek. He granted permission to have it posted here.

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE A PALM CREEK CHRISTMAS

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the park

The pet section was quiet, not even a bark.

The golf clubs were placed by the RVs with care

In hopes of good weather and calm in the air.

The golfers were nestled all snug in their wee little beds

While birdies and eagles all danced in their wee little heads.

Papa in his tank top, Mama in her shorts

Had bicycled back from the pickleball courts.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter

The bowlers ran out to see what was the matter.

The bowls and the jacks were all over the place

And Wendell was lying there flat on his face.

Someone had forgotten to put things inside

But nothing was injured except for his pride.

With memos forthcoming as harsh words were spoken

We were just grateful that nothing was broken.

No clang of a horse shoe was heard in the pit.

Tennis courts were all quiet, the players had quit.

Shuffleboard cues were lined up in a row.

The card rooms were dark, no one wanted to sew.

The singers had sung and the writers had written.

Dominoes were all done and the quilters were quitin’

Line dancers were finished and heading home fast.

The beaders were strung out and left the place last.

The pottery wheels were as still as the night

And the stained glass pieces reflected the light

Of a safety lamp shining outside the door

Casting unearthly shadows across the tiled floor.

The front gate was quiet, the rangers were bored.

Some parties were warming as eggnog was poured.

Still others were already done for the day

And bottles and games were all put away.

With swimming pools quiet and spas not abubble

We sat under heaters discussing world trouble.

Economies crumble as politics sicken

World hatred is growing as terror plots thicken.

Perhaps what we don’t need at this time of year

is a world full of toys, new flat screens, and light beer

But a place full of joy from a heart full of love

As we think of the Christ child sent down from above.

If His was a life we would all try to follow

There wouldn’t be promises made that were hollow.

The love for a neighbor would be what we feel

And peace on this earth could be something real.

The author is unknown, but we sang these lyrics to Winter Wonderland.

Palm trees wave, are you listenin’?

In the pool waters glistenin’

A beautiful sight, we’re happy tonight

Living in Palm Creek wonderland.

Gone away is the blizzard

Here to stay is the lizard,

A warm sunny day, we like it that way,

Living in a Palm Creek wonderland.

In the desert we will have a picnic,

Cactus, sand and rattlesnakes and sun,

Christmas dinner is an old tradition,

it’s pinto beans and tacos by the ton.

Later on we’ll perspire,

Temperatures rise even higher,

A warm sunny day, we like it that way,

living in a Palm Creek wonderland,

Living in a Palm Creek wonderland.

Another Day

2011-12-09T12:54:00.001-07:00

The weather might be on the cool side but it certainly doesn’t stop folks from having a good time in our heated pools. Watch the volleyball league in action from this morning.

Palm Creek Water Volleyball (league play)

There was even a referee and a couple line judges.

We had a great Computer Club meeting last week with Julie Yen from the Casa Grande Public Library as our guest speaker. Julie explained the different kind of e-readers like Kindle, Nook, ipad, etc. and showed us how easy it was to download books from the library for free. Watch the Computer Club blog to hear about more upcoming speakers and meeting topics at: http://www.palmcreekcomputerclub.blogspot.com/

I stopped up at the north gate office to see how things were going now that the north gate is open during the day. Ken Lane was on duty and had already checked through 40 cars by the time I got there. The north gate is a convenient way to head the back way to the Promenade Mall.

Have a great day!

Parade Winners

2011-12-08T09:17:00.001-07:00

The City of Casa Grande Parks and Recreation, Public Works, Police and Fire Departments, APS, Casa Grande Valley Newspapers Inc., and the Casa Grande Main Street held the 17th Annual Electric Light Parade on Saturday, December 3. A little over 10,000 spectators braved the weather to come watch this years parade. There were over 98 entries in this year’s parade. Of the 98 entries, 69 parade entries showed up for the parade. For 15 of these entries, it was their first year. The winner’s are as follows:

MAYOR’S AWARD (“Pride of the Parade”) - Intertwine Environmental Contractors

APS POWER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AWARD (for best use of lights) - Special Olympics

Centennial Award - Casa Grande Middle School Student Council

People's Choice Award - Mission Heights Prep. High School

MOST ORIGINAL

1st Place - Mission Royale Adult Community
2nd Place –. Palm Creek Golf and RV Resort
3rd Place – Casa Grande 4 Wheelers

MOST AMUSING

1st Place – Fiesta Grande RV Resort
2nd Place – Eva’s Mexican Food
3rd Place – Above & Beyond Bail Bonds

BEST CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

1st Place – Cazadores Construction Inc. & De Los Santos Construction Inc
2nd Place - Desert Sky Baptist Church

MOST CREATIVE CHRISTMAS COSTUME(S)

1st Place – Casa Grande Union High School Marching Band
2nd Place – Desert Sun Heating, Cooling & Refrigeration, Inc
3rd Place – Love Fellowship Center
BEST PUBLIC SAFETY ENTRY

1st Place – City of Casa Grande Fire Explorers Post 911
2nd Place – Pinal County Sheriff Office
3rd Place – Coolidge Fire Department

CASA GRANDE MAIN STREET SMALL BUSINESS AWARD - Molar Magic

Update

2011-12-07T17:14:00.001-07:00

Thank you, Ray Valentine, for the photos of our Palm Creek float. Great pictures! Ray’s years of experience behind the camera lens really pay off. It is no small task to get such crisp clear photos in the dark of night. Check out Ray’s website at www.rayvalentine.com. Ray and his wife, Sue, are seen all around the resort working at the special events. Let Ray know you saw his photos!

We had another big winner at Bingo Monday night. Congratulations Barb Jackson!!!…………$406.

Take a “Virtual Tour”

2011-12-05T15:13:00.001-07:00

Betty Scofield wanted to help her good friend and neighbor to sell their park model. After looking through the long printed list of lots for resale, Betty sensed the difficulty to sort the list by the type of home the potential buyers desired. With Betty’s background in the Real Estate business ( 20+ years as a Real Estate Broker plus a background in Sales & Marketing) she knew that buyers were trying to sift through that long list for just homes on the golf course, or just homes in the pet section, or just homes in a certain price range, etc. etc.

After some pensive thought and conversing with Wendell Johnson, she came up with the idea of being able to sort the list of sales by category plus put photos on line so potential buyers could take a look inside each home before making a visitation appointment. Adding to the dilemma is the fact that many homes are rented for the season so it means entering while renters are in place. A virtual tour will allow buyers to see the home on line without that personal interruption unless they were seriously considering the site.

With the help of her good friend, Penny Morgan, Betty has made that idea come to life by creating a website called: www.VirtualHomePreviews.com

You will see the signs in front of some homes as sellers jump on the band wagon to get their home listed in Betty’s program. Visit the website to take a virtual tour, read all the specs, and even be able to print out a flyer containing all the information requested of a potential buyer.

Here is a sample of the letter interested sellers will receive: (Remember to use your Control Key and the + key to enlarge print. Use Control and – to reduce. Use Control and 0 to return to normal.)

This is a sample of the kind of flyer Betty will provide to the seller and it will be downloadable from the website for potential buyers.

Thank you, Betty, for providing a helpful tool for both sellers and buyers!

Electric Light Parade

2011-12-03T17:46:00.001-07:00

If you’d like to vote for Palm Creek’s entry in the Electric Light Parade, just click on this link: Vote for our Float or you can text your vote to 520-869-4288. Palm Creek’s entry is #5. Voting begins tonight (Saturday night) after the parade at 7:00 pm and ends Sunday on December 4. Please take a moment to vote for our float! Tell your neighbors and friends!!

Phoenix Mart

2011-11-30T19:50:00.001-07:00

Don and I skipped out of our duplicate bridge night and headed down to the Outlet Mall to hear a presentation about the coming Phoenix Mart project. This project is HUGE and will make a great impact on Casa Grande.

Jeremy Schoenfelder who is a Vice President of General Administration with AZSourcing answered questions and gave an overview of the project.

Construction will be just east of Overfield Road. (Take Florence Blvd east a couple miles past the mall.) About 585 acres of land has been purchased. Actual ground breaking for phase one should begin around March with projected completion of phase one estimated to be March of 2013. They propose a soft opening in spring with the Grand Opening in fall after winter visitors return. The purpose of the Mart is a place where wholesale buyers can come and meet with manufacturers who sell various goods. The site is geared toward wholesale buyers but we as individual shoppers can buy ones or twos also. There were original rumors that there would be a bunch of restaurants out there but right now there are only plans for a food court which will just service employees and shoppers. There will also be a convention center and probably hotel or resident accommodations. One third of the 1.5 million square foot facility will be for Chinese manufacturers, one third for US companies, and one third for other countries to represent their goods. Phase One is anticipated to bring well over 1,000 jobs to Casa Grande.

Here are some artist renditions of the proposed building and surrounding area.

I will put some links here to past articles about the project in case you aren’t up to date on local news.

Phoenix Mart Initial Announcement

Second Announcement

The investors with the Phoenix Mart project bought the outlet mall, which is off Jimmie Kerr Boulevard and are using it as their current headquarters. Some of the empty retail space will be used as a site for initial vendors to get trained into the Mart idea. Present vendors already located there will remain.

Bingo!!

2011-11-29T08:24:00.001-07:00

That was FUN! I got to be the caller at the big Bingo game last night. While I still like to be playing with dobber in hand trying to win one of those big jackpots, being the caller was exciting too. It was a little nerve wracking at first because there are so dang many buttons and widgets and gizmos on that machine but once you get started, it’s not so bad. I forgot to advance the board a couple times but friendly folks at the tables kept an eye on me and helped me along. Of course I threatened the whole room and said they had to be kind because I know where most of them live and I could get even.

Before we started the first game, everyone held a salute as we yelled “Dobbers Up” and wished each other good luck. I tried to get a picture of everyone so had to do it in thirds.

One very lucky gentleman won the final black out jackpot and took home $602.

As the bingo players left the room, the volunteers from the softball team entered to pick up all the tables and chairs. WOW!!! They have that job down to a science! They had everything cleaned up and put away in a very short time. I send a very hearty THANK YOU to them as it is a HUGE contribution to making the bingo event so successful.

Tis the Season

2011-11-28T14:51:00.001-07:00

Thanksgiving has come and gone so now it’s time to decorate for the Christmas holiday. The front foyer up at the reception desk looks warm and welcoming. I hope you folks back east or up north can read the weather report on the TV set to see that we’re in the 70s by day with lots of sunshine.

The tree is decorated.

Santa is here to welcome you.

And the “Giving Tree” is asking for gifts to be donated to needy children.

The third section of the new sewing room arrived and all three pieces are now in place up by the north side of the ballroom.

I’ll post an on-line album here showing many photos of the pieces being brought into place.

Sewing Room Installation

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Inside the current sewing room, the ladies are hard at work.

A lot of charitable work is created here by making quilts, pillow cases, baby blankets, little dresses, etc. for needy people in the community and sometimes over seas. These busy bees make a great contribution with their labor of love.

Since I was in the neighborhood, I made a quick stop at the stained glass room. Even though there was a sign on the door about being closed for a class, they were kind and didn’t chase me out. I caught them hard at work at their masterpieces.

Right next door is the pottery room and there were a few folks working in there too.

These craft rooms are always busy.

On the way home, while camera was still charged, I found a few more Creekers enjoying the day.

I believe pickleball has the largest group of participants. Their bulletin board tells the story about how many different levels of play, times of play, lessons, etc. etc. There should be some play for everyone at all skill levels.

Tuesday must be men’s day by the looks of the golf course.

Shuffleboard was just gearing up and cleaning the courts to get ready for play.

It looks like work continues with the construction of the Palm Creek float. Must be ready for the big parade this coming weekend.

Whoops….must run and help get set up for the big bingo game tonight. Have a good day!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T09:36:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to ALL the volunteers who helped with that wonderful, delicious Thanksgiving dinner! It amazes me how you can turn out such a delicious meal to so many people out of that small kitchen……and have it served while its still hot.

While we (as guests) sat comfortably at our tables, there was a flotilla of volunteers serving up the plates over in the ballroom and another group delivering the meals to us. It worked like clockwork. Very well organized!

See the lady with the blue shirt dashing across this photo in a blur?? That was our Special Events Manager, Joy Covell making sure we were all happy.

The pretty centerpieces at each table served as great door prizes donated by Jim Dawson and his landscape crew.

The weather was cooperative too. We were predicted to have rain and cold for the day but precipitation held off until evening. The sunset was awesome and made a wonderful way to end the day. Of course, photos just don’t do it justice but I thought the trail of clouds over our house was pretty.

Monday night was Bingo up at the ballroom. Nice turn out.

Paul Theriault from Alberta was a lucky winner of the Game 6 jackpot. $479. Congratulations Paul. Flo Fillipi got to write the check for the payout.

The jackpot for Game 12 increases again as no one was able to bingo within 57 numbers. The pot grows! Again, I must take time to thank the volunteers who staff the snack window on Monday night.

And….the folks who do the call backs and get to pay the winners of each game. Congratulations Bob for winning this game! Notice how Doris has her eye on that cash.

Here’s hoping everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Enjoy those leftovers and turkey sandwiches. For those of you who are still out east or up north in the cold…………..sorry you aren’t here with us. The weatherman said we’re going to be in the 80s this week with LOTS of sunshine.

A Great Day in Paradise

2011-11-21T17:41:00.001-07:00

Oh my gosh…………Another beautiful day at Palm Creek. Don and I rode all around the park this morning just enjoying the scenery and stopping to chat with friends and strangers alike. Everyone always seems in such an upbeat mood. Here is a batch of miscellaneous photos we took as we toured the park this morning. We had no destination in mind…..just took a cruise.

Waved at the water aerobics folks up in the north pool.

Stopped up at the north end to see how the new bark park is coming along. Looks like the grass is coming in nicely. (No…that’s not rain puddles. I think its just an over active sprinkler.)

The gardens look awesome! Lots of tender loving care going on here. Horticulture at its finest.

We met several teams of landscapers out delivering the pots of petals that were purchased at the Welcome Back party.

Site 1788 is now the home of several planters. Lookin’ good!!

Sure can tell that the residents along Oasis are returning as their street looks nice and cheery with new plants, yard ornaments….and lit up palm trees. One of the neighbors is really camera shy, however, and he wouldn’t come out from behind the tree!

Another new park model under construction along Oasis. I think it’s Site 1873. (I think.) Somebody tell Jerry Smith he’s getting a new neighbor.

Whoops………….another flower delivery. I like to photograph the hard working landscape crew.

Aha……up front we found Fernando helping to load up the carts and giving instructions for more deliveries.

Next we drove through the non pet side of the park and laughed when we saw this scene.

And we found more “pets” over there.

Dave Hardy is a good friend of Don’s so Don said I had to add Dave here as another odd looking pet.

We came across a cheerful group of Red Hatters enjoying a great brunch in the warm sunshine!

We were even invited for a cup of coffee! Thanks for the friendly greeting!

We noticed the front parking lot was busy with incoming rigs full of folks who want to share our fun and sun. Rangers and hostesses were busy greeting the newcomers.

On the way home we stopped to watch the players at shuffleboard.

Hi Irene!!

Even this scene down Cole Circle is beautiful on such a sunny day!

Hope you enjoyed today’s tour of Disneyland for Seniors!

Bridge

2011-11-21T06:36:00.000-07:00

Good Morning, Readers:
Last week I overheard some folks talking about the game of Bridge as they walked by the Sonoran Room. Someone asked what those little red boxes were for. The reply (from another non-bridge player) was that they had to hold up cards because they weren't allowed to talk. "Not allowed to talk??!! That can't be much fun."

Well....I'm here to tell you that playing bridge IS fun and we have a good time playing. The purpose behind the little red bid box is so you can't use voice inflection to indicate how strong or weak your bid is. It is supposed to prevent us from "groaning" or "cheering" to indicate our card strength.

Yes, it is a game of concentration and the reason we're 'supposed' to be quiet is so others can concentrate and the other tables can't hear how we're bidding or playing a particular hand since they will soon be playing the same cards. It is a competition to see who can play that hand and get a better score. That's why it is called "Duplicate Bridge." Several partners play the same hand and try to do better than the rest.

At least if you're having a bad day and can't get any high scoring cards...you're not alone. Everyone else playing those same cards will have the same opportunity but you can see how others played that same hand. Sometimes you're happy and sometimes you're NOT. That's the fun of the game. Anytime you can sit down with fellow Creekers to play games....it is a good day.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!!

Welcome Back Party

2011-11-19T15:19:00.001-07:00

WOW! We had the perfect weather for the Welcome Back party today! It’s surprising to see such a big attendance this early in the season. That’s a sign that folks don’t want to stay away any longer than they have to. Today’s extravaganza was just like Disneyland for Seniors. Games (basketball throw, golf chipping, pinball, and TRIKE riding!) music, entertainment, dancing, lots of great food, vendors to visit with, RVs to tour, flowers to plant and pots of petals to lease, beer and refreshments, etc etc etc. Lots of fun for everyone. A great time to mingle and say hello to old friends and meet new people.

Buy your food tickets here.

Save $5 and plant your own!

Feel free to ask the experts for help. Jim Dawson, Fernando, and Eddie on duty.

Lots of flowers to choose from.

I think the tricycle races were the most fun to watch.

Folks came to the finish line laughing so hard, they could hardly pedal anymore.

Send these photos to the kids back home if they think Mom and Dad are sitting back in a rocker while in Arizona.

And the band played on.

And the dancers danced.

At center is DeeDee Dougherty who teaches all our line dance and square dance classes here. She is awesome! She won some big awards at the International Square Dance Music Awards in Vegas this year. Best Overall Female Caller, Best Female Patter Caller, and Best Female Singing Caller. Congratulations DeeDee!!

A little business was also conducted along with the gayety. The Dish guys signed up a bunch of new customers.

A-Z Dermitology had a booth to advertise their services. They’re even sponsoring some free skin screenings next week. (Sign up is already filled.) (Dr. Gamoth is seated.)

RightWay Healthcare was present and sponsored free ice cream.

Chick-fil-A sponsored free iced tea. They certainly have served hundreds of free breakfasts to us this season. Be sure to support their business next time you are out for a lunch or quick snack.

Henry Brown Auto had a few cars on display and LaMesa RV had some beautiful new rigs to tour.

You can always find Yogie working at the Budweiser stand. We Wisconsin people know what’s important.

Linda and our new Special Events Manager, Joy Covell, were busy at the wine cooler station.

I tried to avoid taking pictures of people eating – which most events are famous for – but I did have to include this picture because John said I’d better not post it on the blog. Sorry John! Here you are. (At least they were done eating.)

It took many many people to put this event together and have it so successful. Thank you to everyone for all the hard work.

Dora – head of our housekeeping department

And many volunteers at the various booths.

And…..those who stayed behind to direct traffic.

On my walk home through the golf course, I had to smile and stop to say hello to Helen Vosburg who was the lonely starter on duty at Hole #10. She had a nice quiet afternoon with a good book while on duty.

It was a beautiful day in a beautiful park. Hope you all had a great time.

Second Half Arrives

2011-11-19T08:25:00.001-07:00

Friday, November 18, the second half of the sewing room moves into the park. It was again a very successful and smooth entrance as the truck maneuvered through the north gate and wound its way down Oasis Drive. Now the two units are parked near the softball field awaiting the next phase of installation. I believe the final destination will be the current lot behind the ballroom and craft rooms where the big white tent used to reside. The addition of an enlarged sewing center will not only benefit the 200+ sewers and quilters…..but will give the rest of us more meeting space. Thank you, Palm Creek Management, for providing more space for us to play.

This is the same driver that delivered the first load. He looks so young to have that kind of experience. Of course, I call anyone under 50 young these days. Here he’s pulling in those wide reaching mirrors.

That’s Roger (better known as Yogie) giving him the “all clear” signal.

And again we make our way down Oasis.

Silently awaiting the next move and phase of construction.

*Note to all readers:

I chatted with a few folks this past week who said they hadn’t looked at the blog for a while because they’re so busy with fun outdoor activities……so I thought I could put the blog to rest for the season. Then this morning after posting this about the sewing room, I paused to take a look at my blog statistics page. Yipe!! It is only 9:00 this morning and there have already been 179 hits. You folks are really early risers! With that much activity, I guess I’ll keep on posting….but if you get some nice photos of events that I don’t attend, be sure to send them my way.