Triple Digit are Here

Okay.  Triple digit temps have arrived.  We've had some cloud over the last few days which protected us from the sun's intense rays but the beautiful clear blue sky is back and that means no protection from the heat.  We actually had about 12 drops of rain yesterday.  We could actually see some spots on our cars but I think the "rain"

 evaporated before it made it all the way down as the streets never got wet.  It's been a LONG time since we've had precipitation.

Rain or no rain, heat or no heat, the owls are thriving.  Looks like our nest across the street from the front gate had four babies this year.  Sooooo cute.  Connie Morin forwarded these photos to me but I don't know who the photographer was to give credit.  I see the little feathered critters each time we leave the park but haven't stopped with my camera.

It may be warm outside but our avid pickle players just start playing earlier in the morning.  We stopped over to say hello this morning....just in time to see Ed Brown miss this easy shot.  Sorry Ed!!  :)

Avis Gray had the gang gather together for a group shot.  We want everyone to know how much those courts are loved and used.....all year round!!

 

 Finishing touches are being added to our wonderful bistro patio.  The final brick work is being added to all the columns.  Very nice!!

 

The ducks are flourishing too.  There are several different aged families in the park.

Golfers are out EVERY morning at the break of dawn. 

It's time for all the palm trees to get their annual trimming.  Our landscape crew never runs out of work to do.

Look how cute the trees look with their freshly shorn tops. 

The June newsletter just came out.  Looks like we continue to have numerous fun summer events coming up.  I already bought tickets for all the events so should have some fun photos from each day.

June 6 -- Prime Rib Dinner

June 9 -- Bingo

June 11-12 -- Overnight Bus Trip to Fort McDowell

June 15 -- Father's Day

June 24 -- Mexican Fiesta

July 4 -- Celebration

July 15 -- Coffee and Donuts

July 31 -- Coke Float Special

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Memorial Day plus more

Memorial Day, Monday, May 26 

Flags at half mast in memory of our troops.  It is always a sobering sight.

 

 

Indoors we celebrated the day with a group luncheon catered from Culvers with yummy chicken, cole slaw, and mashed potatoes.  Of course there was lots of luscious dessert!

 

Thanks to the Culver's team (and Linda Balzan for guiding them around our kitchen.)

 

I hope I didn't miss any tables as I wandered around the room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now for other scenes around the park.

Doesn't mama dove look cute nesting in her very own tree?  What a perfect place for her.  She says thank you to Joe and Bev Guidinger for hosting the spot.

 

 

 

To all you fans who have been following mama duck:  Her agony is now over.  She received some loving care from folks who didn't want to see her suffer anymore.  The nest has been removed and the area all cleaned up.  The last two remaining eggs were doomed.  Who knows how long the poor mama would have continued to sit in that intense sun every day.  Now she is free to run and play with her friends.  Better luck to her next time.

 

 

It's fun to watch all the different fruit trees in the park.  It's a bonus to watch the yard of Len and Rosemary Nichol as they have a kumquat tree in their backyard and I get a refreshing handful (or two) of yummy fruit each time we visit.

 

 

 

Across the street at Bill and Sue Leeson's, there is a fig tree that has a VERY bountiful crop of figs this year.  I had never had a raw fig before.  I learned from a neighbor that they're even better if you spread a little honey on them.  Yup.  They're good!

 

 

 

No blog entry is complete unless we have a flower picture.  How about these yellow beauties!

 

 

 

Landscaping downed another tree on the course where the driving cage was located.

 

 

 I end today's entry with some wonderful news for those of you who know Art and Audrey Combs.  We met Art while out on our rounds and he was very happy to report that Audrey's last Doctor visit showed her to be cancer free!!!!  Yahoo!!!

 

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I'll put this photo at the end where I usually post cartoons.  This is  Donna Cox and me with our toys in the swimming pool.  LOL

 

 

Wow.....just checked the stats for this blog.  Lots of traffic now that you're all back at your other home!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sam's Club

The long awaited day has arrived!  Today is the grand opening of the new Sam's Club here in Casa Grande.   Construction started last year on the 136,000 square-foot building and hiring started in November.  There are 609 Sam's clubs nationwide.  The Casa Grande store is the 16th Sam's Club in Arizona and it's about 10,000 square feet larger than stores in nearby communities.  Unsold fresh foods will be donated to an area food bank.  They expect to donate anywhere from 100 to 150 pounds of protein to the food bank every day!  About 8000 people have enrolled in the store membership so far.  A photo center, bakery, optical and hearing aid departments, and pharmacy are part of the store.  Store manager is Eddie Valle.

To add even more fun to this event, we took Ed Brown with us on the excursion...as a passenger in the back seat of our little Fiat.  I'm happy to report that he made it in and out without pry bars or assistance.

 

Doors were to open at 8:30 so we arrived in time to hear a few dignitaries give a welcome speech and watch the line up of folks waiting to enter.  The parking lot looked busy and the line was long but once the doors opened, things moved along quickly.  It's nice that they were handing out free bottles of water while the line waited.

 

 

We spotted Sandy and Chip Milner already in line.

 

Farther along we met Rex and Peggy Fetzer. 

 

We met quite a few other "Creekers" once inside the store. 

Wave Hi to Vic and Mic Bourcier.

 

 

Here's Jan Waters enjoying her new job as friendly cashier.

 

Mayor Jackson was present but I was more anxious to get a photo with the bakery bear.  He was cute and cuddly.

 

 

I must say that I was quite impressed with the store and what they have to offer.  Having their deli department here will make going to pot lucks and happy hours a lot easier. 

 

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We've been watching all the construction activity at site 688 for the past week or so.  Looks like the job is finally completed so we stopped to congratulate Dennis and Joy Miller for the great project.  They have completely resided the building and added some new windows.  It looks really nice! 

 

Meanwhile, Faustino continues the never ending job of trimming all the bushes and oleanders.

 

Sad news continues for mama duck.  There are only two eggs left and one of them is very small.  All the other eggs have been robbed by predators.  Mom continues to nest though and pants with her bill wide open in the hot afternoons.  So sad!!!  She is certainly dedicated.

Phoenix Mart still alive

We haven't heard anything about that HUGE Phoenix Mart complex for quite a while but this article appeared in Saturday's Casa Grande newspaper so the project must still be alive.  At least they're starting to scrape the ground.  If you're not familiar with this project, you can read about it from my blog entrance back on November 30, 2011.  I think this link will take you there.  Phoenix Mart Nov 2011

 

We spotted Painter Bob Herinck working away at another casita this morning.  That man appears to be a dedicated workaholic.

 

The casitas always look very attractive.  Nice brick work around the bottom with greenery. 

 

 

 

How do you trim an oleander bush??  Use a HUGE hedge trimmer and whack away at it.  I don't think its possible to damage those bushes.  They just grow back with a vengeance and put out even more pretty blossoms.

 

 

 

That's our major news for today......other than mama duck is STILL holding out hope for those eggs.  Poor gal in this blistering HOT summer afternoon sun.

 

 

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New dog breed: