FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don was awakened by the sound of loud explosions about 2:45 am.  He turned on the police scanner and when he heard the “RVs on fire” call to 1110 N Henness, we got dressed and hopped in the golf cart with camera in hand.  There were huge flames lighting up the sky over the RV storage area as we approached.  At this time, we still don’t know how many units were involved as it wasn’t safe to get any closer.  You can bet we’ll be back over there as soon as the sun comes up so we get more photos.
It appears that at least 4 rigs were completely destroyed with fire damage to 3 or 4 more.
The Fire Department did a fantastic job of handling this fire.  They had the huge flames under control and completely out within the hour.  They did an awesome job!  Without their fast and highly professional response, there would have been a lot more damage.  Their lives were also at risk as they neared the flames due to the multiple propane tanks exploding and the volume of fuel that was in the RVs themselves.  We salute our Fire Department!!
Be sure to click on the links below these photos so you can see video of the actual fire.










 

photo submitted by Skip Emerson

Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch

cHow many times have you driven past the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch on Highway 10 and wondered what there was to see there…but kept driving by without a stop???  We’ve done that many a time but today we made it a field trip to go with a group of friends and feed the wildlife.  WHAT FUN!!!!
A $5 per person entry fee includes a can of food pellets and a small container of nectar.  The pellets are fed to the ostriches….carefully…as the birds are eager for the treats and tend to grab quite aggressively.  It was fascinating to get up close and personal with these huge critters.  They can easily reach 6 feet tall in height.
Isn’t he a handsome devil with those big eyes and long lashes?? 
After spending time with the feathered guys, we hand fed the ever so gentle deer and donkeys.
To most of us, the greatest thrill was entering the bird compound and feeding the Lorakeets.  We each had a small container of nectar and were told to just hold it out and let the birds find us.  Find us they did!  The birds are absolutely beautiful, friendly, and fun.
We certainly managed to get some close up photos!
       We made several trips back to the concession stand for more nectar and when that ran out, I guess even our earrings looked appetizing.  It was impossible not to smile as these beautiful birds graced us with their presence. 
I took photos of some of the information signs that I thought were interesting.  I hope you’re able to read all the interesting facts.
Of course there was a small souvenir stand as well.  You could buy beautifully hand painted eggs…or start from scratch with one of your own.  And yes….fresh eggs were also available for your breakfast table.  One ostrich egg is the equivalent of 24 chicken eggs.
  It was truly a fun event and I’m betting we go back again next season.

A Hummer of a Story

Arden and June Griepp at Site 1281 are the proud caretakers of a mother hummingbird and her small infant.  Mom hummingbird built her nest on the Griepp’s string of decorative lights that surround their front patio.  There are a small percentage of people lucky enough to even see a hummer’s nest much less host one within arm’s distance to their front door.  The nest hangs right above the entry way to the Griepp’s front door so June and Arden were privileged to watch the building of the nest, incubation, and now feeding the youngster.  It is quite a thrill to watch the winged jewel in action.

  Congratulations, Arden and June! 

EARTHQUAKE!!

The earth truly rumbled this week during the Baja earthquake and we definitely felt it here in Casa Grande.  I was sitting on the patio soaking up the sun’s rays and reading a good book when it hit.  At first I wondered if I was getting sick or dizzy as it felt like I was floating in a boat.  Then Don came outside and said “did you feel that?  Earthquake!”  The neighbors started emerging outside as well.  Don Blair, across the street in his motor home, said he thought we were out there rocking his motor home (as we may have done before).  Others said they were awakened from a nap and couldn’t figure out what was happening.  We turned on CNN to get the news and find out where the epicenter occurred.  I’m convinced that I don’t ever want to be any closer than that!

Urban Miners – Our Recycling Team

I’m a firm believer in recycling instead of contributing to the landfill so have often wondered what really became of all those aluminum cans we so loyally place in the appropriate cans at the trash collection site here in the park.  I remember reading short paragraphs in the Happenings newsletter about the funds that were collected or donated but still wondered “who, how, when”.  I found the answers and definitely want to give these folks some long overdue credit for their hard work.  These five dedicated volunteers are the ones responsible for our highly successful recycling program.

Kent Evans

Jack Rathert

Steve Merriman

Ivan Armstrong

Blake Green

 Unfortunately, Blake Green has already left for his summer home but I was able to catch these four guys busy at work Saturday morning.  It sounds like they gather behind the maintenance building every morning around 7:00 to crush the cans that accumulate on a daily basis.  I watched for a while as they went about the chore of crushing the cans and was amazed at their efficiency.  I must get better at my camera work but hopefully you’ll see a short video of the crew in action by clicking on the photo below.

After all the crushing and sorting is done, the team loads up the huge containers of aluminum, loads them into a trailer and transports it all up to the recycling plant in Phoenix. 

Recycling accomplishments for the 2009-2010 season:

Pounds of cans collected	3,764
Approx # of cans	120,448
Pounds of scrap metal	5,140
Donated to Food Bank	$2,660
Donated to Christmas Tree	$250
Donated to Cancer Week	$200
New hoses for car wash station	$136
TOTAL DONATIONS	$3,246

In addition to dollars generated, let’s remember the dollars SAVED by our park because they don’t have to pay to have this extra trash hauled off to the landfill.

These gents are not only crushing cans, but have also contributed to the paper and cardboard recycling program.  They have piles of other scrap metal that they’re also collecting for recycling.

I asked if they had special requests or advice for our residents:

Regarding cardboard:  The big bin for cardboard should be for corrugated board only.  Your soda and beer cartons, food cartons, etc are really just paper and belong in the paper recycling containers.  The cardboard container is strictly for corrugated board that has flutes. (see photo)

If you see any of these gents around the resort, be sure to give them a hardy “congrats” for a job well done!  You can easily recognize them if you see one of their hats. 

  

CONGRATULATIONS & THANK YOU TEAM FOR YOUR EFFORTS!

Keeping Occupied

Someone asked me yesterday why I haven’t updated this blog recently. Well…here’s why.

I’VE RETIRED FROM MY JOB at Print & Pack after three years. I felt I was missing too much fun here in the resort so at first I dropped back to part time. Hmmm…I still wanted more time for play and recreation so finally threw in the towel and quit altogether. Now I should have more free time to write, yes?? Wrong. Too much fun.

I’ve really enjoyed the Photo Club which meets on Monday mornings. We have a theme each week for us camera geeks so we wander around looking for the perfect photo to submit. The theme last week was “fast”. So we all went out to find something “fast” to capture. While walking by the doggie park one day, I stopped to enjoy the scene as the dogs were fetching and retrieving tennis balls. Great opportunity for a “fast” photo shoot! Here’s my submission. I thought it was a great action shot.

After the club reviews all the photos each week, we vote on our favorites and Laurel prints them out and posts them in the Activities Center. Be sure to check them out as they change each week. The group also teaches classes in Picasa and Photoshop Elements so there’s lots to learn.

Computer Club meets on Wednesday mornings. Awesome group! We have such a wide range of skill levels…from those just buying their first computer to those with advanced technical skills. We’ve given classes on different subjects and had guest speakers from Best Buy to help us keep up with the latest technology. You can check out all the details on the club blog as I’ve posted a link on the list at the right.

There are plenty of community events to keep us busy too.  My hubby, Don, and some neighbors and friends enjoy playing trivia at one of the local pubs downtown. If they want good food with the game, they go to McMashers but if they want to join some local Casa Grande friends, they go to Dell’s Pizza. I go along for the food occasionally but find I can’t contribute much to the game. I’m attaching one of the easier questions.

A large group caravanned to the Arizona Opry for dinner and a show. Fun entertainment and great camaraderie. 

Louise loved the crazy hat that was for sale in the gift shop and she turned out to be even more entertaining than the Opry stars!

Of course, there are the nights when the gals get together to play cards and the afternoons where we get creative with our beads making jewelry.  Combine all that with warm sunshine, a comfortable lawn chair, and a good book and you have another source of my favorite entertainment.  It's pretty hard to get bored around here.  I love it!!!

Pickleball Tournament

This past weekend was the annual pickleball tournament which is one of the biggest sporting events of the season.  The weather this year just didn’t cooperate, however.  Play continued on Saturday in spite of prevailing winds which obviously made play more difficult, but Sunday rains shut down the event.  I’m sure the park newsletter will have photos of tournament winners and medals….but there are many behind the scenes volunteers that deserve a lot of credit for the success of this event.

I happened to be in the area when the rains started Sunday and found a dry spot under a tree near the action.  Hats off to the hard work of Edie Preis and her crew for the fast action they took in getting the cooking crew under shelter.  Despite the rain, the food stayed fresh and hot under the direction of these volunteers who never missed a beat.  Flashbacks of “the band played on” come to mind.

  I tried to congratulate Edie on her accomplishments but as every good leader does, she immediately pointed to her co-workers and said they were the true heart of the team.

Congratulations to all for a well organized event in spite of the weather!

Pottery Show

Palm Creek Pottery Show

Again, it was a rainy day but it certainly didn't keep a crowd from attending the pottery show. What an amazing group of talented people. It was awesome to see the masterpieces they have created in their pottery classes this year. The theme of this year's show seemed to be an Art Exhibit. It's impressive to see the pottery on display, but it also amazes me to see how the members set up the show for display. Each table is decorated nicely with cloths or scarves to accent the display pieces. There was a lovely hostess table with refreshments, door prizes, raffles for art work, and a silent auction. The check out line for purchases was LONG so sales must have been good. A special thank you to all who participated. It was a lovely show.

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Snippets

SNIPPETS FROM A BUSY WEEK

Okay, the weather hasn't been its usual sunny perfection, but our spirits are not dampened!  Here are just a few snippets from this past week.  Enthusiasm abounds at the senior softball tournaments this weekend.  It is always fun to go out to the ballfield, cheer on the teams, and enjoy their delicious food served in the concession stand.  We even had pompoms and cheerleaders this week.  Congratulations to all the ball players for their participation.  I'm sad to see the season end but will look forward to next year.

HOW MANY MEN DOES IT TAKE????????????
I walked out my front door yesterday and broke into a huge smile as I saw the activity across the street.  Couldn't resist grabbing my camera for this one.  RVers are bound together by their interest in maintaining their rigs.  Anytime you want company, just raise the hood and watch the guys come to share in the excitement. 

BOW WOW DOG SHOW
The annual doggie show is always fun and entertaining.  One of these times, I'd like to see a parade down Cole Circle with the owners and their pets.  No tricks or costumes....just a parade to show off all the furry kids in the park.