Heat Wave

OMG!!  Look at our forecast for this week!

Headlines of today's Dispatch

I tried to copy a few excerpts from the big front page story they printed today.

Be very careful when taking the dog for a walk!!

We want to get some video from the drone but it won't fly over 104 degrees so it will have to be very early mornings.  When I got up at 5:00 this morning, it was already 86.

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We had a delicious meal served in the ballroom yesterday.  Bourbon chicken.  I was surprised when I heard where the meal was catered from.  Food was provided from the Golden Corral.  Very good!

We play cards in the Adobe room and these acorn woodpeckers keep pecking at the windows.  I bet they'd love to get in out of the heat!!

It's sad to see them so stressed by the heat as all the birds are flying with beaks wide open to try to cool down.

Joy Miller says it was a little noisey working at the north gate house.  

Despite the heat and hot sun, the workers continue to send a friendly smile and a big wave when I stop by for a daily photo.

They're doing more flower beds than just the four way stop.  Beds are being filled at the 3-way stop also.  Should be really pretty when they grow.

Here's the new furniture for the greeting area by the front desk. 

There used to be a nice sofa and comfortable chairs.  No comment on this new look.

It's still a work in progress.

Dusty and Sandy Brown are trying to stir up some entertainment.  

Here's Dusty's sign for the upcoming event.

The nets have been reinstalled over by the softball field.

Here comes our summer heat.  I think it's a little early for those high triple digits as its not even July yet.  

Mouse is innocently (for a change) watching over my shoulder as I work at the computer.

With as many pickleball and softball players we have, I image they'll all be anxious to keep track of the new pavillion. 

There were about four courts of players this morning.

New roofing for the tennis bulletin board.

Today was our second Tapas Tuesday.  Pretty good turnout.

 The pickleball members will be busy working on completion of the new pavillion before the big tournament to be held here December 2-5.  I copied this from the pickleball website and will try to keep all of you up to date on the progress.  

Crazy cats insist on using the small beds instead of the nice expensive ones we bought for them.  Mouse certainly doesn't look comfortable although the post probably shades his eyes.

Roofing, Pickleball Pavillion, Painting

Here is a drone video showing more of the tile roof project.  Don tried narrating the video today so be patient with us as we learn the new skill of voice over video.  If at any time you can't get the videos to play on your cell phone, just go to You Tube and search for Sue Hepler.  All our videos are located on my main page there.

Our maintenance team is helping to spruce up the place by painting poles, posts, etc.  Now the light poles in the agility park look brand new.  

I found this lovely spider at a house this morning.  According to Google Lens, he has a very scientific name:  Southern House Spider

Our summer vinca flowers are being planted today.  They should look lovely in a couple weeks as vincas love the sun and grow rapidly.

They'll be planted in the pots at the main entrance and at the four way stop.

Initial work is starting over by the pickleball courts.  They've taken down the tall posts that held all the netting.  Will Paul Construction is going to build a pickleball pavillion instead of having their previous tent for meeting space.  I'll have a copy of the plans soon as I chatted with Will this morning.  As I understand it, most of the material for this project is being paid for by the pickleball memberships.  

Then the fence line is going to be moved in closer to the third base line to try to protect the pickleball courts from so many foul balls flying their way.  There just isn't enough land to give everyone the space they desire.  We'll watch for further developments to keep you posted.

And fnally a photo of my "helper".

Drone over Texas Roadhouse, Tree Trim

We're all excited to see construction begin on the Texas Roadhouse restaurant!!  Don flew the drone over today and will continue to monitor their progress.  Let's hope it goes a lot faster than that Best Western Hotel.

Our energetic tree trim crew is hard at work on Saturday at 104 degrees already.  Still smiling a friendly hello when we go by.

He can swing that crane arm to do two trees without having to move the truck.  His job would certainly be a lot easier if he had another crew member to drive the truck for him.

Here comes the clean up crew to gather the branches and run them through a chopper.

The company certainly has nice equipment with a fancy dump truck.

When the truck is full, they pull a screen over the load to keep debris from flying out.  They have a landfill site just a few miles away where they dump the load and come back for more.

It is quiet time for the cats.

Mouse is under the bed.

and Kat is curled up in the laundry basket.  He loves an empty basket on laundry days.

So much for those expensive beds we bought for them.

Work continues on the new roofing project.  It really looks nice now with the rounded pieces along the edge.

These have to be some pretty fit and strong men working on the project.  Those tiles and saws are very heavy.  Working on the slanted roof is hard enough but don't forget that it is over 100 degrees every day now.

I spoke briefly with Mark Kenner this morning.  He is quite pleased with the new bridges being built on the golf course.  Looks nice!  They're rebuilding all 18  bridges like this.

Every morning Don and I have that first cup of coffee out on the patio to enjoy the cool part of the day.  The cats love to join us but are confined to their cage....which they don't seem to mind.  Occasionally a dove comes to visit and keep them entertained.

Thank you again to Ron Castleman for donating the cage!  It gets good use.

It must wear them out though as they sleep through the rest of the morning.  Kat is all curled up in his tree bed always shielding his eyes from the light of day.

June 2:  The first day of trimming the thousands of palm trees in the park.  I saw a nice truck on scene and watched the driver as he single handedly is tackling the bucket and driving the truck.  He is hustling!!  

We spoke briefly and I am now a fan.  Robert was so excited at getting this job at Palm Creek.  Said he has been looking forward to the task for two months.  He and his crew plan on doing 110 trees per day and want to have all the debris cleaned up by the end of each shift. He had a 3-man crew on cleanup duty this morning.  It was so nice to talk to someone who is enthusiastic about their job although he admits he is probably going to be pretty tired at the end of the day until he gets in the swing and hires more help.  I'll have more photos later.

I thought it was quite unusual to see so many cactus flowers on the saguaro at 1017.  Normally there is only a handful of flowers at the top of the stem but this year there are many.  I didn't give it much more thought until I saw this in Sunday's paper.

TUCSON (AP) — Cactus experts are tracking an unprecedented outbreak of “side blooms” on saguaros across Southern Arizona this year. Typically, the giant cacti sprout flowers only around the tips of their arms and trunks. But a large number of saguaros also are pushing out buds farther down their stems this year. Research ecologist Bill Peachey told the Arizona Daily Star that he has received reports of saguaros blooming in strange places from the Phoenix area to as far south as San Carlos, Mexico. “It’s a big phenomenon,” Peachey said. The exact cause is unclear, but experts agree the rare display is a sign of distress. Ben Wilder, director of the University of Arizona’s Desert Laboratory, said last year was the driest on record in Tucson and he suspects this year’s strange bloom is a response to that. 

Our summer heat causes small dirt devils to appear without warning.  A word to all our residents who enjoy the pools.............please crank down the umbrellas when you leave.  An abrupt gust of wind sends the umbrella and tables flying.  In the past, we've seen an umbrella and table out in the street.  Please be attentive and lower the umbrellas when not in use....even if you weren't the one who cranked it open.  

I forgot to go to the Tapas Tuesday event last night!  I am so mixed up with Monday being Memorial Day that I missed the event entirely.  I've chatted with friends this morning who said it was GREAT to see everyone again.  Food was delicious and plentiful.  Newcomers introduced themselves.  There were between 60-75 people present.  Some were masked and others are roaming free.  I'll get pictures next week.

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Kat is resting after a vigorous work out with his favorite toy.