Garth Live Show, Club Expo

Our Arizona weather has been a bit chilly this season and is playing havoc with our normally scheduled outdoor events. Let's hope for lots of sunshine next Tuesday for the big event.  The Garth Live group will be playing great music!

  Luckily, we've been able to switch from evening to a daytime event.  The forecast is for sunny sky with highs in the mid 50s so dress warm and we can still enjoy the anticipated 10 food trucks at 1:00.

Let's take time to honor and thank the four recycling gents who so diligently crush all the aluminum cans that are gathered in bins.  They voluntarily crush the MANY cans and donate the proceeds to local charities.  I by chance ran into them while they were hard at work one morning this week.  They crushed 18 bags this day.

Jim Uhler, Lee Davis, Steve Merriman, and Kent Evans

Kent Evans is a year-round resident and crushes the cans by himself all summer long!  Watch him in action.  😀

I'd like to put in a good word about the Club Expo that was held last Saturday.  We had a huge turn out and booths were busy all morning as we boasted about our clubs and activities with guests who walked through the aisles.  This is a valuable event for newcomers to Palm Creek.

Flo Filippe and Barb Nelson promoting Monday Night Bingo

I was there to promote the fun card game called SWOOP.  We've met so many friendly newcomers to the park.  Also...iPad classes will again be held Saturday, January 28 and February 11 at 9:30 in the SanTan room.

Sue Hepler with Swoop 

There is a bulletin board just outside the mailroom where residents can post items for buy/sell/or trade.  It's a great place to look for ticket sales and/or rentals.  If you can't make it to an event and you already have a purchased ticket, post the announcement here for quick results.  Keep an eye on this board if you're looking for an extra ticket.

Can you help with the big upcoming Balloon Glow?  Volunteers are needed to assist with the big balloons on February 4 and 5.  Sign up in activities to be part of the adventure.

Cancer Awareness Balloon Glow

 

Friday evening, February 3 will be our balloon glow from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.  

Saturday morning, February 4, we will have a mass ascension from the field just outside the main gate at 8:00am.  Everyone is welcome to come out and observe.

All the monies collected will be donated to our park's combined donation to our local Casa Grande Caner Awareness Center.  

However, it does not happen without our wonderful volunteers that assist the seven pilots during our Balloon Glow on Friday evening and our flights on Saturday morning.  A flyer will be sent out soon and you can sign up to volunteer at the Activities Office.

Whether you wish to volunteer as a crew person for the events or donate the fees to ride in one of the balloons for a flight on Saturday morning, the Activities Center is your one stop for all your answers.

If you have volunteered in the past with a certain pilot, just let the folks at Activities know and we will get you assigned with that individual once again.

If you have never been around a balloon team before, we will insure you learn how to safely enjoy the experience.

Thanks in advance from John Ross, Balloonmiester

Volunteer to be part of the event!

So many activities!

So much maintenance going on.  Street repairs, painting, etc.

I attended an introductory class for rock painting this week.  How fun!

Here's our hostess, Mary Jo Webb.  She provides her own rocks, paints, and supplies or bring your own.  Thank you, Mary Jo.  The group meets on Thursday afternoons at the North Pavillion.

Congratulations to Jody Ross.  She was a big winner at Monday night bingo.  We had a rousing 252 players last Monday.  Come join us.  Each game was paying out over $90.

Don't forget the Club Expo coming up this Saturday in the ballroom from 10:00 till 1:00.  Come and enjoy a nice lunch with us.  Chef is going to be serving Fish and Chips at the kitchen window in the ballroom.  His fish sandwiches were a big hit during Tuesday's Craft Fair so he is spreading the love at our Club Expo.  Hope to see you there.

I will be at a table for both Swoop and iPhone classes.  Stop by to say hello.

Next Classes:

Saturday, January 28, 9:30  (Santan Room)

Saturday, February 11, 9:30  (Santan Room)

Swoop now meets on Mondays and Fridays about 12:15.  Come alone or bring a friend.

Mark your calendar for the upcoming Pottery Show & Sale on February 25 from 10 till 3:00 in the SanTan and Sonoran rooms.  There will be a silent auction and raffle as well as the regular sale and show items.  Everyone is welcome.

The Quilt and the Wood Show are on February 18.  You're going to need a bigger calendar to schedule all these great events!

Meanwhile, my furry kids are enjoying a little quiet time.  Kat has to curl up on Don's lap the moment he sits down in his favorite chair.

Mouse manages to make himself comfortable wherever he lands.  

More SWOOP and Announcements

 

Good news for all Swoop players!  We now have TWO days reserved for Swoop.  Come play on Mondays AND/OR Fridays at 12:15 in the Adobe Room.  Do you see some newcomers in your neighborhood?  Invite them to come play as it is a great way to get acquainted and have a FUN afternoon.

By popular request, we are going to repeat the first two sessions of iPad and iPhone class.  There are even folks who want to repeat the class for the second time.  😃

Saturday, January 28, 9:30  (Santan Room)

Saturday, February 11, 9:30  (Santan Room)

You can sign up in the Activities office so we have a rough idea of how many will be present.  

Be sure to come to the Club Expo this Saturday (Jan 14) in the Ballroom.  You can come visit with each of the clubs and activities to learn more.  I'll be at a Swoop and iPad table if you have questions.  See you there!

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While you're at it, mark your calendar now for Saturday, February 18, to attend the Palm Creek Quilt Show and the Woodshop show.  We have some VERY talented residents who will be sharing their works of art.

Sunday night was the first event I attended for the season:  Diamond in the Rough which was a tribute show to Neil Diamond and his music.  I thought it was GREAT!  

It was fun to take advantage of the nice warm sunshine this weekend and get out to the softball field to watch the women's tournament.  I'm sorry I didn't get some better photos.  

Tom Gottfried was playing with his camera again and captured an awesome hummingbird photo!  The bird was chasing a bee away from the feeder.  Talk about an action shot!  Congratulations, Tom, and thank you for sharing.

Photo by Tom Gottfried

Poor Mouse always seems to be on the wrong side of the door.  🙀

Have a GREAT day!

iPhone Classes + Ducks + Swoop

 Have you noticed that we have a LOT of ducks around our ponds this season?  I asked Tom Gottfried if he could get some nice photos for me......and he DID.

Duck photos from Tom Gottfried

Notice the beautiful white egret patiently fishing in spite of the chaos from the ducks.

A beautiful bird!

The ducks with the white heads are Wigeons

The other flocks are mallards.

I love the term "dabbling" ducks or "puddle ducks" meaning they frequent shallow waters such as flooded fields and marshes.  They feed by tipping up rather than diving.  When taking flight, they spring into the air instead of pattering across the water.  Most swim with their tail held clear of the water and have colorful, iridescent speculum (a rectangular patch at the hind edge of the wing.)

Ducks will eat stale bread, donuts, chips, crackers, and popcorn but these things are very low in nutrition and can actually be bad for them.  If you want to feed the ducks, give them something healthy; birdseed, cracked corn, peas, veggie trimmings or mealworms.

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Our SWOOP group is growing!  It's a FUN game and perfect for newcomers to get acquainted.  We may soon have to reserve an additional afternoon to accommodate everyone.  We meet every Monday in the Adobe Room.  Join us about 12:15 to get a table.  Games begin promptly at 12:30.  

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Our series of three iPad and iPhone classes have been popular!  I've been asked to repeat again as some folks couldn't attend the first round.  It's difficult to get access to the Santan Room so our next dates are January 28 and February 11.  Some information may be familiar but there is always something new to learn.

January 28, Saturday, 9:30

February 11, Saturday, 9:30

I'll have a table reserved at the Club Expo coming up on January 14 in the ballroom.  Stop by to ask questions or give me feedback on the completed classes.

We have some informative meetings coming up through the computer club as well.  January 18 will be a speaker from the public library to talk about Social Media like Facebook and Instagram.

Wednesday, February 1, will be Jim VanNamee talking about cellphone photography.