The Deadheaders Group

While the rest of the country (especially the Northeast) suffers in miserable cold, snow, heavy rains, floods, power outages, etc, we here in Arizona continue to enjoy the best of the best. Our temps average in the upper 60s or low 70s. If we feel a bit chilled, we just have to move our chair into that wonderful Arizona sunshine and can immediately feel the warmth of the sun's rays. Awesome! While some of our winter guests may complain about our occasional rainy day because it interferes with their tennis, golf, pickleball, horseshoes, shuffleboard, swimming events, we Arizonians treasure the rain knowing it refills our water table and will provide a beautiful flowery spring when the desert awakens in another month or two.

Speaking of flowers: The flower beds here in the resort are beautiful again this year and really highlight the entrance to the park. While our landscape crews work so hard to plant and maintain the flower beds, the flowery show of blossoms wouldn't be near as successful if it weren't for the wonderful volunteers who assist with the program. I'm sure you've seen these dedicated volunteers at work as you drive through the streets of Palm Creek, but you may not recognize their faces as they're bent over toiling away at their assignment of "deadheading" the flowers to keep them in constant bloom.

I often wondered who these folks were and if they were "official" volunteers or just passersby who stopped to tweak an occasional flower. By lucky chance one day, I met Leslie Evans as we both happened to be accessing our mailboxes and started a casual conversation. Lo and behold, we got on the subject of flowers and she mentioned that she is one of the "Deadheaders" group. I didn't know this avid group of volunteers existed. The group is led by Barbara Johnson (our General Manager's wife) and Jeff Eckart (Golf & Grounds Manager). They asked for volunteers via Channel 3 and the Activities Office, met and equipped them with more knowledge about the flowers and what is needed to maintain their blooms. Then the group signed up for certain flower beds to tend. Next time you see them at work, stop to let them know how much we appreciate their efforts!!!

 

I saw these ladies at work yesterday and stopped to grab a quick photo. I don't have a list of all the volunteers but would like to salute them all and say thanks for adding to the beauty of our resort.

Denise Erickson, MaryAnn Canfield, Lesley Evans

P.S.  I also learned the name of those tall ever-so-fragrant flowers that lie at the center of most beds.  They're called "stocks".

Idiot at Large

While Palm Creek friends were gathered at numerous Superbowl block parties in preparation for the big game this past Sunday, we noticed helicopters hovering over Hiway 10.  All traffic was stopped in both directions which causes a MAJOR backup on such a busy thoroughfare.  With our memories still fresh from the devastating traffic accident that occurred in the same location just weeks ago during a dust storm, we were all quite concerned.  (Notice the "blowing dust" sign.  This is the same location of the accident that killed so many people.  See an earlier blog on this site.)  This time we heard rumors that it was some kind of hostage situation.  Today's Casa Grande Dispatch reveals the idiot that was behind the whole affair as it turns out it was just a hoax.  Let's look at the bright side of this incident:  It certainly gave our law enforcment agencies a chance to practice their skills.  It's comforting to know that in a true emergency, we have all that support available.

Gourd Show

It was a busy weekend at the annual Gourd Show held at the fairgrounds at 11 Mile Corner. Wuertz Farms sponsors this show every year but this was the first time I attended. (Sure is fun not having to work full time anymore!) I could never understand what all the hoopla was about for a gourd show until I walked through the tent door and saw the items on display. Oh my gosh! These are some truly talented artisans. It certainly takes a special talent to come up with the creativity and artistic effects these crafters put into their creations. I snapped a couple photos but should have taken more.

This is my very favorite!

There were also some talented entertainers providing music while we browsed through the displays. This particular group was really very entertaining especially when they played "The Saints Come Marching In" to get us prepped for the super bowl game later that day. Many folks were clapping along, tapping their feet, and enjoying the music.

It was interesting to look through the various supply booths that vendors had on display. Gourds are beautiful but there certainly appears to be a lot of work and dedication involved in the craft. Some vendors were there selling seeds so you could plant your own gourd garden. There were displays showing and explaining how to customize the growth of the gourds by twisting, turning, or stretching them during growth. I watched several vendors as they demonstrated the various kinds of glue, glitter, dyes, paints, and stains used for decorating. There were booths demonstrating different drills, sanders, buffers and gourd cleaners. Whew! Sounds like a lot of work and you must need a whole workshop at your disposal. Classes were being held to teach the craft and special techniques.


Outside were bins filled with thousands of different sizes, shapes, and varieties of gourds. This is definitely NOT an inexpensive hobby! Check out more details and photos at this website:  http://www.wuertzfarm.com/

Since I am posting so many photos today....I might as well upload this one of my good buddies too.  Thank you, Connie and Gerry, for putting up with me.

Cancer Awareness Events

The resort has been a blur of activity this week to support the annual Cancer Awareness week. There were tennis tournaments and golf outings and pickleball, shuffleboard, and horseshoe events. Friday night was the lighting of over 4000 luminaries that lined the entry streets to the resort and all throughout the clubhouse area. It was beautiful. I took a casual stroll along hundreds of the luminary bags that were hand decorated and/or dedicated to loved ones who have crossed paths with cancer. Science has made some great strides in the battle against this disease, but here's hoping that we'll soon have a cure.

After dark that evening, hundreds of guests and residents strolled along the streets to enjoy the sight and pay honor to the memorials along the way. Coffee, hot chocolate, and cookies were served up at the Palm Park area. It is so impressive to see the huge group of volunteers who make all this possible under the leadership of our Special Events, Activities, and Kitchen Staff. Hats off to all who participated!!

Saturday morning hundreds of people gathered for the Cancer Walk around Cole Circle. We were all donned with pink and white t-shirts and caps in honor of the event.

We started out with a color guard presentation of flags, pledge of allegiance, national anthem, and a prayer for all the victims and cancer survivors. Bob Hernick was deservedly the Grand Marshal of the parade as he personally earned over $8,000 for the cancer fund. Congratulations, Bob! Cancer survivors were honored by wearing red t-shirts and many received warm hugs of support and friendship that morning.

The whole event was extremely well organized, planned, and thought out. There were traffic guards at all the cross roads and even two water and juice stops along the route. As we arrived back at our starting point, we were greeted by a very nice lunch of sub sandwiches, delicious salads, and cookies. Thank you, Palm Creek, for a wonderful and memorably successful event.

Our Softball Team

Our favorite softball team at Palm Creek

The first photo is when they are on their best behavior....but this second shot is their true nature!

Come on out to the ballfield to watch the teams in action..........and enjoy some of their delicious hamburgers!

Go to:  www.palmcreeksoftball.blogspot.com

to see their schedule and scores.

Bead Show

There was a great article on the front page of the Casa Grande Dispatch this morning so I've posted it here for your perusal. It is so nice to see a full park once again and it gives me hope about our yucky economy. I sat on the patio soaking up the sunshine with a good book the other day and watched some of the activity in the neighborhood. One site just arrived home from a bike ride, the neighbors returned home from a round of golf with clubs in tow, Carrie was back from the laundry room with an armload of clothes, a couple folks were out washing and polishing their rigs, LOTS of people were out walking their dogs, small groups were gathered in the street enjoying a casual chat, I could hear the pong pong from the pickleball courts and laughter from the shuffleboard area. Add to that the singing of a near by finch in our palm tree .... and what more could you ask for! I do so love living in Palm Creek!!

The next two weeks are full of activity in nearby Tucson for the annual world-wide Gem and Mineral show. We gathered up a group of avid beaders and headed to the show with full pocketbooks in hand. I can't explain what there is about beads that makes them so attractive but it sure is fun to look at all the different shapes, colors, textures and varieties available. A show like Tucson is quite overwhelming as there are booths from around the world present to sell their wares. I overheard quite a few foreign languages as I wandered through the crowds and many of the booth workers were oriental or from the far east. Fascinating! Everyone seemed to be in a good mood and happy to be there.

We enjoyed a great lunch at a nearby restaurant and headed back to the show again in the afternoon. When the pocketbooks got suddenly light, some of us decided we had enough so we went back to the restaurant for coffee and dessert until it was time for departure. What a fun day!! Now we can't wait to get together again and swap beads, share creative ideas, and get to work at building new designer jewelry.

I'm strictly a point and shoot amateur photographer...but I just had to try to capture this awesome sunrise this week. Have I ever mentioned that I really like living here??

Photo Club

WOW! I attended my first meeting at the Photo Club yesterday and was so impressed with the group!! The meeting contained a wealth of information about transferring photos from your camera to your computer, how to create file folders and organize your photos, renaming photos, and most importantly--how to back up and save your photos. My mind was buzzing with new ideas on how to organize my picture albums when I got home. Thank you to Jim Cornell for such an informative and interesting presentation!!

The meeting started with a "show and tell" display of photos from the club members. Each week they are given a topic and members go out to photograph subjects after which they then upload their favorite photo to the club website. These photos are shown at the beginning of each meeting, the group votes on their favorites, and the winners are printed and put on display in the Activities Center. Some of the photos are critiqued and suggestions are made as to making the photo even better. I learned so much new stuff!!!! I wish I could have joined this group sooner!!

 

 

Member photos shown & critiqued by Jerry Smith

 

Be sure to check out the photos in the Activities Center every week.  I don't know who got that hummingbird shot, but it is definitely a winner!

 

There won't be a meeting this coming Monday (Feb 1) as the members are taking a field trip to Saguaro National Park near Tucson. The theme for photos is desert landscape so they'll be in the perfect area for some spectacular photos. I can't wait to see their finished projects!

 

The final session of the meeting was instruction on PhotoShop Elements software. This program allows the photographer to crop, resize, and touch up their photos. Wish I could have stayed for that part of the presentation...but I had to go to work and couldn't stay.

 

Another project the group is working on is taking photos for the huge pickleball tournament coming up. The club has been asked to take photos of the tournament participants, etc so volunteers signed up to assist.

 

What an exciting club!  Come join the group at their next meeting on February 8 at 10:30 in the SanTan room.  It will be awesome to see their photos from the national park.

 

P.S.  Thank you to Ray Valentine for the three photos on this post.

PHOTO CLUB HANDOUT

• The photo club exists to help members have more fun taking and sharing photographs. We welcome all skill levels – absolute beginner to accomplished photographer.   
• We try to cover a wide range of topics such as how to use your camera, photo composition, use of the computer to fix and organize your photos, and different ways to show your photos.   
• We select a weekly topic to photograph. At the Monday meeting we form random groups to go together at a mutually agreeable time to shoot the weekly topic.   
• After you review your photos from the weekly shoot, and if you choose, you can post your two best pictures to the club's Yahoo Group –PCphotoworks. (We will teach you how to do this and if you don't have access to a computer, we will do it for you.) Each week members choose favorite photos from the weeks shoot and some are posted in the Activities Office.   
• We have a Photo Scavenger Hunt for the season with a list of ten photo topics; you may enter one photo per topic. The deadline for the hunt will be in early March. An independent panel of judges (not from the club) selects two winners from each category; the photo with the most judges' selections is Best in Show. There is a prize for each category and for Best in Show, and the winning photos are posted in the Activities Office.   
• Dues for the club are $10 for the season ($15 per couple), or, if you are in the park for a short time, $2 per meeting. Dues cover the cost of prints to post in the Activities Office and copy/stationery costs.
• Meetings are Mondays in the SanTan Room starting at 10:30 AM and run from 1 1/2 to 3 hours depending on which parts you choose to attend.   
• Tentative plans are to have a three part meeting. Part 1 – Showing and discussion of photos from the weeks photo shoot. Part 2 – Presentation on a photo topic of general interest to all photographers. Part 3 – Specific training to meet needs and interests as requested by club members:  Photoshop Elements every week; others such as camera use, doing aslide show, organizing photo files as requested.

Winter Storm

It seems the entire state of Arizona received a "winter storm" this week.  To those of us who live here, that meant some awesome sorely needed RAIN but it also meant a lot of blowing dirt and dust.  To our winter visitors it meant a day robbed of sunshine and warm weather.  It was good for them to see a dust storm so they get a glimpse of what our summer storms are like.  We had 1 1/2 inches of rain so instant ponds, little lakes, and some huge puddles appeared rapidly.  The desert ground is very hard so water runs off rapidly which can result in some true flash floods. 

Here's the "little puddle" that typically forms when a heavy rain drains off to the golf course.  This is the fairway for Hole 7 as you enter the resort.

Our Palm Creek resort is built so that all the water flows over to the golf course and doesn't flood our streets or RV lots.  The golf course turns into a collective lake in a hurry during a heavy rain as can be seen by these pictures.  (Thank you, Verna Sheppard, for sharing your photos!)  Our lucky landscape crews then wade out to the center of the 7th fairway and "pull the plug" to pump the water into the pond system.  The next day after this storm, golfers were back on the course again.  I believe a few holes were kept off limits to allow them to dry out more, but the golfers were back chasing the little white ball again in no time.

This is the exact spot where all that deep water existed on the 7th fairway yesterday! 

This particular pond by the 9th hole is obviously over its banks but should recede in another day or so.  The goldfish, koi, and catfish love to explore the new territory so there is always some good news.

Everything in these photos looks so nice and clean and green.....BUT....not our houses, cars, and patios!  The blowing wind really stirred up the desert dirt and left us some heavy duty clean up chores.  Take a look at the grit on my patio table and our golf cart! 

Welcome Back Party

Thank you, Palm Creek, for another fun Welcome Back Party.  I've been to these events several times already, but this time had special meaning for me as I worked the table for our computer club which means I had to be there early.  I had a senior moment that morning because I went up to the area at 9:00 instead of 11:00 as I was supposed to....but I was glad to be there to see more of the set up arrangements.  I was in awe to see all the work that had already been done before 9am in preparation for the event.  We forget about all the work involved in making an event like this happen.  I took a number of photos for you to ponder.  There's not only the physical work of hauling out all the chairs, tables, food equipment, etc. but there are also hours of behind the scenes prep in making the layout, traffic flow, banners, signs, ordering all the food and supplies needed.  There's kitchen staff to order food, drinks, condiments, etc. plus someone to schedule the famous Budweiser truck, and arrange for music and entertainment.  In other words....WOW....congratulations to all those staff members and volunteers who "make it happen."  I stood there by myself (trying not to get in the way) while I took these photos and realized how proud and lucky I was to be a resident of this resort. 

Pat Mitchel is a familiar face around the resort.  Thanks for all your work, Pat.

Hundreds of tables, chairs, and tablecloths.  The red color really adds cheer.

Every club, sport, organization, event, and resort department has a booth at these welcome parties.  It's a fantastic way to get acquainted with all the opportunities we have to offer.  Everyone behind these tables is eager to talk about their activity and encourage new people to join in the fun.

Here is Sandi Feller from the Special Events Dept. busy at work with list in hand and checking it twice.

Peggy Fetzer (fearless leader of the Computer Club) and active member from Special Events.  That chili pepper guy on the right is Ray Valentine.  He and his wife, Sue, are active volunteers.

 Ray's costume was a fun way to advertise the upcoming chili cookoff.  Check your activity calendar for details.