Potato Bar

I've never been to a "potato bar" dinner before so I found it very interesting and will never miss another one.  It was really yummy!

The park provided the baked potatoes, butter, sour cream, water and lemonade.  The residents brought whatever kind of topping they could think of to adorn their potato.  I never would have thought of so many items.

Some brought cooked broccoli, some a combo of broccoli and cheese (yum), there was bacon bits, hamburger, a corn casserole, lots of different cheese, shallots, and several kinds of chili.

Our plates looked like a smorgasbord and all was delicious.  LOL.  There is a potato under there somewhere.

My table mates...Sam & Donna Cox, Pat & Candy Konz.

There were 51 people in attendance.

The event was free and sponsored by the Activities office.  Thank you to Ashley and Terri for their hard work in prepping.  

** Here is a side note with my two cents included:  Tickets were distributed for the event so Ashley would know how much food to prepare.  85 people came to pick up their free tickets...........only 51 showed up.  That is a frequent problem.  Our residents need to be more considerate.  If you find you can't attend, please return the ticket so the office can get an accurate headcount.  If tickets are limited, you also prevent someone from attending that may have wanted to be there.  This especially happens at free coffee and donuts events during season.

Balance of Nature

It's a balance of nature:

Last week I overheard a conversation about the fear that we may soon have too many ducks in the resort.  Looks like our visiting coyote may help with that problem.

To the bird lovers among us (especially ME) this is a sad site, but I understand it is population control.

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POTATO BAR
Don't forget the baked potato bar being held in the ballroom tomorrow, Wednesday, June 19, at 4:00pm.  Tickets are FREE.  A baked potato, butter, sour cream, water & lemonade will be provided by the park.

TICKET INFORMATION
The eagerly awaited season ticket book of upcoming entertainment will be available on line Monday.  A link will be posted here as soon as it is available.

AMAZON FULFILLMENT CENTER TOUR
I hope more people sign up for the bus to Phoenix to tour the Amazon Fulfillment Center.  There are only 5 people on the list right now.  I'm very anxious to see the facility and learn more about how packages can be delivered so fast.

JULY 4 CELEBRATION
Our summer residents have organized a fun event to help celebrate the fourth of July in the ballroom.  The Tapas Tuesday event will be moved from July 2 to July 4 so come one come all.  Should be fun with good food and games.

Awesome Coyote Video

Along with the photos Cindi Braden took of the coyote visitors, she also posted a fantastic video on her facebook page.  I copied a link here for your viewing.

We even get to witness one coyote chasing a duck.

Coyote Video:  Braden's Coyote Video

The golf course still looks very nice this summer.  We snapped a couple photos just to make you homesick.  Although....you have to do your free golfing in the EARLY hours due to our high temps now.  

We had to wait at the stop sign this morning while the ducks cross the road in front of us.  

Coyotes Day Two

Cindi and Bob Braden at Site 1824 on Oasis spotted two coyotes on the golf course this morning.  Cindi also has a brief video of one of the animals refreshing himself with a drink from the creek.  No one can blame a coyote for wanting to share our desert paradise inside our walls.  After all, we provide cool green grass, lots of fresh water, and that bountiful menu of ducks, quail, rabbits, feral cats, AND all those doves.  Just keep your distance.  They want nothing to do with humans.

Photos by Cindi Braden

Don and I stopped in this little cafe located near Barro's pizza in the big Fry's area.  It's called L' Grande Cafe.  It's a great place for a nice breakfast or lunch or for dessert or coffee.  It's decorated well and is operated by a very pleasant local couple.

Stop in and say hello to Tom and Brenda McGill.

Very friendly and outgoing.  Be sure to tell them you're from Palm Creek.

Sue Logeman, Candy Konz, Avis Gray, and I enjoy playing bingo at the local American Legion on Monday and Friday evenings.  If I don't win a game, at least I know the money is going to a wonderful charitable organization that feeds it back into our community.

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It is a day to celebrate.  It is two years since the adoption of our famous Mouse.  We can't celebrate his unknown birth date since he's a rescue animal but we can certainly celebrate knowing we survived two years of his antics.

Coyote Chase!

Exciting news today!  Don and I spotted a coyote running down the street on Granite so we followed after him in an attempt to get a picture.  It was a fun ride...chase I should say as he's pretty fast and "wily."

I finally found the fast series button on my camera so got a rapid succession of photos as he crossed a yard and street.  Pictures are a tad blurry but I was in a fast moving golf cart on zoom lens.

Mr. Coyote did stop long enough to for a potty break.  I didn't get a picture of the event but here's a  close up of the aftermath.  

Now.............before people start getting in a dither and complaining about lack of security and how the park should be protecting us from wild animals, etc etc ... remember that the homeowners in Phoenix and Tucson keep posting pictures of how easily a coyote can leap over a tall fence or wall.  If the animals want inside the walls, they will find a way.  

It was a FUN chase while it lasted.  We lost sight of him over near the pickleball courts.  He will do his best to avoid people.

**Proof that not every pile is from a thoughtless dog owner.

It's a Slow News Day

It was a quiet quiet day around the ranch today.

There were only 7 of us in the card room so we escaped from the heat and played Dominoes.

LOL....the only big news we came up with was the new paper towel dispensers in the restrooms.

Palm Trees -- Day 1

Here is a street BEFORE trim.

AFTER trim

DURING trim

Before

After

And then there is the hard labor of clean up.

Trimming continues all over the park.

Walls and walls of oleanders.

Still trimming the perimeter wall.

This new fountain is really pretty.  Someday I hope they'll all be like this one.

Every week is Tapas Tuesday where the summer residents gather for delicious food and friendly chatter.  This is where all our announcements are made regarding upcoming events planned by our volunteers.  There are craft classes, bus trips, various lessons, breakfast or dinner outings, etc.

Only 35 attendees this week so our numbers are thinning.

                            and then the dessert table!!

I wonder if the weather has something to do with our thinning crowd??

We're in an excessive heat warning for the next day or two.

Looks like those nice COOL mornings are limited too as it doesn't cool down a lot at night any more.

Finally spied a roadrunner!  He had a little lizard in his beak but it's too hard to see on this zoomed photo.  Hope we see them more often.

LOL..........traffic came to a stop at the 4-way as we waited for the ducks to cross.

It's a slower pace here in the summer.  

Smile for the day: