Snowbird report

As I have written before, this is our first time for a whole winter in AZ. Last year was only one month. When we arrived I was planning on playing pickleball 4 times a week and doing many other things. Well I have only managed to play once or twice a week because we are to busy with other things. One thing I wanted to do was start playing golf again after about 20 years. My wife has taken a couple of lessons and is ready to try. WE didn't have clubs or anything, but the park had a parkwide patio sale yesterday so I was hopeful we could find some. Taking my dogs back from the dog park yesterday morning I decided to take the long way around the outer edge of the park to see how many people were setting up. Saw one that was set up and stopped to see if they had any women's clubs. On the ground was a whole bunch (set) of clubs, all women's. How much I asked? Take them all they said, $10.00 for all. Nice clubs  too. That started the mission. Went home, got my wife and took the golf cart out for a trip around the park. Next stop, found a golf bag cart, $10.00., one golf bag, $10.00. Next stop found men's set of irons, $10.00. Two woods and a putter, $25.00. One Wilson titanium tennis racket $5.00. Several stops with nothing. Next stop was a lady that worked in the pro shop. Golf balls, $1.00 a dozen. New three packs of Wilson balls $2.00. Next stop another golf bag cart $10.00. Next stop women's golf bag $15.00. Mission accomplished. Now we are like many of the others with the patio filled sports stuff. Just need the time.

Next item on the list yesterday was going to the annual Home, health and garden show. We arrived about noon and it was packed with hundreds of people. Got handed a bag, and started going from booth to booth picking up pens and other free stuff, Insurance people, contractors, realtors etc. Kept looking for the garden part of the show. Went outside to the food area and got a 10,000 cal. lunch, hot dog and French fries. Kept looking for the garden stuff. Finally we found it. One booth selling astro- turf, six different kinds. Go figure. Oh well there is always next week. Craft sale on Tuesday at the park with 150 vendors, annual street fair downtown next Saturday. I'm thinking I might want to go back to my garden at home to rest.

Nice score on the golf stuff, John! And as for going back home; reality check! Look at your weather sticker! It is 9 whole degrees in Penrose at the moment--no golfing today, LOL!

Glad you are getting "geared up" for some fun! LOL!

I guess I should have looked, reality check.

Well, you are up to a balmy 23 now...lol!

We have had a very cold day. Went for a hike on Casa Grande peak, low 60's. Dogs got a workout, can't let them off leash because of the jumping cactus everywhere. Going to the practice green this afternoon to play with my new stuff.

johnp, I had to laugh at the gardening section; six kinds of Astro Turf.

johnp wrote:

Next item on the list yesterday was going to the annual Home, health and garden show.. . Kept looking for the garden stuff. Finally we found it. One booth selling astro- turf, six different kinds. Go figure.

Perfect opportunity to have a SFG booth? Certified Instructor??

Honestly
I think we went by every booth both inside and outside and one selling astro-turf was as close to gardening as we could find. For a show labeled home, health and garden you would think someone would be selling fruit trees or cactus or something other than astro-turf. According to a garden radio show I heard on Sat. I think I heard that planting time is Feb. 10 and you need to start indoors now.

home and garden show here are very sad. Nothing for outdoors. It's all about remolding your home!

Here is a link for a good planting calendar for phoenix area.

https://urbanfarm.leadpages.net/planting-calendar/

johnp wrote:Honestly
I think we went by every booth both inside and outside and one selling astro-turf was as close to gardening as we could find. For a show labeled home, health and garden you would think someone would be selling fruit trees or cactus or something other than astro-turf. According to a garden radio show I heard on Sat. I think I heard that planting time is Feb. 10 and you need to start indoors now.

Now John, you will be back in CO for growing season, right?

Yes, we will return sometime in March. I would like to stay a little longer but my wife has something scheduled in early April and I do have to get seeds started. I told the lady who looks after our house to forward my seed cat. but have not seen any yet.

Just realized that last fall before we left I had only prepared half of my beds. The other half were not touched and I forgot to cut back the raspberries. So lots to do when we return. Hope the garlic survived.

The winter has been quite interesting and not at all what I thought would happen. We thought we would do scheduled activities during the week and travel around seeing the sites on weekends. We did this twice all winter because we had to much other things to do. My weekly schedule consisted of tennis and water aerobics on Monday, cardio class and pickleball on tues., three and a half to five mile hike on Wed. followed by lunch at the pool, Thursday is cardio and pickleball and Friday is water aerobics and watercolor class. In between were other activities. I do not know were the winter went. Going home mid march so hopefully can start seeds and clean up. My wife has a show to get ready for the first of April so it works for both of us. We had friends from CO that were staying  in Phoenix that came down last Friday for dinner. We showed them around the resort and they were really impressed. We were talking about the resort ( 2,700 spaces occupied and building more) and we  came  up with a definition. We are living in a senior compound  full of hyperactive over achievers.

Sounds like a great place to be!

John, You need to go back home to rest!

Yes I do need a break, I need to find time to take a nap. Broke from our schedule this morning and decided to hike Pacacho Peak State Park after our friends did it Monday. They said the poppy's are in bloom (which is three weeks early I'm told). My wife really wanted to see them. We went there this morning and took the Sunset Vista trail which is 3.1 miles one way, said to be moderate the first 2 miles and becoming difficult. I think it means moderate for a 45 year old in shape, not a 70 year old with two rep. knees. We went about 2.4 miles in and went back as that is about all we could do.
Terrain of trail:

Me on the way:

What we were looking for:

Still toearly for the big fields of them but they are starting.

California poppies!! For 70 years old with 2 replacements, you're doing great.

If that's the trail, it wouldn't work for an overweight, middle-aged lady like me, either...

But the poppies sure are pretty!

And you looked like you were doing fine. :-)

You rock! Do it, John! Lovely flowers and I am sure much more grandeur....glad you got out there....hiking smilie.....need one

Turns out I did not have to do the hike to find the poppy's. What my friend said is that they went to the peak and did the hike and said the poppy's were blooming. So I assumed that was where they were. We had them over last night a he said no there were none on the trail but in the surrounding area on the south side of the peak. That is where I found them also. Oh well it's all about the exercise, right.

And having fun!