Arizona, a place to call home

I am an Arizona native (yes, we really do exist!). I have never lived anywhere else, and honestly I can’t picture myself living anywhere but in the desert. I love Arizona. I fiercely defend her when people who have re-located here from Eastern states complain that there are no seasons. Or, when they say they miss the trees and that the desert is brown and unattractive. Or, when national news portrays us in an unflattering light.

I wanted to share a list to celebrate her 100th birthday of some of the amazing things that I have witnessed on my journeys around this remarkable  landscape, things that are uniquely Arizona:

Snow falling at the Grand Canyon.

The faithful leaving their prayers on Saint Francis at the Mission San Xavier del Bac.

Ghost hunting in Bisbee.

Watching the full moon rise over Lake Powell while sitting atop a houseboat.

Having butterflies land on you in the Marshall Butterfly Pavilion at the Desert Botanical Garden.

Eating rattlesnake at Rawhide’s Steakhouse – tasted like chewy chicken!

Picking armloads of wildflowers during springtime in the  McDowell Mountain Regional Park.

Watching Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Virgil and Morgan Earp come to life as they fight the McLaurys and Clantons  at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone.

Standing in front of the piano that John Lennon composed “Imagine” on at the Musical Instrument Museum.

Hiking to the top of Piestewa Peak and taking in the amazing view of Phoenix.

Sitting at Fort Huachuca holding a hummingbird in your hand after it was banded to track its migration pattern.

Riding in a Hummer through the desert at night and then stopping to look for nocturnal creatures with night vision goggles.

Visiting Taliesin West and seeing Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision of a personal winter home, studio and architectural campus come to life.

Driving through Saguaro National Park on the Saguaro East scenic drive.

Watching a Broadway show (or any show!) at ASU’s Gammage Auditorium (also designed by Frank Lloyd Wright).

Eating a Big Dawg at Chase Field, with the roof open, while watching a Diamondbacks game.

Tubing down the Salt River.

Visiting Four Corners Monument and putting your hands and feet each in a different state.

Seeing more than 800 kinds of cacti at Boyce Thompson Arboretum.

Shopping at Farmers’ Markets in January and February (sometimes in shorts!).

Watching a haboob roll in!

Farmers’ Market frenzy

When you live in the Valley of the Sun January-April is a glorious time. Not only is the temperature near-perfect but it’s Farmers’ Market season. No matter where you live in the Valley, chances are you are not too far from a market at least one day of the week.

Peppers for purchase in Glendale.

One market that I frequent is the Twilight Farmers’ Marketat the Citadelle Plaza in Glendale. This market held every Wednesday evening hosts anywhere
from 10-20 vendors. There is also a range of shops and dining options in the same plaza.

Another market that just started up at the end of January combines local growers and producers with local artists. The Peoria Farmers Market & Sunday Arts Stroll is the best of a farmers’ market and an art show. I plan on visiting this one on an upcoming Sunday.

You can find beautiful flowers at Roadrunner Park.

One of my all-time favorite farmers’  markets can be found every Saturday at Roadrunner Park in Phoenix.  They have been connecting local vendors with the community since 1990. There is always a great variety of produce, flowers, honey,  baked goods and other treasures to pick from.  The park also has a great playground and a lake where you can feed the ducks.

Another market that has been around for a while is located on Center Street near downtown Mesa.  After you spend the morning perusing seasonal produce and artisan breads, you can spend the afternoon in downtown Mesa at one of the fabulous museums or take in a play at the Mesa Arts Center.

Produce isn't the only treasure you will find in downtown Mesa.

If you are near downtown Scottsdale, you will find the Old Town Farmers’ Market every Saturday.  They offer a wide variety of organic and pesticide-free produce. Then you can take your foodie treasures and have a picnic at Civic Center Mall.

These are just a few of the many farmers’ markets that can be found throughout the Valley.  The Arizona Community Farmers Markets has an extensive list with locations and times as does the Arizona Farm Bureau. Shopping at a local farmers’ market is good for the growers and producers in the area and it is a great way to teach kids about where their veggies come from. Mine has actually been known to try a new vegetable because they picked it out themselves and met the farmer that grew it!

The Copper Chopper

There she was…glistening in the setting sun like a supermodel with cameras flashing. I approached her, having read so much about her, and now she was in front of me. She was even more beautiful in person. I felt like I knew her, because I had closely followed her rise to celebrity status. It was now my turn to admire her and snap some pictures:

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The Copper Chopper was made especially to commemorate the Arizona Centennial by world-renowned bike-builder, Paul Yaffe. The best part is that you can buy a raffle ticket, for only $5, to actually win this bike! Yep, one lucky winner will ride her off into the sunset at the Arizona Best Fest on Saturday, Feb. 11. Hurry, time is running out!

Romantic resorts

Valentine’s Day is really not that far away, or so it seems by all the decorations and candy that have been out since the week after Christmas!

I have received several ideas via email this week that I would like to share with parents or any couple that would like a romantic (and unique) getaway. By planning early,  you are  ahead of the game on making reservations or arranging for child care!

One of the "Best Places to Kiss" at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess.

The Couples Celebration at The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess offers a $200 resort credit (per night) and an option for in-room dining, including rose petals and votive candles.  If you want to venture out to a restaurant, La Hacienda, The Grill, Stone Rose Lounge and LV Bistro all offer Valentine-themed meals, desserts and cocktails with fun names like Valentine Squeeze, Sweet Tart and Love Potion #9. You can choose to add a spa treatment to your visit or learn massage techniques for yourself during the Loving Touch Couples Massage Workshop. They truly have thought of everything romantic when they share their “Best Places to Kiss” at the Princess — the Fragrance Garden gets my vote!

Book a couple's massage at the Aji Spa.

Over at Kai at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa enjoy sweeping sunset views as you dine on a seven-course prix-fixe Valentine’s tasting menu ending with a “journey into the world of chocolate and cotton” (not sure how that works, but I’m intrigued). Also available at Ko’sin restaurant is  a four-course tasting menu featuring desert bistro cuisine. Book a couple’s massage (or any treatment) at the Aji Spa on the 14th and receive complimentary champagne and chocolate covered strawberries to enjoy poolside.

Venture down Tuscon way to a unique dining experience at the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain. Valentine’s Splash Dining presents a specially prepared, romantic dinner under the stars — served in a shallow heated pool! Your legs, and the legs of the tables and chairs, will all be partially immersed in the Turquesa Pool. Yes, even your server will wade up with your meal in hand! Feeling less adventurous? Opt for the “Just for Us” experience that includes a rose petal bath, 50-minute Together Massage and champagne and strawberries.

Try unique Splash Dining at the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain.

Loews Ventana Canyon is offering the I Heart AZ Romantic Getaway to celebrate both Valentine’s Day and Arizona’s Centennial. The package includes $100 off Loews Best Rate (starting at $169 per night including the discount), based on a 2-night stay, and features upgraded accommodations, sparkling wine arrival amenity and a bouquet of roses. The package is available Feb. 11-18.

Can’t afford a resort getaway? Tell Lowes Ventana Canyon why you “heart” AZ in 50 words or less and you will be entered to win the “I Heart AZ Romantic Getaway” package. Find details at www.facebook.com/LoewsVentanaCanyon .

Hopefully these ideas will help you to plan the perfect (or at lease completely different) Valentine’s Day!

They’re back….

They appear when you least expect them!

Mylan and I were channel surfing last night and saw a commercial for a new reality show called “Infested!” on Animal Planet. This particular episode will feature the horrors of living with a scorpion infestation. I looked at Mylan and said, “We haven’t seen one of those for a while.”

I should know better. It seems as if every time one of us utters those words, we see one. It’s as if they have super-ultra-sonic hearing and send a buddy out to let us know that they are still here and were here first.

So it should not come as a surprise, as I returned from taking Bonnie outside for her bedtime duties, when Mylan met me at the back door, wide-eyed.  “There’s a scorpion in my bed!” she whispered, as if saying it too loudly would bring more out. I went to grab our hand-dandy scorpion annihilator (actually barbecue tongs with the edges filed so that they meet precisely together – excellent for picking scorpions off of ceilings). Then thought again and grabbed a wad of paper towels. I was sleepy, my reflexes were slow and I didn’t want to chance losing it in her bed. This way I could come at it from above with some force.

Dramatic reenactment.

I approached her bed with the covers pulled back and there it was. Laying quite contentedly, curled up among the mint polka dots of her sheets. I held my breath and with one quick motion I came down, made contact and squeezed its exoskeleton until I felt it crunch. Next step was to get the black light and do a full perimeter search of her room to make sure that no one else was lurking to snuggle with her.

After the “all-clear” signal, she returned to her room. We surmised that it probably fell from the ceiling as we have yet to actually witness one in any of our bedding to this point. (We are careful not to use bed skirts or any covering that makes contact with the floor).

It’s always unnerving when you see these prehistoric creatures. I remember when we first moved into our house. Mylan was in the bathroom and screamed that there was a scorpion on the wall. As I just stared in horror, Evan rushed past and killed it. As an Arizona native, I had never seen a scorpion inside a house. Let alone, my house!

In the years since, we have grown accustomed to them. We all have been stung with the exception of Solvay, and (thankfully) have not had any allergic or horrible reactions to the stings. Still, I am thinking the next time the subject comes up I am going to reply. “I see scorpions all the time!” That way, if they are listening, they will know that I know they are there.

How to prevent a scorpion encounter.

Bye Bye Birdies

Alvin (right) and his yet-to-be-named best friend.

It always seems like we have to complete a major project when my husband and I have some time off. Last year we completed an overhaul of our master bedroom and installed a wooden floor. This year we decided that it was time to sell off our flock of lovebirds.

Now we had been gradually down-sizing in the bird department, but this was a full-scale attempt to empty two large aviaries. Since my husband’s employment had changed a few years ago (he used to work from home) we just haven’t had the time to dedicate to the little guys.  We decided this would be the best time to sell them, before spring and they started their annual round of baby-bird production.

Alvin's fisrt night out of the nest!

Within a short time of posting an ad, we had received several responses, mostly people wanting one or two birds. Since these birds have been living together and forming bonds (or so I like to believe), the ideal situation would be one where they all could remain together.

Finally the email arrived from a nice lady who had aviaries in the past but due to a move she couldn’t take them with her. She was now settled into a new home and her father had built her aviaries and she was in need of occupants. That meant she could take all the birds! So we took turns catching them (and losing a few out into the neighborhood palm trees) and she came and picked them up.

Friends from the beginning!

After she left, as we were dismantling the nest boxes, we heard the unmistakable sound of jeeting. Babies! There was one in one nest – about 1 week old, and two in another nest that looked to be only days out of the egg. My heart sank!

This is another reason that we have been getting out of the bird business – actually more of a hobby because we never really made any money at it! I get way too attached to these feathered friends and would always fret over if they were happy enough in the environment that we had created for them or if the people I sold them to were going to take good care of them.

So here I am with three baby birds looking at me, and I am overwhelmed with guilt because I just sold their parents! I know what I must do. I head for the freezer and take out my container of hand-feeding formula. I find myself, once again, feeding hungry baby birds throughout the night and holding my breath every time I uncover them to make sure that they are all right.

Unfortunately, one of the smallest ones did not make it past a week, but the other two are still hanging in there. The older of the two is growing and starting to actually look somewhat like a bird, but the other one is not growing as quickly as I would like, but still is very strong and enjoys his feedings. For some reason my husband named it Alvin, so that is now his or her name.

I feed them in the morning, then pack up their supplies and they come to work with me (I have an extremely understanding boss!), where they sit covered under the warmth of a lamp all day, occasionally getting uncovered for a peek by a co-worker. They get fed again in the afternoon and then we head home for dinner and a before bedtime feeding. I don’t need to feed them in the night now, so when I get up in the morning, we start all over again.

My biggest fear isn’t that they will survive and thrive, but more that I won’t be able to part with these incredibly sweet, extremely tame (from all the hand feeding!) and adorable lovebirds. Especially Alvin, I know, once you name them you’re in trouble. Just when I had resigned myself that I was done with this bird business it looks like I am still in it!

There’s gold in them hills

Lots of quartz in the area.

Because my husband’s new hobby is lapidary (which is actually not a new hobby, but one resurrected from his youth), we decided to take a day of our holiday vacation to go rock hunting. We consulted the book Gem Trails of Arizona and found what seemed like an abundant site of minerals outside of Wickenburg.

The whole family piled in the car and within the hour we were at the site. We got excited because as soon as we got out of the car we spotted quartz everywhere. The kids and Evan scampered off up a hill while our chihuahua Bonnie and I walked in a different direction (mostly because Bonnie smelled something that was of interest to her).

Now, usually when you are out in the desert you don’t really run into people. Right away I noticed that this area was kind of busy. There were people riding ATVs and two gentleman sitting on a tailgate of a pickup truck not too far from where we had parked. Bonnie was dragging me in their general direction, so I got a better view of what they were doing. They had a large container of water on the ground and about 20 feet from them was a large hole dug in a small hill. The men were hunched over a flat pan, scrutinizing its contents. I was about to yell out a “Howdy!” when I realized that they were panning for gold!

Mylan and Evan are on the hunt.

I walked back to where my family was rock hunting and told them what I had discovered. Evan commented that he was not surprised, based on the conditions in the area. He also stated that he wasn’t finding many good rock specimens at this site and that perhaps we should go back to the wash we had passed and look around there.

We turned around and went past the little conglomeration of mobile homes called Stanton. As we drove along I started to notice more and more “Private — No Trespassing” signs and even a “For Sale” sign with large print that read “10 Claims on Property.”  Starting to piece everything together we soon realized

Interesting signage to some claims.

that people might not take too kindly to us snooping around for rocks in the area. That, and there was really no place for us to pull over that wasn’t marked with signs or barbed wire. As we decided to make our way back to the main road, we noticed several more people with gold panning equipment.

Crystal formations in the rocks.

We decided to continue to another spot not far from our present location that promised geodes. We drove there and found this cool little slot canyon with crystals sparkling in the rock. Evan went up onto a rock outcropping to check that out and Mylan followed. Solvay and I stayed closer to the ground with Bonnie. We turned when we saw a truck pull up. A man got out, walked up to us and asked if we had seen anyone go by recently. I know I had a puzzled look on my face, because he quickly explained that he was with Arizona Game and Fish and was checking mountain lion traps in the area. One of his traps was missing and he was hoping that the thief was still in the area. Because we had no information for him, he hopped back into his truck and was off, hoping to find the culprit so that he didn’t have to pay the $150 for the missing trap.

Looks like mountain lion territory to me!

We picked up some more rocks here and there, but Solvay was ready to go after she learned that there were mountain lions in the area. I kind of had to agree with her when we got to a dead end and I thought that there was really no where for us to go if we happened to have a chance encounter with a feline. Also, I was pretty sure that Bonnie would serve as a tasty snack for a hungry kitty.

On the way home we were discussing that even though it was not a successful rock hunting expedition, it was a gorgeous day to be out in the desert — and no one got shot by a prospector or eaten by a mountain lion!

Celebrating New Year’s Eve

Celebrate Noon Year's Eve with snow at the Phoenix Zoo.

When you have small children New Year’s Eve can be challenging. We always opted for staying home so our children (and sometimes me, too!) were fast asleep by the time the clock struck midnight. When they were finally old enough to stay up, we would go outside and listen to the horns honking, bang some pots and pans and declare the new year’s arrival. I think our girls were disappointed that there wasn’t more mystery to the changing of the year.

There seems to be a growing trend to hold celebrations for families earlier in the day so that everyone can feel a part of ushering in the new year. I wanted to share a few of these Valley happenings so that you don’t feel like you’ve missed anything if you can’t stay up! (Some also have traditional options for those of you who can.)

The Phoenix Zoo offers tons of snow, music (courtesy of Radio Disney) and prizes with its Noon Year’s Eve. There is a countdown to noon and a sparkling cider toast for the kids. In case you are also looking for an adult party later in the evening, the zoo has you covered there, too. Zoo Year’s Eve is a new event with all the trimmings of a regular New Year’s Eve party and the added bonus of ZooLights!

Stay at the Pointe and enjoy a private New Year's party for the family.

Over at the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort families are invited to ring in the New Year with Yote the Coyote’s New Year’s Eve Party! The celebration includes a night’s stay in a suite, dinner at Hole-in-the-Wall, lots of activities, arts & crafts and plenty of family fun. End the evening watching the ball drop at 10 p.m. with a sparkling cider toast.

Lastly, if you want to go out with your honey for an adult evening, never fear — Arizona Sunrays is here! You can drop your kids off for the evening or for the entire night at Sleepover-Leap into New Year. The kids will enjoy pizza, juice, gymnastics, games, a bounce house and more.

Arizona Sunrays offers a full gym for the kids to celebrate in!

I hope this gives you some ideas about how to ring in the New Year. My plans are to stay home and go out at midnight, bang some pots and pans and light off a few fireworks — that is, if I am still awake! Cheers!

A desert dweller’s holiday

Cowboy Santa at Rawhide.

This is the time of year we desert dwellers live for. While the rest of the country digs themselves out of inches (sometimes feet!) of snow, we do our holiday  shopping in T-shirts and flip-flops. This wonderful weather tends to also bring friends and relatives out for a visit. If you find yourself with out-of-town guest this season, treat them to some uniquely Arizona holiday happenings.

First off, this 1880s Western Town is a delight to take visitors to anytime, but they do it up real purty for the holidays. From December 21st-24th and 28th-31st Rawhide’s Cowboy Christmas offers a nightly tree-lighting ceremony (it’s an 80-footer!), live entertainment and stage shows.  Santa will even arrive by horse-drawn carriage at 6:30pm on December 23rd for photos with young and old.

Scorpions and rattlesnakes, oh my!

Now I know lots of zoos do an annual light show, but ZooLights at the Phoenix Zoo has Southwestern displays such as a scorpion, rattlesnake and praying mantis! I even saw a Sasquatch this year (pretty sure he’s new). So make a game out of who can find the most unusual animal made of lights while strolling along munching on kettle corn. Also, if your visitors are missing the snow, they can always ride the Polar Slide. Open nightly 6-10pm until January 8th.

Along the same road as the Phoenix Zoo sits the Desert Botanical Garden. This time of year the garden comes to life with more than 8,000 hand-lit

Luminarias light up the night.

luminarias. Las Noches de las Luminarias provides a break from the hustle and bustle of the season as you walk through the illuminated pathways and enjoy live musical performances. 5:30-9:30pm nightly through December 30th (closed December 24th & 25th).

I used to have a friend that would come to visit and prove his immunity to the cold by jumping into the pool on Christmas Eve. Well, if you have such an individual visiting you, call their bluff and offer to take them to Kiwanis Park’s Wave Pool (indoors and heated!) for some Swimming with Santa.  Santa vacations in Arizona every year from December 26th-30th, and he always fits in a swim before he heads back to the North Pole.

While taking in the sites of downtown Phoenix with your guests, ask them if

Ice skate in downtown Phoenix!

they would like to go ice skating – outside! Yes, Virginia, now until Dec 31st you can skate at the Ice Rink at CityScape. I’m not sure how they do it when the nighttime temp rarely hit the freezing mark, but they do!

An ornament keepsake from the Heard.

Also, in the same downtown Phoenix vicinity is truly a desert oasis. The Heard Museum houses 11 galleries that tell the stories of American Indian culture through artifacts and private collections including everything from katsina dolls to bolo ties.  During Holidays at the Heard (December 26th-January 2nd) there will be live performances, artist demonstrations, Indian tacos and fry bread (once your guests taste that, they may never leave!).

If you are still looking for desert excitement – look no further. Here’s an opportunity to tour the Phoenix Herpetological Society and see more than 1,400 native and non-native reptiles including snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles, Desert and Galapagos tortoises, turtles and more. A glass-enclosed venom room houses one of the largest collections of venomous snakes in the western United States including the lethal Black Mamba (betcha they can’t see that in Minnesota!). Tours offered starting at 1pm December 26th-31st and January 2nd – 7th, if you dare.

The deadly Black Mamba!

I hope this gives you some inspiration on activities to enjoy with your visiting friends and relatives this season, and just remind them to have fun activities planned when you come a’knocking this  summer!

An evening with elves

Me and Snowflake!

A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to be an “elf handler” for the big premiere of “An Elf’s Story.” Three of the stars made the big trek from the North Pole that evening: Wordsworth, Zart and Snowflake. The premiere was a “ticket-only” event held at the Ice Den in Scottsdale and featured a red-carpet evening of dinner, a showing of the movie and skating.

I was Snowflake’s assistant for the evening. She was very down-to-earth, even a little shy, for such a big star and took time for photos and hugs with all the children. Wordsworth and Zart, on the other hand, were very comfortable with their new-found fame and often were wandering off (and flirting!) when they were needed for a photo session. Their handlers had their work cut out for them!

After spending time in the V.I.P. room, we escorted the elves into the lobby of the Ice Den. They spent time there greeting more fans and taking lists for Santa. Santa did make an appearance as well, although the evening truly belonged to the elves.

The biggest treat for the kids was when Wordsworth took to the ice and skated to Christmas carols with the crowd. It was a wonderful evening, with the exception of one child who told Zart “I don’t believe in you, or Santa, I only believe in Hanukkah Harry!” Zart learned a valuable lesson about fame that night – not everyone can be a fan!

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