What is that?

Feb 13 & 14/2018  Weather 60's and rain.  Huh?  You forget what it looks like.  It took 2 days to get about 1/2 of an inch.  It just doesn't know how to rain in the desert in the winter apparently.   Funny.   Then you will notice that it will not soak into the ground at all.  Sand...which is basically glass so it just runs off into the streets.  It drizzled all night and this morning the streets in the campground were semi-covered.  So different than home.  But good for Arizona, they need the rain desperately.  Hope this helps the community.  Looks like a good day for reading, writing and napping; or maybe a little quilting in there too.

water pooling in the park

a little rain goes a long way

Adventures in Parrotdise

Feb 12/2018 Weather 72 cloudy, low 52 - rain is hoped for in the next couple of days.  It would be the first sprinkle we have seen since December.   Tonight we are finding ourselves up at the clubhouse for a Jimmy Buffett tribute band.  Well we cannot pass that up.  Margaritaville is still the only channel on our XM Sirius radio that Billy will listen to and you get the look if you change it!  Haha.    Adventures in Parrotdise by Barry Cunningham and the band, was ok.  What we found extremely uncanny is that he even looks like Jimmy and pretends to be Jimmy.   That was a bit bizarre.  Only thing is that he does not miss too many notes or tunes;  yes you know if you are a Parrothead what we are talking about.   Sometimes Buffett will be off tune or off key and he just carries on have a grand time with his music.   That's the best part about him, his music is real. 
It was fun and entertaining - Get Your Fins Up!!!

Gourds, Amazing Gourds and more Gourds!

Feb 9/2018 Weather 82 sunny, low 47.

 Down the road from Casa Grande is the very active Pinal County Fairgrounds.  A few weeks ago we stopped in for a Bluegrass Music Festival and this weekend we went in for a Gourd Festival.  Now a Gourd you say... huh, sounds a little dull.  Oh boy were we in for a shocker.  Amazing. Yes Amazing Artwork.

 Unbelievably talented artists from all over the country enter the festival with their artistic Gourds to be judged.  If this is your thing you can buy supplies, dried Gourds, take classes, listen to live music, eat and enjoy the crowd.  It was so worth the day. 

The Gourds come in all different shapes and sizes. The Wuertz Gourd Farm nearby sponsors the festival and supplies a plethora of dried gourds for purchase.  They also have classes at the farm regularly. 

Gourds grow on a vine like a squash or pumpkin, and then harvested they have to be properly cleaned inside and out to get rid of a fungus, and then they are dried before you can start your artistic magic on them.

Some painted, beaded, bejewelled, carved and all mixed in between.  Lamps, pots, bowls, jewelry, art forms, figurines, animals, masks, you name it let your imagine run wild!  The Native Americans originated the use of gourds for vessels to serve food and carry water.  

Cotton Farming in Arizona

Feb 1/2018  Weather 80, low 47. 
One thing really great about Fiesta Grande RV Resort is the activity calendar.  They have the regular daily things to do plus trips someplace every week.  This week the trip was to an Arizona Cotton Farm -4th generation.  Nancy Caywood shown playing the fiddle puts on a very informative presentation about cotton farming in Arizona  as well as her family farm history and the struggles to keep the farm viable.  Cotton has low return due to high expenses in the desert.  Water is a huge problem Yes the “Lack” of water.  This year the natural water source is dry and the allowance provided to the farm will not be enough to grow the crop.  All elements of the crop are regulated - who you buy the seeds from,  water allowance, chemicals, pesticides, cotton grading, cotton market, timetable for plowing under.  USA is the 3rd largest producer in the world, China number 1 and then  Middle East then USA.  

After the presentation we took a hayride out to the field and walked into the cotton.  It has a strong woody stalk.  The dried boles that hold the cotton are very sharp, what a terrible job it would have been years ago to hand pick.  Not to mention the heat.   In Arizona the heat is good for the cotton, during growing season the plant thrives on it and produces higher yields here in the desert as compared to the southern plantations that we have seen in Mississippi. 

Beyond the crop is the cotton gin that processes the raw cotton, removing the seeds.  The Gin is a co-op of seven farms.    When the seeds are separated from the lint they have a market and are sold to help pay for the ginning costs.  Cotton seeds have all kinds of use.  What shocked us was cottonseed oil is the 3rd leading vegetable oil in the USA.  Crisco shortening is cottonseed oil!  We never  knew that.  Seeds are also used for numerous other things such as animal feed, fertilizer, currency, glycerin for explosives, cosmetics,  and more.    Amazing,,,, we learned a lot from what we thought was just blue jeans and more quilting material for Rosey!

The Man in The Moon is he Blue or Red?

Jan 31/2018  Weather is hot, and is going to be for the next 10 days. 80, 80, 79, 81, 81, 81, 84, 86, 86, 83, 84, 85.  Nights 47 to 57.

blue blood moon in Arizona

Sky gazers from 5:50 a.m. to 6:50 am was the best time in Arizona to view a rare celestial convergence dubbed a "super blue blood moon."
The cosmic event -- a combination of lunar eclipse, blood moon and super moon -- will be visible in the western hemisphere for the first time in 152 years.
A "super moon" occurs when a full moon falls at the same time as its perigee, which is the closest point of the moon's orbit with the Earth. This makes the moon larger and brighter by 14%, according to NASA. The first super moon of 2018 took place on New Year's Day and was previously described by NASA as the "biggest and brightest" one expected for the entire year.
As the popular idiom suggests, blue moons are rare and refer to when there is a second full moon in one calendar month.  To complete the "lunar trifecta," the blood element is not a sign that the end is nigh, but occurs during a lunar eclipse when faint red sunbeams peek out around the edges of the Earth, giving it a reddish copper color.

Blue Blood Moon

We remember seeing in  November 2016 we saw a gorgeous Super moon here in Casa Grande.   Seems the night skys in Arizona are quite amazing. 

Jump, Jump, Jump

Jan 27/2018  Weather sunny, clear high 74, low 45. 

one of the sisters

Took a ride over to Eloy to meet our friends at Skydive Arizona.  This is a premier sky diving facility with perfect weather conditions most days. 

perfect landing

Today was a perfect jumping day.  SIS - Sisters in Skydiving and the Dutch Military were non stop jumping, as well there were courses going on as well.

Dutch Military heading out for a jump

 We have never seen so many chutes in the air.  What a cool place to visit - it is free to watch and if you want to Tandem Jump that will cost you a couple hundred dollars.  Inside the supplies store we look at the rigs which can run you upwards of $9000 for a new set and $5000 for a used set.  Wow.  Then you buy the jump ticket - $26.  The four of us finally got sore necks from looking up so we had a bite to eat and then went back out to look in the sky.  Here they come again!!!

Skydivers can get in about 5 jumps a day.

coming down

My Snake Peeve

Jan 26/2018  Weather cool but sunny - had about 5 days of cool down, big storm moved across Utah and Colorado so Arizona dropped about 10 degrees.  Day high of 60 and nights high of 40.  We are back into warm weather again, 77 yesterday and 74 today.  That's ok.
We have moved our rig down to Casa Grande, which is halfway between Tuscon and Phoenix.  The city is a nice size to ride our motorcycle around and the weather is good (elevation is only 1400' and population is about 49,000).  We have been in this area several times so we are trying another campground again.  This month we are staying at Fiesta Grande RV Resort.  People are super nice, sites are good size, it is an older park but fine. 
My Pet Peeve is my Snake Peeve...

really fake snake

Yes I see that one too......

Ok why in the pot?

In every park it is the same thing.......  I guess because it is a common creature in Arizona "Snakes are Decorations".    Nightly I get my walking in and sometimes it is dusk by the time I return.   Setting out I see this snake and that snake and then another snake and soon the cactus skeletons start looking like snakes!   I have to keep an eye on these decorations..... even though they are not real there are plenty enough that are.   In Canyon Vista RV Resort we were sitting around the pool one day when a guy went running to get his snake catching lasso.  He did lasso it but cut it's head off by mistake.   Yeah!!!  Ooops, apparently you move them not kill them.

snake lasso

It was a small rattler laying around by the flagpole in the grass!!!!  Seriously????  The fellow proceeded to dump the dead snake in his bicycle basket and come and tell us of all his snake catching exploits!  Even getting bit by a rattler.  Rosey will have nightmares!!!
It was above temperature in December and early January in Arizona while we were at that park and apparently there were some rattlesnake sightings and catching during the month.   Normally it is too cold for them to be out and about!   

cactus skeletons are hard to see at dusk

ok this one looks like a wishbone, no worries

 

Funniest pic at Barrett Jacson

Jan 16/2018   This is the funniest pic at the Barrett Jackson.  I know your looking at the car but what about the GUY?

That is a real guy under the car!!!

To extend our stay in the area we had to move from Canyon Vista RV Resort into Apache Junction.  A whopping 6 miles!  Phew what a journey.  We parked a week at KOA Apache Junction which kept us in the area so we could easily get to the Barrett Jackson Auction. 

Shiny Cars at Barrett Jackson

Jan 16/2018. Weather 73, low 47.  Get ready for some steps.  We are putting our walking shoes on to visit the Barrett Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, at Westworld.

classy classic car

new 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt

 Every year at this time vehicle collectors from all over the world descend on Scottsdale.   This event is in its 47 th year with an expected crowd of up to 400,000 people. It has 1770 vehicles on display and then they will be auctioning over 200 cars daily.  It’s amazingly inexpensive to walk around, we purchased tickets on line for $17 each.

Billy wanted to take this wagon home.....

and Rosey wanted this one

 The tents go on forever with every imaginable collector vehicle you can think of.   A highlight this year is the new 2019 Mustang Bullitt - Cult Classic!  This year Barrett Jackson had tent coverage of 1.1 million square feet - new World record for a temporary structure.  The guys love this..... Billy and Jim were constantly saying “I had that”. “My Dad had that”. My Mom had that”. Ahhh I WANT THAT ONE!!!!!!   We had a fun day with our friends Jim and Paulette from back home.  Walked the cars, had a bite to eat, and watched a bit of the auction.  Money, money, money.

the staging lanes into the auction

at the auction

Why do they call it a “flea” market?

Jan 12/2018. Weather 74, sunny, low 48.  

Mesa Market

We are not really shoppers per se.... but have heard that the Mesa Market Place Swap Meet is worth taking a walk around.  Up to 1500 vendors, music, food, you name it they have it. Maybe we could find a book or two and a couple of jigsaw puzzles - so away we went.  This market is off Baseline Street (not to be confused with the Apache Trail Swap Meet).  Doesn’t it bother you that they call it a “flea market”?  Did you know it was a direct translation from France; at the turn of the century there was a second hand market in Paris that had critter infested goods.  Technically this is called the Mesa Market Place Swap Meet but everyone in the RV parks call it the flea market!  Not to spread a bad review but we were told the Apache Trail Swap Meet is known as the ‘dirty’ market!   OK, so we are at the right one!

full of snowbirds

Think we have a thing for funny signs - Hey Barbie here is your sign!!!

The Mesa Market is very clean and we did not see any little critters, in fact we did not see much second hand stuff ; most of it was new.  We did not score any used puzzles or books but we did find some new silicone bakeware that we wanted.

every RV should come with this silicone bakeware

 This product is hard to find and so handy in the motorhome.  It is light weight and can be scrunched into a cupboard for storage.  When you pull it out it pops right back into shape.  And what else did we get ? A new airplane pillow, the kind that goes around your neck ; you know what it looks like.  You always wish you had one when you fall asleep on the plane and wake up with a crook in your neck.    You just never know what you will find at the market, it’s like when you go garage sale-ing.  Fun day and afterwards we celebrated our finds with a yummy custard ice cream at our new favourite place Culvers.  Billy is addicted, and of course I just go along for the ride,,,, so bad. 

Did someone say Ice Cream?

What's in a? Plate?????

Jan 7/2018  Weather in Gold Canyon, AZ is warm high 70's and 50 at night.  No need for the electric blanket.   This is one of the few warm spots in North America right now. 

Bolivia plates!!!

When camping we have a curiosity to read everyone's vehicle plates.  Our eye just gravitates to it.  Can't help it.  I guess we are from somewhere else and of course so are all the other campers.  So we walk and bike and drive and look at peoples plates.   We had a camper that intrigued us with it's plate.  We walked by several times but never found a person to ask the question "How did you get here?"    So we kept wanting to make up our own story to go with the result:)

are you kidding me?

Then one day we stopped at a Cummin's service center to find a guy to fix our Onan generator.  (that is another story)   In the parking lot which would be employees we saw a pickup truck with a weird plate.   Like a spoof on those little stick characters people put on the back of their windshields.   We had to walk closer and closer.  Starting to read it out loud..... What the heck?
Jack Sh_t
Full a Sh_t
Dip Sh_t
Load a Sh_t
Pisa Sh_t
Dog Sh_t
Yup and it was a full time plate....... HAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHH . 

The Sky

Dec 31/2017  Happy Happy New Year to all. 
Weather was hazy all day, high of 70.  Low of 45.   

Phoenix is that way, etched into the hill off Usery Pass Road

What we thought was just a grey, cloudy haze was really pollution.   This is the first time that we have been aware of the air quality in question day after day in the Phoenix Valley.  Looking back we have not camped in this area often, only a couple of other times and we are always on the outskirts, thankfully it is a good choice. 

Gold Canyon is way to the right on the map on hwy 60

Gold Canyon is on the outskirts of the metro area and we prefer it for getting out riding on the motorcycle, less congestion, less populace and now for a better air quality.  Ironically many snowbirds come to Arizona for health improvement from the dry weather - lots of conditions such as arthritis, rheumatism, and asthma.   Phoenix sits in a valley and with little wind and no rain of late the air pollution has been reported as the worst in years.  There has been a no wood burning ban on to stop even more pollution into the air.    Here is a photo on the news tonight showing the low lying smog looking into Phoenix.

air pollution over metro Phoenix

We had a fun day at Star Wars then New York style pizza so the hazy day did not affect us.  Thankfully the best time of the day was at sunset when we were out for our walk.  Tonight Mother Nature gave back in all her glory. 

sunset in Gold Canyon

And of course the temperature 70, then the forecast out  73, 73, 75, 75, 73, 70, 71, 72, 71.  Yes we can take this for sure:)  Mid 70's is our perfect weather and especially compared to home.  Yikes!!!!!  Minus -22 F wind chill....... it looks freeeeeeeezzzzing cold on the map!!!

Southern Ontario in a Deep Freeze

Night Sky

Dec 22/2017   The day was normal here in the Valley but the night was something else. 

TV News shots of the sky over Peoria, North West Phoenix Valley

Nearly 500 miles away in Santa Barbara California at Vandenberg Air Force Base the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket took off .  500 miles away and yet it could be seen in California, Arizona and parts of New Mexico!!! 

Just before 6:30 pm in Arizona you could see the engine cut off and the stage separation with the engine burn underway.  Less than 10 minutes after that, the second stage engines cut off and the satellites went into coast phase.  According to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket delivered 10 satellites to low-Earth orbit for Iridium NEXT, a company focused on data satellite communications.   The reason we saw it Arizona is because the sun had not set yet in California and we could see the contrail higher in the atmosphere reflecting the sun's light.....  Amazing.  We have no photography capable of these shots, all came from the local TV stations. 

Amazing