Birds at the Lake

I don't know what has been going on at our lake for the past couple of days. The shore is lined with birds......egrets, blue herons, cormorants, ducks and coots.
Are they waiting for something?

Scottsdale Artfest

This weekend the 22nd annual Artfest of Scottsdale was held at Civic Center Plaza in historical Old Town. There were 180 artists selling paintings, sculptures, jewelry, metal art, ceramics and glass art. A few vendors also sold packaged gourmet goods.

The weather was gorgeous and perfect for a stroll through this beautiful area among fountains and flowers.

Neil Young

A friend of mine posted this video on Facebook. I have always been a huge fan of Neil Young. He is a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician. He was born in Toronto and began his career there before moving to California. He co-founded the band Buffalo Springfield and then later joined Crosby, Stills and Nash.
My friend said it perfectly....."Beautifully brings me back to a time of youth, love and wonder"

CopperWynd Women's Pro Challenge

CopperWynd Resort and Club is hosting the Women's Pro Challenge tennis tournament. This USTA Pro Circuit event is the largest professional tennis tournament in Arizona. The field includes 32 singles players and 16 doubles teams from up to 20 countries.
I attended this event this morning in Fountain Hills. It was very enjoyable seeing these young women compete. The weather was quite cool and lunch at Flourish, CopperWynd resort's signature restaurant was perfect. The view is magnificent and the soup was delicious and warmed us up!

Enchanted Pumpkin Garden

The Halloween spirit is in Carefree where master pumpkin carvers are displaying their pumpkins. It is held throughout the Carefree Desert Gardens and the pumpkin displays are exceptional. Such a great family outing!

Royal Palms

My husband and I spent a lovely evening at the Royal Palms Resort in Phoenix. We had a gift certificate for a one-night stay and breakfast for two at T. Cook's.
The Royal Palms estate dates back to 1929 as the winter home of Delos Willard Cooke, a New York industrialist and financier, his wife Florence, and son, Chauncey. Mr. Cooke was a nephew of banking mogul J.P.Morgan. They chose the 65 acre parcel near the base of the southern slope of Camelback Mountain and built the magnificent Spanish Revival villa.
T. Cook's is a fabulous restaurant at the resort.....our breakfast was supurb!!!

Swimming

In the 1985 Ron Howard movie, "Cocoon", a group of elderly adults discover that a nearby swimming pool has the power to give them new strength, enhanced energy and a more youthful sense of well-being.
Not only is swimming a relaxing activity, it has many health benefits. It is a low-impact aerobic activity that builds long, lean muscles and helps women maintain a healthy weight. Swimming also helps increase flexibility. I try to swim early in the morning at least 4 to 5 times a week. I am the only person in the pool at that time and can do my laps without any disturbances......a great way to start the day!

Monsoon Season

In Arizona we experience monsoon, a season of high temperatures, high winds and high moisture. June 15th is the first day of the monsoon and September 30th is the last day. Monsoon storms range from minor dust storms to violent thunderstorms.
In the past week, we have had very active weather. Last night, storms hit the Phoenix area hard, leaving motorists stranded and knocking down power lines. The lightning was almost non-stop.......4000 lightning flashes!

Dahlias

I recently travelled to Ontario, Canada. The dahlias at the Farmer's Market in Georgetown were just amazing. I bought a bunch and just had to show you the picture of them. They were grown in the area and each one is so different.
You can see more of my travels on my Travel and Photo page.

Tonto Bar & Grill at Rancho Manana

We took a ride to Cave Creek one afternoon recently. Our destination was actually the Tonto Bar & Grill for lunch. This restaurant was voted 2015 Top 100 Al Fresco Dining Restaurants in America. It is located at Rancho Manana Golf Course and the scenery is beautiful.
Although it is summer, I just had to order their Golden Corn Chowder with applewood-smoked bacon, pulled chicken breast, fresh thyme and Yukon gold potatoes......absolutely delicious!!

New Wine Glasses

I needed some new wine glasses for my kitchen so I purchased these really cute goblets. They are mouth-blown and then hand-painted with birds in bright, festive colors. I love them!

Rustic Stuff

tHE FOLLOWING IS FROM THE WEBSITE OF THIS UNUSUAL AND FUN SHOP….. YOU MUST VISIT IT!

About Rustic Stuff

I have a passion for furniture, a passion for design.
I love things with age.
I love the natural patina of an aged wooden chair
or the rustic worn edges of an aged table.
I love unique, interesting pieces of furniture.
I love antiques from other countries.
I love soft natural colors and earth tone hues.
I love old stone walls covered in moss.
I love quality at fair price.
I love the texture of good textiles.
I love red wine in a glass that gets noticed !!!!!!

.......and I love the Christmas Season

The Blues Hall of Fame Tour

Last Friday night, we went to the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts to see three living blues legends and Hall of Fame inductees together on one stage. Anchored by Charlie Musselwhite and his band, the show also featured individual and collaborative performances from James Cotton and John Hammond.
What a wonderful performance!

Twisted Grove Parlor and Bar

Serving modern American cuisine, Twisted Grove Parlor and Bar is a new neighborhood restaurant. Chef Chris also has Grassroots. There are many small plates, hearty sandwiches, salads, flatbreads and entrees.
The patio is very comfortable and a great place to enjoy the spring weather.
How do you like the bicycle above the outside fireplace?

Indian Wells BNP Paribas Open Tennis

Located in Indian Wells just outside of Palm Springs in southern California, I attended the BNP Paribas Open. This is the largest ATP World's Tour Masters 1000 and WTA Premier combined event in the world.

I saw so many talented athletes and many of my favorite tennis stars. My idol, Roger Federer was foremost on my list to see and I was fortunate enough to get up close to him as he was hitting on a practice court!!!

We watched a terrific mens doubles match... David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco vs Grigor Dimitrov and Mardy Fish. Also saw A. Radwanska, Ana Ivanavic, Maria Sharapova, Caroline Wozniacki, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Marin Cilic, Kevin Anderson, Tommy Robredo and the list goes on and on..... what a wonderful time!

Scottsdale Waterfront

Along the canal at the Scottsdale Waterfront there is an art display of whimsical, lighted flowers. They are quite wonderful sitting in the water.
On the bridge is an Artisan Market with innovative artworks ranging from soaps, jewelry and art. Live music can also be enjoyed. This event is called ArtBridge Thursdays and happens every Thursday through May 28th.

Barrett Jackson Auction

Barrett Jackson is an auction company in Scottsdale. The company specializes in the auction of classic cars and antique cars. I finally went to this event yesterday. It was fascinating to see the hundreds of cars and watch the auction live....

Four Seasons Resort at Troon North

This resort is in the high Sonoran Desert in Scottsdale. It is a place of awe-inspiring beauty. We recently dined at Talavera Restaurant for our anniversary.
The view of the Valley of the Sun from this fabulous restaurant is magnificent!

Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are among the smallest of birds. They can fly right, left, up, down, backwards, even upside down. We have so many in our backyard and at our feeder at the front of the house. They are so much fun to watch darting around, chasing each other and feeding.......

Snow in Carefree

On New Years Day, we decided to go to the Tonto Bar and Grill in Carefree for a bowl of their wonderful chicken corn chowder. After lunch we went for a drive north of the Seven Springs area. The scenery was beautiful with the dusting of snow.....