Louise Penny Novels

Louise Penny is a Canadian author who writes mystery novels. She is the winner of five Agatha Awards as well as numerous other awards for her work. These novels are set in the province of Quebec and the main character is Chief Armand Gamache.

I became hooked on these novels and have now read all 11 of them. Not only are the mysteries captivating but she always describes the food that is eaten throughout the stories....always makes me hungry!

It is a good idea to read her novels in the order they were written but it is not necessary. From the first to the most recent are..

STILL LIFE
A FATAL GRACE
THE CRUELEST MONTH
A RULE AGAINST MURDER
THE BRUTAL TELLING
BURY YOUR DEAD
A TRICK OF THE LIGHT
THE BEATIFUL MYSTERY
HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN
THE LONG WAY HOME
THE NATURE OF THE BEAST

Have a good read this winter!

Javelina

Many people think javelina are a type of wild pig but they are actually members of the peccary family, a group of hoofed mammals originating from South America. Javelina are common in southern Arizona. They use washes and areas with dense vegetation as travel corridors. They are most active at night.
Today we went for a drive north of Cave Creek and saw a "Javelina Crossing" sign.
One day a few summers ago, because I live near a large wash and golf course area, we saw two javelina cruising down our street digging up lawns and eating vegetation.....how crazy!

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!