DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN

After the Chiles and Chocolate event and lunch (which was a green pork burrito), we spent a couple of hours walking on the desert garden trails.  The trails are paved loops that are easy to walk and the featured plants along the way were well marked with signs and detailed descriptions.  Even though we’ve been in the desert quite a few times, we still enjoy seeing the amazing variety of desert plants and how well suited they are for the inhospitable desert environment.  Most of them have spines or spikes to protect them from birds and other critters and some grow in the “shade” of larger plants for protection from the hot sun.  As a result of personal experience, Stuart says that all desert plants bite.  Here are a few photos of the most interesting plants:

On Sunday afternoon, there was a Welcome Home party here at Palm Creek where everyone got together to eat free hot dogs and ice cream sandwiches while mingling with the other guests.  We estimated that there were about 600 people attending the event and the resort is only about half full.  They had tables set up for every activity offered at the resort and Stuart made some contacts with the Radio Control airplane guys.  They go out to fly their planes in the back field most mornings so Stuart will have some buddies when he finds the time to go out there.

We were busy with tennis games and a round of golf on Tuesday that was a lot of fun.  We love our new irons and they definitely helped us both to play better.  We joined a retired couple who live in Gilbert, which is south of Phoenix, and played at the Robson Ranch course that we played twice last spring.  There are definite advantages to having been in this area before—so much easier to make decisions on where to go and what to do.

Yesterday was my birthday so we went out shopping for a gift, had lunch at the Olive Garden and went to the theatre to see “Unstoppable.”  It was a good movie based on a true event but they did take it to extremes and a lot of it was “Unbelievable.”  We enjoyed it, though; I guess we are easily entertained.

Today was a warm 25 C so we went to the pool in the afternoon for some sunning and swimming.  Amazing to be doing that in November!!  We have an exciting event coming up on Saturday and I’ll give you a hint:  it’s at Firebird International Raceway south of Phoenix.  Stay tuned…..