That means, Pickleball is winding down.
People are once again spreading their wings and leaving.
And some poor people have to play pickleball in the snow and do not get to come south.
Had two rain storms in the past five months - both of them the night before my two tournaments I played in. First tourney we just got finished and out when the downpour caused the day to be cancelled for all other players. The next one we were playing indoors until about 11:00.
Final tournament at Sun City West (twenty minute drive). We had two days of rain in the past five months - the night before the tournament the rains came down and the courts were soaked until 11 am. So, we played indoors (they have 8 indoor courts and 20 outdoor) which is a bit of a challenge since I have not played indoors in over two years.
HAPPY TRAILS
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HAPPY TRAILS GOLF COURSE
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Happy Trails opened in January 1986. The Grand Opening was attended by the King of the Cowboys, Roy Rogers, his son Dusty Rogers, and the Queen of the West, his wife Dale Evans. They owned Happy Trails and Dale wrote the song, "Happy Trails to You," which became the Rogers' theme.
For those that don't know, Roy came to movie theaters in the 40's and 50's as a singing cowboy in nearly 100 films. Trigger was his famous palomino stallion who appeared in dozens of westerns.
All the streets are named for elements in his films and TV shows.
It is Spring Break and the pool is busy during the day time with families. Come evening - no one around.
Friday night is Bingo night. There is no space left in the parking lot and people line the streets with golf carts. Musical venues, the same thing. I will often walk Tazz around town centre and listen to the music from outside the hall (last Tues was SuperHuey - tribute to Hewy Lewis). I didn't get tickets so it is the next best thing.
The other popular activity is "chicken feet" (dominoes) at the Chuckwagon Restaurant in the evenings.
The signage for the lane changes - depending on the holiday.
"Santa Claus Lane," to "Lover's Lane," to "Shamrock Lane" and soon will have an Easter Theme.
MEMORY PARK (Cactus Garden in Happy Trails)
A lot happens around this small garden: birds, coyotes, golfers and sunsets.
The spoilt Kelpie has a daily routine - walk on the backside of the golf course, around to Traditions (housing community next to the golf course), along a beautiful treed, pathway, play some frisbee on the lush green washes, across to Happy Trails and over to the dirt pathway along the opposite end of the golf course where there is grass to play on but her favorite activity lately - the sandpile!
We have 'one' stick (which we obtained from Marc's aunt and uncle's in Mesa) - she digs until the stick is laying on top of the sand so she can pick it up ..... she doesn't like sand in her teeth.
Was playing ball with Tazz and just behind the sandpile were two coyotes laying under the shrubs, watching her (from beneath the shrubs in this photo).
Always have to be on 'watch' as they are not afraid and people with small dogs have had close encounters. I was at this spot early one evening and heard a Canada Goose squawking.
There were two coyotes charging the goose; they ran across a wash and up onto the golf course where the goose was grazing out in the open, alone. The one coyote leaped in the air and almost caught the bird. (That is one lucky duck!).
I thought kelpies were fast, they have nothing on these dogs. Was standing with Tazz in the cactus garden - a coyote was curled up on the top of dirt on the golf course. It spotted us and got up, starting trotting towards us. We quickly turned, retreated and it stopped.
Some nights we happen upon some amazing skies.
Onto a totally different topic. I have always been amazed at the way garbage is handled in the resort.
All garbage cans are buried and sometimes not much is sticking out of the ground.
And 'sometimes' mishaps happen!
What I find amazing, is how physical the 'sanitation engineers' have to be for this job.
The truck parks at the end of the street and the workers literally run to each garbage disposal, pull it out of the ground and empty it into their wheeled bins and then dump the load into the truck.
Kudos to them.
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| Tazz's version of "Flyball" |
Was playing ball with Tazz and just behind the sandpile were two coyotes laying under the shrubs, watching her (from beneath the shrubs in this photo).
Always have to be on 'watch' as they are not afraid and people with small dogs have had close encounters. I was at this spot early one evening and heard a Canada Goose squawking.
There were two coyotes charging the goose; they ran across a wash and up onto the golf course where the goose was grazing out in the open, alone. The one coyote leaped in the air and almost caught the bird. (That is one lucky duck!).
I thought kelpies were fast, they have nothing on these dogs. Was standing with Tazz in the cactus garden - a coyote was curled up on the top of dirt on the golf course. It spotted us and got up, starting trotting towards us. We quickly turned, retreated and it stopped.
Some nights we happen upon some amazing skies.
Onto a totally different topic. I have always been amazed at the way garbage is handled in the resort.
And 'sometimes' mishaps happen!
What I find amazing, is how physical the 'sanitation engineers' have to be for this job.
The truck parks at the end of the street and the workers literally run to each garbage disposal, pull it out of the ground and empty it into their wheeled bins and then dump the load into the truck.
Not to mention, the heat and they wear full faced masks.
Grackles
They are admiring the sunset above!
They make various, interesting sounds, and can mimic the sounds of other birds. They are often seen around shopping centers, feeding from the ground - foraging for scattered seeds from the trees and bugs. They are known to practice "anting," rubbing insects on its feathers possibly to apply liquids such as formic acids secreted by the insects.
Cormorants frequent the golf courses - some of the 'lakes' are stocked with fish.
Northern Cardinals are non-migratory birds, meaning that once you draw them to your yard they are likely to stay there year-round. Many people may be surprised that Northern Cardinals are found in Arizona. Their range co res the entire Eastern half of the US, most of Mexico and only a tiny slice of Southeastern Arizona. Phoenix (adjacent to Surprise) is located in South Central Arizona, so Cardinal sightings here are rare.
Two different species getting up close and personal (a Crow and a Gila Woodpecker) - getting ready for the night.
Sigh . . . . Our last day at Happy Trails is tomorrow - March 24th.
Happy Trails to you . . .
Fortunately, with a special permit and enough space on the lot, we were able to park the little trailer, level it and transfer everything within steps and plug the fridge in while turning off the main fridge and the large fridge in the casita where we have an ice cube maker.
The inside of the 21 footer is actually quite spacious and holds a queen sized bed. The dinette is one large slide out which gives us a lot of space.
Deep closet space on either side of the bed and above as well as storage under the bed.
Lots of cupboard space around the TV and at the entrance it has a large closet - great for those wet and muddy boots.
And, the best part is a full-sized shower which a lot of smaller trailers and RV's do not have.
Once again, we find ourself downsizing . . .
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| THE BLACKSTONE (34 footer) |
To the White Hawk (Jayco)
Plans are to keep the little trailer on the lower mainland, go to Vancouver Island to deal with appointments then go visit Bev's mom in Burns Lake (leave the trailer at Cache Creek) then off across Canada.
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