Apricity West 2

November 19, 2021, Friday

Went to the Friday Fish Fry at the Elks again. We chose delicious shrimp - 6 coconut and 3 sautéed. Was surprised to notice ashtrays on the bar - yup smoking is allowed in most venues in Arizona! Ah, the Wild Wild West! 

November 20, 2021, Saturday

North Ranch Craft Fair is this morning and located on people’s property rather than together in the activity center. Ray and Peggy have a perfect corner lot with a circular driveway and they asked Tom Kern and Rich to join them for set up.

There is so much talent is this community: Peggy makes beautiful jewelry by polishing stones and wrapping them in wire; Ray carves and paints large birds with exquisite detail; Tom does amazing wood carving of boxes and spoons.  

It was a profitable day for all. 

 

November 21, 2021, Sunday

Gary and Kathy Hawley invited us over to hear him play on his Native American flutes.They just finished converting a wood workshop on their property into a lovely music room with piano, recorder piano, guitar and flutes. I wish I could share all of the stories about the songs, but I do know one. If a brave wanted to marry a maiden, he had to carve a flute out of a tree and create a song to play on it. If she wanted to marry him, she would accept, but if not, she would say she didn’t like the song. He could persist and try again if he wanted.

 

There were a couple of authentic Native American flutes and the others were Native American Style Flutes. 

The larger the flute, the deeper the voice. The sound is haunting played with or without background. Google Mary Youngblood and Carlos Nakai to hear them play - recommended by Gary.

 

November 23, 2021,Tuesday 

Today was the fist dreary, totally sunless day we have had here. It even rained a tiny little bit. I have really been struggling with allergies this week - sneezing from my toes numerous times, and of course, a running faucet from my nose. I swear I should buy shares in Kleenex! I have also wondered if that is the source of my problem! I switched from Zyrtec at night to Claritin and take Sudafed in the morning, with periodic shots of nasal decongestant (all generic), and a Netti Pot treatment. The only thing I haven’t tried yet is local honey which I will be buying on our next trip to town…  so frustrating and not fun for those around me either.

 

November 24, 2021,Wednesday

Happy Birthday to Kegan Colomb, Rich’s grandson in South Glens Falls, who turned 18 today. 

 

Really excited about publishing a website to share Rich’s work - www.RichArtCreations.com. It is my first attempt to build a website and I am seeking feedback (good, bad and constructive) about how to make it better. Check it out. 

 

November 25, 2021, Thursday HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

We spent the afternoon with John and Eileen, their son, Matthew, and his wife, Sue who happens to have grandparents in Hawley, MA who she visited as a youngster. I had never heard of it, but it is right next to Charlemont - where we just drove through last spring! Small world. John can’t believe that Matthew has retired early and Sue will follow suit in March! They drove 6 hours here from Torrance, CA for a week-long visit. 

The smoking of the turkey was a family affair, though John had done research ahead of time. 

It also helped that neighbors Steve and Rod came with a bounty of goodies - stuffing, gravy, asparagus wraps, 2 pies, and cooking tools. 

Steve went to culinary school and had unique variations on his dishes. Rod started out as a teacher and quickly decided he wanted more income, so he started as a graphic designer for Paramount and ended up running theme parks around the world. It happened to be their 8th legally official anniversary, but they have been together for 40 years!! 

Don and Robin, neighbors, had just returned from Vegas and came over for dessert.They brought a bottle of Rosie’s Irish Cream to try out - a strawberry aperitif which was quite delicious! 

 

November 26, 2021, Black Friday

There will be no shopping for us today, although the UPS truck showed up with a haul of goodies we had ordered - mostly need vs. want. One of those items is my new dance shoes for line dancing!

Apricity West 2

November 12, 2021, Friday

Went into Surprise today for errands and a nice lunch (and Guinness for the guys) at the Irish Wolfhound with John and Eileen. The Cobb Salad is my favorite, but the Fish ’n Chips is very tempting - maybe next time…. I missed Line Dancing today and we didn’t ride our bikes when we got home. Tomorrow?

 

November 13, 2021, Saturday

Robin and I met last year while we were here. She and Keith come here from northern Arizona to winter and are long time friends with Rich, so we went to visit them last week. They have a park model home here and she is trying to get into the habit of walking on the non-Line Dance days. I told her I would love to walk with her if she wanted company - this morning she stopped by and I gladly joined her. 

We did good and kept an even pace - walking, gawking and talking. We were gawking at the items on display in front of homes for the North Ranch RV Park Yard Sale - everything from hoses, lawn chairs, totems, cacti to off rode vehicles, a jeep, and a VW bug. Since we have spent so much energy purging excess stuff before we got on the road and have 300 square feet to live in, we were not shopping the yard sale.

 

BUT we did shop for a guitar at Denny and Joanne Evans’ - they have lived here for about 10 years and he is a longtime member of the jam session. He plays steel guitar by ear and has several guitars to sell. I knew when I saw (and heard) the Epiphone Gibson that we would be taking it home. 

We are now trying to figure where to store it! And how to play it...

Got a nice bike ride in before cocktail hour so I made up for yesterday with two exercises today.

 

November 14, 2021, Sunday

The adventure of the day was to go to Barnstar Brewery in Skull Valley. The ride for us was about an hour headed in the same direction as we took to Prescott - a very windy 1000 foot ascent over Granite Mountain (where the Granite "Hot Shots” perished), through Yarnell and Peeples Valley and on to Skull Valley. 

At a very small sign we took a left and joggled along the wash board dirt road for 3 miles, leaving a plume of dust behind us. 

At the site of this little oasis, my mouth was agape as we parked amongst the off-rode vehicles, motorcycles, and dozens of cars. Rich has been here when a group trail riders stopped to water their horses and wet their whistles! 

One of the waitresses asked for our names to run a tab. When I said Monda, she paused and said, What? It turns out, her name is Amanda and her boyfriend’s is Armando, so they call them Monda! 

Tight quarters but about 40 people had their brew and were

lounging in the nooks and crannies of the ranch.

Bathroom decor.

Two different colored eyes on this mascot.

Here’s the story:

In 2011, David and Sandy Bigelow decided it was time for a change. They decided to move to Skull Valley, Arizona where they had been visiting family for years. They purchased a piece of property surrounded by Prescott National Forest, building a ranch house and a micro-brewery and Barnstar Brewing Company was born. In January of 2012, Barnstar Brewing Company started making world class craft beer. Originally selling to  bars and restaurants in and around the Prescott area to much acclaim. However in 2014, customers continued to ask for private visits to the brewery and tasting room and word spread about this unique Brewery.  It was decided that with the scale and size of the Brewery, David could create a broader offering of beers that could be sold directly to consumers through the Tasting Room. Now open on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00-5:00 and featuring up to 12 handcrafted  beers, Barnstar has become a one of a kind destination for beer lovers wide and far.

A visit to Barnstar is a truly unique and memorable experience. There are relaxing places to sit both inside and out. Offering 9-12 world class beers, from great Extra and Double IPA's to Pale Ales, Pumpkin ale, Porters, Stouts, Wheats, Ambers  and many more. We have a small General Store with mens and womens, Barnstar T-shirts, Sweatshirts, Tanks, Hats, Beanies, Koozies, Bottle openers, and other fun merchandise. We also sell 32 oz and 64 oz Growlers for our guests to take home with them. (We are also happy to refill any Growlers  that guests bring with them (at a reduced cost). We offer Brats, with Sauerkraut, and onions, Hot Dogs, "Barbudos" pulled Pork sandwiches on Kings Hawaiian rolls, both come with coleslaw or potato salad. We also have chips, nuts, and soft drinks. If you want to get your grill on, we are happy to provide you with our grill (for a nominal fee). We are dog, and kid friendly (Kids must be supervised). Our two mascots, Nick and Lulu, our miniature horses, love for the kids to feed them Carrots (which we provide free of charge) . For entertainment, we have a Cornhole court, Bocce Ball, as well as Croquet. Dominoes, Playing cards, Jenga, Mahjong, knife throwing, chainsaw juggling, Ice skating, Turtle racing, Marbles and more. As for us....   We have won spelling bees at the Kremlin, wore the green jacket at Augusta, rode horses to victory at Churchill Downs, cliff dove in Acapulco, climbed Everest  (without oxygen), ran a 2 minute mile and  swam the English Channel, oh.... And we make great Beer.....

Sadly for us, but good for them, they sold the brewery after 10 years of working weekends. It will close on December 1st and be moved down to Yarnell off the main drag which is like an entrance to a mine. They will try to keep it unique and interesting - just a different backdrop. 

 

Put the top down on the return trip.

Stopped at Yarnell Emporium - love this place!

 

November 15, 2021, Monday

Had a going away party for our line dance teacher this morning. Lots of goodies and stories about how the students met her. She is off to Destin, FL and will be starting up a line dance class there in her plush new senior  community. 

 

November 16, 2021, Tuesday

Costco run today with John and Eileen to stock up on protein and wine. Had a nice lunch at their house after and caught up on news, classmates, and family...

 

November 17, 2021, Wednesday

Line dancing and bike ride today. 

 

November 17, 2021, Thursday

We skipped the Jam Session today because there was a Howling at the Moon event that is held in November and March. We literally sat there waiting for the full moon to rise while visiting with North Ranchers, eating nibbles, drinking our drinks which we brought, and listening to great music. 

 

This is Miss Ellie and Danny - two of the talented musicians who play at the jam sessions. They were in the audience tonight, but Denny Evans (sold us the guitar), Harvey who gives lessons played and Wayne were the entertainment.

 

Dot was the hostess with the mostest! 

One of the guests distills his own brew and brings jugs to sample - the apple pie flavor was delicious.

 

Rich’s communion…

Got to do a little line dancing… 

We waited a while for the moon to burn through the cloud cover...

 

And the sunset was a vibrant red on the horizon. 

 

Nighty, night… 

Apricity West 2

November 5, 2021, Friday

Fish Fry at the Elks in Wickenburg… great meal and live music for $10 a plate. 

November 6, 2021, Saturday

Went to the Litchfield Fair today with John and Eileen. It reminds me a lot of a southwestern version of the Big E. 

Ranked among the top 50 Art Festivals in the Nation, the event attracts thousands of art and wine enthusiasts from across the Country. Featuring more than 150 fine artists and craftsmen gathered along the tree-lined streets surrounding the historic Wigwam Resort. Festival highlights include dozens of local wineries and breweries, food concessions, and main stage entertainment. Enjoy wine tastings in one of Arizona's largest festival wine and beer gardens, located under the tall palm trees while listening to continuous live entertainment.

The top of the display shows crispy bacon cooked in the microwave with this pottery.

Kristie Clark has done horsehair pottery - fascinating!

Love the colors!

Beautiful!

 

The horizon on the drive there is miles of newly constructed warehouses which are taking the place of the vegetable fields that used to be there. Other construction is one story houses for lease and all other kinds of housing - if anyone works in construction and needs work, Surprise is the place to be. 

 

November 7, 2021, Sunday

Well, we got our Moderna booster shots today with no reaction other than tiredness and a mildly sore arm. I was able to line dance Monday morning though I was ready for a nap when I got home. We just laid low for the day. No bike ride today.

Sunrise

Sunset

November 9, 2021, Tuesday

It was chillier than usual this morning though the sunrise was spectacular.

Luke Air Force Base is 53 miles from here and there are some sonic booms that make you jump out of your seat!! Then you hear the roar of the jets, but rarely see them. 

We took a nice bike ride through the paved streets of the park - some of the lawn decorations are pretty impressive. 

 

November 11, 2021, Thursday

Another cool jam session today! Rich is going to get a guitar…

I bought a ticket to fly home from 12/21 to 12/31. Missing the grand kids for the holidays! Rich has no desire to go back to the cold winter weather especially now that he is on the blood thinner for A-Fib which makes you feel cold anyway. He hadn’t been home in the winter for years - his family totally gets it! 

We knew when we left so early that me going gone for Christmas was a possibility - will see how things shake out - if there are a lot of scary things going on, I will change plans quickly! Time will tell!