This week in fun!

This weekend is jam packed full of fun stuff to do and there is something for everyone.

Check out Chandler's 12th annual jazz festival. There will be more than 120 musicians and the event is free! Here's a link for more info. Chandler Jazz Festival

Another place to go, if you haven't gone yet this Spring, is the Desert Botanical Gardens. They have their concert series going and this week features Domingo DeGrazia, Flamenco, Spanish guitar. I can't imagine anything more lively than some Flamenco music amongst the butterflies and wild flowers. Tickets are $15-$21 and they recommend reservations. Check out the website for more on the concert series and other upcoming goings on at Desert Botanical Gardens

Also, did you know that we have a Japanese Friendship Garden right here in Phoenix? Well now you know! This weekend they are having their annual Children's Day Kite and Koi festival. The event is on April 2nd from 10 AM- 3PM and it is free! I love free! They will have martial arts, face painting, kite making and much more. This will be much fun for the whole family! Here's a link to the Japanese Friendship Garden   event page. Lots of stuff going on this month.

For those of you who would like to take a drive and enjoy a little break from Phoenix, how about the Crush Wine festival in Tucson?  This two day event kicks off with a fun and informal evening in the courtyards of the Tuscon Museum of Art. There will be 150 wines from around the world, food from some of Tucson’s best restaurants and a silent auction.  Tickets are $75 in advance; $90 at the door. I know it is a little spendy but proceeds benefit the Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block.  Click Crush Wine Festival for more on this and other happenings at the Tucson Museum of Art

There's also the Jerome Art Walk. This event showcases more than 30 unique art studios and galleries, meet the artists and see handcrafted art including jewelry, pottery, glass, leatherwork, clothing, paintings and sculpture. This is another free event and you can check the details at Jerome Art Walk

There are so many great experiences to be had in our beautiful State. Get out there and enjoy!

Doggy cuteness

It's Alive!!

The garden is going gangbusters!  The cucumbers have survived my "help" and they are flourishing! The tomato plants are perking up and getting bushy. I even see a few little yellow flowers on the pear tomato plant.

I can hardly wait for fresh veggies! No more stopping off at Trader Joe's to get salad fixings.

Here are some pictures so you can see the progress.

The cukes are looking really happy!

 

Tomatoes are bushing out and taking over!

Here they are on the first day

And here they are now!

Also a big thank you to Ben at Harvest to Home. He has been checking in on the little guys to make sure they are still thriving. 

I am very excited to look through the catalog for the next planting season to see what else I can grow.

Garden Update, still alive, sorta

So, Mike has been overseeing "project garden" and last night he came in and asked if I did something to the plants because they look burnt. Oh Nooooooo!

Ben left me some essential oil stuff to mix with water and apply to the plants if I happen to see bugs on the leaves. He underestimated my ability to "help" the little plants even if they don't appear to need help.



I decided that even though I haven't seen any bugs maybe I should spray them anyway. It's all natural essential oils and water and it smells really good, how bad can it be? It turns out that without the proper dilution the answer is, well, kinda bad.

 Take a look at my sad little cucumber plants.

Poor little guy, he didn't know what hit him. 

Here's another shot. You can see they are trying to live. They are perky even though their poor leaves have been decimated by my good intentions. 

He was starting to look so cute too!

The tomato plants look like they escaped harm from this round of my trying to nurture them.

I e mailed Ben my pictures and he responded right away. He was very calm and helpful and said that the plants will probably make it and just give it a few days and send him more pictures. He didn't use the all caps TO YELL AT ME for not properly diluting the spray and applying it when there weren't any bugs. He offered a suggestion on how to use the bug spray when needed. Applying it in the early morning or in the evening is best. Again, WHEN NEEDED. Ben also offered to replace my plants if necessary. How nice is that?

So, all is not lost. The plants look like they will recover and Harvest to Home stands by their stuff.

Spring Fever!

I've got Spring Fever and I've got it bad. Today I took a nice long hike with the pups and I gotta say, it was a spectacular day to be outside. We had temps in the low 80's with a nice cool breeze and a blue blue sky. You just can't ask for anything more. As we were hiking along, the dogs sniffing every single rock along the way and me trying to keep the leashes from pulling me down, I thought about the many hikes of years past and all the fun we had.

Back in the day, my girlfriends and I would scurry up Squaw Peak on a Saturday morning getting in our exercise before hitting Aunt Chilada's Patio for some chips and salsa with a side of Corona. The rest of the day was spent lounging by the pool. Sigh. Those were the days.

Nowadays it is all I can do to force myself away from my desk to grab the dogs and get out for a 30 minute traipse around the block. Being out on the trails today inspired me. I am going to get outside and get my hike on!  In honor of my new found motivation, I thought I would take a second to tell you about a few places I like to hike.

Today I went to Lookout Mountain, it is located in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve at 16th Street just South of Greenway. There are a few trails to try and my favorite is the perimeter trail. It is a long-ish hike (about 90 minutes) and there are some small hills but nothing crazy. A few of the other trails are a bit more challenging if you like your hikes with a dash of sweat and tears, check out the 301 trail. There are some pretty views of the City to reward you for your hard work.

Another trail I like to hike is the Dreamy Draw Nature Trail. This trail is located at the base of Squaw Peak. The best way to get there is to take Northern Road East under the 51 freeway and the road winds up in the parking lot. This is a great hike, lots of different trails of all different levels. You can wander around the foot of the Peak and just forget you are in the middle of the City.  This area is great for mountain biking as well.

The last one I want to throw in here is the Squaw Peak Circumference trail. Not the big, scary, stairmaster-on-steroids trail, this is the one at the end of Squaw Peak Drive.  This trail is about 1.5 miles and depending on which way you go (clockwise is more challenging, counter clockwise is moderate) you can have a nice quick work out and get back to the rest of your day.

All of these trails are dog friendly so take your favorite four-legged buddy out there with you. Don't forget to bring water and sunscreen!

Here's a link to a good website to find other hiking trails near you. Arizona Hiking Trails

The garden has been delivered!

The garden is here! The garden is here! Yay for fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. I am very excited.
Here's a step by step of the installation.

Step 1- install planter bases. This will keep the mutts from knocking them over and save my dainty back when I am harvesting all of the tomato and cucumber-y goodness. 

 

 

 

 

Step 2- install the planter boxes. The boxes came pre-planted with two tomato plants and two cucumber plants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3- install a trellis for the plants to climb and sprout bounties of tomatoes and cucumbers

Step 4- Ben from Harvest to Home installs the watering system and says a brief prayer for his little plants as he leaves them in my care

 

 

 

The installation was quick and simple. Ben explained how everything worked and told me how to care for the plants, what bugs to look for and how to make sure the watering system is working. Hopefully in 6-8 weeks I will be harvesting some yummy pear tomatoes, desert red tomatoes and armenian cucumbers.

Spring is here, get your organic veggies planted in time for delicious Summer salads. If you are looking for a low maintenance garden option, give Ben a call or check out the website. Harvest to Home

Stay tuned for weekly updates!

This weekend in AZ

It's another beeee-yoo-tiful day in Phoenix Arizona. These sunny blue skies and temps in the 70's remind us why we swelter through the Summers. PLUS, there's lot's of stuff to do in the Valley of the Sun this weekend.
First you may want to check out the Parada del Sol Rodeo. It begins today and goes through Sunday. The organizers have really stepped it up this year and they have some great entertainment. It should be lots of fun. If you see a cute bartender named Mike, say "hi!" - that's my guy.  Check out this link for more info on ticket prices and times. Parada Del Sol Rodeo Info

We also have TONS of Spring Training games. I gotta say, even if you are not a baseball fan this really is a must-do. There's nothing like lounging out on the grass with a cold drink in your hand and watching a relaxing game of baseball or, if you're me, checking out the latest offerings at the concessions stands. Check out the schedule this weekend and don't forget we've got a new stadium in town. This is the first year the D-backs are playing at the Salt River Fields. Tickets go anywhere from $10.00-$50.00. Spring Training Schedule and Info

In other news, my garden from Harvest to Home is being delivered on Monday! I can hardly wait! I am sure the tomato and cucumber plants that are being delivered to their possible doom are shaking in their soil. I kill everything. I really have a black thumb. I hope this round of Spring planting goes better. Ben from Harvest to Home said the system is idiot proof. I think he jinxed me. Stay tuned for pictures!

Well, enough from me, I am going to get out there and enjoy this day!