Man Does Not Live By Baseball Alone

     A full month of baseball? For some a dream, for others a nightmare. For those of you who don't know a baseball from a costume ball (and don't care) there is plenty to do here in the Valley of the Sun. We discovered great activities for almost everyone here in the greater Phoenix area.

The Museum of Musical Instruments https://mim.org/ was an absolute delight, especially their exhibit, Dragons and Vines. This special exhibit explained the modern development and  artistry of guitar  and banjo inlay.

     The permanent exhibits had instruments from virtually every country in the world with video clips showing them being played. They also had an area for various artists from the area and genres of music.  Plan on 4-5 hours for this one.

    Another day, another adventure. This time we went to Butterfly Wonderland- Americas largest butterfly conservatory. http://butterflywonderland.com/  After a brief movie on the migration of monarch butterfly you go into an enclosed pavillion filled with tropical plants and hundreds of butterflies.  I foolishly left my  phone/camera in the car but trust me it was awesome!

   If you prefer bigger animals and some action, head over to Turf Paradise racetrack http://www.turfparadise.com/. Even if you don't know anything about Thoroughbred racing, it is a fun day to sit in the sun or shade and bet a dollar on your favorite horse. Pick a color, pick a number, pick a name, you don't need to spend hours studying a racing form to have fun at the track.

L

     Like many other places in the country the Phoenix area has very nice Casinos on Native American land. After a ball game we went to the Talking Stick Resort Casino  https://www.talkingstickresort.com/to watch the last of the NCAA elite eight games and to play the penny slots. We did not spend/lose a lot of money but we did have a lot of fun.

     One of my favorite things about about this area is the amount of public art that is visible everywhere. Even something as utilitarian as the walls along the freeways are decorated with southwest motifs. I especially liked a sculpture in Scottsdale called the Doors. It was designed so that you could go inside and have the impression of being in a kaleidoscope. Very cool.  There are so many things to enjoy here. Even without baseball we know we will be back.

Fake Plants and Live Glue

    Plants have never been my friends. I have been known to kill air ferns- simple plants that do not need soil, water or anything. I still managed to turn a lovely, green, living thing into a brown, dry, dead compost candidate. I do however, love the look of plants, especially if they have flowers or interesting leaf patterns or colors.
   As we move from place to place we have encountered both real and fake plants.  I definitely notice them but rarely do more than find our if they are real or fake.  There have been more than a few instances where I watered a fake plant to disastrous results or killed a real plant before I knew it was actually alive. In general I leave plant care to John who has a very green thumb and the ability to determine real from fake.
   Here in Scottsdale we have the usual rental place fake plants: small ficus by the front door, flower arrangements in the bedrooms and a small cactus in the kitchen. Experience has taught me that fake plants tend to look more real than real plants in many cases, especially cacti and other succulents.But there was something about that little cactus. Every night as I did the dishes it seemed to call to me "water, water". I was not to be taken in. I have watered a fake cactus before and watched it disintegrate into a green mess.  Before I gave into the siren voice coming from the tiny pot I decided to find out for sure if this plant was real or fake. So I reached over and squeezed the top.
   

   As you can see, there does not appear to be any spikes or needles growing out of this cactus. But I guess it is like a baby rattlesnake, more dangerous because it is small. in any case both my finger and thumb suddenly felt on fire as tiny barbs entered and stayed under my skin.

   I tried to use tweezers to remove the needles but they were so small and light in color that they were virtually invisible. So I consulted the greatest source of Medical Knowledge Known to Mankind - The Internet.  Most sources advised the use of tweezers (really?) and many said what not to do, (it never occurred to me to hold my fingers over fire and burn the spikes out). I finally found a solution that made sense and I confirmed it with two other sources. The answer was glue.

   Anyone who has taught a class or even had children who did crafts know this fact; kids like to play with glue.  They will pour it on their hands, wait for it to dry then rub it off into little glue balls that make a mess.  This is why glue sticks were invented.  The problem was glue stick would dry out if not capped properly or if they were just sitting in a storage closet over summer break. Invariably, the glue sticks were gone before the projects were done leaving slower kids or later classes with the need for staples and tape to complete their assignments.

   My solution to this dilemma was to forego the glue sticks and do projects old school with good old fashioned Elmer's glue. I had a large jug of the stuff in my classroom. When students were   ready to glue they brought me a scrap of paper and I carefully poured a small amount of the precious liquid onto the scrap; enough to use but not enough to play with.  We called it live glue as it would run all over if not carried carefully. "Watch your hair Marissa, there is live glue behind you"and "Don't let the live glue get on your notebook Jason". We respected the power of the live glue to go where it did not belong and for over 30 years never had a classroom incident. In fact the same kids who like to rub glue all over their hands did not want to put glue on one finger to apply it to the project.

    Ok back to my problem. According to Dr Internet, apply a thin coat of glue over the affected area, let it dry for 30 minutes then peel off the glue and Voila. The spikes will be pulled out. This sounds right so off I went to the store to buy some glue which was easier said than done. Three stores later I discovered many glue sticks but no liquid glue. The burning of the spikes hastened my decision and I went for the biggest glue stick I could find.

   After three applications of gluestick, wait and wash  most of the barbs were out, The last few came out through repeated washing but as I type this I think there may still be a few more in my finger. The lesson here is be sure the plant is fake before you touch it and always carry live glue.

Baseball, Bikes,Scots and Hikes

     The primary reason we are in Arizona in March is to see Spring training baseball of course. We bought some tickets in advance, some once we arrived and for others we are checking StubHub for good seats at good prices. The Cubs are asking $100.00 for a seat  which is ridiculous for any game but especially for an exhibition game that doesn't count. So far we have been to three games, had good to great seats and did not pay anywhere near that price.
   Our first game was on Wednesday March 1 and of course it was the Angels in Tempe Diablo Stadium. We were happy to see the boys deliver a victory over division rival Texas. I know it does not matter if you win in Spring but it is definitely better than losing.

home away from home

a beautiful day for a ballgame

   Friday we went to Talking Stick Stadium here in Scottsdale to see the Dodgers play the Diamondbacks in another division rivalry. This is one of the newer stadiums, shared by Colorado and Arizona.  For lunch we had a sandwich named for former D-back star Luis Gonzalez- the Gonzo chicken sandwich; fried chicken, bacon, and ham.Of course it was delicious!

We like to arrive at the games early to watch the players warm-up. on this day we were rewarded with a chance to watch the starting battery for the D-backs former Angels Zack Grienke and Jeff Mathis.

                           



     Our condo came with two beach cruiser bikes so we have been exploring the many paths on non game days. Sunday we discovered the Giants training facility which is about a half mile from the stadium where they play games. We paused in our ride to watch veterans and minor leaguers alike work on fundamental drills.

one of many fields

evaluating the talent

      As we continued our ride we discovered how close we were to Old Town Scottsdale and the Giants stadium there. So for our game today, Monday, we rode our bikes to the field. It is about three-four miles one way on a bike path that goes along a golf course. No parking problem, charge or crowd. This is the way to get to a game.

  We saw the Indians vs the Giants in  our first inter-league game. Scottsdale has always been a nice stadium but today there was a bonus, former players were there selling autographed items  George Foster, Darrel Evans, Gaylord Perry and the Cucamonga Kid himself- Rollie Fingers. We purchased a signed ball  from Fingers for Johns collection.  We split a cheesesteak sandwich and garlic fries before watching the home team once again claim the victory.

If it is San Francisco, it must be garlic Fries

Great Mustaches

  Not every day has been about baseball. As we were driving in we saw billboards about music festivals that were taking place over the weekend. Upon research and listening to the bands we decided instead to go to the Scottish festival and Highland games being held in Phoenix on Saturday. We had a great time listening to pipe, folk and Celtic bands.The Wicked Tinkers were a special favorite.  We met some great people, happy to share their knowledge of Scotland and the games.

British cars on display

Practicing for their competition

the horn is on a stand

    As I mentioned before there are trails all around our condo.  Most of them we have seen so far go along a golf course or through a park. We did a 3 mile  hike Friday morning before the game and saw many snowbirds- Canadian Geese are everywhere. I know many people do not consider walking a paved area in a downtown setting a hike but it is close enough for me. Besides, it rhymes with bikes.

Bucket List in the Valley of the Sun

     "I will be out on Friday, I have a Dr Appointment" . That statement meant one thing to my friends at work; I was skipping out to go to spring training in Arizona. In fact we used to add that the appointment was with Dr. Scott Sdale.  We would come out on an extended weekend, or for a few days midweek if spring break was at the right time. We came alone or with family members and each time said, "When we retire let's spend a month here for spring training."
    So here we are in a condo in Scottsdale until March 28  to watch games, and enjoy the warm weather. We have been here for a week now, I will share our adventures so far on a later post. Right now it's time to head out for a game.

living room

dinning room

kitchen is small but functional

patio is in the front

master bedroom

guest bedroom

Transitions

     February has always been a transition month for us. February was the month John proposed, beginning our transition from the single life to being a permanent couple  Most years it was simply the month between the end of football season and the return of baseball.We often referred to it as our theater season as the presidential holidays provided us three or four day weekends in which to attend a concert or a play or see a movie or two. Last year the days of February were filled with preparation for what has become our greatest transition to date, our nomadic lifestyle.
     When we sold and stored and cleaned and cleared out our possessions we thought it would only be until July. The plan was to find a place to rent until we decided where we wanted to buy our next home. But a funny thing happened. Instead of being exhausted by the travel, we were exhilarated. We started to ask ourselves "What If"?  What if  we don't buy a house right now? What if we leave our stuff in storage? What if we go where and when we want, without worrying about our "stuff"?
     And so here we are. one year later and just as excited about our next adventure as we were about our last. Thankfully our parents have guest rooms in both of their homes so we can stay with them
as we pause, pack and prepare for the year ahead.

Monday Monday

     As cozy as our cottage is a person can only stay inside for so long. Today we drove into town for lunch. John found us a terrific place called Baird's on B https://www.bairdsonb.com/ for lunch. I had an Autumn Chicken Cobb salad but John went for seafood.  His chippino was full of local clams, shrimp and Dungeness crab..

Before

After

After lunch we went for a walk along the Willamette river at George Rogers park Although the temperature is the same as in Victoria, it feels much colder here so we did not walk for long.

 

After our walk we drove around the town for a while before returning to the cottage.

Ferry Tales and Happy Endings

     The last part of this trip takes us back to Oregon, specifically Lake Oswego. Knowing we would have to drive the length of Washington we had reserved the 9 AM ferry off Vancouver Island. We left Victoria a bit later than we planned, but with the reservation we were not too concerned about making the boat. Alas, that was not the case. Although we arrived at the terminal at 8:53 we were sent to the end of the line as bad luck would have it the car in front of us was the last one on. We would have to wait until the next crossing which would be at 11:00.
     Two hours at a terminal? At least they had a cafe so we didn't need to sit in the car. And we were first in line so we should be one of the first off on the mainland. Apparently logic and logistics are not related to ferry loading. not only were we not the first to be loaded, we were among the last to be unloaded adding another 15 minutes to our two hour delay.
   I know, I know, What's the rush? We knew from pictures and communications with our new hosts that our cottage was on a flag lot so we really wanted to get there while the sun was still up. We also knew the route took us through Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia and Portland. Four cities on a Friday afternoon/evening during commuter hours? We hit them all and the two hour delay became longer with each city. Except Portland. By the time we arrived there, rush hour was over.
     As we feared finding the long driveway to the cottage was difficult. The tall trees and lack of street lights made it even more difficult to find the address. But with some help from a kind neighbor we found the entrance to the garden cottage.
Built in 1930 but updated last spring the cottage has vintage charm and modern conveniences.

 At almost 8 pm, we were not going to cook tonight! This was an excellent
decision as we found one of our favorite type of restaurants just around the corner; a farm to table seasonal bistro. At Tavern on Kruse http://www.tavernonkruse.com/  soup and salad was all we needed to provided a happy ending to a long and frustrating day.

Curried Butternut squash soup with hush puppies

Steamer clam chowder

Beet Salad

Tea and Totems

Our week in Canada, ironically enough, began on the day President Trump was inaugurated. We laughingly speculated long lines at the border but of course that was not the case. Our original plan was to cross to Vancouver island from Port Angelus but that Ferry was closed this week for annual repairs. The Seattle Ferry no longer takes cars this far so we headed up I-5 to enter Canada by land . A short drive took us to the port where we caught the ferry to the island.

Passing another ferry

Uncertain of weather conditions , traffic and crossing delays, we left Anderson island early.To our delight it was another clear day in terms of both weather and traffic and we arrived in Victoria two hours before our check-in time. This gave us time to walk about and renew our acquaintance with the city we had last visited in 2011. A late lunch of (what else?) fish and chips at the Bard and Banker Pub  https://bardandbanker.com/  and browsing the shops kept us busy until check in time.

Our very modern condo on the 11th floor provided amazing views of the city and was within walking distance of almost everything Victoria has to offer. We were even able to find fresh winter salmon in the local grocery store which made a delicious dinner Saturday night.

Sunday was another beautiful day so we went across the street to watch the second NFL playoff game at Sticky Wicket http://strathconahotel.com/venue/sticky-wicket/ then walked over to Pagliacci's  http://www.pagliaccis.ca/ for dinner and to listen to live music. Even at night it has not been too cold, We have not needed out heavy coats, just long sleeve shirts with sweaters.

Victoria is the capitol of British Columbia and the Parliament building is beautiful. Since the assembly does not return to session until February 14 we were able to go in without it being too crowded.
   

The Chamber

The Seat of  BC Government 

         











 We spent the morning there, had lunch at another Pub (what a
surprise)  http://www.bartholomewspub.com/ then went to the Royal BC Museum.This museum had an amazing collection of items from the large number of First People (as they call Native Americans), including a long house and totem poles both inside and out.

The dagger used by Hawaiians to kill Captain Cook

The city is an interesting mix of heritages. British and Chinese culture and traditions existing side by side with that of  the First People. While this has not always been the case (as we learned in the museum) there is a palpable feeling of co-operation and respect here, similar to what we felt in Europe last summer.

   Victoria has the 2nd largest Chinatown in Canada                                        






Tuesday we got in our car for the first time since our arrival and drove over to Fishermans Wharf. most of the businesses were closed for the winter but we did get to walk around the community of floating houses that were there.

These give houseboat a new meaning

   It was lunch time so we drove along the water stopping at  Oak Bay Marina  http://www.marinarestaurant.com/ for cedar planked salmon, spinach salad and steamed clams.

Aunt Marchs House?

In the afternoon we visited Craigdarroch Castle, a Victorian estate built by coal baron Robert Dunsmuir, a contemporary and friend of Stanford and the California Big 4. I was particularly excited to learn that some of the rooms had been used for the filming of one of my favorite movies, Little Women, (the 1994 version).





Another dry but cold day on Wednesday (temperatures in the 40's) so we set off to Esquimalt,(a suburb of Victoria) and the Songhees trail. This mostly paved trail along the Victoria waterfront provided us with a "good stretch of the legs" as we completed just over 4 miles.

Floating Sculpture

With the condo just behind the Empress Hotel how could we not participate in that most British of rituals- tea time. We arrived early and were rewarded with a seat by the fire. It was a perfect way to spend an afternoon. http://www.fairmont.com/empress-victoria/pdf/emp-tea-menu-jan-2017/

Look at the leaves to select your tea

Three levels of Deliciousness

John finds a friend

Thursday morning was again cold but dry so we explored Beacon Hill Park. It is a bird watchers dream as we saw both mallard and harlequin ducks, yellow warblers, ravens and of course, peacocks. We walked through the park then across the street to admire the rugged coastline of the island.

                                                                                   
Although this is our third time in Victoria we discovered so much about this charming city. A week is not long enough to explore all it has to offer. Even though some shops and restaurants were closed for the winter the lack of tourists let us experience Victoria as the locals do. We leave tomorrow but I know we will return.