Saguaro Lake in late July 2010

In late July, when the monsoon storms are certainly approaching, there is no place to hide from the heat. Even when you see massive thunder clouds surrounding the greater Phoenix area, somehow or another, the sun always wins out.I think the heat island effect is certainly a part of it. Everywhere else it is raining; Flagstaff, and Tucson, is getting rip roaring floods and Phoenix, nada. Well, today, we got about 5 minutes of an afternoon spit around 6:30pm.
So..the other day I really needed a break. My friend, Jacques, is here from Holland, and will be leaving early next week. I wanted to show him my adopted state of AZ in different climates. We went to the Grand Canyon in December, and it was covered with snow. That was a cold December day..nice thought right now since it's still 100 degrees at 8:30 pm. I told my friend, Elsbeth, his girl, that we should go to Saguaro Lake and have a picnic. Not that Saguaro Lake was going to be a chill place to be,but because being by water, and viewing the massive gorges and wildlife, was going to soothe the eyes, and somehow feel cooler..
It is so pretty at Saguaro Lake. Of course, there are tons of Saguaros, but the wildlife was interesting too. We found a huge Mesquite Tree to shade us while on the sandy shore of the lake. Many squirrels, ducks, and fish were seen right at the water's edge. I guess they needed cool water near by to indulge in.
As we were leaving the lake, I noticed a sign for a road prior to the boat ramp area we were in. So, I took that road for about 3 miles, and it was very isolated, but what did I find? I found a beach area and lots of trees, and only a few people floating on the lake, and most just sitting on their chairs, half in the lake, and half out of it. Next time I go to Saguaro, that is where I'm going to float down the lake..

Monsoon Madness

This is the time of year I really do dread. Here we are in the middle of the monsoon season yet not a drop of water. Oh yeah..we've had the hajibs.. is that the correct term to use?? The big winds that come cruising into town that never hang around very long.
Just enough time to do some damage to trees. Debris flying, leaves,twigs, and limbs from trees cracking like a whip; it can be scary at night.
Today I visited with my Dutch friends. I figured if I need to be cool and write about something that has an element of coolness, it is Jacques and Elsbeth. They are 71 and 70 years young. Jacques still lives in Holland, but Elsbeth is in Scottsdale. I've learned from them how to appreciate the heat. Summers in The Netherlands can be like winters in New England where Jacques lives. Eastern Holland, Voerendaal, is the "high area" of The Netherlands. Rolling green hills with black and white Dutch cows. You know they are Dutch cows because they have clogs on..just kidding.
There is always an element of a slight wet breeze in the air..this area is known as the wet forest..I loved it there last year! It is cool in the evening, and yes, it rains but I love the "freshness" after it.. If I could learn to speak Flemish/Dutch, maybe there would be hope.
After a three hour lunch with us chowing down on fresh fruit, potato salad, and muffins, and going from Dutch to English, I needed to face the drive back home.
Here's the trick..how to keep your car cool while on an outing in the middle of the day?If there aren't any trees, or a car port, don't go..by the time you get home, the a/c may be working..or like Erma Bombeck said,"Carey pot holders in the car!"
But hey, I'm glad I did go out today because it is worth the trip to see my friends no matter how sultry it is outside @ 3:00 pm in the middle of July. It was 111 degrees according to my car..but hey I can listen to good vibes and crank the a/c right?

Where there is ART, there is total coolness..

I'm just back from "living the blog" life in Los Angeles, and again my brain is conjuring up images of coolness and respite.. The weather was so what I blogged..it was 68 degrees in Marina del Rey on the boat. Perfect for me.. People were complaining that there isn't enough summer there yet.. People from all over the planet go to Venice Beach.. Some to watch the "creative street performers" and so do we.. From a guy who has been playing guitar on roller blades for over 28 years (heck, I remember him when I was in HS, and us gals went to Santa Monica pier)..to kids dancing and walking on broken glass. The cool blue sky matched with the water was like a bookend in between the freaks on Venice.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not judging, just observing..haha...
A couple of bike rides and the enjoyment of being outside with loving company, is good for the soul.
This week at the Phoenix Art Museum is the continuing exhibit of Cezanne work.
Hint: There is a free day at the museum..you have to find out what day that is..
You can stay all day and contemplate what a master he truly was..his playfulness
and willingness to "combine political and social" aspects to his whimiscal art.
I'm going on Thursday..in the am and perhaps through to the pm..I don't know as of yet..Au Revoir!

Getting Out of Dodge or Zonies Place of Refuge

When it gets to be this time of the year in the Sonoran desert, all I can think about is staying cool..So one of the best places to go to is the Beach..But you might think, the beach in AZ? Well, of course not..California is only a 6 hour drive to the cool Pacific Ocean.
Now, if you are fortunate, you may know a buddy that lives there, or even a relative.
I have both, but I stay on our Searay 27 foot boat. It's right on the water in Marina del Rey. Once I arrive at Santa Monica Yacht Harbor, I park my Prius, and never get in it until I have to drive back to Phoenix.
I usually end up walking to Venice Beach with the husband, or one of my beautiful daughters. If that doesn't get me far enough, then I can hop on one of the bikes and go either to Manhattan Beach or North to Santa Monica.
The purpose is to relax, and mainly to be cool, calm and collected.. Like most Zonies, California is never too far to get to, and not that much of an expense.

Attend a Real Estate or Lending Class For Free!!

While attending a free FHA class in a brand new building in Mesa, I had to laugh when all of us complained about how darn cold it was in there. The instuctor, Mr Eye Candy, noticed the sounds from his audience of "It's too cold in here"and gracefully offered to change the temperature. I was saying to my realtor/friend, Claire, "This is a cool way to go learn something and even get breakfast for free. The breakfast consisted of Einstein bagels, oj, Dunkin Donuts, and of course H20. After listening and participating in almost 3 hours of legal issues, it was time to end the chill. With our certificates in hand, we descended the stairs, and welcomed the heat that greeted everyone. Just another way to spend part of the day in order to find cool places in the hot desert.

Staying Cool in the Hot Desert

Ok folks..it's July 3, and a Saturday! As I was reading the paper, I found one of the best places to be in a hot summer flash..At a free concert @ Desert Ridge Marketplace! The place to meet is The District stage and AMC Fountain Stage.
The stage is set practically in the middle of this outdoors mall. There are misters galore.
Every Saturday and Sunday, you can hear live music throughout the sultry summers, starting this weekend @ 7-9pm.
Tonight will be a hot one, but while you are listening to the cool vibes of Hello Swindon's Scott Semple on guitar at the District stage and Jon Vick on percussion at the AMC stage, you can be slurping a cool drink from Starbucks. Later you can hear Ratio, an R&B blues/hiphop/funk band from 7-10pm. In between that time, there are several places to partake in dining and libations! Now stop thinking about lying on that couch, and the fan blowing overhead, go and get out!

Staying Cool July 1st 2010

I thought today would be a perfect day to start my blog. It's taken some time for me to come up with the right idea for one. Here it is: Staying cool and enjoying the Sonoran Desert throughout the entire summer. You might be thinking I'm joking? Well, maybe a little!! But the truth is, there are many places to hide from the oppressive Sun. All it takes is a little ingenuity and creativity to plan the get away from Dodge.
What I wanted to convey is something you can do with very little time..to find the perfect spot in town or out of town.. It all depends on your time frame.
The places I am going to write about are available to everyone. Whether you are on a "staycation" with little more than a day, or have the luxury of a more than three day vacation.
How about I start with the place I just came back from? From Phoenix to Payson, is about an hour and half trip. But just past Payson, at the little above 5000 foot elevation mark, is the vista of the Mogollon Rim. Leaving Phoenix at 8:00 am with the temperature at 90 degrees gave us the motivation to do a one day road trip out of town. My husband has an Uncle who owns a cabin off of the Houston Mesa Road. That is where we stayed the night and enjoyed the company of our animals. Husband did a little fishing, and I walked the dogs. Later at the cabin, we enjoyed the whispering of the pines, and a cool monsoon downpour that really chilled the night air. What we had actually thought was this trip was for the dogs, a "dogcation"..

At that point, we are probably 20 miles North of Payson. This is where the coolness begins to greet you. The tall ponderosa pines and the beautiful maroon trunks of Manzanitas welcomed us in to the forest. It took less than two hours to enjoy a perfect 24 hours of relief from the Valley of the Sun. Driving the Prius was so pleasurable, especially since it only took a half a tank of gas for the entire trip. I would have to say, it was very inexpensive and enjoyable!