Scottsdale

We have been in Scottsdale, AZ for the past five days with our friends, Rina and Dick. They usually spend January and February down here, and we have visited them for a week at a time in other years. This year, we suggested extending into March and splitting the extra cost with them. One of the motivations was that March is spring training month for Major League Baseball.

On our first day, we went to a park for some exercise, dog walking (Rina and Dick's beloved Daisy is with them), and exploration of a xeriscape demonstration garden (i.e., how to use and conserve water in desert garden landscapes).

More flowers are in bloom than we have seen in past visits. I love seeing the cacti, especially the big saguaro.

There are so many pretty birds around too, and many are making beautiful music. I hope you can hear some of it in this video that I made.

 Travis flew down from Colorado to be with us for a couple days. We went to the Cornish Pasty Company for dinner the first evening and started with some Guinness on tap!

Kathie was a bit overwhelmed by the extensive menu.

Each of us chose a pasty filled with whatever sounded best to us. Dick knew all about pastys as a favorite food of miners who carried them down into the mines each day.

I couldn't resist ordering a dessert resembling a banana cream pie, which we all shared along with another that consisted of ice cream with a caramel/chocolate sauce.

Speaking of baseball, Kathie, Travis and I attended a Dodgers versus White Sox matchup on Thursday. I'll eventually see six games while we are here. Spring training, as you may know, is a big deal out here. Each team in the Cactus League has a ball park somewhere around the Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Glendale, Mesa, and other cities metropolitan area. The teams we saw on Thursday utilize a park called Camelback Ranch in the northwest part of the region. I'll give this ball park an extra plus for using the correct song in the seventh inning stretch–that is "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" not "God Bless America." However, they lost points for choosing a singer whose version of the National Anthem was sung much, much, much, much too slowly. (I'm a little tired of singers who want to try to outclass everyone else with their personal embellishments of the anthem. Lady Gaga did a particularly nice job for the Super Bowl, by the way. But, I digress.)

For my money, there is little that can beat the game of baseball (my favorite sport) along with sunshine, pretty green fields with manicured infields, hot dogs, peanuts, Cracker Jack, beer, and the opportunity to spend easy-going time with favorite friends and family. Travis loves baseball too, and I always enjoy the chance to experience games with him.

I kept hearing some raucous sounds behind us. When I turned around and aimed my camera in that direction, these fun-loving Dodgers fans posed for me. Lots and lots of people come to the area for some or all of the month of March to enjoy their favorite teams.

The Dodgers won the game 6 to 1, unfortunately for Travis, who has always loved the Chicago White Sox. But, it was a good day! More baseball to follow!