Prickly Pear Cactus

This was taken today here in the Arizona.  It is a Prickly Pear cactus.  Isn't it lovely?   The leaves have flat, fleshy pads that look like large leaves.

 

The Prickly Pear has many uses as well as beauty.  The gel like liquid of a prickly pear cactus can be used like a conditioner.  The peeled pads can also be sliced thin (like green beans) and boiled or can be baked like squash or even pickled.

 

Besides being a tasty vegetable, it is used to make cactus candy ( jell like), although not a big seller except to tourist, I suspect.  Prickly Pear jams and jellies are also big sellers.

 

Another interesting tidbit about this cactus is that , it has long been believed in Mexico that eating the prickly pear pads helps diabetics. Researchers are now verifying the value of this cactus. Among other things, it helps the pancreas to produce insulin. How cool is that?

 

INTERESTING

 

 Did You Know.....

On Wednesday of next week, April 5th
at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00
in the morning,
the time and date will be
01:02:03 04/05/06!

 

 

Orange Blossoms

 

Last night, coming home from cribbage the air was filled with the delicious smell of orange blossoms.  There are many orange trees here in the park and a grove across the street.  It always surprises me to see those lovely flower buds, open blossoms and a bright orange , all  on the vine at the same tiime.

 

Helen Keller once said that "Smell is a potent wizard that transports us across thousands of miles and all the years we have lived."

 

I would have to agree with that.  Certain smells reming me of times past.  My Dad alway used Old Spice and I still love thast smell today.  When we get close to the ocean, I can't breath in fast enough to get that salt air smell.  Lilacs, turkey roasting, and burning leaves flood my mind wth sweet memories.

 

What's your favorite smell and why.

Cousins and Friends

 

 

I called my cousin Marilyn the other day for her birthday.  She is the older of us by eight days.   I won't let her forget that!   When we were younger we had such fun together.   We laugh at the same things, so it's always fun talking with her.  She still lives in Massachusetts, but we see each other most summers. 

 

When I called the other day, she was telling me about her new talking bathroom scale.  When she gets on a female voice says "You have lost a pound, have a nice day."   If she has gained, a male voice says  in a harsh  voice "You have gained a pound, goody"  She said she would like to meet up with this guy sometime and tell him just what she thinks of him. And he is loud, so that anyone in the house can hear him.  She has taken to weighing herself only if no one is home.  LOL

 

Once when we were about 14,  I guess, I saw an ad in the local paper that a car dealer would give away a used car for $1.00 to the first person there when they opened in the morning.   Well, the two of us dressed in our warmest clothes, brought along pillows, snacks, and radio's.  We went there the afternoon before.  We were first.  I'll tell you we had a blast.  Many others came hoping to be first during evening, but we held out.   Marilyn's Dad worked a part time job in the evening driving a cab, he checked on us often, and so were the Beverly Police.  We got the car and our picture in the paper.  Our claim to fame!

 

Red Hat Mystery Ride

 

Our Red Hat Mystery bus ride was a smashing success.  I think there were 46 of us cruising the local Arizona streets. 

 

Our first stop was lunch at Molly Brannigans Irish Pub.  Just up my alley, being an Irish gal brought up in Massachusetts. Everyone drinking beer with loud Irish music in the background, that's the way we like our pubs!   Now some of these gals didn't have a touch of Irish blood in they and thought the music a bit loud.  No taste, I'd say.  After a traditional Irish dish of corned beef and cabbage, we again boarded the bus for the next stop.

 

Soon we pulled in front of a castle like  entertainment center called Golf World.  This place looks like a castle when driving up to the red carpet entrance.  Inside it was huge.  The first thing we noticed was a mega size room with every kind of video game imaginable.  There was a snack bar there also, with piles of kids hanging out.   We looked at them and thought "What the hell?" and I'm sure when all of us piled in with purple clothes and big red hats, they were think the same or perhaps worse.

 

We continued straight along with our heads held high,and found  ourselves outside facing  two swimming pools, a wave beach, water bumper cars and over to the left a miniature 18 hole golf course.   There were families in this area taking advantage of the pools and golfing.   We split up into groups of four and proceeded to boil our brains out in the hot sun.  The gals that do golf, rubbed our noses in the dirt showing off their skill.  There is nothing worse than a show off, don't you agree?

 

By the time we all had played the game, I was ready for a frosty one.   We all boarded the bus again and wouldn't you know it, the show off's all got prizes for the lowest score before we left.

 

By now it was time to return to the park thinking our adventure was over.  But no, when we got off the bus a couple of Irish little people had gathered up some  music and ice cold green beer awaited. And so the day ends.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

 

G'day Folks and  Happy St. Patrick's Day.

 

May those who love us, love us.

And for those who don't love us,

May God turn their hearts.

And if he can not turn their hearts,

May he turn their ankles,

So we may know them by their limping.

My heart today is in South Boston, Southie as we call it.  For the Irish, it's the place to be.  I can remember even as a child being taken in to town on St. Patrick's Day.  Meeting relative didn't know we had, seeing the parade, hearing the music and  enthusiastic dancers.  How I wished I could step dance like them.  The Irish display their proud, but mostly humble backgrounds today.  We have all heard the Irish drunk jokes and some may be true, of course, but their friendly drunks! 

 I'm writing this in a hurry as today I'm going on that mystery bus trip. So whether you Irish or just a wanna be, have a happy day.   Love to all.  Check out the lead below.

Boston.com | A&# | Events | Audio Slideshow | Irish tribute

 

This and That

End of the Dry Streak!

Yesterday was a big day here in southern Arizona, it RAINED!

 

 Yes, it really did.  "What's the big deal you ask?" Well, it was.   We had gone 143 days without rain ( Oct. 18th ).   On Saturday morning at 1:07, rain and thunderstorms  decended upon us. These 143 days was a record and the amount of rain we got was another record, one and a half inches.

 

The local TV station news casters were so excited, they could not stay inside.  One went to the puddles  and jumped in them, both feet!  The next one did a finger measurement of the depth, up to the first knuckle.  This was a major news story and they made the most of it all morning long.  Update after update.

 

 Wednesday, my Red Hatters, "The Sweet Violets" had our final luncheon of the season.  We went to Molly  Brannigans, a traditional Irish Pub.  The girls presented me with a lovely vase of red roses.  It was a delightful surprise.  Within the the next few weeks, we will all be leaving Arizona for different parts of the country and Canada.  The Candian visitors can only stay ou of their country 180 days at a time.  Some  go home for the holidays and come back, thus starting another 180 day stay.

 

This coming Friday I am going on a mystery ride with 39 other women.  I'll let you know all about it next weekend. 

 

Bob surprised me with a new camera yesterday.  It is an Olympus E-500.  I told him now we have to go back to Yellowstone when we leave here.    We are leaving here April 19th, heading North.  Our loose plan  is Vegas, Zion, Salt Lake, Wyoming, Yellowstone, Montana, Idaho and on to Washington state.  From there Oragon and Indiana aand back to Massachusetts sometime in July.

"Throw me something, mister!"

 

Well before I tell you about our Mardi Gras parade, I want to make it perfectly clear that there was  no flasing or lifting up of shirts to get a few trinkets.  You need to know that this is adult park and the breasts here are not as perky as they once were!  And because of this they might not get a necklace or candy, but hoots  or laughter.  So there you are, enough said.

 

Regardless of a few sagging body parts, in general we are a  enthusiastic  group.   Many of the streets or clubs within the park joined in the spirit  and participated in the parade and came up with imaginative themes and outrageous costumes.

 

Normally mature people have sheepishly admitted to becoming competitive -- and almost addicted -- to collecting the most throws from strategic positions along the streets.

Lots of shouts "over here",  Hey Tom, thown some this way" along with a" Hey Baby, over here"

 

When it was over we all went to a Mardi Gras lunch in the mail hall, where trading trinkets was seen.  "I'll give you two Tootsie rolls for the purple beads".