The bi-weekly event taking place on Friday and Saturday evenings in the Tucson Lifestyle Courtyard. Every 15-minute show will begins promptly at 6:00 pm with and encore show at 6:45 pm.

Shows will be held on:
November 25 & 26
December 2, 3, 9,10, 16, 17 and 23

There is no fee for this event.  Come early and grab your spot.  If you like to be in the thick of it and hear the music up close then find a spot in the courtyard.  If you like to take it all in and see everything at once then head up to the balcony that surrounds the courtyard.  From up there you can hear, see, smell (it’s a good smell) and feel the snow (soapy bubbles) hit your face and gather in your hair.

For the Kids from La Encantada

All kids make sure to get a Pandora balloon with a card to exchange it for a pair antler ears! Then stop at Bebe to pick up sugar cookies and hot tea from Aveda. In addition, United Colors of Benetton will be raffling off 5 prizes per night!

Contact (520) 615-2561 for more information.

Hope to see you there.

La Encantada Snowfall Evenings 2011 is a post Scrapped and Stolen from: Tucson Real Estate if you are not reading this in your Reader.

See anybody you know?

Now for a little Video Tour

Tucson 2011 Firefighters Chili Cook-off Images is a post Scrapped and Stolen from: Tucson Real Estate if you are not reading this in your Reader.

I opened the paper this morning to see there is a snow storm hitting the East today.  It could bring up to a foot of snow in some places.  A friend of mine in Denver was telling me about the snow they were getting there yesterday.

But, here in Tucson the weather is beautiful.  Shorts & Sandals are the attire around here for the rest of the month (with the exception of Halloween night).

There is a lot of room for winter visitors in Tucson this winter.  We have plenty of homes to choose from should you desire to make this your permanent winter home (as permanent as you can make a winter home that is).

Tuesday begins the month of November.  Let’s see that’s going to be 84 degrees for a high and 54 for the low. 

Do you know where you want to spend this winter?  I Do!

Tucson Weather For October 29 2011 is a post Scrapped and Stolen from: Tucson Real Estate if you are not reading this in your Reader.

2011 Tucson Fire Fighters Chili Cook-off

I was out of town for this great event last year; much to my disappointment.
I love seeing all the creativity that goes into the booths; not to mention the costume worn by the fire fighters.  This is really a great charitable event.

I’ll be there tomorrow taking some more photos and video of this years event.

My Dad and go when ever we can.  He loves the chili, (so do I) but he really loves the chili.

Here’s all the pertinent details.  You can read all about it at Chili Cook-off.

Hope to see you there tomorrow.

October 28, 2011
10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
El Presidio Plaza Park
160 W. Alameda

Interested in Previous year’s events.

Tucson Fire Fighter’s Chili Cook-off 2009

Tucson Fire Fighter’s Chili Cook-off 2008

Some Fun from 2009

Tucson Firefighter’s Chili Cook-off 2011 is a post Scrapped and Stolen from: Tucson Real Estate if you are not reading this in your Reader.

• DESERT RAT (noun)
The noun DESERT RAT has 1 sense:

1. any of various leaping rodents of desert regions of North America and Mexico; largest members of the family Heteromyidae

So that’s the Etymological meaning.

Here’s the the local variation:

• DESERT RAT (noun)
The noun DESERT RAT has 1 sense:

1. any person who lives through a summer in Tucson and begins leaping like a rodents of the desert when the temperatures drop below 100 for the winter.

It is a good time to be a Rat

We made it through the hot summer, granted at 91 degrees for a Saturday afternoon in October (at 5pm no less) it is still pretty hot.

Desert Rat Resting - The white powder, Ants, they like it cooler too.

Good Time to Be A Desert Rat is a post Scrapped and Stolen from: Tucson Real Estate if you are not reading this in your Reader.

I’d like to pass them along to share with all of you.

The Bean

I told her to be sure and see the Bean.
“What’s the Bean?”
“Its like a giant mirror shaped like a bean”
She found it.

Then today this one came in

Can you see anyone down there you know?

From the 94th floor of the John Hancock building. What a view, nothing like it here in Tucson. Can you believe this was shot from her blackberry? Way to go Barbara. Nice capture. Now get down from there.

Barbara Goes to Chicago is a post Scrapped and Stolen from: Tucson Real Estate if you are not reading this in your Reader.

Trees For Tucson Order Form

Back then I had ordered two Acacia Willow trees for our backyard. The West facing wall of our home gets really warm in summer. Okay, it gets hot in summer. And the office on the other side of that wall turns into an oven in the summer; an uneasy bake oven.

"No!, I don't want to go"

So we bought two acacia willows to create some shade for that wall. One tree was a success. The other was a runt when we got it and it stayed a runt. But in February this year when we had the freeze of the century, we lost both trees. Since then I’ve seen a lot of acacia willows around Tucson that died in that freeze.

And that is one reason the acacia willows are no longer in the program. They weren’t “desert” friendly enough. The program removed them from the list shortly after we got ours in 2009.

The runt came out of the ground easily. The other one is still clinging to life. All died except the root. I have no need for a willow bush. I’ve dug around that tree and cut a lot of roots but it still has a grip on the earth. It has a tap root. A big tap root. For those that don’t know, a tap root is one big root that grows straight down. They really anchor the root system and a tree with a tap root simply won’t blow over. It also won’t just pop out of the ground when you try and remove it.

This time I think we will go with the Desert Willow. I like the pink flowers and the leaves it does drop are small. Hopefully, these two will grow as quickly and be as pretty as the one still not willing to give up and die.

The trees now available are:

• Blue Pal Verde
• Sweet Acacia
• Desert Willow
• Velvet Mesquite
• Chilean Mesquite

Tress For Tucson a great program

I really like this program. More trees, more shade, lower AC bills for the summer. I’m all for it. $8 for these trees is a real bargain. They are nice size when they arrive, but not so large you can’t get them in the ground.

I just hope you never have to try and get them out. I know I’m hoping this time takes for a life time of shade and color.

You can read all about the program at Tucson Clean and Beautiful The application form is PDF.

Trees For Tucson 2011 is a post Scrapped and Stolen from: Tucson Real Estate if you are not reading this in your Reader.

Tubac Presidio State Historic Park

I didn’t hear about this until today. I know it is late notice. However, This is really a worthy cause. As most of us know the state of Arizona closed several state parks last year. One that remains open is Tubac Presidio State Historic Park. Only because of local support and a true commitment to take care of the park has kept if from the fate of closure.

It has now been a year.  They could use our help to keep the park open another year.  Here is how:

On Sunday May 15th, the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park will host a celebration of the first anniversary of the signing ceremony that saved the Tubac Presidio from closure.
An historic agreement was signed in May 2010 by Arizona State Parks, Santa Cruz County and the Tubac Historical Society, entrusting the care of Arizona’s first state park to the local community. The Park was scheduled to close on March 29 due to significant cuts to the State Parks budget. Recognizing the importance of the Presidio to Arizona’s history and to the economic vitality of Tubac and Santa Cruz County, the Tubac Historical Society organized the successful “Save the Presidio” effort to keep the Park open for the public. During the past year the Park has been run with the help of many dedicated volunteers and with the generous financial support of local businesses, organizations and friends.

The community is invited to commemorate this important milestone in the 259-year history of the Tubac Presidio. A festive celebration with wine, appetizers and musical entertainment will be held from 5 to 7pm in the evening. Highlights will include docent-led tours of the Park, volunteers in Spanish Colonial attire, and the new Alan B. Davis Gallery featuring 16 giclée paintings of historic Arizona scenes by William Ahrendt.

The Tubac Presidio State Historic Park is located at 1 Burruel Street in Tubac. Tickets are $35 and all proceeds will benefit the “Save the Presidio” effort. Reservations are encouraged; tickets will be available at the door. For reservations and information, please call 520-398-2252 or email info@thstubac.org. To learn more about the “Save the Presidio” community effort, please visit the Tubac Historical Society’s website www.ths-tubac.org.

Here’s the complete details in a PDF Flyer. Help Save Tubac Presidio State Park

Help Save Tubac Presidio State Historic Park is a post Scrapped and Stolen from: Tucson Real Estate if you are not reading this in your Reader.

Michael J. Monroe

I don’t usually write personal endorsements on this site. As a matter of fact I think this is the first. So why do an endorsement for Mike Monroe?

Trust and Integrity

I’ll tell you, and be right up front with it, next to real estate agent in lacking societal trust are attorneys. (I’m not going to say which comes first or last on that list)  The best way to sort them out is by personal referral.  Barbara has known Mike for a decade now.  about a year ago she introduced me to Mike and his wife Nancy.  They are a very gracious couple.  Since them I’ve had several occasions to interact with both of them.  I’m impressed.  And for the record, I don’t impress easily.

You will find Mike in all the published literature and presentations  going by his formal name Michael J. Monroe. However, the second you are introduced to Mike and he extends his hand in greeting with a smile on his face you know this is the genuine article.  He puts you at easy like an old friend you haven’t seen in a long time.  You know the kind of friend you can trust with anything.

Here is his formal Bio.

Michael J. Monroe

Michael J. Monroe, a partner at Monroe McDonough Goldschmidt & Molla, is a University of Arizona law school graduate and is certified by the Arizona Bar Association as an Arizona Real Estate Specialist.

Practicing in Tucson for over 40 years, Mr. Monroe has represented numerous real estate and business clients including various Associations of REALTORS7, real estate brokerage firms, contractors, developers, banks, a hospital, mortgage, title and escrow companies and many other business organizations and their principals.

For over 30 years, Mr. Monroe has represented the Tucson Association of REALTOR® Board, providing counsel to TAR members concerning all aspects of their real estate needs. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court as well as all state and federal courts in Arizona.

If you want to read more about Mike and his firm you can start on the Mike Monroe bio page and take a look around.

The picture below was taken on staff appreciation day.  There are lots of words that come to mind when I think of Mike and Nancy, trust, and integrity are top on that list.

Mike and Nancy Monroe Serving Breakfast on Staff Appreciation Day

Tucson Real Estate Attorney – Mike Monroe is a post Scrapped and Stolen from: Tucson Real Estate if you are not reading this in your Reader.

1. A black light flashlight
2. A regular flashlight
3. An old pair of open toed sandals (in the spirit of fairness)
4. A Large box of baking soda
5. A 2011 Bark Scorpion Permit
6. A plastic grocery bag (no holes preferred)
7. Glass or Plastic Jar (optional)
8. Long pair of tongs
9. A baseball bat (wooden or metal)

The best time to begin the hunt is just as after the sun goes down, but before it it really dark.  Granted you can spot them much better with the black light once it is totally dark but it is easier to see them when you take the light off them to reach for the bat, bag and tongs.

Bark Scorpions are smaller than “Giant Hairy” Scorpions.  They all wear their skeleton on the outside so they glow under a black light.  That also makes them crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, but I digress.  They are called bark scorpions because when you shine the black light on them they start barking like a dog.  The sound is very small, most of us can’t hear well enough to even make it out.  But my wife who can hear a gnat break wind in a tornado a mile away says she hears them barking like little Yorkshire terriers.

Scorpion Trophy Display

Depending on how you want to display your trophies (or Not) will determine how you will proceed once you find them.  If you want to take them to school or work for show and tell or you want to encase them in plastic for a paper weight, you will want to use the tongs and jar.  If you simply want to dispatch them and get your bag limit for the day (10 a day is the limit, unless you get stung by one then however many you already have is your limit for that day), then you hit them with the bat.

I prefer a wood bat over metal.  It is like having a silencer on your scorpion dispatching club.  No need to scare others away.

Speed is on their side

Here is something the novice hunter needs to know.  Most bark scorpions that are encountered in the home move like drunks.  That’s deceptive, in the wild they haven’t been effected by the exterminator’s spray.  They can move very quickly.  While it would seem they would run away, they can’t always determine which way is away.  They might come right at you, on you, over you, sting you, before you know what happened.

I like to hunt with a camera

Personally, I prefer to photograph them.  Not in the wild, not enough light for my taste,  I prefer to find them in the garage, quite dead.  Then it is easy to pick them up with tweezers and pose them however I like.

However, if you are ready, and wanting to try your hand at Bark Scorpion Hunting, then tomorrow is the start of this years season.  Get ready, here it comes.

When does the season end? March 14, 2012.

Bark Scorpion Season Starts March 15th is a post Scrapped and Stolen from: Tucson Real Estate if you are not reading this in your Reader.