Tour de Coops

To protect the chickens from germs, you have to wear booties and use hand sanitizer. Signs posted said "Chickens Have Cooties, Wear Booties."


This way to the chicken coop.


Some of the good looking cluckers.


Paula and her husband, David, in front of a backyard coop.


Many of the chicken owners also have gardens and are into composting and grey water recycling.


A coop decked out for the holidays.

It was billed as the Tour de Coops, "The valleywide self-guided tour of your neighborhood chicken coops." My daughter's birthday, the 8th of December, is five days after mine. We decided to spend Saturday morning doing the tour. Paula is getting ready to build a new chicken coop on the property they are moving to in Casa Grande. They already raise a few chicken in Tempe.

Neighborhood chicken coops? You've got to be kidding. Not that many people keep chickens in the city, do they? I was in for a surprise. The brochure we picked up at the Duck & Decanter deli where we purchased our tickets listed 20 locations on the tour. All of the chicken owners we visted resided in the central part of Phoenix. Ordinary neighborhoods. Urban chicken officionados!

Our first stop featured a chicken coop decked out for the holidays, complete with a wreath and ornaments adorning the coop. The chickens didn't seem to notice. They were busy pecking and scratching in the dirt.

The second stop was an education. The owner had a huge backyard. In addition to a coop that had a swamp cooler and paned windows, the couple had an enormous vegetable garden and a complete composting system. "We are part of our community," explained the gentleman chicken raiser. "My wife makes hand-made cards, which I take to the local coffee shop. I am paid in paper credits which I use to buy my morning coffee when I meet with my architect friends. I also get all the free coffee grounds I want, and I use those for composting. I take eggs to the local baker in exchange for bread and baked goods I pick up each morning. We share our crops with others as well." Part of a "community". I thought that was pretty cool.

Welcome to Medicare!

It was inevitable. I'm in denial. But it finally happened.

I got the letter a few months ago. "Welcome to Medicare." It came with a red, white and blue ID card. I had it laminated. I plan to use it for a long, long time.


Phil and Joe in the background, with Sue, Carol, Kathy and Joan.

To celebrate this milestone, Gene and I got together with my siblings. We all had tickets for "An Irish Christmas in America" at the Musical Instrument Museum and met before the performance for a dinner of Irish stew at Joan's. She made a delicious dessert called death by chocolate . . . layers of cake laced with Kahlua, whipped cream, and Heath bar pieces. Yum!

The Hawaiian Connection

My cousin, Jim Shefte who lives in Hawaii, visits the mainland a few times a year to visit family. His dad and two sisters live in Oregon and he has two sons over here, too. Gene and I, along with my sister Carol and brother Phil, decided to meet them in Las Vegas this past weekend. It turned out to be a memorable trip!

Jim's wife Linda is from a huge Hawaiian family. She has eleven siblings, plus another eight or nine half brothers and sisters. . . all raised on Molokai. Several of them made the trip to Vegas, and one sister-in-law, Kowie, hit the jackpot on a dollar slot machine and won $4,000! You could hear her screams throughout the casino.


On Sunday, we were invited to Linda's brother's home in North Las Vegas for a luau. The Hawaiians brought out their ukuleles, sang traditional songs, and even danced the hula. The above photo is Linda, who is very devoted to keeping her culture alive.


Linda's brother and brother-in-law strum a duet on their ukes.


Linda's neice performs a graceful hula dance.




The food was delicious, too! We had venison that came all the way from Molokai, shrimp, fish, poi, and salads. My favorite dish was a rice noodle salad with fresh green beans. I want that recipe! The family welcomed us with open arms and insists that we come see them all on Molokai someday. Maybe we will!

More from Mexico

Lori and Dale made the most of their time in Mexico. Swimming and sunning on the beach, eating great seafood, riding a wave runner, checking out the local cantinas and restaurants, holing up in the RV on hot afternoons, reading and taking lots of siestas.


Heading for home after a relaxing vacation on the beach.


The repainted car . . . ready to hit the road!


Some last minute bargaining for souveniers. The merchants were hurting from the slow economy and torn up streets in the Old Downtown area.

Lori and Dale's Anniversary

Gene's daughter Lori and husband Dale drove down from Nebraska to spend their 30th anniversary laying on the beach in Puerto Penasco, Mexico, for 11 days. We parked the RV at Playa Bonita for them and joined them their final two days. They want to bring their whole family back next October and rent a four bedroom highrise condo at Sonoran Sky next to the RV park. Hope it works out!


View from The Lighthouse Restaurant high above the Old Downtown of Puerto Penasco. Sandy Beach where the RV park is located is in the background.


A side benefit of visiting Mexico: getting your car repaired and painted by Jesus and Manuel, owners of Painting Perfection. Lori and Dale spruced up their car and we had a few dents removed from our RV and Saturn bumper.


The shrimp fleet was back to work in October. Marcelino delivers fresh shrimp to your RV door. Add garlic and butter for a scrumptuous meal.


Sunsets are a reason to be outside in the late afternoon. We viewed them from every angle . . . from the hill above Rocky Point, from the Point Restaurant on the pier and from the wall or beach behind the RV.


There are lots of fun things to do, like renting a wave runner. There was a Hobi Catamaran regata going on when we first arrived. The water was ideal for swimming (about 85 degrees). The best time to walk the beach was early morning when it was cool.


As their slogan says: "If you haven't been to JJ's Cantina, you haven't been to Rocky Point." We took Lori and Dale to Cholla Bay and stopped for a cerveza at JJ's.


From JJ's patio, we watched the boat launchers hook up a trailer then back into the shallow surf to retrieve its owner. There is no harbor in Cholla Bay, so somebody came up with this unique boat launcher that looks like a tractor on stilts. The engine sits high above the tires and never gets wet no matter how far they have to back up into the bay.

Happy Birthday, Louise!

Louise Crabb Quick, Gene's sister, is celebrating her 80th birthday. We gathered at her nephew Mark's home in Laguna Beach for a big beach party.


Mark's home is on a cliff overlooking a sandy cove. The weather and water were perfect for swimming, kayaking and digging in the sand.


The four siblings: Linda and John, Louise and Gene.


Linda with her son, Mark, are all smiles on this gorgeous day. A sone staircase leads from the grassy backyard to the sandy beach.


Nanaette, Terri's daughter, plays in the sand.


A trip to southern California wouldn't be complete without a stop at the Dana Point Yacht Club. On the evening we were there with Glen, Terri and Nanaette, a gorgeous sunset highlighted the boats in the bay. The profile of the indian head on Dana Point stood out.

CMA Reunion

The California Maritime Academy Class of 1953 met in Pacific Grove, CA, from Sept. 21 to 23. Activities included an afternoon cocktail party hosted by the Venturini's at their home, breakfasts at the Lodge and a dinner the last evening. There was ample cajoling, laughter, teasing and story telling . . . a good time was had by all!


Bill and Donna Evans joined us on the "17 Mile Drive" from Pacific Grove to Carmel. We stopped at the Poppy Hill Golf Course for lunch.


Proof that the California Maritime Academy Class of '53 is still meeting and enjoying life. Next reunion: 2 years from now!

Monterey Jazz Festival

Call it dumb luck or just serendipity . . . but our good fortune had us arriving at the Monterey Pines RV Park a day before the Jazz festival was to begin. Even more fortunate, the RV park is right next to the fairgrounds where the event was taking place.

Now in its 53rd year, the festival draws thousands of people and features established jazz performers as well as "up and comers" in a main arena and on seven other stages. Picking whom to watch and listen to was no easy task. We attended on Saturday and chose Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens and felt as if we'd been to church; Dianne Reeves scatting and singing a softer jazz; a live simulcast of Delbert McClinton who looked liked he'd been out on a binge the night before; Septeto Nacional de Cuba, with sounds similar to the Buena Vista Social Club (that I love); and a young uke player, Jake Shimabukuro, who played everything from "Hallelujah" to classical to rock on just four strings.

But our favorite, and the crowd's and critics' too, was Trombone Shorty and his Orleans Avenue band from New Orleans. He rocked the house and had people dancing in the aisles. People were packed into the Garden Stage area and even hanging from the trees. He's only 23 years old (the oldest in his band is 27) and he was sensational!

Harry Connick, Jr. performed on Sunday night in the main arena. We could hear him from the RV, but I walked across the golf course to get a bit closer. It was almost as good as being there.

San Francisco Bay

Couldn't resist a stopover in the bay area. From our RV site in Redwood City, we made day trips into San Francisco and over the hill to Half Moon Bay. The above photo is Gene overlooking the entrance to San Francisco Bay from the Cliff House where we had drinks and watched the waves crashing on rocks below.


The day was sunny and bright as sailboats screamed under the Golden Gate Bridge. We counted about 20 kite surfers just east of the bridge in the Bay.


The city scape as seen from Lincoln Park. From here we drove past the St. Francis Yacht Club and over to Fisherman's Warf where we had dinner at Gene's favorite restaurant, Scoma's.


We read a San Francisco Chronicle review of Sam's Chowder House in Half Moon Bay and decided to try it. The lobster roll is rated as one of the five best sandwiches in the U.S. . . and it was!

Texas Hold 'Em

Gene with Marilyn and Don Romelli and Don's son Mark. He plays Texas Hold 'Em professionally and is known as "Mark the Shark".

I love Texas Hold 'Em. It's one of those games on TV that captures my attention, and like a nice hot shower, I can't turn it off! While we were in Bodega Bay, we met up with Marilyn, Don and Mark. He taught us the game, I got some lucky flops and in the end had most of the chips!

What made the evening even more enjoyable was Marilyn's minestrone soup. She started cooking it four days in advance, brought french bread to sop it up, and served some great California wines.

Mark lives atop a mountain just inland from Bodega Bay. We took a walk past vinyards, towering eucalyptus trees and views of the fog rolling in over the foothills below. Quite a location and an unforgettable evening!

Bodega Bay with Family

Bodgea Bay, just north of Point Reyes, has lots to offer, including whales that are feeding on krill just off Bodega Head. Crowds of people lined the cliffs to watch the whales spouting and slowing moving through the water. Crashing waves, sandy beaches, dairies and cattle ranches that run right down to the ocean, friendly people, seafood restaurants . . . we didn't run out of things to do!


My sister Carol flew up to San Francisco and joined us in Bodega Bay. Nephew Kurt Munzinger and his family, wife Lauren and three-year-old Max, drove up from San Francisco, too. Max is showing Carol how to select an app . . . he loves computers!


Lauren, Kurt and Max in front of a bell tower behind the community center in Bodega Bay. The bell tower is dedicated to children everywhere and built in memory of a seven year old from Bodega who was murdered in Italy by highway robbers. His organs were donated to seven Italians whose names are inscribed on the largest bell along with the boy who died. The bells were donated by churches and people from Italy, the largest of which was blessed by the Pope.


Max had fun in the RV!


On Saturday night, we drove to Tomales Bay and had dinner at Nick's Cove. The restaurant juts out over the bay and a long pier leads to a boat shack where there is a cozy fire and drinks are served. It's filled with old motors, fishing gear, a 1950s era gas pump, as well as a row boat that hangs from the ceiling.


The Munzingers stayed at The Inn at the Tides. The sunny weather was perfect for enjoying the pool.

The Redwood Highway

Redwood National Park and several California state parks protect the giant coastal redwoods that are the tallest trees on earth. We camped near Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, crossed the Smith River on a plank walking bridge, and walked among the giant trees of Stout Grove. The Redwood Highway (Rte. 101) starts near Crescent City and ends . . . well we haven't reached the end yet. We should on Friday when we leave Eureka and drive to Leggett, CA where we'll be for four days.


Each giant redwood soaks up about 500 gallons of water a day! A big percentage of that comes from coastal fog, common in the summer.


This golden bear greeted us as we crossed the Klamath River. There were many salmon fishermen here, too.


Herds of Roosevelt Elk are protected in the national park. Their numbers were down to only 25 at one time, but they are making a comeback.




We brake for berries! Picked these along the Klamath River and made cobbler.

Final Days in Oregon

Our final few days were spent in Brookings. The first day was warm and sunny with just a slight breeze. Day two was rainy and foggy. Day three . . . perfect again. We left Oregon reluctantly but with wonderful memories of incredible scenery and fun times with cousins and friends.


Oregon has wonderful state parks all along the coast. One overlook within easy walking distance gives you a view of three arches.


This single arch is one of the most popular sites visited by tourists.


There was a fishing tournament underway. As we passed over the Rogue River, we could see fishing boats below.


We spent the night parked near the Port Orford pier. From our front window we watched whales spouting in the bay, fishing boats getting lifted out of the water and locals walking their dogs on the beach. A true "room with a view".