Category: Features

Oracle Community Little Free Pantry

Linda Shannon-Hills This is such a feel-good story that I wanted to share it with all of you. Have you heard of a Little Free Pantry? The Oracle Fire District and several volunteers are excited to open the first one in Pinal County. Located at the Oracle, AZ Community Center, organizers hope that those in…

Welcome New Neighbors: Newcomers Are Welcomed Virtually

Mary Navoda and Jennifer Valverde moved to Unit 8 from Kansas. Mary enjoys playing Bridge, Mahjongg, and Hand & Foot. Jennifer hikes and plays golf and pickleball.

Linda Shannon-Hills and Linda Harvey The Newcomers Welcome Program would like to welcome our new residents that closed in late October. With the pandemic situation, our Newcomers Welcome has not been able to hold face-to-face gatherings to welcome our new neighbors but rather with Zoom meetings. The names listed here closed in October. Some have…

Dollars and Sense: What Is the Maximum Loan Amount?

Melanie Sedam A maximum loan amount describes the total amount that an applicant is authorized to borrow. Maximum loan amounts are used for standard loans, credit cards, and line-of-credit accounts. Key Takeaways * A maximum loan amount describes the total sum that one is authorized to borrow on a line of credit, credit card, personal…

Word of the Month: Cool

David Zapatka After reading last month’s WOTM “groovy,” my sister and reader, Debbie Zapatka, wrote, “That was cool, man! Does ‘cool’ have the same sort of history as groovy? A friend at work uses the word groovy all the time.” Sister and reader Judy Haberstroh wrote, “Interesting. The only person I know who still occasionally…

Madaras Gallery Transforms into a Winter Wonderland

"My Forever Home" ornaments and holiday cards will benefit the Humane Society of Southern Arizona. Twenty-five southwest holiday cards are also available.

Kiley Kennedy Diana Madaras loves bringing holiday cheer and joy to her Gallery on 3035 N. Swan Road. During Thanksgiving weekend, Madaras Gallery transforms into a Winter Wonderland. Stop by and visit to see their large Christmas tree stocked with quirky and fun ornament selections you won’t find anywhere else. Shop a wide assortment of…

Nature’s Way

Birders Dan Foster, Laurie McCoy, and Jim Hoagland

Jim Hoagland The nature trail at SaddleBrooke Ranch is a real jewel. It was the vision of the developer to have such a trail when development began around 2007. Relish in the fact that we are the only Robson development to have a nature trail. The trail continues to evolve, currently consisting of two sections,…

Ranch Talks “Living With Wildlife,” a Presentation by Bob Elder Docent at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Photos taken by SaddleBrooke Ranch photographers

Linda Shannon-Hills We live in the Sonoran Desert, surrounded by a biologically diverse area where interactions with wildlife is inevitable. That’s one of the reasons that the desert is a fun and interesting place to live. Sometimes however, wildlife encounters involve conflict that can result in damage to homes and gardens and of course, involve injuries to…