Category: November 2020

“Winter Hardy Cactus” for Online Community Education

Zann Wilson Your SaddleBrooke/SaddleBrooke Ranch Master Gardeners invite you to join us for an online Community Education program with our long-time friend and frequent presenter, Mark Sitter, owner of B and B Cactus Farm on East Speedway. Join the free Zoom webinar program on Dec. 17 at 1 p.m. where Mark will discuss “Winter Hardy…

What’s New Around SaddleBrooke Ranch!

Murphy Kulasa, Marketing Manager New Amenity Opens Ed’s Dogs is now open! If you’re looking for a fun place to grab a quick bite after a friendly tennis match, a good workout at La Hacienda Club, or a golf outing, make sure to check out this newest casual dining option. For more information on Ed’s…

Where It Began

Ann Vernon, Foundation Board Member “Where it began, I can’t begin to knowing, but then I know it’s growing strong,” sang Neil Diamond in his epic song “Sweet Caroline”. Unlike the famous singer, those responsible for forming the Oracle School Foundation knew exactly where it began … and indeed, it is still growing strong. The…

Master Gardeners Presents Gardening in the Desert

Linda Vautrin-Hale No time like the present to save your spot for the Master Gardeners Lecture Series, Springtime Gardening in the Desert. This is a new series of talks to be held on Wednesdays in February 2021 via Zoom. Lectures are free. These lectures are designed to resolve basic gardening issues along with gaining new knowledge about…

Did You Know?

Linda Shannon-Hills The SaddleBrooke Ranch HOA provides the residents of the Ranch many services you may not know are available to you. Darcy Riddle is your assistant, located at the front desk in the lobby of La Hacienda Club. She is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to assist with your…

Back to the Garden: Agave: Drama in the Desert

Agave Americana

Sheilah Britton The more agaves I discover, the more I feel they represent the theatrical spirit of the desert. With colors ranging from silver and blue to red and green, in stripes and textures, with teeth and hair, their characteristics seem almost human. Species of agave are found in the United States, Mexico, Central America,…

A Night of Fright

The Unit 8A “Night of Fright” committee at the Haunted Vacant Ground at the corner of Terrifying Tamarisk and Ghoul’s Way. Left to right: Barbara Whitehead, Paul Thomsen, Judie Townsend (front), Bob Authur, Janelle Authur, Marci Whitehead, Kate Thomsen, John Whitehead, Bob Townsend, and photographer Steve Weiss.

Janelle Authur With traditional Halloween parties on hold this year, thirty-two Unit 8A residents took a Walking Ghost Tour around the Ranch on Oct. 31 as part of the Unit’s “Night of Fright.” The weather was crisp, the stars were out, and the moon was blue—a perfect evening for spine-tingling stories about the Ranch’s resident ghosts, a…

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…

Another Award Winning Year for Rotary

Barbara Barr The Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke celebrated on October 15 as our Past District Governor, Ellie Patterson, presented our club with the highest award in Rotary International. The prodigious “Presidential Citation” was awarded to our club for the 2019-20 year. The award uses four different levels of recognition. The Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke was…