As always, here at Palm Creek, the month of March brought us lots of opportunities for a variety of activities.  Starting right off - March 1st  was "the day after the night before" and found us at the cast party for the "Community Playhouse" which had performances the last two days of February.  We relived the performances and enjoyed a great dinner on the pool patio with other members of the cast and their spouses.        Several days later the Palm Creek Chorus presented their annual concert and it, too, was a tribute to the time and effort of the performers....a great show.
 
 

Champagne and dinner on the patio was the order of the day for the Community Playhouse cast party.	The Palm Creek Chorus sang songs on a theme of travel across the US on Route 66.	When the chorus got to California, the Beach Boys appeared!

March is the big "tournament month" with each of the sport groups putting on their "in-house" tournament and often an "invitational" tournament with players coming from outside the park.  We decided to not participate in the tennis tournaments this year, but became spectators at several of the other contests.  One of the most active groups at Palm Creek is the Pickleball Club.  Their invitational tournament brought several hundred players from all over the southwest to our park to participate.  Another popular event was the "Car Show."  The park at the center of Palm Creek was filled with "really old" cars - from the 50's and 60's with a few older ones thrown in for interest.  The weather for this yearly event has often been miserable, but this year it was perfect, and the exhibitors and spectators alike took advantage of it.    The park also sponsors a monthly "Craft Fair" which is basically just an outlet for a variety of vendors to bring their wares to the shopper rather than all the residents having to go shopping outside the park.  Again, the weather does not always cooperate, but our last "fair" of the year was held on a great sunny day and a few of us were able to pick up items they'd been thinking about all winter.
 
 

There were so many pickleball players in town that they took over all the tennis courts as well, using tape to mark off the proper size court.	All the "old" cars were shining brightly on the day of the car show.	The is just part of the outdoor/indoor market that happens once each month at Palm Creek.

Our group of friends who had rafted through the Grand Canyon together a year ago had a reunion dinner one Sunday evening in mid March.  Jerry and Jane Smith from Wisconsin grilled some of their last summer's salmon catch for us as we reminisced our great adventure.  We watched a sideshow of photos as we relived all the exciting moments.    Another get-together we enjoyed was with several couples we've met through our former association with the Bounder RV groups.  We have been staying at different parks in the greater Phoenix area and finally synchronized our schedules for a lunch out together here in Casa Grande.  Our neighborhood group could not let St. Patrick's Day go by without a celebration of some sort, so it was off to the races.  Several of our neighbors have radio controlled cars, so a racetrack was set up and competitors names were drawn from a hat and sent out to the course with their remote controls.  We also enjoyed some green appetizers and margaritas (are they Irish??)
 
 

Jane and Jerry Smooth hosted Bonnie and Dave Morgan, Jim and Sue Price, and Skip and Connie Emerson at our "canyons" dinner at their home on Palm Creek's 17th fairway.	We joined Jeff Rubic and Judy Metzler, a friend of Judy's from Iowa, Ed and Judy Lichtenberg, and and Gwen and Bob Fraser for lunch and a visit.	Cathy, Dan and Kathy guiding their cars through the obstacle course on St. Patrick's Day.

Mary and several of the neighbor ladies made a trip to Phoenix's Desert Botanical Garden to view their current exhibit of "Chihully Glass."  The beautiful scultures are spread out over the enitre outdoor desert museum and many appear to be growing out of the earth right along with the cactus and other plants.  The ladies viewed the sculptures in the daylight and then enjoyed them again after dark as they took on a whole different personality when lighted.
 
 

"The Sun" created by Dale Chihuly.	"Float Boat" featured many different sized colorful balls.	Glass cactus among the real thing and lit up after dark.

When we were still living in our "real house" in Ohio, our next door neighbors, Dick and Liz Lehto became good friends.  After begging them for several years to come visit us in Arizona, the Cleveland Indians helped our cause by moving their spring training to Goodyear from Florida.  So, Dick and Liz flew out for a visit.  We enjoyed several days of "catching up" and showing them our park and a few of the local "tourist spots" as well.  We went to a ball gome with them as well and found a lot of Ohioans hanging out to cheer for the Indians.
 
 

Dick and Liz Lehto were happy to leave the cold and rain behind in Ohio for a chance to see Arizona and the Cleveland Indians play a few games.	The new scoreboard with a mention, also, of the Cincinnati Reds who will come to Arizona next year and share the practice facilities.	All ready for play at the newly opened Goodyear Ballpark.

There were a few more events to finish out our month...many of our artists and crafters here in the park decided that they wanted a way to show off their work so they got together and held an "Arts and Craft Fair."  Several of our neighbors participated.  We are always in awe of the magnificent talent that these people have.   The park held a "Wild West Day" at the end of the month, complete with a re-enactment of the "Gunfight at the OK Corral."  It was quite a show.  Mary and one of the neighbors made another trip to the big city on the 29th of March to attend the LPGA tournament at Papago Park.  Thanks to another neighbor, they were priveleged to use some VIP passes and had a great day (no photos allowed :-()
 
 

Gail, Cathy and Linda  showed off their sewing, knitting and water color talents at the craft show and sale.	"Man down" on the street near the OK Corral (aka the Palm Creek parking lot.)

Both of us have worked as volunteers here at Palm Creek this winter.  Tom worked a weekly afternoon shift as a "starter" at the golf course.  Mary put in her time in the Activities Office on Saturday mornings and ocasionally filled in for others as a "Host" welcoming newly arrived RVers at the registration area in the park.  Each of these groups held a season ending "thank you dinner."  We plan to participate with these groups next year as well.  The tennis club held their annual election of officers and Mary was re-elected as secretary, so she'll have a few responsibilities there, too.
 
 
 

Tom waits patiently for the next players at the #1 tee.  He sometimes gets a long enough break to practice his putting on the putting green behind his "desk."	Mary and her friend Cathy Nichita share their Saturday morning duty in the Activities Office.

By the end of the month there were many rigs pulling out of the park.  We were sad to see some of neighbors leave and wish them safe travels as they head north - in many cases to some lousy weather.  Some of the neighbors will be hanging around for a few more weeks and we continue to have some golf and tennis scheduled along with a few volunteer days.  April here is usally a great weather month so we'll be sticking around for a while.