The Great Wall

This new barrier popped up this week where the construction is going on at the Links Golf course. I'm assuming it's for dust, but possibly so we can't see what is going on behind the great wall.



We had a little rain this weekend and I noticed that a nice section had fallen down. Ha! We can see inside.

Say Hello and Goodbye

Ironwood and Ocotillo, former home of The Links Golf course and a few do it yourself instant car lots.




Note: many of the photos this week are taken from my car. Yes, the windows need cleaning.


Let's start with the goodbyes. Say goodbye to The Links as we know it. Won't the snowbirds be sad when they come back this fall to find their favorite winter golf course is gone. We had previously heard that they were going to creates some shopping and high dollar homes. Only time will tell.
Water truck spraying where the impromptu car lot used to be.

There has been much action on the corner of Ironwood and Ocotillo in the past two weeks. I've spotted major bulldozing and land stripping in preparation for... ?

Say HELLO! Hello to the Queen Creek Library that is currently under construction. Looking good.

Let's get those stupid taggers off the streets and into the library for some reading.

Say Hello! Hello to the Barney Family Sports Complex. It's bigger than I thought it would be.

Say Hello! Hello to the new high school being built on Gantzel. It's coming along nicely.

Say Hello! Hello to Ironwood Crossing a new development in Queen Creek. What housing slump?

Something for everyone - From the Low 100's, Mid 100's and Low 200's.

Now this is something I have never seen before. I hope the firemen have a key.

Welcome to Stepford.

Some random construction on Gantzel.

Well, we keep hearing about the housing crisis and money crunches but that hasn't stopped anyone from building in Queen Creek. I wonder if an E-coli scare would slow things down.... but I'll save that for another blog.

Best Bacon

I do not know if I will ever buy grocery store bacon again. I bought some country ribs and bacon at The Pork Shop in Queen Creek this weekend. All cuts were excellent.

Please know that I am not related to anyone at the Pork Shop (that I know of) . I am talking about them because I love their products. If you have not stopped there to buys some pork products you are missing out.

They have excellent brats, sausage, meats and meat sticks. We love the pepper sticks at our house. If you have a hankering for a meaty burrito they have those made up also.

Support your local butcher. In my opnion The Pork Shop is the best around.

3359 E Combs RdQueen Creek, AZ 85240 (480) 987-0101

Grand Opening Bargains

The new Fry's Marketplace in Queen Creek at Gantzel and Combs is open. They have some nice grand opening bargains like strawberries 10 for $10 with a Fry's card.

The store is brand new and pretty awesome.

Support your local restaurants

Support your local businesses. I'm recommending Sushi Creek at 21805 S. Ellsworth Rd.

They have traditional sushi and rolls. I love the Big Foot Roll.

Sushi Creek has happy hour EVERY DAY from 2-5.

If you hate sushi, they have an "I hate sushi" menu with burgers wraps and other non-sushi items. You can even call in to-go items.

Check them out at www.sushi-creek.com .

How Queen Creek Got It's Name

My Mother-in-law from Ohio had asked me a few times if I knew how Queen Creek got it's name. Now I know.

I was perusing the internet and found a nice article that someone had written about the Chandler area. Click here to read article . This site spoke about silver mining around Globe and Superior. Click on the link for the full article. Here is a quote from that link.

"Silver fever sent prospectors out to search for more, and in 1880 an outcropping was found near Superior. Because the ore found there was nearly as good in quality as that of the Silver King Mine, the new mine was dubbed the Silver Queen Mine. "

"Just at the base of the Silver Queen Mine was a creek. Nearby is an oddly shaped mountain which resembles a picket post, so the creek came to be known as Picket Post Creek. With the opening of the new Silver Queen Mine, the creek’s name was changed and has since been known as Queen Creek."

The creek runs through our town today. For most of the year it is a dry wash.

From the book "Around San Tan Mountain" I found that the actual town of Queen Creek was called originally called Rittenhouse. A petition requesting a name change from Rittenhouse to Queen Creek circulated in 1947.

I picked this book up at Barnes and Noble. It is from the "Images of America" series. It is titled "Around San Tan Mountain" by David Salge. If you are interested in the area and how it came to be this is a very nice historical book with lots of photos from the early settlement near the San Tans.

This book has made me more curious about the area. It also has made me even more aware about how fast our community is changing compared to 100 or even 50 years ago.

Summer at the Arboretum

Living in the Queen Creek area allows you access to some wonderful natural beauty within driving distance. One of my favorites is the Boyce Thompson Arboretum in Superior. It's a 20 minute scenic drive off US Highway 60 from Apache Junction and the Ironwood Exit near Queen Creek.




They have some wonderful walking paths and trails with excellent cactus specimens and other desert plants. This is a nice place for a leisurely walk with natural beauty all around.





Bring water, a camera, binoculars, a hat, sunglasses and walking shoes.

Through August the arboretum is open 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. For Information call 520-689-2723.

The Arboretum offers guided tours such as a bird walk to identify native Sonoran desert birds and exotic migrants or Plans of the Bible tours.

This place is a bit more rustic than the Desert Botanical Gardens in Scottsdale. The drive is scenic and the setting is fabulously Arizona. In the summer I would suggest an early morning visit due to the heat.

Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park
37615 E US Hwy 60
Superior, AZ 85273
520-689-2811
http://www.btarboretum.org/