Photos

Fourth of July Celebration

Wednesday, July 4, 2018
Montecito Clubhouse
Photos by Erin Smith

4th of July Celebration 2018...A Good Time Was Had by All!!! A Special Shout Out goes to Connie King and her staff for another job WELL DONE!

SCSH Shows Off its Talent – Additional Photos

Desert Gardeners Field Trip to Gubler Orchid Farm

The SCSH Desert Gardeners Club recently took a fun field trip to the Gubler Orchid Farm located in Landers. If you’ve never visited the farm, I highly recommend you give it a try, but be sure to wear closed-toed shoes, as NO SANDALS are allowed. Our group of 19 members traveled to the high-desert locale via carpools and were met there by Gubler employees who led us on a very informative tour of their entire operation which has been in the Landers facility since 1975. This family owned and operated orchid farm has been selling their orchids exclusively to Trader Jo’s and Lowe’s for many years.

Their farm is open to the public and you may tour their premises every half-hour during normal business hours. On the day we toured there were over 1700 different varieties on premise, all available for purchase. The ladies there were so helpful and willing to package up our plants for safe passage home, as well as give us hints for the proper care and feeding of our purchased orchids. For more information visit www.gublers.com.

Next, was lunch at Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneertown. Another must visit locale in the high-desert. Pioneertown is an Old West town built as a 1940’s movie set, where The Gene Autry Show was filmed for five years. In 1946, Pioneertown was founded by a group of Hollywood investors, including actors Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. They dreamed of creating an Old West set that was actually a town worth visiting, with 1880s-style false-front facades but interiors that had stuff for visitors to see and do, too. Up went (from the outside) frontier stables, saloons, and jails; inside, they housed ice cream parlors, bowling alleys, and motels. More than 50 films and television shows were filmed here in the 1940’s and ‘50s.

While location shooting and businesses here have dwindled, you can still see mock gunfights on Mane Street (pun intended). But the most happening place by far is Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, with surprisingly good live music (Paul Mc Cartney, Robert Plant and Leon Russell have played here) in a seemingly unlikely setting. This must-see desert find also serves up awesome ribs, plus classic Santa Maria barbecue, burgers, sandwiches, and salads.

If you haven’t visited Pioneertown, I highly recommend you take the drive to Yucca Valley and find this little gem of a town and while you’re there try Pappy & Harriet’s for a libation or two and come hungry because the servings are hearty!!! For more information visit www.pappyandharriets.com.

Next, the group moved along Highway 62 into Morongo Valley where we visited the Cactus Mart. The Cactus Mart is a plant emporium featuring cacti, succulents, tools, supplies, decor, and more! Travelers from around the world have had the opportunity to experience Cactus Mart as a “go to” destination or as a stopping point during their travels. Some have found the perfect compliment to their landscape. There we met owner, Nicole Holland who personally lead us on a tour of her property. Plants and design are her passion. She loves to help homeowners turn their desert homes into a tiny piece of paradise, all the while using plants conducive to our severe climate. "Working with plants and homeowner's personal style to help them achieve a landscape that is both desert adaptive and functional with their needs." Nicole has worked with all ranges of clientele from high end to DIY and loves each project as her own. For more information visit www.cactusmart.com.

A special shout out goes to Amy Tomlinson for organizing such a fun event for all of us to attend!

Happy 4th It Was

A great time was had by all 441 attendees of today’s big 4th of July event in the Montecito Clubhouse! A big THANK YOU goes out to the staff and volunteers who were there to make this event such a huge success!

Connie King and her staff had the whole clubhouse decked out in Red, White, and Blue balloons; flowers; and streamers!

The lines moved quickly, the tables were called efficiently and everything was organized down to the last detail.

 

 

Best of all, there were screams of laughter, hugs and dancing, lots and lots of dancing!!! Wherever you looked there were people chatting with neighbors and having a really good time! This year, the event sold out quickly, I can’t wait for next year’s party!!

 

 

 

 

 

Creative Arts – Artist of the Month May 2017

SEE THEIR ART ON THE WALL NEAR THE LIBRARY (MONTECITO CLUBHOUSE)

EMILIE JESTER

I was born in the mid-west. At the age of three my parents joined the State Department and we moved to what was then called Siam . . . Thailand now.

Until the age of 22, I lived and was schooled in Panama, Ecuador, Bolivia, Kenya, Germany, and Brazil. I have continued to travel internationally extensively all my adulthood.

When I retired four years ago I knew I needed a hobby and decided to try to learn to paint. We lived in Kansas City and I was able to take lessons from Mark Weber, a premier painter of the Grand Canyon, who lives and teaches in Kansas City.  Mark enjoyed teaching real beginners – which I was.

My husband and I both love art and we enjoy collecting local artists on our various trips abroad. I draw inspiration from nature and look forward to painting the beautiful landscapes of this area that remind me at times of Africa.

My husband, Bob, finally retired at the end of 2016 and we moved to Shadow Hills full-time.

 

MARILYN BARTON, FINE ART

Marilyn Barton has recently moved from Arizona to Sun City Shadow Hills.  She paints with Acrylic, Watercolor, Pastel, Pencil, and Charcoal.

Marilyn also teaches art classes in watercolor and pastel.  In her classes, students have explored the magic of color, color mixing and artistic techniques.  Marilyn began teaching in 2007 at Central Arizona Community College.  Her classes are designed for beginning and intermediate students.

“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.”

Henry Ward Beecher, Proverbs from Plymouth Pulpit, 1887

 

WHAT IS THE CREATIVE ARTS CLUB?

The Creative Arts Club meets on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:00 AM to noon in the Cambria/Mirada rooms of the Montecito clubhouse.  These are “painting and creating” days.

Art classes are taught in the fall/winter and spring months. Our members experience top quality artists in media such as acrylics, watercolor, and drawing to advance their knowledge of a particular medium. The classes accept beginners as well as more experienced artists.

The group has a closet full of resource materials and a plethora of tools to help get the paint on the paper ready for the next process. Come to one of our Monday or Thursday Art Days to get a dose of art and fun!

South Golf Course Health Walk

On Friday, November 4 more than 100 residents joined Chet Sheehan our Fitness Director in our annual walk the of the South Golf Course.  One of our newest residents, was Lissa Evans, who moved to Shadow Hills just three weeks ago from Idyllwild.  Lissa’s special guest – her 90+ year old mother who pushed her wheelchair as she walked behind it.

Congratulations to all who participated in this event.  Enjoy the photos and watch for a future podcast where Grammy Kirk (Marian Whiteman) tells her story to Bob Firring, our own Podcast guru.