Monthly Archives: May 2017

Peach Picking! An Afternoon at Fenway Park Orchards

Arizona, Blog, International Travel, Nature, Uncategorized, United States, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Did you know that Arizona is a pretty popular agricultural area? Arizonans grow oranges, spinach, lemons, wheat, flowers…. and peaches! Yum! Yep, even here in the desert, the least likely place you can imagine, you can grow all sorts of delicious things. Last weekend, my husband, my parents, and I headed to Morristown, Arizona to pick peaches at Fenway Park Orchards. There’s nothing like sourcing your food straight from the growers. Here’s a bit about this awesome little u-pick farm.

 

What to Expect from Peach Picking at Fenwick Park Orchards

It’s really trendy right now to eat local, eat clean, and eat organic. But hasn’t that always been the best way? Fenwick Park Orchards is a pesticide free, fertilizer free grower. Of course, this has a host of health benefits, but it also gives the fruit another huge advantage: the taste! According to the young man who briefed us on peach picking, the lack of chemicals allows the rich flavor of the fruit to come through. Our guide said that every singe tree has its own distinct taste. He was right! Wow!

 

 

We had the chance to try just about every tree and find our favorites. When you’re picking in the orchard, you’re entitled to eat as many peaches as you like, free of charge! The u-pick peaches at Fenway Park Orchards are a little bit more per pound than your average (dry, tasteless) supermarket peaches, but you make up for the difference with all the fruit you eat. Oh my word. Peaches off the tree are simply heavenly.

 

 

My parents love peach tea. They like to get peach sweet tea from Dutch Bros. Some of these peaches tasted exactly like that tea!

 

 

An hour’s drive from my parents’ home in Glendale was more than worth time in the peace and quiet of the beautiful orchard. It’s nice to get back to nature and get a little dirt under your fingernails once in a while! I think we all feel the call to to remember our ancestor’s ties with the land now and then.

 

 

By the end, we were all hot, sweaty, sticky, and oh-so-happy.

 

 

We also had about thirty pounds of peaches to take home!

 

 

Peach Recipe Ideas

What do you do with thirty pounds of delicious, juicy, freshly-picked peaches? Why, you make tons of peachy delights with them!

 

 

As soon as we got back to my parents’ house, we set to work on my dad’s personal favorite peach dessert: cobbler! He searched online to find a peach cobbler recipe that included blueberries.

 

It was delicious! Fresh produce makes all the difference.

Of course, there are plenty of other things to do with peaches.

 

 

Here are some recipes to try:

 

Fenway Park Orchards Info

Cost: The peaches cost $2.39 per pound when we visited. Of course, this price fluctuates from season to season.

Hours: You can visit Fenway Park Orchards from Tuesday through Sunday, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.

Coupons: Visit the Fenway Park Orchard website for a coupon.

Contact info: 

  • Website: FenwayParkOrchards.com
  • Phone: 623-388-2603
  • Email: away106824@aol.com
  • Address: 42610 Highway 60-89
    Morristown, AZ 85342

 

Fruit seasons:

Apples: June and July

Peaches: May and June

Peach season in ending, but apple season is just around the corner! We’ll be in Arizona for a few weeks yet, so we will definitely be back to Fenway Park Orchards to pick apples, If you’re in the Phoenix area between May and July, be sure to take a side trip to Morristown for some fresh produce. After all, there’s nothing like eating local, wherever you are.

Fort Karl in St. Barth’s

American University of the Caribbean, AUC, Blog, Caribbean, Expats, Expats and TCKs, International Travel, Spouses Organization, St. Barth, , , , , , , , ,

St. Barth’s is the French Caribbean’s premier vacation destination. It’s so fancy (you already know)! The world’s rich and famous flock to its white sand beaches all year round! When I had the chance to visit with my friend Emily, however, I was more excited about the historic forts than the upscale resorts. Are you a history buff, too? Read on to see the stunning views from St. Barth’s Fort Karl!

Fort Karl is located in the town of Gustavia. It’s pretty easy to find. St. Barth’s is only about nine square miles, and Gustavia is the port city where just about everybody arrives. A quick ATV ride or brisk walk will bring you to the foot of the stairs. Take the brief climb up the stairs, and you’ll be on top of the world! Well, on top of the island, at least.

Fort Karl has been around for quite some time! It was built in 1789, when the island belonged to Sweden. Since then, it has become rather overgrown with bushes, cacti, and scrubby trees. In recent decades, the island has made the ruins of the fort a popular tourist attraction, creating paths through the fort and signage to interpret the history and nature of the area.

Although the fort is no longer necessary for island defense, it is an excellent vantage point for sightseeing! You get great views of the town, and apparently it’s also a popular place for whale-watching. We didn’t see any whales, much to our sadness, but we did see a bunch of boats arriving for the annual St. Barth’s regatta.

The view from the top really put the tiny size of Gustavia in perspective! It’s incredible how tiny and old this charming historic town is. They’ve really kept it nice through all these years. It’s a tiny place with a whole lot of history! I wonder what it was like to live here during the era when it was all but forgotten by Europe?

From the top, we could also see our next destination: Shell Beach! This beach is entirely carpeted by tiny shells. We could hardly wait to get down and zoom over to this beautiful beach! St. Barth’s has so much to see.

Stay tuned for a photo-filled post about beautiful Shell Beach! You don’t want to miss a taste of this stunning Caribbean destination. Like and follow for more posts on St. Barth’s and the Caribbean! Until next time.

 

Ways to Make Travel Easier

International Travel, , , , , , , ,

Summer is here, and with it comes the vacation season! Are you headed on an airplane trip this summer? If so, make your travel easier and avoid the usual vacation headaches. After all, travel should be fun, not stressful! If you’ve been following this blog for the past month or so, you’ll remember that our last international plane trip included an unexpected 12 hour layover. However, we managed to keep a good attitude and survive, and it wasn’t so bad! How did we do that? Follow these ten ways to make travel easier and you too can make sure you’re trip goes smoothly, no matter what happens.

Keep your valuables in a safe place

One of the things that makes travel easier is keeping all your valuables in one spot. There’s nothing more awkward than holding up the entire airport security line while you search through your pockets and bags for your passport, and nothing more horrifying than leaving your wallet in the plane! The best way to keep track of your valuables is to store them all together in a small bag. Ideally, the bag will be relatively flat and have a string so you can put it around your neck and slip it into your shirt. This way, it’s impossible to lose your stuff! One great bag is this cork travel bag. I like it because not only does it have room for your passport, phone, debit cards and cash, but it’s equipped with an RFID-blocking compartment to combat identity theft. Now, that’s secure! It costs $25 on Amazon and can save you a whole lot of worry and potentially a lot of time and money. Plus, it even looks cool!

Pack light

Do you really need fourteen books and a your entire wardrobe for a week vacation? Unless you’re headed to a book conference and only own three changes of clothes, I’m going to guess you don’t. To make travel easier, pack light! Only take the stuff you know you’ll need and leave the rest at home. A few changes of clothes and the basic essentials should usually fit into one bag and one carry-on, so you can avoid the cost of checked bags and the hassle of hauling things around. Last, year, I took a five-week multi-national trip out of a backpack. And I’m not talking about one of those fancy camping backpacks– I’m talking about my school bag for college. It was awesome! I only had to worry about one item, and I didn’t have to go to the baggage claim after my flights.

Bring food

Don’t you love airline food? Yeah, me neither. to avoid the expense of airline food and airport restaurants, pack your own snacks for the flight. I like to stash a package of bagels in my carry-on bag. I used to take peanut butter, too, but it got confiscated at security for being a “gel.” I’m pretty sure that TSA agent confiscated someone’s crackers next. Skip the PB, but plan to pack snacks. A package of almonds and a granola bar can be the difference between a great flight and one filled with nausea, headaches, and sleeplessness.

Charge your devices during layovers

I know you’re dying to take a nap in one of those comfy airport terminal seats, but first things first. Be sure to charge your device while you have the chance! Many airplanes have chargers at each seat these days, but enough still hail from the Dark Ages that it’s better to charge things while you’re on the ground. Not all airports have enough outlets to go around, but if you have time, it’s a good idea to wander around until you find a free outlet.

Pack a blanket

If you’re like me and get cold easy, you know that long flights can feel like a trip in a flying iceberg. Don’t count on the airline offering complementary blankets. It’s better to pack your own. If you don’t have a lot of space, bring a light covering of some kind. I usually pack one of those Hawaiian sarongs. I never use those things as swimsuit cover-ups, but they make nice skirts and excellent lightweight blankets! Plus, they condense to the size of a soda bottle when you roll them up tightly.

Do you have any other trips to make airplane trips easier? Let me know in the comments!

 

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Saturday Morning at Phoenix Public Market

Arizona, Blog, International Travel, Nature, Uncategorized, United States, , , , , , , , , ,

Downtown Phoenix is full of wonderful surprises: little indie coffee shops, trendy boutiques, unexpected museums, ethnic food unlike any other, colorful splashes of street art… you get the idea. It’s not all chrome and glass like you see on the postcards. One of my favorite local attractions is the Phoenix Public Market that runs in the parking lot of Phoenix Public Market Cafe each Saturday from 8:00 am to noon. I first discovered this urban gem about four years, ago, when one of my best friends started working for one of the vendors. Since then, it’s been on my agenda during each of my rare free Saturdays! Last Saturday was one of those delightful days. Here’s what you can expect at Phoenix Public Market!

How to get to Phoenix Public Market

If you’re like me, you generally avoid both driving and parking in downtown Phoenix at all costs. It’s not that it’s a poorly designed city; on the contrary! The problem is that there are a ton of one-way streets and a shortage of free parking. Thankfully, getting to Phoenix Public Market is pretty easy! Here’s the address:

14 E Pierce St, Phoenix, AZ 85004

To get there from the West Valley, you need to take the I-17 South to the I-10 East. From the East Valley, get to the I-10 West. No matter where you’re coming from, go south on 7th Ave, then go east on Roosevelt, then go south again on N. Central. There is plenty of parking, even on a busy Saturday morning–thank goodness!

What you can get at Phoenix Public Market

Look who I got to go to the farmer’s market with!

Yep, that’s right! Alyssa and I were both med school wives in Saint Martin. When I said goodbye to her six months ago, I had no idea that I’d get to hang out with her in Arizona! She and her husband are spending a few months here between classes and clinicals, just like us. You can read about our island adventures exploring downtown Philipsburg and downtown Marigot in some of my earlier posts. I guess we just like hanging out together downtown.

We had a great time wandering through the many vendors at Phoenix Public Market, trying samples of ice cream and peppermint essential oils. The farmer’s market has everything you can imagine, as far as produce goes. I picked up some fresh organic Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, and tomatoes while we were there. Everything tastes better fresh!

It’s not all veggies at the Phoenix Public Market, through. There are also things like homemade cheese, fresh-baked goods, local honey, and ice cream. A chocolate chunk cookie was essential to our shopping day.

This weekend, the market with bursting with colorful blooms! Hit this corner of downtown in springtime, and you’re always bound to see plenty of flowers for sale.

We admired the handiwork from all the talented vendors. The farmer’s market is an awesome place to get turquoise jewelry, hand-carved wooden toys, and macrame. Both Alyssa and I loved these handmade macrame planters. Aren’t they awesome?

I loved listening to the live music in the market before we left. Outside the market, there are always plenty of food trucks. I’ve tried the acai bowls before, and they are delicious.

 

Phoenix Public Market Cafe

Of course, no trip to the Phoenix Public Market is complete without stopping at Phoenix Public Market Cafe. This is located right next door to the market, and it sources as much of its ingredients as possible from the market. Alyssa treated me to a cup of tea and we enjoyed chatting in the busy weekend atmosphere.

There’s a lot to do in downtown Phoenix, but if you’re in the area, why not make some time this weekend to enjoy a taste of the rural in this urban jungle? Actually, anywhere you are, it’s a great time to seek out some local produce! Go support your local growers and eat healthy. Love your community!

 

Kito’s First Dog Park: Foothills Dog Park

Arizona, Blog, International Travel, Uncategorized, United States, , , , , , , , , ,

The Valley of the Sun is a pretty dog-friendly place. In the West Valley alone, there are 17 dog parks that I know of. Today, I checked out the Foothills Dog Park (in Glendale, Arizona) with Kito and my sister, Kaylee.


Getting There

The Foothills Dog Park isn’t hard to find. It shares a parking lot with the Foothills branch of the Glendale Library. The library is near 59th and Union Hills, and its turn-in is just west of the Glendale Rec Center. The gate to the dog park is located on the south side of the library parking lot.


Hours and Rules

The rules of the dog park are pretty basic: pick up your dog poop, take home your toys, and be courteous.


The hours are from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm.


Features

The Foothills Dog Park is pretty big! There is plenty of space to run off-leash and play fetch. There is a separate park for big dogs and little dogs, which is awesome. Kito is medium-sized, but she usually ends up knocking over little dogs when she gets too enthusiastic.


Between the two areas, there is a fenced-in location with a doggie drinking fountain. Kito was a snob and would only drink from my bottle, so guess who didn’t get water? Me. We’ll work on that.


There are also a bunch of playground-style toys. I suppose you could use these for training, but we just had fun on them. Kito liked the tunnel because it was shady.


Speaking of shade, there are plenty of shaded areas for both dogs and people to relax.

My Rating

I’ll give this dog park a 5/5! Maybe it’s just because I don’t have anything to compare it to yet, but I thought the Foothills Dog Park was pretty amazing. I’m excited to try the next dog park on our to-do list!

A Traditional American Easter 

American University of the Caribbean, AUC, Caribbean, Expats, Expats and TCKs, Foster Parenting, International Travel, Saint Martin/ Sint Maarten, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , ,

Apparently, American Easter is different than St. Maarten Easter. So, we had a lot of fun introducing R to American-style Easter celebrations!


I chattered all weekend about dying eggs. Anything artsy is fun for me, so I was excited to do some egg decorating with my family! R isn’t particularly talkative, so it wasn’t until Ben started mixing the vinegar and egg dye that R asked us what in the world we were doing! “Dying eggs,” I told him. His look of confusion prompted me to ask, “Have you ever dyed eggs?” “What’s that?” He asked. Ah ha! A new and fun thing to introduce my son to. Part of the joy of being a foster parent is learning about my kid’s traditions and sharing mine.


In St. Maarten, apparently, kids still hunt for eggs (which are not left by a bunny), but only plastic eggs. They get lots of chocolate, something I unfortunately forgot to buy! There’s also an underwater egg hunt, which I did last year.


As it turned out, R loved decorating the eggs. He didn’t really get the point, since they were just going to become deviled eggs in a few hours. But he had fun in the process!


Speaking of deviled eggs, those were totally new to R, as well. So was jello. I don’t know if jello is a part of your Easter celebration, but it’s always been a part of mine! R really thought it was strange– a little bit inedible, even– but despite his initial disgust at its look, he enjoyed it. He probably didn’t enjoy the rest of us staring at him while he tried it, but someone’s first taste of jello is an epic moment, people.


Also epic was the fact that my “bunny bread” didn’t look like a disoriented demon for the first time ever.

Aside from traditional Easter dinner, we also went to church in the morning. R usually goes to church on Easter, but our church is different from his other church. I’m guessing they don’t serve hot dogs for brunch at his other church!

That night, we watched “The Passion of Christ.” It was the first time for both R and I. Wow, is it good! It’s also really intense as tough to watch. It’s about as realistic as you can get as far as crucifixion goes. That movie made the whole Easter story come alive to me again! For R, it seemed to really cause him to think. He was on the edge of his seat the whole time, and had some deep comments during the film. During the whipping scene, he remarked, “Jesus could have stopped that any time he wanted. But he didn’t, because he wanted to die even for those people who were hurting him.” Wow, that is exactly what Easter is all about! No matter how rotten any of us has been, Jesus still made the choice to sacrifice himself instead of letting us be punished. He loves us that much.