Holiday Party - December 8, 2017

Pam and Connie hosted the event for the Progressive Eats and Holiday Light Tour on December 8, 2017. Pam and Carole had appetizers at their respective houses. Each hostess was assigned a team so our hosts didn't have to do all the work and could enjoy the event as well. Between the first and second course of appetizers, the group enjoyed the holiday lights in the neighborhood. Desserts were at Susie's house followed by a digestif, of which there were many choices!

Hors D’oeuvres: A ham sandwich cut into forty pieces. ~ Jack Benny
Bon Appétit!

LtoR: Connie, Rick, Susie and Kelly

LtoR: Judy, Ruth, Andy, Judy, Vicky, Stacey, Christy and Carole
The lovely ladies

LtoR: Andy, Mark, Bob and Rick
The handsome gentlemen

LtoR: Judy and Christy
Never two prettier smiles!

LtoR: Bob and Pam
And not a sprig of Mistletoe in sight!

LtoR: Judy, Christy, Ruth, Stacy, Carole, Pam and Vicky

Christmas Cake
Love is like a good cake; you never know when it's coming,
but you'd better eat it when it does!
~ C. JoyBell C.

"Leave the gun, take the cannoli”
~ Pete Clemenza in The Godfather

LtoR: Connie, Susie and Kelly

LtoR: Pam, Judy, Susie, Christy, Kelly Connie, Vicky (seated)
Ruth, Carole and Stacey

LtoR: Stacey and Carole
Twins?

Charcuterie at Tumacookery - November 10, 2017

Debbie hosted this fun event at the Tumacookery Cooking School. Since there was a mandatory minimum number of 12 to attend the class, we were lucky enough to have some guests join us to round out our roster for the Charcuterie class.

Our chef and instructor for the day, Jeri Hoyle, provided all the meats, cheeses, grapes, olives, accompaniments, implements, aprons and boards. Tubac resident, Jeri is a Culinary Expert from Williams-Sonoma with many years of culinary instructor experience.

We provided our own wine so you know there was plenty of that!

Charcuterie is a French word for any smoked, dry-cured or cooked meat. Charcuterie is the culinary art of preparing meat products such as bacon, salami, ham, sausage, terrines, galantines, ballotines, pâtés, and confit. Someone who prepares charcuterie is called a Charcutier.

When preparing a charcuterie board allow 2 ounces of charcuterie per person. It's pretty rich. Add aged gouda, brie, or blue cheese. Olives or pickles - cornichons are a classic choice. Grapes, berries, or pear slices. Dates, dried plums, apricots or cranberries, artisan chutney or jam. Sourdough bread, bread crisps, or a toasted baguette. Epicurious has an excellent article on "How to Build a Charcuterie Board Like a Pro".

Front LtoR - Lynda, Kelly, Daryl
Back LtoR - Cathy, Tari, Connie, Kathy, Chris, Debbie, Susie, Carolyn

Chef Jeri and Randy

Randy gives us an overview of the meats for our charcuterie

Chef Jeri describes the cheeses and fruits

Round 1 evaluation
Let the eating commence!

Round 2 - With a little experience and a little more wine.
We're getting pretty good at this!

LtoR - Carole, Susie, Lynda, Chris, Tari, Cathy, Daryl, Carolyn, Debbie, Kelly, Kathy, Connie

It's a Triple Play! October 6, 2017

October was the planning meeting for the Women Who Wine for 2018! Organized by hostess Kelly, there were lots of ideas for fun and exciting events for the group.

The entire group was able to attend this event since we all were eager to pitch our ideas to the group.

While this author was so focused, she forgot to take any pictures, the group effort was worth spending the time to put together next year's fun filled calendar!

1. January 5, 2018 / Vicky - Games of Skill and Chance - Margaritas/Taco Salad
2. February 2, 2018 / Susie - University of Arizona Mirror Lab / Spouse event
3. March 2, 2018 / Daryl - Reid Park Zoo
4. April 6, 2018 / Christy - Terra Cotta Wine Cord Pots, Taco Salad Lunch
5. May 4, 2018 / Ruth - Cocktail and Food Pairings - Team event
6. June 1, 2018 / Pam - Dave & Busters
7. July 6, 2018 / Carole - Pool Party
8. August 3, 2018 / Cathy - Build Your Own Pizza - Games! Games! Games!
9. September 7, 2018 / Kelly - Apple Annie's Fruit Orchard and Produce Farm
10. October 5, 2018 / Judy - At-home Spa event
11. October 26, 2018 (November event) / Connie - "GLOW" at Triangle L Ranch / Overnight event
12. December 7, 2018 / Debbie - Lunch with Chef Donna Nordin

A Lovely Day for a Picnic! September 1, 2017

Lovely weather in September begets a WWW gathering at one of the many picnic areas in Madera Canyon. Our intrepid host, Vicky, lugged all all the food (hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans, potato chips, s'mores), water and set ups as well as cooking utensils and charcoal to grill the 'dogs'. She even had time to create political signage for our very own WWW candidate for the Board, Connie! All the ladies had to do was bring their own wine and a comfy chair. Thank you Vicky for being such a terrific hostess!

Ten of our ladies were able to attend this event. Carole arranged for a talk by one of the park rangers, Doug, who not only takes the most gorgeous pictures but is very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna of Madera Canyon. We were quite surprised to learn that  bug collectors have gathered so many specimens of various beetles and bugs that certain bug populations appear to be dwindling. And we always thought of the canyon as a place for birders to gather and gawk. Personally, I think we were happy not to have a plethora of bugs around our food and drink!

After we ate lunch Ranger Doug had a great slideshow and lots of information to tell us about Madera Canyon!

View of Santa Ritas ~ Courtesy of Ranger Doug

Fall Scene ~ Courtesy of Ranger Doug

Waterfall in Madera Canyon ~ Courtesy of Ranger Doug

We all enjoy watching flora and fauna but sometimes they watch back! Christie appears to be communing with a curious Mule Deer.

No, Christie, that is not a pony!

LtoR - Susie and Connie
What's in that koolaid Connie?

LtoR - Debbie, Ruth, Daryl, Doug, Cathy, Connie
Christy, Pam, Vicky, Carole, Susie

LtoR - Vicky, Susie, Christy, Cathy, Ruth, Doug, Daryl,
Carole, Pam, Connie, Debbie
Photo Op from the right

LtoR - Vicky, Susie, Christy, Cathy, Ruth, Doug, Daryl,
Carole, Pam, Connie, Debbie
Another Photo Op from the left - have to get everyone's best side, you know!

LtoR - Patrick, Carole, Doug
Did Patrick nearly give Cathy a ticket?
Thank you Carole, aka "The Fixer", for Cathy's "Get Out of Jail Free" card!

Aside from the the varied and beautiful sights and sounds of Madera Canyon, the area is steeped in history and lore as well. This author's favorite is of Larcena Pennington Page Scott (1837-1913). Captured by Apaches and force-marched out of Madera Canyon, the 23-year-old newlywed was stripped of her clothing and shoes, lanced several times and pushed over a cliff, where she landed in a snowbank. Too weak for her cries to be heard, Larcena survived for 16 days on melted snow and wild plants while making her way back to her husband's logging camp 15 miles away. Her husband, John Page, was killed by Apaches a year later. Larcena would marry again, bear three children, and die peacefully in her home in 1913. I'll bet she would have made a great Woman Who Wines!

A Day at the Movies! August 4. 2017

Hooray for the movies! Our August outing was at the Roadhouse Cinemas in Tucson. Our hostess, Judy, picked out Dunkirk for our movie. Ten Women Who Wine were able to attend our movie outing. Roadhouse Cinemas is the best spot to watch a movie, replete with a full menu, assigned reclining seats and attentive waitstaff at the press of a button. Judy brought each one of us the cutest Tiffany blue box filled with Lindor chocolates as treats. Yum-o!

After watching the movie, this author couldn't help but explore the facts of Dunkirk. While not based on any one particular person, the movie is quite accurate in depicting the broad events.

Interesting facts regarding Dunkirk:

• The evacuation, code-named Operation Dynamo, took place on the beaches around Dunkirk, France from May 27 to June 4, 1940.
• There were close to 400,000 men pinned down at Dunkirk with nowhere to go. Of those men, an estimated 338,000 Allied soldiers were rescued during the evacuation. Prime Minister Winston Churchill and government officials had at first predicted that it would only be possible to rescue around 45,000 men before German forces blocked further evacuations. British citizens helped to shatter that estimate by offering their own boats to help assist in the Dunkirk rescue. It also helped that Hitler made the mistake of holding off a ground attack.
• In all, a total of about 700 private vessels assisted in the evacuation. They became known as the Little Ships of Dunkirk and were largely used to ferry soldiers out to the bigger boats that could not get close to the beach.
• RAF pilots like the fictional character Farrier (Tom Hardy) flew Spitfire and Hurricane fighters and attacked approaching German fighter planes in an effort to protect the Allied soldiers on the beaches until they could be rescued.
• Approximately 11,000 British soldiers lost their lives during the evacuation from Dunkirk, also known as Operation Dynamo. An additional 40,000 soldiers were captured or imprisoned. In all, around 90,000 Allied soldiers were either wounded, killed or taken prisoner.
• The Germans destroyed 177 Allied aircraft and sunk more than 200 ships, including six British and three French destroyers. Still, the British managed to rescue approximately 338,000 soldiers from the beaches around Dunkirk, and Allied planes shot down 240 German aircraft.
• Had the approximate 338,000 rescued Allied soldiers been instead killed or taken prisoner by Germany, there would be that many less soldiers to return to Britain and continue fighting in Europe. So it's not hard to imagine the outcome of the war shifting in Germany's favor. At the time of the Dunkirk evacuation, the United States had not yet entered the war, and without the military might of Britain still in place, success on the European front would have been far less likely.
• British Prime Minister Winston Churchill described Dunkirk as "a miracle of deliverance," inspiring him to declare to the House of Commons of Parliament on June 4, 1940, "We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender!"

Dunkirk: The History Behind the Major Motion Picture - https://goo.gl/39PP1d

Is Pam giving us all instructions on how to behave?
Notice Judy and Cathy, in the background, blithely ignoring "the talk".

In addition to our history lesson, we did find out that Nachos are too difficult to eat in the dark...and too hot. Wine, however, is an excellent movie theater beverage, even when you're partially reclining.
How did those Romans ever do it?! This author certainly enjoyed her shrimp po' boy but had to sit upright to make sure nothing dribbled!

RtoL Carole, Vicky, Connie, Pam, Kelly, Cathy, Judy, Ruth, Christy, Daryl
Outside the theater

L - Daryl, Carole, Cathy, Vicky
R - Connie, Christy, Pam, Kelly and Judy seem to be doing the Conga

LtoR - Carole, Cathy, Vicky, Ruth, Connie, Christy, Pam, Kelly and Judy
Dunkirk movie poster in the background

Always a fan of Mr. Hitchcock...

“The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder.” 

~ Alfred Hitchcock ~

Pool Party - July 7, 2017

Swimming Ool

~ Kenn Nesbitt ~

Swimming in the swimming pool 

is where I like to “B,” 

wearing underwater goggles 

so that I can “C.” 

Yesterday, before I swam, 

I drank a cup of “T.” 

Now the pool’s a “swimming ool”
because I took a “P.” 

July's Women Who Wine event was hosted by Carole, who invited the ladies for a cool, refreshing pool party at her house, complete with nibbles, gifties and, of course, wine! The season being what is in July, meant that only six ladies were able to attend but judging by the pictures, they had a wonderful time!

LtoR - Pam, Carole and Christy

Top2Bottom - Ruth, Christy, Carole and Pam

LtoR - Kelly and Vicky

Ruth - Work it baby!

LtoR - Kelly, Vicky, Christy and Kelly

LtoR - Judy, Carole and Ruth
Synchronized swimming - Get those legs up Ruth!

The floating wine table!

LtoR - Pam and Vicky
So refreshing - a cool dip on a hot day!

LtoR - Kelly, Christy, Pam, Ruth, Vicky and Carole

LtoR - Kelly, Christy, Pam, Ruth, Vicky and Carole
Looking good ladies!

Why I love swimming...

"The water doesn't know how old you are."

~ Dara Torres ~

Just in case we ever need an alternative venue!

Tohono Chul Park - June 2, 2017

Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them. 

~ A. A. Milne ~

Our lovely hostess for the day, Susie, arranged for a docent led tour of Tohono Chul Park, followed by a delicious luncheon in the Tohono Chul Garden Bistro.

Tohono Chul Park was formally dedicated on April 19, 1985. “We wanted to keep something natural in the middle of all the (surrounding) development so that people could come easily for a few hours and get out of the traffic and learn something at the same time. It’s probably contrary to what most people would do, but we feel it’s really important for people to have something like this.” The original benefactors, Richard and Jean Wilson, started piecing together patches of desert in 1966. In 1968 they purchased the section containing the hacienda-style “West House” known today as the Tohono Chul Garden Bistro. The Wilsons lived in this house for eight years. Today, the park covers 49 acres. 

There were 11 Women Who Wine who were able to attend the event. The docent-led tour was very informative and made the tour of the gardens much more interesting for our group. After the tour we meandered through the gift shop and greenhouse. Christy found the perfect plant for her courtyard! Following was lunch at the Bistro which was delicious! So much fun to have our own private room for dining and visiting. The day was so much fun!

LtoR - Kelly, Debbie, Cathy, Ruth, Connie, Vicky
Daryl, Judy, Susie, Christy and Pam
The entrance to Tohono Chul Gardens

LtoR - Kelly, Debbie, Ruth and Connie
Waiting in the shade at the reptile pavilion
Surprise!
Our docent got reprimanded for having a very noisy group
as we approached. Who us? We never!

LtoR - Christy with her new scaly friend and Pam

Lifesize metal sculpture of horse 

Replica of petroglyphs on rock

Lovely grotto in the midst of the gardens
Who knew the desert could be so lush?

What is a garden without grapes?

Lovely wooden branch spiral sculpture in the gallery attached to the gift shop.
Working on that Ocotillo sculpture today!

LtR - Connie and Daryl
Talk to the hand, Connie's hand!

LtoR - Ruth, Kelly, Judy and Debbie
Lunch at the Bistro

LtoR - Judy, Susie and Christy

LtoR - Cathy and Vicky

The many faces of Connie...

No, Connie, don't check your texts!
Don't do it! Eeek!

Take that!

Crisis averted!