Spring Training in Arizona

By Sheila

It is my favorite time of year in the Sonoran desert.  The short winter we have had is losing its edge and the sunshine and agreeable climate is the clear winner.  This is the picture perfect postcard time of year that seduces snowbirds (thanks to all of you that migrate here and leave some of your money – we appreciate it!), and reminds locals that we better keep our traps shut or everyone will move here.  Did I mention July, August and September?  We’ll revisit those temps in a future discussion…

Ann, Sheila, David and Pat in our free baseball shades - great if you love purple!

In the meanwhile, the valley is a-buzz with baseball.  What’s not to like about a sport that brings many of its teams together in one area to practice playing nice before the real deal starts.  To say nothing of sitting in the 70-85 degree sunshine, drinking your beverage of choice and eating your fill of peanuts and whatever other culinary delights that can be found in the park.  It always provides a good excuse to play hooky from work or school, and just enjoy the day. 

My camera is bigger than your camera.  No kidding!

On a recent outing, we went with our good friends Ann and Pat, and had a great time.  Lunch out at Humble Pie (a great local pizza joint) followed by an afternoon in the stands at the fairly new Diamondbacks and Rockies shared spring training facility “Salt River Fields”.  We were entertained by the vendors hawking their wares…

Direct quote from this guy “I’m fast, I’m pretty, and I can’t be beat”.  Obviously.

The fans out sampling the goods… That is a tower of fruit dipped in chocolate.  Yum!

Pat’s suggestion that I call this post “Studs in the Stands”almost won out. Almost.
 

A few days later, we went again with our Granddaughter, Camryn.  She thought the whole baseball thing could be improved immensely if they would let you ride horses on the field.  She is wholly in favor of continuing the practice of hot dogs, popcorn and cotton candy, however.  The bat and ball thing is intriguing, but there seems to be way too much standing around doing nothing for her.  She likes non-stop action.  But she wore her D-Backs Spring Training hat proudly and can’t wait for her Papa to take her again, so maybe this baseball thing will grow on her. Oddly enough, although I’m not a major sports fan, it has grown on me over the years.  Of course, maybe it’s that whole playing hooky thing that appeals to me…

The cutest fan in attendance! Note the cotton candy face.

 

So take me out to the ball park, take me out to the game...

And come visit us in springtime in Arizona for a Spring Training game, a leisurely bicycle ride, or to just sit by the pool and smell the orange blossoms!