Road Trip to Bisbee

If you are hoping for a romantic weekend or a family adventure (are both possible?), Bisbee is a fun place to go. The town offers art, trinkets and good food with hardly a chain in sight. There are rumors of ghosts, a colorful history, great architecture and the Queen Mine is open for tours hosted by former miners.

This was our family's first memory making trip of 2010 and Grandma & Grandpa joined us, too. All of us found something of interest in Bisbee ... will Bisbee be listed on your "fun calendar" in 2010?

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Bisbee sleeps in a little so if you are early risers in need of a muffin & morning beverages, visit The Bisbee Coffee Company anytime after 6:30am

www.bisbeecoffee.com

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If you want to visit the Queen Mine, reservations in advance are recommended

www.queenminetour.com

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Kartchner Caverns are about 1.5 hours away - reservations usually need to be made weeks/months in advance

www.pr.state.az.us/Parks/parkhtml/kartchner.html

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The Copper Queen Hotel now has an Italian restaurant that replaced Winchester's. If you eat there, be sure to read the kids' menu and see if anyone in your group can lick your elbow - can you?!

www.copperqueen.com

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New Year's Day 2010

Happy 2010!

Mini-Pumpkin Muffins

How was your Thanksgiving?!


Before thoughts of pumpkins & cornucopias are replaced with sugar plum fairies, here is a recipe for some easy, moist & great tasting mini-pumpkin muffins ...



Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup canned pumpkin

(lots of extra butter to place on top of your baked muffins!)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease mini-muffin pan with butter or cooking spray.
Sift together the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into your favorite large bowl.

Whisk together the eggs, butter, and pumpkin in a separate bowl. Mix the flour mixture with the egg mixture. Pour your batter into each cup of the muffin pan to about 3/4 full.

Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes.

Your house will smell great and these muffins will taste great!


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Tomorrow at the Desert Botanical Gardens...

Tomorrow is the second Tuesday of the month so you and all of your family & friends can enjoy the Desert Botanical Gardens for free (1-8pm)! While you are enjoying the desert beauty, you will also be able to experience the Mariposa Monarca exhibit at no cost (1-5pm).

This is one of my favorite places in town because even as I am parking, I begin to relax. By the time I stroll over the bridge and through the gates, I am already immersed in the colors and fragrances of our desert.

The Desert Botanical Gardens is a fun place to go.



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Boo!

Happy Halloween!

Starbucks - Free Pastry Coupon this Morning!

Until 10:30am today, Starbucks is giving away a free pastry with the purchase of a beverage. Go to the Starbucks website to print your coupon.


www.starbucks.com

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Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum - A Fun Place to Go

Do you live in the metro Phoenix area or will you be visiting soon? If so ...

The Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum holds over 3000 minerals, rocks, fossils and mining artifacts exhibited in a peaceful, cool, downtown building – this morning it was a great escape from 104 degrees (and climbing!) at 9:00am. One of the exhibits bears the name of former Arizona Governor, Rose Mofford. Mofford, the daughter of a miner, was born in Globe, Arizona and has shared much of her personal collection with the museum.

The highlight of the museum for most young children is probably getting to take home three rocks from the wheelbarrow in the last room of the tour. The children accompanying me also really enjoyed the food display made from rocks and the glowing-in-the-black-light minerals. All ages can find something to appreciate here and this museum is a bargain to explore; adult admission is just $2 and everyone 17 or younger gets in for free.

The mission of the museum is: to educate Arizona’s citizens about our mining and mineral heritage and to demonstrate that minerals are the cornerstone of Mankind’s existence; that minerals have aesthetic value; and, that minerals have functional value.


Since the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum does not take very long to tour, you may want to visit the Phoenix Carnegie Library or the State Capitol Museum – both are within walking distance on Washington Street


The Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum is located at 1502 West Washington Street in downtown Phoenix; the building was formerly the El Zaribah Shrine Temple and it is now known as the Polly Rosenbaum Building


For more information:
http://www.admmr.state.az.us/General/museum.html

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