Bucket List Locations ~ Chino Valley AZ

 

This should be a relatively easy bucket list fulfillment considering that Chino Valley AZ is only two and a half hours away from Casa Grande AZ, my current location. Imagine that! The song is true -- it's a small world after all.

From CG to Chino Valley... 2 hr 29 min (155.8 mi) via I-17
(Chino Valley is located 10 miles north of Prescott)

Chino Valley
Town in Arizona

Description: Chino Valley is a town in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2021 U.S. Census, the population of the town is 13,492. Wikipedia
Area: 62.48 mi²
Elevation: 4,708′

Chino Valley is an unscathed and undiscovered destination in the Central Arizona Highlands and it is much cooler than you’d think!

Chino Valley is vastly wide open spaces, big blue skies with a culture defined by friendly people, unique eating establishments, and outdoor adventure.

Founded in 1864 and later incorporated in 1970, Chino Valley is the first original Territorial Capital of Arizona. Our rural community has 4 beautiful distinct seasons and boasts a truly hometown feeling.While you are visiting you will be in awe of how friendly our community is. We wave at each other as we pass. Come witness the “Chino Wave.”

Chino Valley AZ Website

click  HERE

5 Best Places to Eat in Chino Valley

Chino Valley is in the middle of Arizona, and both locals and guests can enjoy a unique dining experience there. It's not surprising that food lovers have a hard time deciding what to eat in a place with so many different kinds of food and so many different flavours. In this piece, we'll talk about the top five must-visit restaurants in Chino Valley, Arizona. Each of these restaurants offers a unique dining experience.

1. The Ranch House

When you walk into The Ranch House, the smell of steaks cooking will take you to a world of country charm. This family-owned steakhouse is known for its delicious cuts of prime beef and its warm and welcoming atmosphere, making it a go-to spot for meat lovers.

2. Si Es Mi Tierra

With the lively food of Asi Es Mi Tierra, it's never been easier to go to Mexico. This restaurant serves authentic and delicious Mexican food, like sizzling fajitas and flavorful enchiladas, that will take your taste buds on a trip.

3. Chef's Table

This is the place to go for a private, high-end eating experience. This farm-to-table restaurant has a carefully chosen menu that changes with the seasons and features the best locally grown food.

4. Cravings

Cravings is a secret gem in Chino Valley with a menu full of dishes from around the world. From Thai food to Mediterranean flavors, this cozy restaurant has a mix of flavors that will please even the pickiest eaters.

5. Pinon Grill

Set in a quiet area with beautiful views of the mountains, Pinon Grill serves delicious American food in a peaceful setting. Whether you order one of their famous burgers or some fresh seafood, you're sure to have a great time at this place.

Chino Valley, AZ, has a wide range of great places to eat, with everything from sizzling steaks to unique flavours. The Ranch House, Asi Es Mi Tierra, Chef's Table, Cravings, and Pinon Grill all offer different kinds of delicious food, so every time you go to Chino Valley, you'll want to come back for more. Start out on a tasty adventure and enjoy all that this charming town has to offer.

(Source: original.newsbreak.com)

5 Things to Do in Chino Valley

1. Sycamore Canyon Wilderness

A wilderness area covering 56,000 acres, Sycamore Canyon offers color in its cliffs, peaks and even a marsh-like region in what is otherwise desert.

Mountain lions and black bears are the stand-out mammals who find their home here, though you may prefer not to see them. The ringtail cat, a cousin of the raccoon, is common but nocturnal and has become the State’s official animal after a poll of schoolchildren. You may have to make do with the birds, and by day and you will both see and hear them.

This is a great place for camping, with cabins available for rent. Designated trails will lead you through the Wilderness whether you trek or ride a horse. Fishing and swimming are also popular activities here.

2. Verde Canyon Railroad

The Railroad opened in 1912 and the route that it follows today, between the old mining towns of Clarkdale and Perkinsville, takes you on a trip that is impossible to do in any other way.

The 40-mile round trip includes the train going through a manmade tunnel, but everything else is truly natural. The Railroad’s luxury cars will have you imagining a bygone age, making this experience popular with significant numbers of visitors..

An “Arizona Treasure”, the railroad is one of the definite highlights when spending time in the region.

3. Chino Valley Aquatics Center

Chino Valley’s temperatures make this Aquatic Center a great place on all but the coolest of days.

Swimmers are in their element and the facilities are suitable for small children, with a very shallow entry pool. The waterslide is fun, and for those wanting to swim any significant distance, they can pick a swimming lane.

If the kids cannot swim, they can take a lesson and perhaps after a few lessons, they will be off. You might like to try some water aerobics while the kids are taking their lessons.

4. Granite Creek Vineyards

There is more to Granite Creek Vineyards than just the wine. It also plays a part in introducing local musical talent to visitors.

You will have the chance to sample the wines with a nice lunch, with most popular brands being Sunset Red Blend and Prairie Sun Pinot Gris. They compare favorably with the best wines available in the state.

Enjoy some time there or perhaps even consider booking a special event there with family and friends.

5. Coconino National Forest

This scenic forest is known for its flora and fauna. Indeed, there is a type of small sunflower that is only found in the forest.

The vegetation varies from the bottom of the canyon at 4,500 feet, to the mountain tops 2,000 feet higher up. Pine and deciduous trees contrast beautifully with snow-covered peaks, streams and stunning red rocks.

100 species of mammal, 300 different birds and 16 different kinds of fish are just some examples of the wildlife that justifies a visit to this stunning forest.

(Source: thecrazytourist.com)

Daily Cards/Daily Energy ~ Two-Faced

 

Finally, after being laid up for over a month with back issues, I'm slowly rejoining the world of the living. I have created a new tarot reading, and I chose to go with my blog The Mystic Crone. Happy reading...

click HERE

The Narcissist's New Supply (aka new person) Will Always FAIL

 

Be sure to check out Jess's Channel at YouTube...

Why the new relationship is Doomed...

The Narcissist's New Supply (aka new person) ~ what really happens to them

 

Be sure to check out Jess's Channel at YouTube...

Back in the Saddle Again ~ sort of

 

For those who don' know, I've been pretty much out of commission since the week of the Winter Solstice (Dec 21st) with very badly pulled back muscles, excruciating, I could hardly get up and down off the sofa by myself.  I really did it up good with a combination of activities I should not have been doing in the first place, like wrestling a 50lb bag of cat litter across the front yard and up our camper steps.  I shall not do that again, but I was childishly proud that I accomplished this feat at the time.  Little did I know.

During most of this period, I virtually stopped posting on social media, stopped creating videos, or doing tarot readings, or doing much of anything really.  I was trying to cope with the pain without having to go to the doctor and experience all the hub-bub and inconvenience that it would cause.  Anyway, as I told my significant other, "What's a doctor going to do, tell me my back muscles are strained and provide a prescription for medication that I probably won't take?"  So far, I've managed on my own with ice packs and a rotating combination of aspirin and Ibuprofen.

It's getting better.  I just have to remember that when I hit a good day it does not mean that I can jump up and resume physical activities as usual.  I've set myself back a couple times doing this.

Thank you to those who were aware of this situation and sent me lots of positive energies and good wishes, and thank you to those who didn't know but who kept visiting my blogs and websites and watching my videos.  I can't wait to begin creating new material again, and I'm so anxious to do some new tarot readings.  It's been a while.

Peace out, and to my northern peeps, stay warm and stay safe during some of this nasty winter weather.

PODCAST ~ Micro-Readings: 3 readings, one story?

 

There are three micro-readings here, which means there are three sets of cards with one sentence interpretations, but for someone, these three readings are telling us one story.

Conscious Awakening Network

 

Did I mention how much fun I had being interviewed by Glenda Dawson? Well, I had a lot of fun. She's my kinda' gal, it was a hoot.

Personal Demons, be gone!

 

Our first tarot reading for the new year!  Be sure to join me at my tarot website and my YouTube channel.

01-09-24
Deck: Rider Waite version
Cards: The Devil -- reversed; 5/swords -- reversed; Page/wands

You will be starting this new year off on a very promising positive foot, which is a much needed change for some of you. You'll find that you have shook off some personal demons that have been plaguing you and causing so much trouble in your life on a variety of levels. You've also either come to a truce with a group of people you were in conflict with; or you walked away from the conflict and this is one of the demons you got rid of. For some of you, this might not represent a group of people you were in conflict with, but it may represent a conflict that you were battling within yourself. Either way, it's gone.

Many of you will find that you're starting off the new year with a new beginning that includes lots of passion, enthusiasm, and promise. For some of you, this may indicate a new relationship on the horizon, but for others it is showcasing new job and financial opportunities. This card, as do all the Pages, also infers that open, honest, enthusiastic communication will benefit all new endeavors coming up in this new year.

The Tarot Parlour

Book Excerpt: The Divine Me ~ the goddess Eostre -- Easter? Estrogen?

 

The following blog post is a short excerpt from my book, The Divine Me: Embracing Your Inner Goddess, pages 82-85, from the chapter "The Goddess in Every Month".

Available @ Amazon in Print & Kindle

click  HERE

·         March ~ Eostre

Origin: Germanic
Influences: spring and dawn, fertility, birth
AKA: Ostara
Symbols: rabbits, eggs, spring flowers, butterflies

This goddess is all about spring, birth, fertility, and the changing of seasons, the return of spring bringing with it the planting season, the return of warmth and promise and new beginnings.

The oddest myth that follows Eostre is the story of how she saved a bird from freezing to death in the winter.  Its wings were frozen together.  Eostre magically changed the bird into a rabbit, a rabbit which retained its ability to lay eggs. 

I don’t know about you, but this puts a whole new spin on the Easter images I grew up with.

I would imagine, in ancient times, when the rituals of this goddess were regularly practiced among the people, she was looked upon with a sigh of relief, as in another winter has passed and we survived.  Symbolically, it seems, the celebration for this goddess on the spring equinox would herald the return of daylight, as well as preparations for planting and the birthing of farm animals for sustenance.

In other words, it feels like the world is coming out of a dark frigid isolating winter and things are starting to move again, coming to life. 

Hmmm… “Eostre” sounds an awful lot like “estrogen”, just saying.

March’s Magick/Seed Moon
A Protection Spell

The main thing about someone who thinks they need a protection spell is that there’s something that’s making them feel threatened in some way. 

Who, or what, are you afraid of; or what is the set of circumstances that makes you feel threatened?  What do you think you need protection from?  Think about it, and then proceed with the following spell, if you still feel that it’s needed:

Let’s create a mojo bag for protection, as this is a very versatile way to create protection for a wide variety of reasons.

v  Start with the bag, a drawstring bag – I would choose black to repel negative people, entities, or circumstances; to banish unwanted things; to neutralize negative energy.  But you choose whatever color makes you feel safe and secure, warm, and fuzzy… protected.

v  Second – write down on a small piece of paper what you want protection from, be specific, be blunt and to the point.  Next, take a red ink pen or marker and with intention, along with much vigor and emotion, maybe a little cursing and spitting, draw a large red X through this list.  It’s okay to get emotional, get angry, get all riled up – what you’re doing is raising energy.

v  Third – let’s add some other “ingredients” to this bag, just so the universe and Spirit get the full picture.  This could be personal effects from an individual, and not just the stereotypical “hair and fingernail clippings”.  It could be the button off a shirt, a coin from their purse or wallet, a photograph, a piece of jewelry (an earring, or ring, or necklace chain), a tube of lipstick, a cigarette butt – you get the idea.  Be creative.

Tie this bag closed, preferably with three knots.  Keep it in a secret safe place and allow it to work undisturbed.  Should the time come when you no longer feel the need for it, you can: 1) toss it in the flame of a fire and let it burn to ash, 2) dismantle the bag and its ingredients and toss them into the trash, or 3) bury it somewhere off your property.

Does Sasquatch Exist in Arizona?

 

When you think of Bigfoot, the Pacific Northwest comes to mind, not Arizona. So, it came as no shock when Valley 101 listener Chris Shaver, who lived in Oregon prior to moving to Arizona, asked if there are Sasquatch or other mythical creatures in the Valley.

Surprisingly enough, sightings of a Sasquatch-like creature have been reported in Arizona, including one in 1903 near the Grand Canyon according to an article in The Arizona Republican. Several years later, when more sightings of a similar creature near the Mogollon Rim were reported, this cryptid soon became known as the Mogollon Monster, Arizona’s Bigfoot.

In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we speak with experts on metaphysical concepts, folklore, mythology and a researcher who says he has seen Bigfoot on multiple occasions.

[Source:  azcentral.com]