We moved to Queen Creek, Arizona in 2004 and purchased our first home. We were attracted to this part of the Valley because of the rural heritage of the area. When we first moved here, there wasn't any traffic or stop lights. The following housing boom brought many more neighbors to the area. Although traffic has increased and big box stores have replaced the cotton and corn fields, we still love it here.

When we chose our property, we fell in love with the house plans and the extra large back yard. It was perfect for our growing family. I envisioned many happy hours spent in a garden with my children playing nearby.

Eventually, our passion for fresh food and good home cooking merged with our joy of gardening and resulted in our own little experiment to raise and grow a little of our own food. We enjoy working the garden, planting and harvesting as a family and taking care of our animals. We gather fresh eggs every morning and will soon enjoy turkey and chicken that we have raised ourselves. We try to incorporate everything we grow into our meal plans; with my husband's wonderful cooking skills and my love for baking, we enjoy everything and savor the knowledge that that our hard work pays off. No, I am not Martha Stewart (nor do I claim to be) and my husband is not a chef, but we have fun together and enjoy our blessings.

We had a nice long spring with unusually cool weather - we enjoyed it while it lasted. Now, the summer heat is upon us again and triple digits are here to stay. Soon the monsoons will come and we will have to watch out for dust storms and hard rain. Monsoons cool us down and the rain is something we all need. The dust storms can be a little scary and when they come out of the east we can see a wall of dust 40 feet or higher as it marches across the desert. I will post some pictures soon.

Our area here in Pinal County is going through an identity crisis and is in the midst of trying to figure out if we want a new name. Since we are out of the Queen Creek town limits several new names have been proposed including Bella Vista, Superstition Valley and others. A recent vote was taken by residents and we will now be known as SAN TAN VALLEY, ARIZONA. The vote took place this week and the 80,000 residents in Northern Pinal County have made thier choice clear. This is no little feat as there are thousands of homes here and several factions still want to be a part of Queen Creek while others do not. With our own name our area can move forward with a separate identity from Queen Creek. However, the movement for incorporation of our area has stalled - we are not sure if it will be revived any time soon. There are pros and cons for incorporation so we will see what happens.

The economy has affected us all and so too with us. Some of the big box stores here in Queen Creek have already closed and now sit empty. Many of the houses in nieghborhoods near us also sit empty and barren - the yards filled with weeds. Some of our neighbors gave up and walked away from thier houses and some small businesses here are also feeling the pinch and closing thier doors.

Whatever your situation, we wish you the best and encourage you to find ways to make your backyard your own little sanctuary. Find ways to ease your stress by enjoying activites with your family and friends.

Thank you for visitng Crosby Country! Come back soon!

Bridgette, Mark & family

Contact us at: 480.987.9256 or via email at bridgette@crosbycountry.com.