Linda Mae Croom (928) 768-3040

Four month old Phantom entered his first competition in Clairmont, California this weekend at The Rare Breed Association (ARBA) Dog Show.

Phantom is a Cane ( pronounced "connie") Corso and is following in his sire's footsteps, Scandifio's Nino, a great champion with purebred Italian bloodlines.

Phantom won (3) 1st Place Puppy, (3) 1st Place Best of Breed Junior Puppy and (3) Best of Breed!

We are all so proud of him. He is a great addition to our family and we love him dearly. He is so gentle and full of love. He will grow to be approximately 140 lbs. of Love to be exact.

As you can see by the picture below, Phantom and my grandson, Micah, had a Big Day.

Billy the Kid & Jesse James

I knew when I moved from the city limits to the rural unincorporated valley I'd be in trouble!

The cat limit in the city is three and I was always hiding at least one or two. BUT NOW?

I have a total of 11, yes, that's E-L-E-V-E-N cats and kitties. That's not bad, REALLY! Two weeks ago I was up to 19 but I have since found homes for some of these precious bundles of fur and purr.

Miss Kitty & her babies Amos & Andy and Bert & Ernie Laurel & Hardy

Johnny Cat

This is part of thier kitty room. YES they have their own room!

Not pictured: Sam, Abby, Rudy, Lucie & Lillie. If ever you are in my neighborhood and would love a new companion call 928-542-1734 and I'll give you directions. All of my furry friends receive thier shots and are spayed or neutered. They are litter box trained and are gentle loving babies. They will cuddle in your lap, sleep by your side, follow you from room to room and love you beyond measure.

AND ALL THIS LOVE IS MY GIFT TO YOU AT NO CHARGE.

WOW! $3.45 a gallon here today. With my Maverick card that's another 4 cents a gallon discount!

Haven't seen $3.41 a gallon here in Arizona for quite a while. How are prices in your area?

I just came back from a short hiatis to California and the lowest I found around the Ventura area was $3.85.

Thought I'd share some pictures of our newest business makeover in the valley, The Maverick General Store and Gas Station. They tore down the small outdated building this past fall and for our little community the Maverick is now a very delightful and refreshing little market and place to fill up the tank with very competive fuel prices. It has one of the new RedBox DVD Rental Boxes out front. If you are not familar with RedBox you can rent all the movies you want for 99 cents a day. Believe me folks, that's a big deal in this little rural community. They outdid themselves on the interior decor. Every wall is a colorful unique outdoor wilderness scene. If you're ever in our area make sure to stop in and check it out, fill up the tank and buy a refreshing drink.

A massive wind generating farm will be built in the Griffith area in Golden Valley just southwest of Kingman and not far from the Shinrump off ramp on the east side of I-40. Construction of the area’s first wind farm is set for October, planting 15, 200-foot turbines. The turbines have 125-foot blades. The 15 turbines are estimated to produce 15 megawatts of energy, enough to power 7,500 homes. The site is located approximately 1-1/2 miles east of the McConnico/Interstate 40 interchange.

The project is expected to benefit the local economy by an estimated $5-$10 million through local services like equipment rental, food, lodging, hardware and material purchases, and generate $150,000 in property taxes.

Looking For an adventure with the family this weekend?

Keepers of the Wild is a non-profit wild animal sanctuary and nature park located northeast of Kingman along Route 66 in Valentine, Ariz.

They house over 150 neglected, abused or endangered exotic animals, including lions, tigers, wolves, monkeys, jaguars, raccoons, ostriches and other wildlife.

Public Hours of Operation: Wednesday- Monday (they are closed Tuesdays) Hours: 9 am to 5 pm

Cost 16.00 per adult and 10.00 per child . Senior and Group Discounts are available.

For more information on Keepers of the Wild, visit their website at http://www.keepersofthewild.org/ or call 928-769-1800 for more information.

Have a Great (and safe) Weekend !