Scottsdale Spectacular on the Lake

McCormick Ranch, off Scottsdale Rd

You can’t miss this great light show on the east side of Scottsdale Road at the entrance to McCormick ranch…the great thing too was..

so many lights

…as I stood outside and got closer to the tree…walking on the grass toward it…what was I hearing…

inside the limbs and lights

…GEESE!!  There were what appeared to be at least a hundred of them floating on the lake in the darkness.  They did make themselves heard though.

Wonder if they were honking, “Merry Christmas?”

Phoenix 100 Club Tree

I popped out of Chicago just in time, what with the chilly temps!  I took a couple classes this past week in Phoenix and saw this little gem in an office window:

Phoenix 100 Club Office

cute

remember service professionals

sweet

Phoenix 100 Club Office

Interestingly, later that evening, I saw the front page of local paper, The Foothills Focus (Dec 9, 2009 issue), “Couple’s light show aids families of service personnel” – a story about the home of Mike & Barb Mulvenna which features over 70,000 lights and this year is accepting donations for the 100 Club.  “The 100 Club is a non-profit organization that comes to the aid of the families of police and fire personnel who are seriously injured or killed in the line-of-duty.”

The Mulvenna home is located at 505 E. Desert Ranch Rd in Phoenix and the lights run nightly from 5:30 – 10 pm until January 9, 2010.

Now, that’s bright Christmas Spirit!  I’ll post pics from our future visit to see these lights!

Christmas Flies at Midway Airport

Christmas flies at Midway Airport

En route to A-gates, I spotted this cute little tree off to my left.  Christmas and a white picket fence!

Part Tree, Part Picasso

Part Tree, Part Picasso at Daley Plaza

Hungry for Wiener Schnitzel?  Need a cuckoo clock?  Maybe a nutcracker?   There’s all that and Christmas caroling, not to mention a big, beautiful tree at Christkindlmarket at the Daley Plaza.

The Tree

“Tree of Lights”

Salvation Army's "Tree of Lights," John Hancock Building

“Now that’s a lot of lights,” first words out of my husband’s mouth.

I tried to find out just how many, and this year’s brief isn’t specific about the tree but according to last year’s brief from the Salvation Army, the 2008 tree was 40 ft and 5000 lb…that IS a lot of lights even though I still couldn’t find just how many!)

It’s nice we don’t need specifics to quantify our “oooooh!!”

Here are some additional shots:

Christmas is...looking up!

Flags and Lights

Tree of Lights and The Four Seasons

Trump Chicago Tree

Trump Tree, Chicago, 2009

Tree in the main lobby at the recently completed “Trump International Hotel and Tower.” Friends who recently stayed here said it was spectacular.  Enjoy!

A Tree for 3, December, 2009

Bin 36 Holiday Tree, Uncorked

Bloomie’s Christmas in Bloom