February is deemed the month of love and if there is one thing we love is giving back to our local community. This month we are presenting the opportunity to do that in 2 separate ways with a Diaper/Bottle Drive and our Annual Blood Drive. 

The Diaper Drive benefits UMOM, a women's shelter specialzing in helping families with emergency and affordable housing to prevent homelesness. Monetary donations, diapers, toiletries, bedding etc will be accepted in the office throughout the month. For every donation item that is brought to the dance on Saturday February 7 DJ Frankle will play a personally requested song. Please see the flyer for accepted items, we will not be accepting clothing during this donation drive. 

The Blood Drive is February 15th and Vitalant is offering an incentive of $25 in Rewards gift cards* for all donations Valentine's weekend. Please use the link below to schedule your appointment. (* Must use code GIVELOVE-2026-V when scheduling appointment to receive gift cards. Donor Rewards program opt-in required to redeem gift cards in the online store.)

Blood Drive Link:  https://donors.vitalant.org/dwp/portal/dwa/appointment/guest/phl/timeSlotsExtr?token=BbA%2FaGgOV5SRCCqHkEEGjNjL5lcV8u%2BoztXeJCD8sSE%3D

We end the month with a favorite dance for all, The Costume Dance on February 28th. Think non-scary Halloween when dressing for this theme. Keep in mind that we are family friendly establishment; if you would need to cover a child's eyes, if they saw the costume, then it should not be worn. 

Do not walk through peoples' sites as a short cut or to "pass through". It is extremely inconsiderate, a violation of privacy, not good neighborly behavior.

Your gate code is yours. Do not share it with anyone, including delivery or ride share drivers. Giving out your code can result in membership, or residency, revocation.  

The American Association for Nude Recreation AANR is announcing the AANR Naturist Choice Awards to celebrate excellence in Nudism. It's time to recognize your favorites that make the Naturist community an important part of your life. Vote here https://www.aanr.com/naturist-choice-awards/  for your favorite Nudist Resort and Social Club, Nude in Nature Spot, website, and social media account to help crown this years winners. You do not have to be an AANR member to vote. 

Join us at North Valley Escape Room, located in Anthem, adjacent to Walmart, on Sunday February 22 at 12:30pm, for an afternoon of puzzle solving, socializing, and downright FUN as we all try to work together to beat the clock and escape various rooms!
There is a $30 per person cost associated with this outing, payable to the office. This can be charged to your Ranch account. You must RSVP no later than Monday February 16 so we can plan with the business.
This event is open to all residents, members, family etc. However, be aware that some escape rooms can be physically demanding for some including but not limited to standing for up to 2 hours, crawling for short distances, or climbing over obstacles may be required.
Just remember to RSVP with your party size, and pay, NO LATER THAN MONDAY FEBRUARY 16th.

New River seems to have five seasons each year: spring, summer, autumn, winter — and WEED season, of which we are in the midst right now! Yards and public spaces are green with our annual friend, the chamomile, and one of the most common words heard around the Ranch these days (at least one that may be printed) is Gesundheit!       This is also the time when the question, “When are you going to spray?” is often asked. The maintenance crew needs to have just the right weather conditions over at least a three-day period in order for Don’s magic elixir to be effective. In the meantime, we are reminded that Shangri La residents are responsible for maintaining their respective lots, as many have already started. However, where is the best place to put the weeds after being pulled is always the conundrum.

Let’s set the record straight: weeds, and any other landscaping, should NEVER be tossed onto the mulch pile, placed in a plastic bag, or thrown into the dumpster. The mulch pile is only for green waste that has gone through the chipper; the organic material created needs to be shredded to be useful. Throwing green waste into the dumpster takes valuable space away from the copious amounts of household rubbish generated when occupancy is high and there is already a lot of questionable habits concerning the use of the compactor — but that’ll be a subject for another time.
So, where should we put the pulled little nasties? Like any landscaping discards, simply place them in front of your lot and they will be picked up. Easy! If you have a tarpaulin, lay it down for easy clean up. Use a trash barrel – or ask for one to be delivered – or request a trailer if there is a huge amount. Putting them in plastic bags is just a waste of a bag since they will just be ripped open and thrown away.
The greenery around the Ranch may look nice on the short term but soon the chamomile will dry to its familiar brown and pose a fire hazard. Let’s work together as a community to keep Shangri La Ranch looking its best and out of the weeds — our guests and our sinuses will appreciate it!

The ranch has a small trail and walking path around the property. The top portion of the trail offers an elevated view of the property as well as a mausoleum in memory of Horst and Gigi. There is a small table to enjoy a rest and a memory. Along the trail we have installed memorial bricks to also honor others that have left a lasting impact through their time here. If you would like to purchase a brick to commemorate someone you are welcome to do so at your convenience for $25 per brick. Follow the link below, customize your brick through the options presented, and order. All bricks will be approved by the office, shipped directly here and then you can place the brick yourself, anywhere you care to along the trail, or we will do a placement for you. Any questions please contact Cyndi in the office. https://www.thatsmybrick.com/shangrilaranch  

This Valentine’s Day, many of us will follow the centuries-old tradition of gifting red roses to the object of our affection.

There are some 400,000 species of flowers in the world, many of them just as beautiful as the rose, but none is such a timeless symbol of romance. Ever wondered why? We took a brief stroll through the history books to find out.

Magical Rose Myths

Fossil evidence suggests that the rose is about 35 million years old, so it’s little wonder that it crops up in many ancient stories! 

Have you ever realised that ‘rose’ is an anagram of Eros, the Greek god of love? Greek mythology tells it that Chloris, the goddess of flowers, was walking in the woods one day when she came across a lifeless nymph. Saddened by its untimely demise, she transformed it into a flower so beautiful that it would be judged The Queen of Flowers by all of Mount Olympus. Aphrodite, the goddess of love and mother of Eros, named it ‘rose’ in honour of her son. 

The rose’s association with devotion can be traced back to another Greek myth. Legend has it that when Aphrodite discovered a murder plot against her mortal lover, Adonis, she dashed through a rose bush to warn him and cut her ankles on its thorns. Her blood turned the white petals red. Upon discovering that she was too late and he had been gored by a wild boar, she wept as he died in her arms. Her tears mingled with his blood and burst into anemones. 

Roses and the Romans

Roses were popular throughout the Roman period, where they were used for medicinal purposes, perfumes and as confetti. Newly married couples would wear rose crowns and their beds would be covered in rose petals, linking roses to love and sexual desire. The phrase ‘sub rosa’ or ‘under the rose’, meaning ‘confidentially’, also hails from this bygone age. Roman ceilings were often adorned, painted or engraved with roses to encourage guests to keep whatever was uttered beneath them private.

Knights and English roses

Fast forward to the 15th century, when the House of Lancaster and the House of York crusaded to rule England in a series of bloody battles that later became known as the War of the Roses. 

The House of Lancaster’s heraldic badge was a red rose and the House of York’s, a white one. In 1485, the Battle of Bosworth saw Henry Tudor, a Lancastrian, defeat King Richard III and become King Henry VII. His marriage to Elizabeth of York unified the rival factions and the red and white Tudor rose was born. 

The rose has been the national flower of England ever since this bloody time, with the term ‘English rose’ commonly used to describe a naturally pretty brunette with porcelain-like fair skin, flushed cheeks and pink lips.

Shakespeare’s favourite flower

The word ‘rose’ appears more than 70 times in Shakespeare’s 16th century plays and sonnets, and it is the flower that he mentions the most. 

In the opening lines of Venus and Adonis, the bard describes his male hero as “rose-cheeked”, referencing the aforementioned Greek myth. More famously, in Romeo and Juliet, Juliet of the House of Capulet argues her case for loving Romeo, of the rival House of Montague, with the line, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet”.

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook the chicken breasts for about 15-20 minutes or until fully cooked.
3. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks or a stand mixer.
4. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken with cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, green onions, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
5. Place about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture along the center of each tortilla.
6. Roll up each tortilla tightly around the filling. Secure with a toothpick if necessary.
7. Place the rolled taquitos seam-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Lightly spray the top of the taquitos with cooking spray or brush with vegetable oil for extra crispiness.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the tortillas are golden brown and crispy.
10. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly before serving

 https://simpleandclass.com/recipe/cream-cheese-chicken-taquitos/

The ranch is once again going out to a Baseball game at Sloan Park on Tuesday March 17th. The game starts at 6pm. Cost this year is $100 each this includes your ticket, food and basic drinks (water, lemonade, ice tea). Please contact the office to sign up and pay (can charge this to your site).

March Celebration/St Patricks Dance March 14th

Prom Dance March 28th