Ray Henson's (rayhenson) Blog

I recently shared Paul Prudhomme's Chicken Cacciatore recipe.  It brought up some old memories of our trip to New Orleans at least 32 years ago.  Paul Prudhomme was my cooking hero then and I just had to go to his K-Paul's Restaurant.  It was fantastic!  Best of all, the Chef was in the house!I w...

We had just married when we started looking for our first home.  The market was on fire in the Sacramento area in 1990 and people were literally sleeping in tents.  It was a very tough time to purchase a home, so we ended up looking at homes that no one else wanted.  Homes that needed a lot of w...

Estrella Mountain Park is just South of Goodyear, AZ., so we decided to hike in the area.  It was a short drive for us of about 15 minutes.  The seasonal Gila River is just across from the park entrance and it was fun to see it flowing swiftly by as we crossed it. We learned at the park entrance ...

My wife, Mary Margaret, is from the South, so I learned to cook Southern food many years ago.  The first dish that I made for Mary Margaret was Red Beans and Rice. That is how I discovered Paul Prudhomme.  He took Cajun and Creole Cooking to new heights.  He also created the "Blackening" techniqu...

We recently visited the 55+ community, Victory at Verrado, in Buckeye.   It is a beautiful neighborhood located at the base of the White Tank Mountains. There is a fabulous clubhouse that includes tennis courts, pickleball courts, pools, a restaurant, an art studio and much more.  Rumor has it th...

We decided to try some hiking West of our home in Goodyear, Arizona, this week.  We have been hearing about the Victory Steps in Verrado and decided to give them a try.  There are over 300 steps that lead to a beautiful view of the surroundings.  The hike started off with optimism, but I quickly ...

We recently visited Gulf Shores, Alabama and decided to take a day trip to Fairhope, a quaint, old town on the shores of Mobile Bay.  As we were exploring the area, we stumbled upon a wonderful bookstore, Page and Pallette. They featured local writers and even had books signed by various authors,...

We just had the pleasure of hiking the Saguaro Loop Trail at Peralta Regional Park. It is the perfect time of the year to do the hike.  It was a pleasant hike with a cool breeze and many of the flowers are in full bloom.  They are in various shades of blue, yellow, white and red.        Peralta R...

I thought being a real estate agent was going to be filled with long days of happiness and joy.  I had visions of Ren and Stimpy singing, Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy, in my head.I quickly learned that could be the case, but many times it would be much more challenging.  I like to call it, what they do...

"But mouse-friend, you are not alonein proving foresight may be in vain:the best-laid schemes of Mice and Mengo oft awry,and leave us only grief and pain,for promised joy!"Robert Burns, To a MouseOkay, maybe that is a little over the top for a real estate transaction, but only by a little bit.  I...