Asian Star

Our new favorite Asian restaurant.............this is their bento box of tempura for lunch/  I cannot even imagine what a dinner portion would be.  Friends wanted something different so we told them about our new find of this place.  They loved it as much as we do.   This place stands out brightly amongst all the fine mexican places here in this border town.  Heard about this on Yelp.com.  If you don't use Yelp you should that and urbanspoon.com.  Perfect if you are in an unfamilar area as the reviews are generally spot on and honest.

I just don't get it...............

As of right now we are staying in Yuma, Arizona.  Along with being a border town this area is  also  referred to as the lettuce bowl of the United States.

Please explain to me on why that on January 18, 2011 I went to the grocery store, purchase a head of lettuce for the whopping amount of $1.49.  I look on the packaging and I  see that this head of iceburg lettuce is from some podunk town in Florida.  WHAT!!!

Like I said I just don't quite understand the workings of the agriculture business.  Having said that wouldn't it be better to buy what is grown local???  Not just because I paid waaaay too much for a head of lettuce to be transported from Florida to Arizona.  I bet someone just like me in Florida is saying WTH am I buying Arizona lettuce for when they grow the exact same thing down the road.

I am a tad annoyed..........but then I'm the dope that paid $1.49 for the stupid lettuce that came all the way from Florida to my market here in Arizona.

Mines

Not yours or mine but silver and gold mines.  There are hundreds of them where we are right now, with the majority of them being silver mines.  But there are also hundreds of mine shafts in the area, so walking where one is walking is quite precarious.  Only walk or hike on suggested trails.

One in particular that we hiked the other day is the well know Castle Dome Mine.

Travel through rugged parts of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. Keep your eyes open for the abundant wildlife, which includes desert bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyote, cottontail, bobcat, fox and golden eagle. You can visit a cave once inhabited by Native Americans. Cross rocky McPherson Pass through the Castle Dome Mountains.  The recent rains did that pass in if they repair it before we leave we'll go back.  Hike to well-preserved cabins at Big Eye Mine.We stopped at the Castle Dome Mines Museum and learn about the area’s extensive mining history.Your trip starts out as an easy washboard gravel road which Mr is not afraid to travel on with the truck.  Anything more than that we walk.

Castle Dome was a small mining settlement which first produced silver and later lead. Since lead is not nearly as valuable as silver, the mine did not last very long.

Mining foundations,  buildings and miscellaneous mining gear remain.  The couple that now own the property have reconstructed many of the old buildings like the bank, the five saloons and of course there's always a brothel.

What I always find when on the desert are saguaro cactus.  This one caught my attention because of it's five arms which means it's quite mature.

Next is a very large lake in the area that we must go search for.

I bet I know

Where your lettuce came from.

See we are in Yuma Arizona which is just an extension of the Imperial Valley (huge growing area) in California. And about the only area in the country not having frigid temps. And while on that subject pray for those farmers and growers that are being frozen thruout much of the SouthEast.

Farm stands everywhere and a very large abundance of cauliflower has just been picked. Walk out smell cauliflower in the air.

The first photo is of butter lettuce which is one of my favorites to use for many lettuce wraps. Wish they'd get it picked.

Above you'll see that pretty red lettuce that I don't use often............. do you? Only when I make a special salad certainly not an everyday salad. But if I see it at one of the farm stands I'll certainly pick some up. Oh I bet it's good with fresh baby spinach.

We are just waaaaaaay too old

to have a toddler kitten.  Bogey does keep us going so maybe that's a good thing.  He also continues to be a good traveler.  We made another kinda short trip to the Yuma, AZ area.

We will be visiting several friends while here, doing some much needed marketing, finding the farmstand we visited last year and catching up on laundry, maybe even seeing a movie or two.

Spending the last three days in Thermal, CA and frequenting the local little casino there was quite fun, but let me say that place would be the only reason to return.  Not much going on there that's fer sure.  I did buy a t-shirt from the casino though............need a reminder of my good fortune  HA!!

Getting many emails and some of you cannot figure out where we are going to spend the winter..............guess what neither can we.  So we'll enjoy our time here and see what the weather brings a bit north.   But for those of you planning your summer trips yep we will be going back to Gunnison, Colorado.  Back to the folks we hold dear and an area we truly do enjoy, well except for the internet connection..............oh well can't have everything.

As always