Yuma Lettuce Days

Yuma just celebrated lettuce days.  They've had this festival since 1998.  Yuma grows 90% of the leafy vegetables that supply the US during the winter months.   The agriculture here is amazing.  They grow new lettuce every 21 days.  There are crops I've never seen growing before like artichokes and celery.  They also grow a lot of crops for seed.  During the festival they have tours of farm fields and salad tasting.  There is a celebrity chef doing vegetable carvings and whipping up some interesting taste treats out of the leafy greens.

Everyone here is madly enjoying the sun and heat before they have to head back north.  The pool is full everyday and everyone is out biking or walking.  Every afternoon there are groups getting together to enjoy cocktails on their patios.  The buying and selling of RV's, houses and park model homes is in high gear.  The deals are pretty good with lots of Canadians practically giving their stuff away because they can no longer afford to come down.  Of course they were buying everything up back in 2008 when our economy was tanking. 

Long Billed Curlews

I love watching these birds go after insects in the grass.  Normally, these long billed birds are seen on the coastal beaches poking the sands for a meal.   They migrate south and if they are lucky (or maybe its unlucky) enough to land in Yuma the only area they are attracted to are the golf courses.  Its the only places down here that have green grass and the insects they love.   Its amazing how deep they can poke those beaks. 

We only have a month and a half left to enjoy Yuma.  Its been perfect weather in the low 80's with beautiful sunrises and sunsets.  The end of February means the beginning of the exodus north.  Many of the winter visitors start to slowly head north.  They don't go too far north or else they hit cold weather too soon.   Since our job doesn't end until the end of March we get to be here when it starts to really heat up.  We will keep you posted as the temps rise higher.    

Yuma Territorial Prison Museum

Yuma celebrated "prison days" this past week.  The old prison is now a museum.  What set it apart from other prisons back in the 1800's was the weather in Yuma.   The prison cells were ovens in the summer and cold in the winter.  It had to have been a horrible place to serve time.  There weren't many if any escapes and surprisingly not a lot of deaths because of the heat.  Although you have to wonder if that fact is very accurate.  No one wanted to end up in Yuma prison.  If you've ever seen the movie 3:10 to Yuma either the old movie or the remake that was the threat. 

We have taken a job for the summer in northern Minnesota at a resort called The Pines of Kabetogama Resort.  It has cabins and a campground all brand new.  We can't wait to get back to walleye fishing!

Telegraph Pass

 

I cheated and took these pictures off of the internet.  This is the view from the top of Telegraph Pass.  Its a short little "mountain pass" you go through right before you get to Yuma on Interstate 8 coming from the east.  Its a very popular hike up to the top.  Its paved part of the way up.  The marines stationed here will run up the two and half miles as part of their training.  We've walked part way up and its pretty even if you don't make it to the top. 

Its finally starting to feel more like typical Yuma winter weather --80 degrees today.  Its gone from low 60's to 80 degrees and looks like its here to stay.  At least I hope so because we may end up working far enough north where it won't be very warm until June if we are lucky.  We will be enjoying this weather as long as we can.