Raised Beds and Banana Muffins

 

I will be posted more of my vintage postcard collection..hope  you enjoy the beautiful graphics..and please feel free to capture any if you so wish....
Our trip to Encintas was rather disappointing, photowise...mostly just modern condos and such, nothing really interesting....sadly, so much has built up and the old torn down that the cities are just one continuous link of strip malls, condos, and such..if you didn't see a city sign occasionally, you wouldn't know where you were....not like the old days..
The weather has warmed up..it was actually quite warm yesterday, 86 and today its supposed to get warmer...we worked outside, doing some needed weeding..and planted more tomato seeds...

Our neighbor put his raised beds in the front lawn..they have done extensive remodeling of  their home..the room you see had been the garage..they built a second garage on the left in their back yard....so they don't have much garden space in the back....We think it looks nice and they get quite a bit of good vegetables. I noticed  last weekend, that the local Lowes had raised beds in their nursery for sale...reasonably priced also...very similar looking to the above....

This morning, I whipped up these giant banana nut muffins...had some very ripe bananas....these are really yummy!

Jumbo Banana Nut Muffins

1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. softened butter or margarine
1/2 c. sugar (or Splenda)
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. ripe mashed banana
1/4 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
1 c. broken walnuts
preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease (or Pam) nine large muffin cups and edges of cups...
In one bowl, mix together, flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy; beat in eggs. Stir in mashed banana, milk and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and stir just to combine. Stir in walnuts.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan or cups. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until done. remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan, finish cooling on rack..these freeze well..

Another cool morning with fog...so longing for some sunshine....I know how you all feel in colder climates..spring can't come soon enough, can it? Later today, we are going to be making a road trip to Encintas, Ca,.a beach city so hopefully I'll have some photos...the weatherman says it will clear and warm up....its supposed to get up to 76 degrees today.....but then us Californians have thin blood...anything in the 50s seems cold to me....its what you get used to.

Did I ever mention that I was a Jobs Daughter as a teen? My dad was in the Masons....I say this as I entered into the organization in Encinitas...although I was part of Bethel 139..in Oceanside, they had a special ceremony in Encinitas....its a young women charitable group, based on the book of Job...mainly it was to make friends, do good works, and built character in young women....we dressed in long gowns with different cords that showed what rank you were......mostly purple and white cords...I still have my purple one....it seems a little weird now but as a very shy teenager, participating really helped my shyness and I gained confidence...its what my dad wanted although I entered kicking and screaming...the thing that was great..in Jobs Daughters, you don't have to be from a certain social class, be the best athlete, or be the most popular girl in school..there is an element of theater in it with the different ceremonies which is rather fun....
my dad later left the Masons because at the time, they didn't let African Americans participate..since that time though, things have changed for the better. I do remember Job's Daughters  with fondness ...memorizing all the scripture brought me closer to the Lord.
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Happy Monday

Still cool and overcast but the sun is trying to break through the clouds...I hung out tons of laundry this morning ..

Our fig tree is leafing out...it never ceases to amaze me that as well as new green leaves emerging, there are tiny new figs coming at the same time..this tree is wonderfully prolific....we trimmed it back quite a bit last fall and trimmed especially the lower branches as if you don't.the tree looks more like a bush....

Alan put some stakes and a bungee cord to pull the tree straight as it wanted to slump toward the house....this was last year.....our tract house is about 25 ft. from our neighbors on either side....I've noticed that new tract homes are very close together with tiny yards.....another good reason to buy an older home..we have a 10,000+ sq. ft. yard and have 4 different fruit trees, boysenberry bushes, roses, a large area for a vegetable garden, strawberries, and some lawn.
As its been so gray and chilly, I wanted to spuce up our front porch ...so bought some pretty flowers,
hope they do well..the porch gets morning sun......

wishing you a great day and a wonderful spring....

More Rain and a Spring Video

we woke up to gray skies, cold temps and rain on the way again...the garden seems to like it ..the potatoes, onions and beets are growing like crazy.....thought you'd like this spring video posted on youtube by the pro organic people....

Rainy Friday

It really poured rain last night and into today.. cold , and wet.....up northwest of us on the Grapevine, they've had the most snow in the last 40 years....and this is spring! No snow here but all the mountains are covered....

I finally dug out my heavy black hooded coat we bought the last time we were in Iowa, some 11 years ago to walk the dog....and wondered why I hadn't worn it before now...its very warm with a fully lined and furred hood....usually our winters are very mild and no heavy coats are needed...so perhaps our weather is changing....also found the down gloves I had bought.....and tucked them into the coat pockets just in case....I put a little quilted raincoat on the dog too which (I think) he appreciated..he didn't object anyway...being part Chihuahua, he has a very short coat and likes warmth.....we quickly went to the field..stayed on the high ground as there are lots of mud puddles and he enjoyed the romp but we had to be quick as it started raining again as we came back. He hates rain so ran at break neck speed home, dragging me behind him on the leash....he's also part fox terrier so has lot of energy....
Yes, he needs his toe nails clipped but is so sensitive, we have to have the vet do it and then,he has to be sedated...its quite a chore..

Alan had 3 jobs today, one lock out.and two foreclosures...we've been really busy lately which is a blessing..I didn't go with him as we have a plumber coming to repair the new water heater....when they did the sandblasting, it was damaged...keeps going off and not having hot water is not a fun thing.....
I plan on doing some needed chores I've put off..ironing, washing floors, and cleaning our two bathrooms...not fun but needed....so after I finish this post...its off to do some housework...one thing about housework, its always waiting, isn't it?

Coffee and Spice Cookies, A Vintage Recipe

My old Betty Crocker first edition cookbook from 1950 has some of the best recipes...this is one of them...hope  you enjoy them with your afternoon tea or evening  hot cocoa..I know we are..

Coffee and Spice Drops

Mix together thoroughly...........        1 c. soft shortening                                Temp. 400 degrees

                                                       2 c. brown sugar

                                                       2 eggs

Stir in............................................. 1/2 c. cold coffee

Sift together and stir in.....................3 1/2 c. flour

                                                       1 t. baking soda

                                                       1 t. salt

                                                       1 t. nutmeg

                                                       1.t. cinnamon

Chill at least 1 hour. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls about 2" apart on lightly greased cooky sheet. Bake until set..just until, when touched with finger, almost no imprint remains.   About 8 to 10 minutes . This makes about 6 dozen 2 1/2 inch cookies. I added a walnut half on top of each one..they would be good frosted also with a butter cream or maple frosting. These cookies are not real sweet...

This is a versatile cooky..with  a few additions, you can have classic Hermit Cookies...follow the recipe and to the dough add 2 1/2 c. raisins and 1 1/4 c. chopped nuts. Be careful not to over bake.

Or

Mincemeat cookies for the holidays....just add 2 cups well drained mincemeat to the dough.

Or

Spiced Prune Cookies...Follow the recipe and add 1/4 t. ground cloves with the other spices. Then mix into dough, 2 cups of cut up cooked prunes (well drained) and 1 cup chopped walnuts.

and lastly,

Applesauce cookies...follow recipe..add 1 t. cloves along with the other spices. Mix into the dough, 2 cups applesauce, 1 cup raisins and 1/2 c. chopped nuts..bake 9 -12 minutes.
These freeze well also..would be nice to tuck into the freezer and you'd have something if unexpected company came......

I found this old cookbook at an estate sale some time ago with the idea of selling it but have grown to love the old photos, and recipes so its a keeper.....plus a first edition is special......I found a photo on Etsy and snagged it so should share the link if anyone wants a copy...this one comes from Sallys Vintage Kitchen shop

its the same cookbook I have.....

Our weather has been on the cool side, 50s during the day and cold at night in the high 30s....lots of rain and wind...very foggy this morning...another storm is expected this evening and its predicted a doozy....heavy rain in the mountains and valleys...great for California though....hopefully no bad fire season this year.....

Wednesday Chat

Just finished these willow primitive tags...they will be in my online shop....I'm also going to be stitching more towels which will be going to a consignment store in Washington state.....always have to be stitching if I'm not gardening!
Our regular business has been slow this week so Alan has continued working on the garden area...as you may know, this was lawn just three years ago....we decided to take all the lawn out completely and put a wooden walkway around the area.....

the garden slopes towards the patio and when it rains, we have a muddy mess so this should help..

Here is the one side finished...still a work in progress....this section of lawn wasn't really being used for anything and was wasted space. A short brick wall is going in also as the garden itself is  higher than the walkway....my project is to stain the fence that you can see at the far end.....I like to paint so that will be fun.....its been rather cool, rainy and windy...so haven't been able to stain it yet.....

Over the weekend, we splurged a little, and bought several new DVD's at our favorite store, Fry's,, there are only two that I know of, although I know there must be more...its a fantastic store...mostly computers, office supplies, and such. Usually, I'm not too crazy about going to such stores..more a guy thing but this store is just so much fun.....they forbid any photos but I did manage to sneak one...here we are looking through the DVD collections..this is just one aisle..there are about 10-15 aisles...and you can find just about any DVD you are looking for..we like the BBC mysteries so added two for our collection...Inspector Lewis and Inspector Lynley..
Its a huge warehouse type store....under the sea decorations with mosaics on the walls of sea creatures, a huge saltwater aquarium as you come in, a snack bar, and more....its a treat to go there...we got our TV antenna  also on another trip..plus the little monitor I am using.

A reader asked if Quack was still sitting on her eggs...she had about 15 in there, which we removed and now there is another 5. We did blow some out...as I've been thinking someone might like them for crafting...the duck eggs are more sturdy  than a chicken egg and larger...difficult to blow..both of us got light headed after doing about a dozen or so...LOL!

Rainy Day Mondays

This is the cheapest gas in our town....phew! and I heard on TV last night it could go up even more..of course, this has a ripple effect..food is more as we are all finding out...I've been reading my favorite blogs and some are having to sell their farm animals as it's just costing too much to feed them....
Some time ago, I told you about the website.Off The Grid News and the free newsletter they send out....they are giving away free, a 33 page ebook called Food Shock..to newsletter subscribers that is well worth downloading....
hope you take advantage.....
We've had cold rainy weather this last two days...so put our little tomato peat pots in the garage...so far they are doing fine and the seeds have sprouted. We have seedlings! The seeds we ordered from Penny's have germinated right on time....Alan worked out in the cold wind yesterday..we are taking up the grass that is around the garden, and putting down (well, I don't know how to describe it really) but he's putting down wood, outlining the garden...it does look alot better and one step closer to sq. ft. gardening...I would post a photo but its just too rainy to go outside right now. Of course, the duck loves it, although yesterday she didn't like the wind..it was really windy, in the 25-30 mph range..not so windy now........Alan also re seeded the lawn which isn't in garden......and got the grass ready for spring.....

Kingston has recovered completely from the stomach upset.....he doesn't like the rain or cold at all.....we have a little coat he wears that is quilted but he hates wearing it.....rather be inside on his big pillow covered with a flannel blanket....frankly, so would I!

Two Unusual Finds

Yesterday we re keyed a foreclosed house and I found these decorative knife, fork, spoon and ladle in the kitchen dishwasher..they were splattered with grease. I ran them through the dishwasher and hot water..they came out sparkling clean. I also found these unusual aluminum items..we believe they are for squeezing citrus and garlic.....

I'd never seen any of these before..and have no idea if they are vintage or not...there are no makers marks..there is a tiny chip on the ladle that is almost unnoticeable unless you look for it, otherwise in very good condition...there are holes for hanging on the back of the utensils. No damage on the aluminum pieces.
Any ideas, anyone? I know that decorative utensils were popular to hang  in the 60s and 70s...

We woke up early to cloudy skies, cooler temperatures and rain....took all the peat pots into the garage as we didn't want them drenched.....and also we put a little rain coat on the dog..he's in the garage too..Kingston was really sick yesterday....both ends....and we watched him carefully...evidently he'd eaten something that didn't agree with him.....just came him lots of water and he slept most of the day....he's recovered now..Alan found him chewing on mulch bark which may have been the culprit...he took it away quickly......poor puppy doesn't know that some things are just plain bad to eat!

$50 Gift Card Giveaway! Mary Ann Miller Handcrafts

Mary Ann Miller is having a 50.00 gift card giveaway from anything in her Etsy shop.....she handcrafts lovely
purses....this one is my favorite...

although it would be a hard choice with this one too

so head on over to her blog to sign up....you know you want to...Handcrafted by Mary Ann Miller

Happy St. Patricks Day!

Hope you wear some green today! Does everyone have some Irish ancestors? even if you don't, have a wonderful day!

The Prim Nest

I wanted to let you know about a new website I discovered called the Prim Nest...I like country and prim decorating, find it warm and livable...people who visit our home often comment how cozy it is...but we do have some modern twists so I guess its more eclectic than strictly prim which is ok.....anyway, the Prim Nest is a primitive folk art marketplace with 27 artists at this time......some very nice, unique creations to enjoy...
I'm a big fan of faux baked goods and Oodlekadoole primitives is one of the artists featured at the Prim Nest....I absolutely love Sues' patterns....just look at these cute faux peanut butter cookies...

and you can get some of her patterns on Pattern Mart  as well as finished goods at the Prim Nest.....
I have this pattern and love it..

Our family is growing up...our oldest will be moving out soon and our other son is making noises about moving out too in a year or so .....at first, I felt not a little empty but realized this will give us more room in our small house.....more room to explore my creative side and really spread my wings as all my crafting has been at the kitchen table. Every time I want to sew, I have to drag out the sewing machine which is in our closet to set up and then take down...all my craft stuff is in a cabinet in the same closet..and not well organized.
Alan wants to do woodwork also as a second business so between the two of us, it will be new adventure!

Thoughts on a Tuesday

I don't know but as I get older, it seems like day light savings time is rougher every year....took us two days to recover from the time change..do you have have the same reaction?

Today we drove to San Diego to escrow rekey one house and to do a cash for keys on another one....cash for keys is a program that many banks have, the previous owner will sweep clean the house and leave it in good condition, the bank will offer them a certain amount of money for the keys....its a good thing for both parties as the bank gets the house back in somewhat good condition and the home owner gets enough $ to put towards a rental. Although sometimes, people don't really understand what swept clean  is...the house we re keyed yesterday was rather a mess, with trash by the curb, and messy rooms....the realtor wasn't very happy...
Today the house was clean, but someone had taken a perfectly fine 1950s house, remodeled it badly and painted it garish colors,  bright mustard yellow and deep burgundy walls in the main part, one florescent green bedroom and another room painted with large dots and stripes...the realtor went through with her assistant, and together they wrote down everything that would have to be done..first thing was call the paint contractor.The living room had been cut in two and made another bedroom out of  half..I heard the realtor calling her building contractor.....another restoration which should make the house much like it was originally.

Speaking of houses..I added an additional page on this blog for interesting house and cottage photos..so far I have all the photos we took in Redlands, Ca and hope to add more to this in the future.....some of the photos you may have seen, but there are some others I've never posted before.

More Signs of Spring ,Tomato Seeds and Mustard Seed Faith

The nectarine tree is in full bloom now and looks beautiful.....the bees love it too...the peach tree is budding and has a few blooms so in a week or so, it will be in full bloom too....the apple takes longer..

Mrs. Quack is very broody right now..built herself a nest under our African sumac tree and is sitting on about 8 eggs..we don't have heart to take them away...she carefully lined the nest with her downy feathers, and leaves.....she's been sitting on it periodically most days...

Pekin ducks are not known to be good mothers but perhaps she's an exception.....as there's  no male duck,  she has a long wait!
We got our order of tomato seeds from Penny's Tomatoes..and planted the 12 varieties  in peat pots...we could still get some cold nights so thought better of putting them directly in the ground....the tomato seeds are all organic and heirloom varieties....I love some of the names....Mortgage Lifter for one..others are Two Timing Willie, Pineapple and Bodacious Beefsteak....they came very quickly after ordering and we got free shipping as they were running a special the weekend we ordered.  Alan also ordered some cherry tomatoes too. Both yellow and red varieties.....all of us like the cherries, as well as our animal family..both the duck and  the dog love them....Alan ordered Chocolate Cherry and Golden Cherry.....
Last week I think I mentioned we had planted onion and potato starts..they are all coming up! That was fast...and we discovered the dog likes onions so we're having to keep him kenneled...as he eats the tops of the onions as they emerge..is that odd?

 Prayers going out for Japan....no one can really be prepared for a 8.9 earthquake...its just too devastating...my brother and his family on Oahu were evacuated and spent a harrowing night in a shelter but are home now..no damage or injuries there...the big island got the worst of it but it wasn't near as bad as it could have been..California and the west coast was on watch but no problems to speak of....we are just too far away....the surfers loved it though..
Some people get so alarmed and fearful...when we know that God is in control, we can have peace through the storm....yes, its good to be prepared..and we can all do more of that..but after doing all, give it to God....
Many feel strongly we're seeing the last days, and if that is true, there will be more and greater disasters ahead. So while you are preparing in physical ways..storing food, water and supplies, prepare spiritually too..
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Review: Belvedere Designs

I was asked to do a review of custom family car stickers from Belvedere Designs which was really fun to visit....we've often seen these family stickers on cars and vans..thought they were cute and wondered where to get them.......I didn't have a clue but soon found out that Belvedere has some of the nicest ones.....after I ordered, the box came very fast..within 4 days which was refreshing...how many times have  you ordered something and took weeks to get?....the box had a good instruction page..we waited to put these on as it rained last week..
The stickers come on a roll and were very easy to apply....we both think they are very cool.....only wish we got more cats stickers and a dog and a duck.(they don't have ducks..hint, hint, Belvedere)..they have many different styles you can order, from

to

and cute bears

and more..the family stickers can be personalized..I went with baking and Alan with tools...Don got a swimsuit and Matt, a ball/bat as he is now playing softball on the weekends.....fun!
Belvedere also has wall quotes and I am so tempted to order a one for our bedroom....

which makes this company interesting, not only do they have darling wall and car quotes, you can design your own! There is a page on the site where you type out what you want, whatever color and font you want and there ya go! Custom Vinyl Lettering! this would be great for the school room, church , business and office.
Their website has a gallery with many ideas for using the stickers and one thing that is REALLY good as these stickers remove easily and don't mar the walls...great for renters, students, and children....
finally, they wanted you to know that they are on Facebook and often post discounts..if you send a photo of your wall quote on the friend page of FB..you may win $50...many people have posted the way they've used their quotes and its really fun to see what's been done...gives me lots of good ideas..





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Spring has sprung

We've been working on our taxes, what a job after the fire!...we had to dig through boxes to find all our saved receipts..finally found everything so I've been making spread sheets...worked almost 5 hours on it yesterday...not my favorite thing to do by a long shot...still have about another 4 hours to go today..but then it will be done....next year we will be more organized...fires, hotel stays and storage can wreck havoc on your records....
The weather here has been wonderful, in the high 70s, sunny with a slight breeze....great for gardening and also hanging laundry....I changed our bedding to spring as the nights have been warmer and we haven't needed the heavy comforter....this quilt was made by my mom, hand embroidered state birds...and I made the pretty white lacy pillow which I think sets it off nicely.....it has French lace trim and doilies that my grandmother had crocheted..

Its beginning to feel like spring now! nothing like fresh line dried bedding, and cheerful colors to brighten the room.....and also our nectarine  tree is almost in full bloom!

Spring is sprung

Da grass is riz

I wonder where dem boidies iz

Da little boids is on da wing

Ain't dat absoid

Da little wings is on da boid

Snickerdoodles!

With our son, Matt needing to make lunches every day...I made him some snickerdoodle cookies which were a big hit..in fact, they're about gone today..he put about 10 in his lunch box as well as snacking on them last night......these were so easy to make...and cheap! They are made from a yellow cake mix which I pick up when they are on sale...the cake mixes were only .75 cents a box....The recipe comes from "101 Things to Do with a Cake Mix" by Stephanie Ashcroft...

Easy Snicker Doodles

1 yellow cake mix

1 t. vanilla

1/3 c. vegetable oil (I like canola)
2 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugar and cinnamon well and set aside. In a bowl, mix together cake mix, vanilla, oil and eggs..this will make a nice dough. it will be a little stiff....Shape cooky dough into 1 inch balls or like a walnut..roll in the cinnamon/sugar mixture..Bake for 8 - 10 minutes...this recipe makes about 2 1/2 dozen depending on how large you make them...

This little spiral bound cook book has so many good recipes..you can make bar cookies, dropped cookies and also specialty cakes such as Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Upside Down German Chocolate,  Strawberry Decadence, Quick and Easy Apple Crisp..with the new Pillsbury Sugar Free and Gluten free cake mixes , these could easily be converted to delights that everyone can enjoy.

You can get your own copy through my widget...I only recommend cookbooks I actually use..This cookbook would be wonderful tucked into a gift basket as a shower gift or for a house warming, along with a few cake mixes, a bowl /spoon, and a pretty dish towel / apron.

Road Trip, Part 3, Wind Farm

I was going through my photos and remembered I didn't share about the wind turbines we saw on the freeway..these are similar to the ones around Palm Springs...its interesting in that they place them in such a way, it looks like you're going to drive right into them while on the road....

There are 25 turbines on Campo Native American land..its called the Kumeyaay Wind Project...these turbines generate enough electricity to service 30,000 homes and the Indians get the money for the land lease. You can read more about the project here.
I've been getting up early every morning to see our youngest off to work..he has to be there at 6 A.M. so is up at 5...I like to be up and I think he likes it too....he said this morning he actually enjoys going to work and loves his job...he is working for Soil Retention .They  design and make  plantable concrete systems..he's on the bottom rung, of course, but there is room for advancement and they pay well....in 3 months he will get health and other benefits so its all good. What an answer to prayer! We used similar concrete blocks when we made our retaining wall...

You can see it through the French doors..we gained about 12 ft. of yard space doing that....Alan and the boys did it when we first moved in....over 100 ft. across...

Clara, Great Depression Cooking

I have posted several of Clara's you tube cooking demonstrations before which are always a delight and her stories are so interesting..wanted you to know she also has a book!
.

Older people have so many stories to tell....my families older members are all about gone now....if you still have older people in your family, cherish them....I know I do...
You may order  Clara's book through my Amazon widget,  and I get a small percentage...there are only 7 of her books left!

We worked on the garden Sunday....planted some beets, and put tomato seeds in peat pots..the weather was very nice, warm and sunny..in the 70s...we had planted red potatoes and onions earlier in the week. We've also been working on our taxes, its THAT time again....plus Alan and I pulled out some of the big pieces of furniture, and cleaned behind them..guess that counts as spring cleaning! Still loads to do, but we got a good start on it....
Our granddog is barking right now..its in the evening and he wanted me to tuck in him...he waits to go to sleep until I wrap a blanket over him in his kennel, say "nite, nite" and turn off the light...he sleeps in the garage....he looks so cute all wrapped up with  just his nose sticking through the covers...the garage is insulated and warm...and he doesn't have to deal with 3 cats.

Road Trip, part 2

Something I failed to mention yesterday is the mountain pass is legendary for strong winds....winds gusts can get up to 60 mph or more with no warning....it can be sudden death to trucks....we didn't have a problem that day thankfully and we have a small car..but there were plenty of semi-trucks on the road, going very slowly in anticipation of a wind gust....

The house we rekeyed in Calixico had been cleaned and remodeled by the Fannie Mae people...it had been a foreclosure...Alan said the first time he had come, the previous owner had taken off the front door, and the garage door, left the house in a complete mess...now, its been sold..has all new doors, fresh paint and carpeting and looked wonderful...it was in a new housing tract on a nice street.....Fannie Mae has a branch called FAS or field asset people who refurbish these houses and I will say, they do a wonderful job.Something good that the government does......the lawn was lush and green, flowers were blooming..it looked great.
It didn't take us long to re key it for the new owner.....I takeoff and put back on the locks, Alan re keys them,  he checks my work, and we make sure the new keys are usable. We were done in less than an hour.
We are a good team now..it took me some time to learn how to install the locks but now I can do it almost blindfolded..LOL...guess old dogs CAN learn new tricks!

Afterward, we decided to go to lunch...and were looking for a Micky D's.....the GPS sent us south and then turn right..we ended up on the above street...with this high fence...every block or so there was a border patrol truck parked along the fence line with an agent...we couldn't figure it out..kept going ...and going... and going when it suddenly dawned on me...this was the border! the other side of the fence was Mexico....the fence is very tall...probably 25 ft or more..and heavily fortified. I didn't get a good photo of the border patrol cars, but you can see them in the distance down the street......

Driving back, I noticed this unusual white group of buildings off the road...turned out it was a plaster gypsum factory...you may also notice the desert floor..it hasn't been invaded with weeds like California's high desert has...

Back to the 8, we had to stop at a border patrol barrier......they were checking every car and truck...they had one car on the side and were searching inside the trunk...this used to be common but not so much now......

Frankly, we don't mind and consider the border patrol agents as heroes...they do a difficult job...the lady agent above was all bundled up as the wind made it cold to stand outside...we noticed for the first time, a spike strip had been laid down across the road, the spikes were down of course, but could be raised in just a few seconds in case of emergency.....that was something new for us......
I really enjoyed the trip..and would like to go back one day...do some exploring in the mountains....we've been deciding what we wanted to do when we retire...sell the house and have an RV....there was a RV park tucked into one of the valleys. It would be fun to travel this great country of ours..staying where ever we wanted and moving when we felt like it... Nomads!