Sand and Salvation

One of the most educational experiences of the century was a tour of the farms of Imperial Valley, major supplier of the world's produce and bringing over $1 billion annually. The land is so fertile it will produce at least 3 times more than the usual average crop (in, say, North Dakota)... if only you give it water. Thank you, Colorado River! Besides learning a lot and being in awe of the complex operation these friends of ours were running, we couldn't help but be appalled at the bizarre way our country is fed off the mass manipulation of nature.... and made us never want to eat romaine hearts or beef again.

On a lighter note, has anyone seen Into the Wild? Just a few minutes north of our uncle's hotel (attention birders: check out the Calipatria Inn and Suites!) we encountered an unexpected but delightful surprise: Salvation Mountain, a mound of adobe-topped straw covered in layers of paint by its late creator (may he rest in peace... we missed his memorial service by just a week). Quite the interesting pronouncement of a God of Love.... in the middle of the desert. We would have stayed and added a few strokes of paint if we'd had more time.