Yuma, Arizona

Of Course, as everyone knows, Yuma is famous for it's Sand Dunes, but few people realize, the city is actually mostly built on a huge Sand Dune. Located at the confluence of the Gila and the Colorado River, the native people have farmed this rich valley for centuries, however, as in most of the Arizona valleys, flooding is regular and sometimes severe. In many places, the Pueblos were located high above the valleys, even in the cliffs adjacent. It must have been quite a hike to the river to farm the crops. In the Yuma area, this has not been a problem, since the sand rises steeply out of the valley floor, and it was possible to live right above the Flood Plain.

This was naturally appealing to the White Settlers, as well, and indeed, there was never a problem getting water. Shallow wells provided all the irrigation water needed, and it was only necessary to build dikes high enough to keep out the floods. To be sure, at various times, the unpredictable Colorado River, following heavy Snow Melt flooded the entire valley, wiping out anyone in it's path. Since the building of the Imperial Dam 20 miles north, however, the river was tamed once and for all and Arizona Farmers are assured of a constant water supply, having carved out a deal with the water hungry Californians, whereby, they are still only using about half of their allottment.

The Imperial Dam Diversion provides water for eight different Water and Irrigation Districts. The Yuma Mesa actually receives water from three of these, so there is no shortage of water in Yuma at this time. To be sure, there are a few rock out-croppings within City Limits, but for the most part, The City sits on pure sand. Immediately off this huge mesa, the irrigation farming starts and runs for as far as the eye can see.

The Yuma Proving Ground

This really is an Ol' War Horse. I counted around a hundred scars on it from getting hit with various calibers of machine gun fire on this Sherman Tank. Some are visible in the Photo.

This is a Motorized Anti-Aircraft Gun. I don't know if you can tell, but it is Double Barrelled.

This is not actually a Tank, but a Mobile Mortar Launcher.

First time I ever saw a Tank Crossing Sign.

This is the Helicopter at the Front Entrance to the Yuma Proving Grounds.

Vincent's Angina Ulcer. (Trench Mouth of the Tonsil)

Trench Mouth and Hydrogen Peroxide

You may be interested in the bottom line on the Trench Mouth Discussion. Trench Mouth is caused primarily by Staphylococcus Aureus. Poor Dental Hygiene is a contributing factor, and Soldiers suffered from it while in the trenches in World War I, hence the name. It can be very painful and does not heal well with simple Mouthwashes of alcohol base. One needs to rinse the mouth thoroughly several times a day with 3% Hydrogen Peroxide. Doctors and Dentists will usually prescribe Antibiotics, yet they use the Hydrogen Peroxide to sterilize their equipment. It is about the cheapest treatment you can find for all kinds of things that may ail you, including HIV/AIDS. I had been treating my current much milder case with E & J Brandy as a topical mouthwash, but it has not responded in four days. Tody, after a little research, I headed for Walgreen's. A Twenty Dollar Bill bought me a fresh bottle of E & J, 135 Softgels of Omega-3 Fish Oil; 1000 mg, 120 tablets of C1000 plus Rose-Hips, and a 16 ounce bottle of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide. A pretty cheap fix for a lot of what ails me, say I.

It should be noted that Doctors in America are resisting these cheap medical treatments and in so doing are causing the problem to get worse. I am pretty certain I got this current infection from the hot tub at the motel I am at. This pretty well tells you it is a resistant strain, like the last Ear Infection I got at a similar Hot Tub in West Fargo, North Dakota, some years ago. These resistant strains of Staphylococcus Aureus are caused by Doctors prescribing antibiotics.

The Shrimp Fisherman Statue at Puerto Penasco.
TheBlogger Welcomes you to Northup Family BLOG.

The Harbor at Puerto Penasco and Condominiums.
TheBlogger Welcomes you to Northup Family BLOG.

Donna's Brother, Steve, In Mexico

Steve and Donna With Josh at Puerto Penasco.
Donna and I along with Josh, journeyed to Puerto Penasco, with a single sheet of paper containing address and telephone number information, to find Donna's brother, Steve, who has been here for seven years and no one had heard from him in over three.

I knocked on the first trailer door I could find to talk to a Mexican who might know where to find Steve. He took me to the local store, where Josh bought a bottle of Mexican Coke, for $2.00 minus 2 Pesos. The gal there tried the 'Phone number that we had been trying in the States with no luck. It got us right through to Steve, and I talked with him briefly, before heading up-town to meet with him. Most of the streets are dirt and there are no street signs, so there is no way we would have found him without the Telephone call. Ten minutes later, we were following his blue Neon to his humble abode in Puerto Pinasco, Sonora, Mexico.

He had brought two travel trailers with him to Mexico and built a sort of Kitchen/Dining area between them out of scraps of lumber, seven years ago. His girl-friend has a son who lives in one of the trailers. He has a third trailer in the yard that he rents out to another fellow...two dogs and a couple cats make up the rest of the family. He has to go outside and then into another lean-to shed to shower or go to the bathroom. He has still another little shed for his shop, but he keeps his tools in the trunk, because if he puts them in the shed, they will get stolen.