Kind Of Normal....This Time Of Year.....

Last week, The Farmer did a little traveling for "business" ;)

He needed to catch a flight from El Paso, and so we jumped in the car and headed that direction.

When we left our home it was quite windy, which is not unusual for this time of year.  In fact

it is expected.  The Farmer's wind stories, from when he was a Kid Farmer...are just

heartbreaking!  I mean to tell you...the days he couldn't leave the house, ride his bike, explore

at the river....or just simply play outside, those days have been burned into his memory like

nothing else.  Each year...when the wind arrives...the childhood stories begin....The Darlings roll

their eyes..because it is sooooo much worse for them.....and that is when you know, the season

of wind is in full swing!;)  My personal reason that I dread this time of year, is simply this....

DIRT!!!

Yep.....DIRT!  Because we live in a farming area...naturally there is dirt everywhere....and I don't

mind the dirt.  But when it begins to blow...that is another story completely!

Every inch of our house is layered with dirt for a few months. No matter how you clean it

the dirt is ever present!  In fact there were years that I actually rolled up towels and

place them in the windows to control the dust entering the house.  Really, it didn't do

much to eliminate the dust....it just helped to contain it.  When we did some work on our house

a few years ago....my most important request was...windows that would keep the dreaded

dust OUT!!!  The Farmer agreed....I am pretty sure he was tired of my frustrations during the

windy time of year.  I am happy to report, that although the problem is not completely gone...it

is much more manageable. So, back to the story.....

As The Farmer and I made our way to El Paso, we found ourselves caught in one of the worst

sand/wind storms that I have seen.  We were only able to travel at about 10 mph for quite a long

distance.  It was pretty incredible!

Again...The Farmer took the pictures with his iPhone...and came up with some impressive

photos.  After what seemed like an eternity....we passed through the sand storm...the

wind didn't stop, but the sand and dust became less of a problem.

We arrived at the airport...on time...The Farmer was able catch his flight...

I was able to return home without any problems...

It was an adventurous day... pretty normal for this time of year!

Traveling South...Instead of...North...

It seems we are on the road most every week...usually heading North, which is a good thing for

me...that means I get to shop a little in stores I am familiar with.... and enjoy, it means I

get to savor a meal that tastes entirely different from the food found in my "neighborhood,"

A trip North is usually a pretty good thing.

So, last week as I was preparing for the weekly trip "North"...I usually have quite an agenda

prepared before the trip and a long list of "needs"....In the midst of gathering my "plan"....

The Farmer announced that along with traveling "North" we would also be traveling....

"South."  I quickly said never mind...I didn't want to go...to which he replied..

"come on...it will be fun....Chihuahua is a fun city!"  I said..."hummmmm....."

to which he said...."you never go with me to Chihuahua...it will be fun...I promise..."

And that is when the guilt set in...so I agreed.  I think the reason I don't enjoy traveling

"South" is really because I couldn't find my way around Chihuahua City if my life

depended on it...and usually The Farmer is tied up in meetings so that leaves me....

tied up in meetings right along with him.  I knew that it would be the case this time too...but

The Farmer assured me that there would be great photography opportunities....and he would

take me to see some interesting "stuff."  So off we went....headed North for a very quick trip

to El Paso....after a couple of meetings we crossed the border once again...(twice in one day!)...

and headed to Chihuahua.  It is about a 3 hour drive from El Paso, but the highway is

really nice...unusual for Mexico;)  We soon came to a little town...and as we were entering

The Farmer began to explain that this little town was famous for it's Quesadillas....

How could you be famous for a Quesadialla, you ask???  I asked the same question too!

"It's all about the cheese...." he says.

The cheese is called Asadero, and it is made in that same town, which is also the home

to many very large dairies.  Which by the way was very obvious due to the sent wafting through

the air on a cold winter night;)  It was also around this time that The Farmer began to recount

many fond childhood memories of passing through this town...the Quesadillas he had eaten there...

and another fairly recent memory of he and The Missionary Boy...sharing a Quesadilla

moment together.  Now that one touched my heart!  In Mexico it is common for little

towns to specialize in one thing...and become famous for whatever their specialty is.  It actually

is one of the things that endears me to this country.  As we entered the "Quesadilla Town"...

also known as Villa Ahumada...I noticed that the highway was lined with roadside stands...

and there were many.....that were willing to make us a Quesidilla.

The Farmer selected the "stand" and we parked the car.  No need to get out of your car...

they come to you!  How many Quesadillas would you like????  Would you like to take some

Asadero Cheese home with you???  Would you like to try a Chile Relleno Burrito too???

(they are also famous for those too!)  And last but not least....Would you like your

car washed while you wait???  These are all questions that we were asked...having never left

our car!  How's that for service?  The Farmer ordered...one Quesadilla...one Chile Relleno

Burrito...and Yes, one car wash!  I got out of the car and enjoyed taking lots of pictures..

and I must say...the workers enjoyed having their pictures taken too!

Along with the famous burritos and Quesadillas...you must also try the sauce made

with the very liquid in which the Asadero cheese was cured, mixed with green chile,

jalapeno and onion.  It was extremely spicy, but the flavor was yummy!

This is served as a salsa for your Quesadilla.  Every stand has their version of the

special sauce!  That is really what makes the Quesadilla extra good...the sauce!

It was a Quesadilla adventure like none other!

Just a side note...while getting my hair cut today...I was telling the hairdresser about the

"Quesadilla Town"  and she got a big smile on her face and began to tell me about her

own personal experiences eating there...raving about the "special sauce."

Each vendor owns their own Quesadilla cart...some are really decorated, with lights and

anything else they could think of that would help them stand out from the crowd of vendors.

If you are even in area of Villa Ahumada...I would highly recommend that you stop

and enjoy the experience of one their famous Quesadillas, complete with the special sauce!

Stay tuned...the fun of the trip is just beginning!!