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We had a wonderful evening on Thursday when Jan invited us over for cannelloni and salad.  When asked if we could bring anything we were told to bring fresh tomatoes from the famous tomato plant that has been featured in previous posts.  This will be the last of the tomatoes from the plant, and it is looking a little on the tired side, the way tomato plants do in the late fall in your garden.

By staying late in Q we are also getting hints of things to come, the changes we will all see in the fall.  Most of the change is not for the better.  All winter we have been raving about the excellent romaine lettuce we have been getting from Lamm's produce stand.  Unfortunately there will be no more-ever!  Lamm's produce has been forced out of Q,  probably by the rising rental rates for lots, and the reality of an ever shorter selling season.  We watched them dismantle the stand over the past few days.  A number of the other vendors in that corner have also decided to move out.  Rumor has it that they are going out to Salome to set up for next year.  We wish them all the best luck.

The Lamm's site.  The building frame was cemented in. 
Think about moving tailer sized coolers.

All winter we have been watching the work crews remodeling the old fast food restaurant that sat on the N W corner of the west interstate exchange #17.  They have now opened a Carl's Jr. fast food restaurant.  Looks like they will have all summer to train their staff. It is nice inside.
 

Change is also coming to the Main Event.  Earlier this year John with Altamont Beads and treasures.
told me that he would not be in the Main Event next yr., but will have a hard side building in Prospectors Panorama next yr.  When He left this spring he very graciously donated his tent to the Quartzsite Gem and Mineral club. 

We are now seeing major construction activity on the east half of the Main Event where a large steel frame commercial building is going in.  I was told it will be a tire store,  guess we will find out next winter.

 

Also on the move in that little corner of Q,  the classic car dealer who has been located to the west of the Love's truck stop has moved up the street to the West and is now located behind love's.  No indications as to what is going on in that corner.  The classic cars are gone, they have dug the sign out, and are recycling it at the new car lot.  All that remains are a number of "classic"  manufactured homes. single and double wides.  My thought here is that the best thing they could do with the junk trailer houses would be to push them in a pile and let the fire dept. practice.

Our favorite Pizza place, "My Brother's Place" is also looking for a new home.  They had been located in front of the Q Laundry for a number of years, and have been asked to leave.  Story circulating is that the laundry did not want them cluttering up the frontage, blocking the view of their building.  I had heard that several vendors were suggesting a boycott of the Laundry.  They stated there are two other perfectly good laundrys in town, If the Q Laundry was going to do this to the vendors and snow irds.  I personally will miss the Pizza, and hope they find a new location.  Don't think there is a need for a boycott, but everyone can make up their own mind.

The Q laundry might also loose out on a bit of their business if the Isiah 58 project is forced to relocate.  Heard that our local shelter for the homeless was forced out of their present building behind the Quartzsite General Store and will now be going into the vacant buildings that used to be the home of a solar dealer on Moon Mtn Rd.   Seems like the powers that be in town did not appreciate the soup kitchens good works and the down and out people who were its clients, and are trying to get rid of them.  We will see if they get to move to the new quarters.  In the mean time we have seen the local characters up on the interstate exits looking for rides out of town.

Rice Ranch will also have a new look next fall,  Baudry RV has purchased, or leased the North side of the Ranch and all the vendors are being asked to vacate the North side and rebuild on the south side.  There are a lot of unhappy people in that little corner of Q.  Can not see much of a positive change here, after watching Baudry RV take out the Silver Buckle and all the vendors on that corner last year.  Just what we
need another black topped parking lot.

Not to be negative, but it seems like the Economic undercurrents, and the local powers that be are actively trying to run the vendors out of town.  They seem to think that the big RV Dealers are their ticket  for economic development, but they forget that the snow birds and vendors came here because of the special atmosphere that developed in Q,  It is now the growing pains that we get to witness.  It will be fun to see how much things change this summer.

Helped close the Quartzsite Gem and Mineral Club for the summer this morning.  There was a good showing of members who scrubbed, dusted, swept, raked. cleaned and visited for one last time.  Things went fast, and we were mostly done by 10:30 this morning.  Of course when they put the potluck food out the cleaning duties were forgotten as the members of the club went for the desserts and goodies that were set out.  Will miss going to the rock club.
 

And the sunsets always are a wonder to behold.  Last night the hills to the east had this wonderful glow as the shadows crept through the valley floor and up the hill sides.  It was a sublime moment that makes the  desert of Arizona the special place we love. 
 

Now on the road next week heading back up north.....

The links to all about Quartzsite and the web sites of the shows