As explained in yesterday’s blog entry, I had asparagus from the garden to go with Mom’s coming home celebration dinner of Shrimp Mango Tacos. I usually get the key limes at Global Foods, but when I was there shopping, they were out of key limes. The weekly arrival was not expected for a few more hours, but I could not wait so I got regular limes instead. They are good but no where near the wonderful taste of key limes on shrimp. This batch was made with the regular limes.
The shrimp is cleaned, cut into chunks and stir fried with a little olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. We like the tacos with some brown rice that has been fried with some olive oil and teriyaki sauce. The mango and avocado are each cut into pieces. Black beans and olive slices come from a can and then we have sour cream and our favorite Herdez Salsa Verde from Mexico. We can buy it at Global Foods and also Shop n’ Save. We have also included diced fresh tomato in the tacos but we did not have that this time. This is the spread of ingredients before making the tacos.
With good ingredients, how could it not be good? 
They were really good. They are quite colorful, but a little diced tomato would have added even more color. With the lime juice and the mango, there is plenty of vitamin C.
Of course, the first asparagus was really good with melted butter on it. It tastes “green”.
When we did the shrimp tacos last year, we used our traditional corn tortillas that were fried in oil to a chewy texture. The last couple of times of doing the shrimp tacos, we have used flour tortillas that were warmed/softened in the microwave. They are great both ways, but the flour tortillas are easier and you can fit more stuff in them
I picked the first ones yesterday afternoon, but Mom was not home yet, so I put them in the refrigerator so she could have some after she got home. We will have them as a small appetizer with tonight’s dinner of shrimp mango tacos.
The fruit trees have been blossoming for the last week. Here are the nashi trees. Since the squirrels end up eating most of the fruit, I do not get as excited about the fruit trees as I used to.
I took this photo of the redbud trees in the woods in front of the house this morning in the light of the sunrise. I wish the flowering trees kept the blossoms longer, but the trees seem to be about the business of producing seeds for the next generation. I can enjoy it while it lasts.
These photos were taken late Saturday afternoon (between the afternoon and priesthood sessions of conference). The pond was in the shade so it is hard to see clearly. The pond lilies are all growing again and should reach the surface in the next week or so. In the meantime, the clean water makes the rocks and brick that are holding down the pump and filter look closer than their 16-18 inches of depth. 
Next I will add fish and work on the back yard.
The skateboard without wheels, that was used a snowboard, is a fairly new addition to the woods, but I think the yellow sled has been there a while. I did not have personal experience with the “snowboard” but I remember pulling some small children in the small yellow sleds 20 years ago. Some of those small children now have small children of their own. There were some great memories with sleds going down “Killer Hill” and other exciting sled runs. The years, weather, mud and collisions with trees and other obstacles have not been kind to this old sled, so it is finding a new home in the trash dumpster. I thought I should post the photo so those with fond memories can see it for one last time.
Many of the trees have blossoms and it is starting to look very pretty.
