I guess you do not technically die in Stardew Valley… but the fact that combat and loss are part of the game remains an aspect I did not expect. But more on that in a bit. Stardew Valley Splash Screen Having passed through spring of year two we were on to summer and a new set of crops. That was an opportunity for my daughter to expand our growing area, adding in a couple more quality sprinklers and then once again walling it off to keep the farm animals out. The new summer crop layout There were many melons planted because we just need six gold star quality melons to complete the quality crops bundle at the community center, which is another step towards unlocking the greenhouse. Meanwhile, our cash flow from crops, mayonnaise, cheese, and preserves was enough that we decided to pay the gold to finish off the vault bundle in the community center. That got the bus repaired as we slept that night, and the next day we decided to take our first trip to the desert. Tickets are a bit steep… the Pelican Town economy is strange… but at least it put Pam back to work… though given how much time she spends at the bar, maybe driving isn’t the best choice. But we bought our tickets and got on the bus. Pam waiting as we get on the bus There is but one destination for the bus, which is the Calico Desert, the first piece of new scenery I had seen for a while. The bus arrives in the desert The desert holds a number of attractions, including the sandfish, one of the rare fish needed to complete one of the fishing bundles at the community center. We went right to that as the sandfish was on our list of things to do. Desert fishing is a thing I got out there and cast my line into the very blue pond, pretending to help, but she caught the sandfish while I was pulling in some seaweed. How does seaweed get into a desert pond? She also shook a coconut out of one of the trees, something for the exotic foraging bundle. That done, we checked out the local shop for new seeds, found that the casino was not yet available to us, and then decided to give the Skull Cavern a shot. We had acquired the skull key from having reached the bottom of the mines, so we were able to get in. Into the Skull Cavern After that things did not go so well. The mobs were a bit of a challenge and I was having to heal up quite a bit. I also learned that, unlike the mines, there is no “elevator save” here and that if you want to get down to the bottom you have to do it in a single go. But it was mostly the mobs that were a problem and I ended up losing all my health, fainting, and then waking up back in the clinic in Pelican town. Revived from my trauma – Good thing I wore the red shirt… forgot my brown pants though Again the crazy economy of Pelican Town meant that emergency surgery to deal with my critical injuries was available for the price of two bus tickets to the Calico Desert, or the quarter of the cost of a goat. It was just 1,000g. Also, you lose some random items. Nothing of particular value went missing for me, and I found out later that you can even buy back the lost items over at the adventurers guild. My daughter was soon at the clinic as well, the Skull Cavern having kicked both of our butts. It might have also been a day of unfavorable portents. I forgot to check the fortune teller. At least the sandfish made it back. The next day we decided to give the quarry mine a shot. Unlike the mines or the skull cavern, the quarry mine is all on a single level. You just have to navigate its passages to get to the end where, on the first go, you can claim the golden scythe… which is just a scythe, only it is gold which, in the Stardew Valley verse, is stronger than copper or steel, but not as strong as iridium. Also the place is full of these flying skull things that will kill you dead… or at least cause you to pass out. In the quarry mine… aieee, skulls! We got pretty far along… but I still ended up in the clinic with another bill for 1,000g for emergency surgery. Stardew Valley must in Canada or some place where the don’t just have healthcare for rich people. My daughter, however, made it to the end and collected the scythe. So we’ve got that going for us. Then, in a rather random moment I wandered into the saloon only to find myself in the cut scene for the end of the Gus’ Famous Omelet quest, in which a giant omelet, made with the 24 eggs we provided, has been completed and served up for a few select customers. Of course Pam is there, she is always there This was really only worthy of note because I am pretty sure we finished that quest in late fall or early winter, and it was now summer. I guess I don’t wander into the Saloon all that often.