sok's attempt to burn his hands

Finished my first generation of hot sauces...

I haven't named them yet. I'm looking to include a reference to my Mexican grandma, a personified jalapeno, maybe a burning ass... but I haven't quite decided on my motif. 
Inspiration for said venture must be given his due, in my almost always willing to try anything son Garrett. He generally tilts his head down, looks to see if I'm about to steer him wrong, and then dives right in, part food-adventurer, part machismo in a world of NYC-salsa sisters.

One sensory-overwhelming trip to the Dekalb Farmers Market later, a few glances at online recipes, a bit of this and that, and we've created the first generation of hot sauces. Three versions, using Cayenne (recipe A), Poblano (B), and Anaheim Green chiles (C). 

Each of the kids, in turn, responded that the results looked more like salsa than hot sauce. They were not pureed fine enough for their FDA-labeling standards. Told them to 'shut-it', and enjoy the taste. 

The Poblano is the best-tasting. With this one, I roasted the skins ahead of time. I don't know if the roasting or the chile put it ahead, but it is rather enjoyable. It will be a staple at the table for while it lasts.

Time will tell if we enjoy or ignore this adventure. It was a fun afternoon with Garrett, and I was able to experience burning fingers for the next 36 hours; that's got to be worth something.

PS - do not confuse the Anaheim Green with the New Mexico Hatch Green. Or, if you do confuse it, don't confess such to me. I don't want to be party to the heresy.

WASH Practices and Skills

eMi Communities of Practice

Yammer response from Kevin Hale, eMi WASH disaster response volunteer:

Skills for WASH work that come to mind:

1. Calculate:
1. The dosage of chlorine to add to a well or other supply to disinfect it.
2. The amount of chlorine required to provide a safe but effective level or residual chlorine for drinking water.
3. How much water is required for drinking for a given population
4. The amount of available chlorine in whatever source is available
5. The TDH required to pump a given flow of water from a well of specific depth.
6. The required kWh of portable generators to run such pumps efficiently.
7. The amount of appropriate fuel required to run the generators.
8. The probable amount of wastewater flows for a given population
2. Use & Do:
1. Use and understand the results of, and the differences between, water test kits.
2. On-site percolation tests to determine the size of leaching basins/leaching fields required to serve a given population
3. Understand:
1. Cultural norms with respect to latrine use in the area being served
2. Level of disinfection required for water uses, that is drinking/bathing/washing and the ability to communicate this to the population being served.
4. Different water filter technologies and the physical sizes of viruses, bacteria and helminths with respect to the filer sizes.
4. Principles:
1. High tech solutions are rarely appropriate in the undeveloped world and certainly not in disaster response work.
2. Whatever solutions WASH teams recommend must be easy to understand and easy to maintain, and that local population must be instructed in how to maintain them with locally available skills and where any necessary resources for maintaining them will come from,
3. As in any consulting situation, teams must understand that the 'client' had not had years of engineering education and experience and likely will not fully comprehend what is recommended without teaching them the basics.

4 Corners Quest - The Route

For posterity:

 

Powder Springs, GA -- Albuquerque, NM -- Santa Fe -- Durango (via Pagosa Springs), CO -- 

Moab, UT -- Page, AZ -- Tusayan -- Holbrook -- Ruidoso, NM -- 

Dallas, TX -- Opelousas, LA -- Powder Springs, GA

4,400 miles

4 Corners Quest - Top 12 Parks

On the long ride home, Emily conducted an opinion poll to judge the 12 'parks' we visited on the #4CornersQuest. It was a highly scientific, double-blind survey. We used the same survey techniques followed by The Coca Cola Company in the 1980's when comparing themselves with Pepsi. It worked for them, right?

The break point of 'worth it' 'would do it again' (Mendoza line, so to speak) lies between Tent Rocks and Petroglyphs.
The two clear winners were Arches, where we spent 2 great days, and Lincoln, which was a complete surprise. "Murdertown" was the phrase of the day while learning about Billy the Kid. Didn't take any photos in Lincoln, as we were afraid for our lives.

4 Corners Quest - Photos - Tent Rocks NM

Tent Rocks National Monument

We like to call these photos "Proof of Life"

End of the Hike