Happy Dog
November 30, 2009 Posted by: ERIN
NOTE: No turles were harmed in the taking of this photograph! (It was a very old shell he found behind one of the field station buildings.)
Home Remedies
November 21, 2009 Posted by: ERIN
For the past couple weeks, Tom has had this nasty, lingering cold/flu thing. After hearing him cough for several days, one of the ladies in the office decided it was time for him to have some "bush", as in bush medicine. You know, brewing up native plants into healing teas and salves. It's quite a common practice around these parts, and the locals swear by it.
So she brought over a bag of croten (crotin? kroten?) leaves, and instructed me how to brew them. It was easy, just boil for several minutes, then Tom should drink the water all day. It had a nice herbal aroma as it bubbled away. And Tom reported that it didn't really have much taste, which was a plus because sometimes these things can be quite potent.
I also opted to whip up a batch of my own home remedy. I like to think mine was much tastier. It's great because you can be serving up hot, homemade soup to the sickie in your household in about 45 minutes. Since it seems to be cold and flu season everywhere, I thought I'd share:
Erin's Quick Chicken Noodle Soup
From the Kitchen of Erin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, peeled, chopped in 1/4-inch dice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium zucchini, quartered, chopped in 1/2-inch dice
1/2 onion, chopped in 1/2-inch dice
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
3/4 teaspoon dried sage
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 and 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
3 cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 can water
1 chicken breast, diced
1/3 package wide egg noodles
In soup pot, saute carrots and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for 3 minutes.
Add zucchini, onions, and spices, and continue sauteing for 5 more minutes.
Add the broth and water. Cover the pot and raise the heat to high. Bring the soup to a boil, then add chicken and simmer for 3 minutes. Add noodles and simmer for 8-10 minutes more, until noodles are al dente.
While Tom has been feeling a bit better, it's unclear if it was the tea or the soup. But if you can't get your hand on some croten, you'll just have to settle for the chicken noodle.
Flotsam
November 7, 2009 Posted by: ERIN
We've come across some pretty strange things washed up on the beach. Lightbulbs, hard hats, doll limbs, and the corner of a Walmart cart. There was the time we found a bowling ball ... that was pretty crazy. But so far, this one takes the cake:
It's a television!
I know what you're thinking. Seriously? Would that even float?? Apparently so. And it looks like it had been in the water for quite some time, because it even has barnacles.
I wonder what its story is, and I really hope it's more interesting that just falling off some garbage barge. Maybe it was heaved into the ocean by an angry mother, frustrated by the fact that her children would rather stare at it than play on the beach where they had rented an overpriced summer cottage. Or maybe it got bumped overboard off the deck of a freighter when what was supposed to be a relaxing afternoon among crew members turned into a nasty brawl.
Sadly, we'll never know.
She ran me ragged!
November 2, 2009 Posted by: ERIN
Last week my college roommate, Chanda, was here for a visit. She wanted to experience absolutely everything that San Salvador has to offer, and I aimed to please. Honestly, it was exhausting! We hit all the beaches, snorkeled at a different stop everyday (sometimes twice a day), hiked, spelunked, star gazed, and visited the historic sites. We saw sea turtles, a pelican (the first and only one I've ever seen here), a HUGE barracuda, and even the feral cows. She sampled the local fare as best as a vegetarian can, and I dazzled her with my chili and falafel skills in the kitchen.
Her visit was the most time we've been able to spend together since our days at the UofC, and it was really great. Thanks for coming, Chanda! And hurry back!!