Stout Waffles, Recycling Center field trip (again)

We are having such a nice time with Mom and Dad. Oliver started back to school today, and afterwards, all of us went to the Montgomery County Recycling Center, a really cool visit/field trip for pretty much anyone in the DC-area. Both my boys love it (today was J's 3rd visit, Ol's 2nd), and Mom and Dad found it fascinating. I am always entertained and impressed by the Rube Goldbergian system of conveyor belts and shaking contraptions which funnel and sort huge amounts of recyclables past the hands of workers who must ache by days' end, having hunched over to sort for so long. It's a really neat place and the sheer amount of everything is overwhelming. This is one center in one county in a state that is actually committed to recycling, and you just know all that's piling up is a fraction of what could be recycled. I always just sit there staring both gratefully and mournfully: the former because at least someone is doing something but mournfully because much of the world isn't and the Earth and its creatures are being asked to absorb all our waste. It's just impossible that we can sustain this degree of output.

After we got home, we popped popcorn and settled into a family viewing of Harry Potter #3. During the film, I remembered that I needed to test Spiced Stout Waffles for the Your Best Beer contest on Food52 so scurried to get them made and tasted before the deadline. They are quite good and I will definitely make these again. Gorgeous, eh?