PCO

What's a PCO?  Well, it's an acronym for "project, challenge and opportunity."  I guess you could say we are always on the prowl for PCO's.  When one PCO is finished, we start looking for another one.  That's pretty much the way it is.  The trick with successful PCO's is to look way far out in the future and cultivate a wide range of PCO's.  Try to tackle PCO's that are actually "doable."  If you tilt against a windmill too tall, you're probably not going to succeed in completion of your PCO.  We try to tilt against small windmills.  We're more successful that way.

Well, one of our latest potential PCO's was spawned yesterday.  We're pondering a project to build one or more earth ovens down at our place at Montezuma Well.  We're even lobbying Goatherder into becoming a collaborate and co-conspirator in this PCO.  It's actually not as daunting of a PCO as it might seem to be at first blush.  There's no need to reinvent the wheel here--this type of Project dates back 10,000 years and has untold thousands of ardent devotees, many of whom share their plans online for free.  Check this link to see what we mean.

So, the project is pretty straightforward.  The challenge would be to see how quickly we could get a workable oven into production.  The opportunities here are wide and diverse.  In the first place, this PCO is rife with Happy Hour opportunities.  The opportunity to stand around with beverage in hand while pondering the next move is a very endearing and enticing opportunity.  The opportunity for social networking is vast.
Think of the near endless entertainment opportunities of such a PCO!  And think of the food that would issue forth from an earth oven.  WOW!

The photo of the earth oven used in this blog post came from this link.  Search Google's Images using the phrase "earth oven" and/or "construction of earth oven" to see the incredible range of styles and techniques used in this arcane but popular culinary architectural practice.  Goatherder sent along this Sunset magazine plan for an earth oven.  He reminded me that he and I had talked about this PCO years ago but it went nowhere.  Maybe it's time has come this winter!  Thanks, GH.

Well, one thing has led to another and now we have a new acronym--the PCO has become the EOP!  And, naturally, it now has its own dedicated blog, too.  You can click here to read all about it.

Cheers, jp