Bloggy New Year!

Bo: Ah, New Year's Eve, a day (or rather night) of celebration among friends, families, and strangers.  And this year is an even more important one; yes folks tomorrow it will be the infamous year 2012.  


One thing I started doing every year was to make a mini-bucket list.  

Typically a bucket list is all the things that a person wants to accomplish before they die (and I do have one of those).  But, two years ago, instead of making a New Year's Resolution, I decided to make a list of things I could actually accomplish in 1 year.  Some of them were things on my Lifetime Bucket List but not very many.  You see, I like to reserve my Lifetime Bucket List for things that I dream about having and/or doing but are mostly in the hands of God.  

Now, back to my yearly Bucket List; some of the things I list you'll probably think of as strange, but I'm a very quiet person who doesn't get out much 
Chicken: Yea, Bo.  That totally makes you sound not lame. 
Bo: As I was saying; you make think some of them as strange but for me they are pretty big/important things that I really want to do this year.

That being said, in no particular order, 

here is Bo's 2012 Bucket List:

*Finish writing a story
*Paint/sketch a picture for mom, Nonie, & Chicken
*Order clothing online
*Create & upload a YouTube video
*Paint & start decorating my library
*Read 100 books
*Make my garden even better than last year
*Keep up better with the housework
*Write more amazing profile stories for HSHC
*Teach Rosie O' (my dog) a new trick
*Redo all the outside flower beds
*Learn 2 new songs on the piano
*Complete an entire Sudoku Puzzle
*Learn a new card game
*Keep up with my blog
*Try drinking tea again
*Learn how to knit

Chicken's 2012 Bucket List

A.K.A Things I want to do before the world explodes

*Finish the blanket I've been working on for the past 2 years
*Complete a 2,000 piece puzzle
*Pay all of my medical bills
*Go away on a trip
*Loose 10 pounds
*Go to the movies 4 times
*Travel to Ohio to visit Lishes & Broham
*Blog more
*Get new glasses
*Try new foods (like authentic Mexican, sushi, etc)
*Meet new people
*Complete Assassin's Creed 4 before The End of Days

*Create my own version of Chopped
*Have an even better garden than Bo
*Expand my garden
*Try some new recipes
*Make a movie

What would be on your 2012 bucket list?  
Please share in the comments below.

Things That Make You Go- BLOG!

Anytime you have a major celebration or gathering something is sure to go wrong. Since it is November and with Thanksgiving not that far away, we thought we'd share some of our holiday near disasters.  


So relax this holiday season and remember. . . it could always be worse.

I'll Take Mine Extra Crispy

It was several years ago on Thanksgiving day when our grandpa was admitted to the hospital.  We're a pretty tight-knit group so nearly the entire family was at the hospital; and it probably comes as no shock that we were going to cancel Thanksgiving- but my grandpa didn't want that to happen.  He all but demanded we continue on with the dinner- so that meant that someone had to bake & watch the turkey for the better part of the day.


Bo: Since I was willing, able, . . .


Chicken: I think the "able" is highly debatable.


Bo:  As I was saying,  I was willing, ABLE, and eager to help; I took on the challenge of cooking the turkey.  It didn't seem that hard since the turkey had already been prepared and stuck in the oven.  All I had to do was make sure that it didn't burn.  


About 2 hours into cooking my first turkey, I peaked under the aluminum foil. I became almost panicked because I didn't think that it was getting brown fast enough.  Emotions were already running high that day and I didn't want to ruin the main course; so I took what I thought to be the only rational step- I completely removed the aluminum foil and I turned up the dial on the stove.


Now, you've got to understand the only meat I had ever cooked myself (up to that time) was beef.  And as you know, beef turns a nice brown color fairly quickly when you cook it.  What I didn't take into consideration at the time was that turkey is poultry and poultry cooks much differently than beef does.


Flash forward to the big meal and. . .


Chicken: I thought we were having one of Bo's famous 'gas station meals' because I thought I was eating turkey jerky.  I gotta give her credit though, she does make a good turkey jerky.

Where Are The Giblets?

Bo:  Okay so this was about two years after the last event and was my first time making the entire turkey.  I was so excited I couldn't wait to redeem myself.  I stayed over at my great grandma's house the night before so I could get up bright and early to prepare the bird.  


I worked so hard making sure the stuffing and turkey dressing were prepared just right.  I even added an extra layer of aluminum foil (to make doubly sure I didn't have the same 'extra crispy' problem as before.


Well after many long hours, it was time for Thanksgiving dinner.  As family tradition dictates my uncle carves the turkey but before he could do that. . . 


My Great-Aunt: Where are the giblets?


Bo: It didn't come with any.


My Great-Aunt:What do you mean it didn't come with any?  They always come with the turkey.


Bo: Well, this one didn't have any; I looked.


My Great-Aunt:What about inside the turkey?


Bo: Of course I put the stuffing in the turkey.  I hand-made the stuffing too!


My Great-Aunt:No. . .not the stuffing, the giblets.


Bo: What?


My Great-Aunt:That's where they put the giblets. . . inside the turkey.

Thank goodness that they don't put the giblets in a plastic bag (otherwise our turkey would have been completely inedible); because after removing all of the stuffing in the turkey we found all of the giblets- wrapped in paper.


Chicken: Got Giblets?  
             Bo does; still inside the turkey that she poorly prepared.


Bo: It was a learning experience.  You can't learn unless you make mistakes.


Chicken: Unfortunately it took our family two ruined turkeys to realize that Bo should never have been allowed to cook the turkey in the first place.
I personally could have told them this from what I know of Bo's past cooking experiences.  For example, her version of scrambled eggs- consists of a McDonald's sausage & egg biscuit that she would then remove the egg, put it on a plate, cut it up, and claim as her own.  Apparently Bo can't remove the giblets from a turkey or bake it, but she can make biscuits, inject them with syrup, and press a M into the top of them.


Bo: Actually it was a sausage & egg McGriddle. Speaking of eggs. . .

Eggs So Devilish  . . . 

Not Even Satan Would Touch Them

It all started with eggs fresh from Bo's hens and a problem. . .

Problem: Nobody brought deviled eggs for Christmas dinner


As you very well know, deviled eggs are a holiday staple; you simply can not eat without them there.  


Ashes: Now I know better and I'll actually bring some this year- sheesh!


So as a last minute quick fix, since the dinner was at her house, Bo got roped into making the deviled eggs.


Bo:  I'm normally not a complainer, but I don't like eating eggs at all- I never 
have.


Chicken: Then why do you have chickens?


Bo: They are my feathery pets; they're for loving- not for eating.

Bo: So anyway, I've never boiled eggs before so I wasn't exactly sure what I was doing.  I complained the entire time I was attempting to make them. First the eggs had to be boiled so they could be peeled and sliced in half.

Ashes: Bo was hopeful that these would be would be egg-cellent; but instead they were an egg-tastratrophe, a total egg-omination, and it was an egg-opolapse.


Chicken: You just can't add the word egg to something and think you're going to sound clever.


Ashes:  You're just egg-aggerating chicken.


Bo: So anyway, I may have over-boiled the eggs; because when I went to peel them, chunks of the egg came away with the shells and they were pretty well mutilated.  


Chicken: Imagine large pieces of bowl-shaped egg confetti.


Bo: Then came time to make the filling.  I didn't know how to make it and several family members came into the kitchen to see what Chicken & Ashes were laughing about.  Eventually the eggs were filled and sat on the table.


Chicken: You've never seen sadder looking deviled eggs in your life.  I think most people ate some of them just so Bo didn't feel bad.


Ashes: Egg-actly Chicken!  But remember, you've gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet; some day you're going to need bowl-shaped egg confetti and Bo won't help you make it.

Bo:  Well, can you think of any other Thanksgiving fiasco's Chicken?

Chicken: Yeah, tons of them . . . and they all involve you.

Garden Wars: Fall of the Corn Stalks

It all started with a single seed. . .

. . . slowly that seed sprouted and started a war between two sisters- 
a Garden War!


You know garden season is officially over when the last corn stalk falls.  
As the final stalk fell Chicken and I began the big debate- who won.  

Yes, the question everyone has eagerly awaited the answer to- 

Who won Garden Wars?

We looked over the data: 
which mainly consisted of photos 
frozen vegetables
quarts of salsa
and arguments between Chicken and Bo 
But whose crops were the tops?


Then we looked at the photographic evidence.


Bo:

Chicken:

Then more questions arose: 


Who picked the perfect peck of pristine jalapeno peppers?
Whose Tomatoes were totally tart and tasty?
Whose assortment of onions was the most outrageous?


So obviously with my quarts of fresh salsa and Chicken's perfect potatoes we arrived at a stalemate and went off to seek the opinion of The Master Gardener.  


That's right, we asked Nonie (our grandma).


What Nonie said:

About Bo's Gardening:


* You grew lots of vegetables and lots of weeds- 
   but the veggies definitely won!
*Terrific salsa this year!  
*Really tasty tomatoes and tons of them!
* Now that you discovered that you're severely allergic
   to the leaves of the zucchini plant- keep wearing gloves
   when you garden- it'll be safer that way.
*Start planting earlier next year.

About Chicken's Gardening:


*You really get into your work and you enjoy it.
* You really don't care if you get dirty.
*Great jalapeno crop!
* Leave the birds alone and wear safety glasses when
   your cutting up jalapenos so you don't get the juice  
   in your eyes. . . again.

How Nonie feels about. . .

Canned Vegetables vs. Frozen

*Canned veggies are better!  No doubt about it!  

*I'd like to see Chicken try canning some of her veggies next year.

So. . . Who won the Garden Wars?

Was it Bo with her connection with nature?

Or Chicken and her battle against nature?

Was the winner Chicken and her get 'n down and dirty approach?

Or Bo's 'cleanliness is the way of the gardener-ess' approach?

Before revealing the answer to the ultimate question, Nonie gave us three suggestions for next year:

1. Start early and plan even earlier.

2.  Space your plants equally apart.

3.  Make your gardens larger.

With that information having been shared Nonie informed us that we tied.

Chicken: Tied?  Tied?!?  You've got to be kidding me!  

I've literally lived in my garden for the past several months and you're telling me that I tied with Bo?  Bo who won't go near her garden without gloves on.

Bo: Hey, if you were allergic to everything you'd be wearing gloves too! Besides, I'm perfectly okay with this year's Garden War being a tie- it means that next year's win will mean even more.

Chicken:  What do you mean next year's win?  You mean this Garden War isn't over?

It was then our fate became sealed and Chicken realized that the gardening adventure wasn't over; in fact, it had just begun.  


Stay tuned for spring 2012 and Garden Wars: A New Hope.

The Battle Rages On!

Now it's game time. 

Two sisters. 

Two gardens. 

Two very different gardening styles. 

Who will win?

Who will be The Master Gardener?

Zombies!

Yes, it's that time of year again!  Home-made apple cider, pumpkin carving contests, and old zombie movies.  Click the link below for Bo & Chicken's first Jib Jab Halloween adventure.

Happy Halloween from Bo & Chicken!

The Grapes of Wrath

Chapter 1: The Golden Postcard

Ashes: First, it's important to note that Bo hardly ever gets her mail out of the mailbox- so the fact that she actually picked it up is a feat in itself.

Bo: True.  I was going through my mail and as usual it went something like this . . .

Bo was just about to put the pile of mail aside until payday, when a small postcard slid out of the pile and caught her eye.  
Under closer examination she saw. . .
Could it be?
No, it was impossible, and yet. . .

Suddenly the sun came out, birds began to sing, and angels sang in harmony with them- for there was not just bills in the mail today.  No, today there was a postcard from Country Moon!

WARNING FLASHBACK AHEAD!

Bo remembered all the fun and joyous times she had in years past picking grapes and assisting in the creation of sweet red wine at this quaint family oriented Noblesville winery.

FUN!

JOYOUS!

PICKING GRAPES!

WINE CREATION!

Bo then had a mission.  

A mission to find a grape picking accomplice.  

She went to Chicken, but sadly she had to work.  

She called Lishes, but then she remembered that she lives in Ohio. 

So then Bo called Miss D, but she was going on mini vacation.  

And after double checking that Bo could not bring Rosie because dogs weren't allowed on the premises- she called Ashes.

Ashes: Yeah, you went with your silver medal. . .Me!

Chapter 2: The Smell of Success

Upon arriving, the fresh scent of manure stung our nostrils.  It was a beautifully overcast morning- which meant hopefully no sunburns!

We were greeted by the friendly owner of the winery and were equipped with gloves, clippers, and tubs (to fill with grapes).

Then we were assigned to Crescent 5 because we were going to be picking grapes for their white wine.

We picked, and we talked, and we picked.

Bo: It went a little like this:  
    pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little, 
     clip-clip-clip, talk a lot, pick a little more.

Ashes: Uh?

Bo: Sorry, I just had to get a little Broadway in here.

After about 2 hours of picking, we stopped for a lunch of home-made chili and pink lemonade.

We ate our lunch on the porch of the most gorgeous log cabin you've ever seen, and enjoyed a nice conversation with the winery owner.  Everyone there treated you like family!

Chapter 3: The Grapes of Wrath

Ashes: After resting and refueling at the log cabin, we set out for another round of grape picking.

Bo: You mean, we set out to: pick a little, talk a little, pick a little, talk a little, clip-clip-clip, talk a lot, pick a little more.

Ashes: Enough of Broadway Bo!  Let's get back to the story.  Any way, after receiving new empty tubs from an adorable pint sized helper, we found our pink marker ribbon and began to finish the row we had started before lunch.

It was around this time, when we had just started up again, that we saw some young chit-lins trying to stalk us through the grape vines.  They were holding large grape leaves in front of their faces and pretending to be camouflaged or invisible.  Possibly both.

The teacher in Bo said to foster the creativity in them.

Bo: Do you hear that Ashes?

Ashes: I heard something but I don't see anything.

Bo: I think there might be invisible grape alligators about.

The children, pleased that they had successfully "hidden" from us, trotted away giggling merrily.  Then Ashes and Bo smiled at each other thinking those kids were SO adorable. 

And then they came back.

They started with the same gimmick.  "Hiding" in the grape vines, taunting us with their laughter, but this time their giggling was followed by the sound of grapes being pulled off the vine.

Without having time react, Ashes felt a stinging sensation on her back.  'Was that a grape or a bee,' Ashes thought.  But no, those kids were too sweet.  

Ping!  

Ping! 

Ping! 

Then with three more shots to her head, Ashes realized she WAS being pelted by grapes by those formally sweet and adorable children.  She also knew how Lincoln must have felt.

The hits just kept on coming and Ashes' patience was wearing thin; grape-by-grape.

Just when things had reacted their worst and Ashes had snapped, a shrill mother's voice stopped the assault.

"Go tell them at the barn we need a grape pick up!"

The children ceased their assalt and scurried off to comply with mother's demands.

And the kids scurried off, Ashes turned with a feral look in her eye and picked up a handful of grapes.

'Those bast***s are mine!' Ashes thought.

Ashes gripped the handful of grapes in her fist, juice running down her arm.  She had her targets in sight and a shoot to kill order in her heart.  Then she thought to herself, 'wait, weren't their parents in the same row as us?'

Ashes cringed and slowly turned around to see the parents staring in her general direction.  So she slowly released the grapes, one finger at a time.   Only one thought kept her going, 'I'll get those bast***s next time.'

Chapter 4: White Wine in Blue Bottles

Before leaving we were given a bottle of red and white wine from last year's grape harvest.  

With no one injured or fatally maimed, we deemed it a successful white grape harvest.   
Bo was even able to help with the weighing and de-stemming of the grapes.

We left bottles of wine in tow and scent of manure again stinging our nostrils.  Looking forward to returning in October for an exciting bonfire and wine tasting.

Ashes:  And a chance for revenge.

A Blog Named Blog

Bo:  So you're telling me that we're writing this blog.
Ashes: Yeah.
Bo:  And it's a blog about writing a blog?
Ashes: Yeah.
Bo:  So what is the purpose of this blog?  What is it all about?
Ashes: That's the best part. . . it's a blog about nothing.
Bo:  A blog about nothing?
Ashes: Yes!  Can you imagine it?
Bo:  If you're asking if I can imagine nothing. . then yes.  Yes, I can.
Ashes: Okay so this is how it works.

And so began the epic blogging adventures of 

Ashes, Lishes, Chicken, & Bo.

Stay tuned to hear stories of life experiences, 

observations, 

and not lame shenanigans.