CalyxCorner Blog

BJ Bounds

Today is National Pet Day so I am going to embark on a short story about pets—namely mine! Starting today, you’re going to hear the story of Pip and Pocket.  So to begin…

A few of Christmases ago, my husband surprised me with two fat, squirmy black and white puppies.  “They are Lab/Shar-pei mixes,” he said, “and I picked the least wrinkly ones at the humane society.”  They were so adorable, and indeed they looked just like black labs—just a little stockier and a little more square-headed.  But it was really when we picked up their excess skin on their backs that could we see the Shar-pei in them.

As they grew, no amount of toys was enough to stave off their appetite for wood. We have 1 acre with an outer link fence and an inner wooden fence.  They really wanted to get into outer yard but apparently did not get the hang of digging yet, so they just ate their way into the other yard through the wooden pickets.  They chewed archways all along the fence line–did I mention they also started eating the shed?

 A couple of years ago I surprised my husband with something he’s always wanted—a smoker/grill on a trailer.  This was a combination grill and smoker that could use either wood or propane.  A propane tank was installed at the end of the trailer just over the passenger tail lights (this will be important later).

A few weeks later I noticed electrical wire strewn about “our” yard.  We knew something was no longer working but we didn’t know yet what it was. Pip and Pocket had not only pulled all of the wiring out of the trailer, but they also ATE the taillights and the hose leading to the propane tank.  We found the regulator chewed up nearby.  We also found they had chewed the ignition wiring for our electric grill.  We have yet to replace any of the outdoor cooking appliances.  I miss his smoked brisket.

My doggies are almost 5 years old now, and they’re still alive.  This continues to be a mystery to me, as nothing they eat seems to affect them. We were always told the 2-year mark comes with a miracle that will stop them from eating our house, fence, hoses, wires, tree limbs, etc.  We’re still waiting for that miracle.  Even now we find things in the yard half-eaten and do not know where they came from.  In any case, I hope to see them grow to be responsible adults who still bark loudly at strangers but lick them to death if they come in the yard.

Pip & Pocket
Then & Now

I hope you enjoyed learning about the adventures of Pip and Pocket.  We’ll be back to normal programming after MBA Tech!

Stay tuned because we’ve got some product updates and the launch of Path™ coming up soon!

BJ Bounds

As we close out American Chocolate Week, I thought it might be appropriate to once again leave you with a chocolate recipe.

I actually almost missed Chocolate Week but luckily I had another chocolate cake worthy celebration in the middle of the week, so that disaster was averted.

If you haven’t gotten your chocolate fix yet, try this candy recipe on for size.  It’s actually not all chocolate, but it might as well be for all the chocolately goodness that you get from it.

This is one of our favorite recipes because it’s so easy to make, yet so good.

Butterfingers

 Ingredients:

• 1 lb. candy corn
• 16oz jar peanut butter (I used Peter Pan Honey Roasted peanut butter—it was recommended)
• 16oz pkg. chocolate candy coating (I used milk chocolate chips)

Directions:

Melt candy corn in microwave on high 1 minute. Stir and continue cooking in 15-second intervals til melted, stirring after each interval. Stir in peanut butter. Spread mixture in an 8×8 pan lined with parchment so that it hangs over (as handles). Cool completely. Melt chocolate and pour/spread on top. Let cool.  Remove entire batch using parchment handles and cut into small pieces with a really sharp knife.

These are so yummy and don’t get stuck in your teeth like store-bought Butterfingers!  Let me know if you make them!