bonniekchapman

A ROUND OF RESILIENCE

Spring 2019 / By Bonnie and Ken Chapman Hope, help, and hops, sold one beer at a time, benefit fire survivors Sierra Nevada Brewery has been called the flagship of American craft breweries and for good reason. In 1982, their Pale Ale led the way to a wave of craft breweries that dot the landscape in townsContinue reading “A ROUND OF RESILIENCE”

THE CALL TO CAULIFLOWER

Winter 2018-2019 / By Bonnie and Ken Chapman Where did the head of cauliflower grow up? Cauli-fornia! Actually, that is no joke; in fact, 90 percent of America’s cauliflower is grown in California, and considering the vegetable’s recent climb to veggie super-stardom, this bodes well for farmers. This former wallflower of the vegetable aisle has morphed itsContinue reading “THE CALL TO CAULIFLOWER”

THE SECRET IS IN THE SAUCE

Summer 2019 / By Bonnie and Ken Chapman PHOTOS BY MICHAELA WARTHEN Americans love sauce. According to Statista, a consumer survey leader, in 2019 we Americans will spend almost $43 billion on sauce, an average of $130 per person, in pursuit of wonderfully flavored meals. Globally, we consume five times more than the second ranked sauce lovingContinue reading “THE SECRET IS IN THE SAUCE”

TWO WORM FARMS OF BUTTE COUNTY

Spring 2020 / By Bonnie and Ken Chapman Families Venture into Vermiculture Cleopatra called it a “sacred creature,” and Charles Darwin proclaimed it likely the most important animal on earth. Most people wouldn’t guess the creature described with such reverence and acclaim is three to four inches long, has no eyes, no lungs, and is essentially oneContinue reading “TWO WORM FARMS OF BUTTE COUNTY”

Denine’s Cupcakes Carries on

Fall-Winter-Holidays 2020 / By Bonnie and Ken Chapman OHHH SO SWEET PHOTOS BY QUINCY SHERN A tiny, iridescent, hard-shell candy ball sits atop a mountain of swirled frosting, a signature symbol on a cupcake made by local baker, Denine Owen. The balls are Sixlets candies and color-code the dozen flavors available to Denine’s Cupcakes’ customers on anyContinue reading “Denine’s Cupcakes Carries on”

Cold-weather water park vacation? Sheer Brilliance

With travel mostly off the table these days, armchair vacations through our televisions are filling the void. A few years back, we randomly flipped to the Travel channel and caught a show about the water park capital of the world, the Wisconsin Dells. You read that correctly. The world’s largest concentration of water parks, includingContinue reading “Cold-weather water park vacation? Sheer Brilliance”

Need some timely entertainment? “As you wish”

Soft throw blankets, homemade macaroni and cheese, bowls of chocolate chip mint ice cream, the company of a loved one, a dog, and a great movie. These are all things that can bring comfort during hard times. And let’s be honest, quarantined days are affording unprecedented opportunity for us to seek that which brings comfort.Continue reading “Need some timely entertainment? “As you wish””

Cheering for a return to some form of normalcy

The list of things missed feels miles long. As we continually cross events off the calendar and put an ‘X’ through plans, the reaction has dulled. There is no option, there is no alternative, there is no choice. Though Ken and I do not have school-aged kids at home anymore, I find my heart hurtingContinue reading “Cheering for a return to some form of normalcy”

Thanks, and giving; Soroptimists serve helpings of both

I can say with absolute certainty that I never imagined when I joined Soroptimist International of Chico (SI Chico), that I would end up in a traditional Japanese bathhouse with four other members, in our birthday suits. We were in the ancient capital of Kyoto, staying at a Japanese style hotel called a ryokan, knownContinue reading “Thanks, and giving; Soroptimists serve helpings of both”

When Girl Scouts braved the blizzard of 2008

The annual getaway to Truckee began with four carloads ferrying 15 pre- teen girls, each having packed enough gear for a month on the tundra, along with six brave adults. This retreat was a tradition eagerly anticipated by Chico Girl Scout Troop 16, together since the girls were small second grade Brownies at Shasta Elementary.Continue reading “When Girl Scouts braved the blizzard of 2008”