Sunday Happy

You didn’t forget what today is right?

It’s Groundhog Day! Duh. A super great, super awesome, just a super super duper day. And that is all I care about in terms of super things today because super anything else is just not the kind of super I am into. Ha!

Everything this week has flown by in a blur. I feel like everyday I have been really busy running around, going to banks, DMV-ing, stores, and packaging sending places. A bit of this, a bit of that, and all the other life chores coming at me. Plus I have been getting ready to start selling my stuff at an art market so I have busy busy trying to gather my stuff, finish pieces, and make it look like I am legitimate and know a little of what I am doing. (Not an easy task.) The mr has been super busy running around doing small work projects for people all week but in between all that, he still has managed to help me out so so much. He built me a crazy rocking cool display for my rainbows, helped me with business card, and has just been a overall support for my crazy lady shelf, even when I am being an asshole. (He is the best!) And to top it all off, I have had a low grade ick that just is barely there but is there and is driving me nuts. One day my head hurts, the next my throat, and now it is my ears and throat. Grrr. But I am not going to complain too much. It could be worse.

Besides feeling slightly hectic and busy, we did manage a dinner night with my mom, Paul, and Barb. That night was memorable due to the fact that I might have accidentally, but on purpose, spilled a very large glass of water directly into the mr’s lap for reasons that had to do with carrots. He has not let me forget what I did all week but I do not regret my actions. I take my carrots very seriously. Haha. We also had the littles over for dinner and I damn near had to pry their little hands aways from the electronics they came over attached to. That was a bitch of battle and for anyone needing to know for future reference, my house is now a ZERO hand held computer apparatus space. No iPads or phones or video game shit. Only real life fun times.

I can’t think of much more then that, other then being extremely disappointed in the weather. And now the week is over.

Today is the day. Gonna be wheeling and dealing my wares. 11-3, at the art market at 2creativecommuinty in Winooski. Come on by, say hey hey hey, and check out and maybe buy some cool art!

Internet links to click and read.

-GROUNDHOG DAY 2020 GROUNDHOG DAY FORECAST, HISTORY, FOLKLORE, AND MORE. I hope he sees his shadow. I want so really freaking winter!

-That antibacterial hand shit won’t save you. FDA to Purell: Stop claiming your hand sanitizers eliminate Ebola and the flu

-Always, whenever I am out of town, especially when I am far from home, I make it a destination to check out local grocery stores. It’s so exciting! Why Grocery Stores Are Must-Visit Travel Destinations

-Turn those crumbs at the bottom of the bag into the top of your meal. I always use the crumbs of whatever to toss on top of salads or to mix into batch of cookies. I run a No waste kitchen!

-I want them all. Miniature Creatures Made of Felted Wool by Nastasya Shuljak

-Cray cray. The newest images of the sun are so mesmerizing, it’s hard to stop staring.

-For better coffee, start with fewer beans. Counter intuitive but science tells us the truth.

-These Coveralls.

A Wearable 'Meat Patch' Is Here to Curb Your Cravings for Bacon. Seriously what the fuck?

-This made me happy because libraries are awesome. And I hate going to the movies so this made so much sense. In a Happy Surprise, Americans Apparently Visit Libraries More than Movie Theaters

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Welp, we had a few days of winter. But all that nice pretty snow, well it’s basically all gone again due to all the freaking RAIN. Honestly, what the real fuck. I am starting to think that we won’t have any real winter this year and I am made as hell about it. And no I don’t want to hear it, that you like the warmer days and all that. It is winter, in Vermont, so it it suppose to be snowy and cold. GRRRRRRRRR. (Rant over)

The week came and went with the usual and such. The mr and I went snow shoeing one afternoon, built new shelves on the wall in the living room, and started talking about a time we need to talk about tax stuff. Blah. I also turned a year older, spent a good amount of time working on my pottery that will be up for sale soon (heart mugs are looking good!), picked up farm share, worked at the studio, and did this and that and what have you.

Then the past few days have been kind of crap with me having some sort of head thing. My head feels like an overinflated ballon that is full of jelly and is wrapped in rubber bands. Not exactly sick but not exactly not sick either. And me being me, and as the mr pointed out, when I feel under the weather I tend to feel guilty and push myself to do stuff which is the exact opposite of what I tell everyone else to do when they feel like crap. Not really the best approach to getting better. So I think I really need to work on being ok with feeling like shit and doing nothing and not trying to clean out the basement. HA

Today the mr and I have a good amount of chores to do so that is the plan for the day. I still, as of now, am feeling like real shit so I am going take it easy while running around. And at least with chores comes coffee and no matter how crappy I feel, I won’t complain about coffee.

Links into the world wide web.

-When I am tired for no reason it is most definitely stressed induced. What Kind of Tired Are You?

-I feraking love this. Use ‘Roadside Wildflowers at Full Speed’ to Identify Plants Without Leaving Your Car

Before You Buy a Persimmon, Remember This. I have yet to buy one this year. Maybe today I will seek one out

-THE SUBVERSIVE JOY OF COLD-WATER SWIMMING. I think if I swam, I would be really into this.

-A long read about worms and why they are not as great as people think they are. Cancel Earthworms.

-What Percentage of the Human Brain Is Used? I don’t know about your brain, but I am pretty sure I use a lot more then 10% If I had to guess, probably around 70%. 80% on a good day. Ha

-Super into this house. Look Inside: This Bright Red ‘70s Ski House Is on the Market  

-Winter actiivnites and all the places to camp this time of year. Vermont State Parks Winter Activities.

-Whwnever I hear about anything that ws said by anyone from “GOOP”, I instantly think “bullshit” especially when it comes to anything vagina related. 'The Goop Lab' Is Just 'Jackass' for Girls

-Secondhand screen time may be just as dangerous as secondhand smoking. No shit. I see it all the time.

Pictures from the week.

-C

Sunday Happy

Happy New Years!

Can you believe it? 2020. Not only a new year but a new decade. I mean, wasn't it just Y2K like a few years ago? Haha. Y2K. Do you even remember that?

The past week was good. Kicked it off by making a Pokemon ball cake for Judah’s birthday (he is now 10 freaking years old) and going over to participate in birthday party stuff. Then it was New Years Eve and Day, which the mr and I just kind of spent chillin a bit, took an afternoon and ran out of town. Nothing special and no we didn't stay up all night. I don’t think I could even if I wanted to. HA. After New Years, the fog of the holiday season kind of rolled in. My brain shut down from over stimulation, my body is feeling tired and sore, and I just feel off. I think a big part is the weather. It has been way to warm, damp, no snow, and just not wintery enough. Dang it, I need me some winter!

Anyway, the rest of the week went by. Started packing up the loft so Barb can move in next week before she goes back to school. I have been going to the new gym everyday, trying to get used to that new fancy building (I love it, but still miss the old building). We spent time with Coco and Judah being awesome and eating popsicles. And we have been watching the heart balloon move around he house as it slowly sinks further and further to the floor.

Now we are at Sunday. Not sure exactly what’s in store. I am going to the gym and then there are a few things that we need to get done this afternoon, but we were thinking we might grab a little or two and try to hike up a small mountain. Or maybe even just go for a long walk through some trees. It snowed yesterday and I am so excited and am very much in need of outdoors and trees and quiet.

Internet for your taking.

-I think keeping the thermostat at 55 is right. With a fan blowing too. Your Bedroom Is Too Hot. What is the ideal temperature for sleep?

-Why you shouldn’t bother making a resolution in January. Right? Right!

-Looking for a good mustard? Mustard Manual: Your Guide to Mustard Varieties

-The best things to eat and drink to fight wintertime dread. Soup. Aways soup.

-I have been saying this all along! Never Cut a Squash Again.

-Did you know that scrabble pieces were made in VT? Three shifts at the Scrabble factory: The inventor

-5 Reasons Why a Homestead is an Excellent Place for a Child to Grow Up. I wish I grew on a a farmstead. Hopefully someday I will be living on one though.

-Make This the Year You Finally See the Aurora Borealis. I sure am hoping I will!

-I am all about CBD, but this? Seriously, a bodysuit infused with CBD? What the fuck. I Spent a Full Week Wearing a CBD-Infused Bodysuit

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Hello, hello, hey hey hey!

So how are we all doing? Enjoying all the enjoyment and taking the time to relax and be merry and all the good stuff? I sure hope so, at least for a little while at some point in your time. And now we are in the home stretch. Just a few more days and New Years. Can you even believe it? Another year gone by and into a new, shiny and fresh one. Goodbye 2019, and heeeeello 2020. Be good to us!

So the week. What a week. There was so much going on that I can’t even remember it all. Besides a little bit of this and a little bit of that, there was night time light drives, long walks, a few little craft projects, food shopping hell runs (I thought I was in the clear when I didn't have to do much of any shopping for Christmas presents but then after spending an afternoon grocery shopping a couple days before Christmas , I realized that food shopping might actually have been worse then any other store. People were ruthless and crazy and just about foaming at the mouth!). There was baking cookies, and cake, cooking food for normal consumption, cleaning and just get ready for all the holiday stuff.

Christmas Day/Camerons Birthday came. The mr and I spent a little time just the two of us in the morning, trying to take it easy (the mr was kind of sick) until the house filled up. And filled with family it did, and it was great. Food, music, a little gift exchange and then birthday cake for the birthday boy (16 like what!?) We hung out, played with new toys, Megan helped me do some dishes, and then everyone got sick of each other and were exhausted and left. (I love when they come, but I also love when they leave. ♥️) Then the mr and I power cleaned for a while (the house wasn’t too bad this time) before sitting dow to do our own Christmas stockings. I got him a new hatchet, some crocs (so he will stop wearing mine), made him a shrinky dink trout needle minder and stuffed some candy and kiwis in there for good measure. Me, well the mr embroidered me a napkin with so much love, carved me the most beautiful salad serving spoons, added in some crazy fruits, purple carrots, and a couple bulbs of black garlic. The napkin and spoons are amazing and my favorite, but the black garlic…holy crap, that shit is AMAZING! I have limited myself to eating only a couple cloves a day, when what I really want to do is just eat it all at once. So good!

And then Anthonys birthday was the next day. Spend half of it making his cake with homemade caramel and decorating it all fancy like. Then there was his party (he is 18, wtf?!). Jeff Dad had just got into town then too so I talked to him a while, and then home we went for a little crash. Friday I spend the day doing some work and baking for Saturday and second family Christmas. It was a blink of a day because all of a sudden it was Saturday and I still had to go grocery shopping for more food and get more food ready, again. Da ja vu for real.

And so they came, again. Shannnon and I had it down and made a million mini pizzas. People were then fed and then we played, exchanged a few presents with dad, had more cake and cookies, and then they all left.. This time we were not so lucky and I was stuck with cake and sticky stuff all over the floors and light switches. The bathrooms were a disaster and the recycling/compost/ even the garbage can were over flowing. Again, not as bad as past family get togethers, but the mr and I definitely spent the rest of the night cleaning. And I still am not quite done yet. {the floors need a second moping and the rug needs another good vacuum… and some other stuff, but you don’t care so why am I telling you?)

Anyway, so I am ready for a freaking break. Today I am going spend a few hours at the gym saying goodbye to the old building {last day at the current location because they built a new one) then I am going to go have coffee and bring cake to my mom, come home to make one more birthday cake for the week, and then crash. I don’t want to do anything by curl up on the couch with tea, my book, which I barely have had time to even open this week, and chill the f out. One more brtihday party this week and then I am done. Hopefully this crazy storm we are suppose to get tonight will be all snow and we will end up with feet upon feet and be stuck in out own separate homes for days… One can only hope. Haha!

Links from my time on the internet.

-People Can't Even Agree On When The Decade Ends. I never even thought about the logic. I guess it isn’t really the end of a decade, is it? What are your thought?

-Speaking of decades . The Top 10 Food Trends of the Entire Decade

-This would be the perfect cabin for me to hide in.

-Are You Cleaning Your Couches Enough? I AM!

-I made the mr a needle minder with shrinky dink paper.. Don’t tell me it’s not magic! The Science of Shrinky Dinks

-We have a Christmas baby in out family. Not sure how he really feels about it. I know I would hate it, but that is because I like to hide on my birthday. Can’t hide on Christmas. The Christmas Baby’s Dilemma

-The most environmentally-friendly ways to get rid of your Christmas tree I think we are going to feed ours to some goats.

-An Expert's Advice on Coping With Post-Holiday Depression and the Dreaded January Slump.

-It’s that time of year where people often to forget to drink…WATER Effects of Dehydration to Your Body

-Cabbage Is Your Next Great Vegetable Crush. Cabbage is half my diet (I for real eat a head of day). It really is the best. Cooked, raw, leaves peeled back and then dipped in mustard. The possibilities are endless and so delicious.

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Holly, jolly, fa la la. It’s all the holidays and are we all just so excited and happy? It’s ok if you are not, but don’t tell me not to be and listen to Christmas music and bake all the cookies. I am gonna do it and really try to just enjoy it all and be happy. Easier said then done for sure, but I am committed this year. I will not get grouchy. No, that will come after the holidays when the family leaves and I find food crushed into my couch cushions or pieces of candy in my plants. Then my friends, all bets are off.

The week has been fast and plentiful of plenty. Besides the stuff of normal life as usual, we did a quick dinner at Moms. Ryan came over too to bake cookies with my mom which was just to funny. (He was able to dirty up more measuring cups then I knew my mom even owned.) I have also been to the studio a few times over the week, trying to get last minute things done, sold a few rainbows, loaded a kiln. At home we have dutifully watched the amaryllis bloom, decorated the Christmas tree (about time, only took us 2 weeks), and baked things that needed baking (cookies and cakes. duh). And I picked up the last farm share of the year which has already got me dipping hard into the freezer stock of produce so I can stretch out the fresh stuff that I got. No farm pick up for 3 weeks… There is gonna be a lot of frozen zucchini happening around for sure.

And yay for us, we finally sent out all of our Christmas cards that needed to be sent and dropped off the ones that could be dropped off. There was a lot of chatting and catching up with old friends and neighbors and we got to see some pretty fantastical Christmas trees along the way. Best card drop off happened when we stopped over at Erins to hang with the littles and give them there card. Coco took it upon himself to use the card as a hat. That kid. Too freaking cute and practical to boot.

Then the rest of the week has been just same old with a little extra this and that. Yup, just living the life and trying to be present and just enjoy.

Sunday. Already and finally. The mr and I are going to get a few more things done that need doing before Christmas and the family descends.. I am going to do all the grocery shopping for actual Christmas Day, which could possible turn into a mental melt down (I have to go go Costco and I am scared of the potential for crowds of crazy people). The mr is still finishing up the build on the new stairs at the loft so my dad doesn’t fall and die when he is over there, and I think we both have a thing or two we need to do without each other. I actually am all set, just waiting to pick up the ONE freaking package that I ordered online 3 weeks ago that was suppose to be shipped to the store a week ago and it is no where to be found. I order one thing, ONE THING, from the internet and it went badly. So frustrating, but oh well, what can you do. Other then that, I am going to the gym, maybe hit the library, defiantly a long ass walk either around here or preferably in some woods. And after dinner tonight, I think the plan is for a little Christmas lights drive. Got to see the lights!

Happiest Happy Merry Holidays to you all!!! Have all the relaxing and fun you possibly can.

Internet for your enjoyment.

-The $100 billion reason not to return gifts this holiday season. Or reasons to not buy anything at all!

-Dying food with food just makes sense. How to Make Natural Food Dyes

-Yes I still call them snow tires and probably always will. But this is some good information for the next time I buy snow, I mean, winter tires. Everything you thought you knew about winter tires but didn’t.

-I want to live here. A Tiny Cabin in the Woods For Creative Homesteaders In Vermont

-How to Flake Gracefully. Or go a step further and just never make plans, but then you risk not having friends……🤷🏻‍♀️

-Handmade gifts wrapped in old newspaper. Best way to go. Here’s Why Messily Wrapped Presents Are Sometimes Better Than Neat Ones

-Barack Obama Says Women Could Solve Many Of World's Problems — Which Men Have Caused. He really is a smart guy. Oh how I miss him.

-I know my house is going to be getting trashed a lot this week so I am going to chill on the cleaning and do a crazy deep clean after all the holiday crazy. I already have a list going of things I want to do. 29 Things You Don’t Have to Clean Until January 6

-I don’t eat candy, but the mr does and he is all about sour candy, especially sour patch kids. I don’t really get it, but whatever floats his (or your) boat. A formal taxonomy of sour candies

-The healing powders of food are real.15 Kitchen Herbs and Spices with Powerful Health Benefits.

Pictures from the week.

-C