Sunday Happy

How are you handling the winter so far? Are you freezing you ass off? Are you spending all of your time inside? Me, I freakin love it!!!! Sure -20 is a bit rough on the eyeballs and there is a need for an extra layer or two but I really truly feel that winter is season of my soul. I want to spend all of my time outside. The world is calm and quiet and no one else around. It just feels bigger and more full and I could live the season forever. But yeah, it has been damn cold this week. Multiple frozen face mornings for sure.

The week was nothing special. Well the snow we got was fantastic. I wasn’t feeling the greatest (not sick, just blah) but I also found out that someone I worked with last week had covid so I was a little edgy and basically went outside for runs and walks but stayed away from people until I went and got tested. Got the results back and no covid, yay!(Although when I got the email and it said negative the first thought was, Oh shit, negative means I have it! That thought lasted about a minute before I woke up. Ha!) So it was a low key week. I shoveled a lot, Barb come over for dinner, I picked up farm share, painted some mugs, threw a few big ass bowls, stuck my wheel on cinderblocks (FINALLY), and went outside I much as I could without getting frost bite. The mr has been home a lot so we are still doing our afternoon reading hour thing. He has gotten a little better at not talking. But he still does. And that’s about it.

Today, well it is going to feel down right balmy with temperatures in like the high teens so you bet I am dragging the mr out. I have a few hikes in mind but I haven’t decided on where we should go. I want to get out of town but don’t want to drive to far (car air dries me right out.) We might also go look at some ice sculptures, maybe pick up a cup of coffee, walk around like tourist. We will see how much outdoor activity I can pack in before the mr calls uncle.

Some internet from the week.

-Oscar Mayer comes out with bologna-inspired sheet masks. This just looks really freaking g.ross.

-I will never ever let someone else pick out my groceries and deliver them to me. I don’t care what anyone says. NEVER! I Haven’t Stepped Foot in a Grocery Store in 21 Months — Here’s What’s Changed and What I’ve Learned Since I Started Getting My Groceries Delivered

-The M&Ms are different now. Killing that sexy candy vibe.

-This pretty much sums it up. You’re Invited to the Wedding I Planned in Middle School.

-Is It Really That Important to Rotate My Pans While Baking?

-I love me a good meteor shower. Ten Dazzling Celestial Events to See in 2022.

-Grocery Store Shortages Are Back. Here’s Why.

-And here I thought a dingbat was a not very nice name for a somewhat looper person. Everything You Need to Know About Dingbats, the Retro Home Style That’s All Over LA

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Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Anyone else in a slight state of shock at the fact that it is mid December? Every year it’s like this but this year especially seems like a kick in the face. Whoa, that got intense quick..

The week flew by. Nothing much different happened then then usual. I spent as much time as I could outside enjoying all of the winter weather. We went and hung out with the littles and picked up a single cookie saved for the mr made by Miley. I worked, same for the mr. And I made some garland and baked cookies. The n and there, whatever and what not.

Thursday night we had all the littles, Megan, and Erin come over (no one else showed up) for the mr’s yearly grilled cheese birthday dinner. We all danced around, Patty (Mileys boyfriend) braided hair and helped the littlest ones wash their hands. Judah made the mr an inappropriate but so very appropriate birthday card, everyone ate birthday cupcakes (the mr was bing a ass and wouldn't let us sing happy birthday.), and everyone was happy. It was low key and very nice.

Friday was the mr’s actual birthday and we were suppose to hike a mountain but when he woke up his old man hips were hurting a bunch so we decided to skip the hike and just have a chill day. Instead we went for a little drive, ate lunch by a pond, got coffee. I made dinner (lasagna), Barb came over, we ate, and then attempted to watch a movie together. Sadly I only lasted abut 1/2 hour in before I passed out but you know, I am an old lady too.

Yesterday I just spent the day cleaning and getting increasing pissy about how all the snow melted and how warm is was getting.

Now we are back to Sunday. Well it’s like spring out there and I am not really interested. All the hiking trails are going to be complete shit so I think the mr and I are going to keep it clean and just go walk the paved bike path on the lake and maybe have a picnic for lunch because that is how freaking warm it’s gonna be. Other than that I am going to spend a few hours at the studio finishing up some glazing, repot a few plants, probably clean off the porches, maybe clean the car…I don’t know. Or maybe I will do nothing and sit around and read and drink all the coffee and tea I can handle. What will br will be.

Internet from the week.

-How to slow down time because you’re not getting any younger. Perfect reading for the mr this week.

-Christmas food, regular food, everything as we know it. Is Gen Z changing Christmas food?

-I could definitely shut myself away in this little cabin.

-Here’s How to Build Your Own Cat Trees, Catwalks, and Cat Furniture. I know a few people that will be interested in this.

-Do you know? Where Does Vanilla Extract Come From?

-How to Remove Sticky, Clingy Tree Sap From Your Clothes. I was covered in sap, ans so was my shirt ans socks just making a couple feet of garland.

-If You Can Fantasize For Hours, There's a Name For That: Maladaptive Daydreaming. I don’t know about hours, but I definitely have had long bouts of daydreaming that last a while and it is an anxiety thing. Happens on planes, on long car ride, when I can’t sleep…

-Love this 70’s house.

-This is a very good idea. New Zealand's plan to end smoking: A lifetime ban for youth

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Oh how nice it is to wake up and not feel like a complete trash can. Yeah I got me my booster shot a few days ago and yeah it knocked me on my ass. Not as bad as the last shot which kept me in bed for 3 days but damn was I feeling like super shit. But I am boosted so go me!

Besides the end of the week ill, the week was pretty fantastic. There was hikes with the mr and with Megan. There was lots of good snow. I made cookies and a giant ass ice cream cake (for So’s birthday ). Then the mr and I went and did our traditional Christmas tree hunt in the National Forest. We got a good one this year (we get a good one every year). I pulled more holiday mugs from the kiln, finally opened my online shop, stem+node ceramics, which is accessible through my blog, and like I said before, I got my booster.

And then I was sick. But I kind of figured it would happen. Anyways, even though I wanted to smash my pounding head into a concrete wall and could barely carry around my own weight, I railed and made it to Sophias 9th birthday party (I had too. I made the bread for dinner and said cake) I sat with her in the dark and watched holiday baking shows until everyone else came, then slinked away to watch her dance around, open presents and be the greatest at being a 9 year old. Then I went home and crashed. Yesterday was a flop. I managed to get a few things done but those damn side effects… Whatever. It snowed a big fluffy gorgeous snow and I went for a nice walk in it so I was good.

Now Sunday and I am feeling much better (my head still kinda hurts thought but it is still early so hopefully it will fade). The plan for the day is I need to run to the studio this morning and glaze a few pieces then the mr and I are suppose to go for a hike somewhere. After that we plan to work on the Christmas cards. Are we gonna get them done today? I am sure will will… like kinda sure… But if they don’t that is cool right? They will get done and mailed by the end of the week. That’s good. We got this!

Internet links from the week

-Need a holiday gift for a friend, a relative, a teacher. or even yourself? Buy pottery! And why not buy something from me! stem+node ceramics. $5 off your order until Wednesday when you use the code LOVELYCRAZY.

-I have heard a few very strange things about well wieners and the vaccine sooooo. These urologists are setting the record straight about penises and COVID. I think your penis (if you have one)is safe friends

-The case for free tampons and pads in schools. No shit tampons and pads should be free in schools.. And all public restrooms. Jeeze.

-DIY Bed Fort. Yeah, I need a bed fort.

-Why? But seriously..Why? Forget gingerbread houses, the new trend is charcuterie chalets and meat mansions. Stick with the real thing like a good decent human... These Are the Most Popular Gingerbread House Designs.

-How Leisure Time Became Work. Ugh. I am so glad I do not track the details of my life. I was once tempted to get a pedometer to track my steps but knew it was a slippery slope. Once a week. When I write here. That is all I have in me.

-How excited are we for persimmons? Me, I am VERY excited! Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Persimmons

-I am not a weirdo for doing this cause bon appetite said to do it? You Should Absolutely Be Adding Pickle Brine to Your Soup.

-Hawaii braces for foot of snow amid blizzard warning. I heard this on the radio and thought I heard wrong so I looked it up. I didn't realize Hawaii could even get snow.

-I just painted my bathroom a deep pastel pink so yeah, I understand.COLOR STORY: UNDERSTATED PASTELS.

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Every morning before I head out for my run, I play the weather guessing game.I step outside and feel the air and declare the temperature. This week I have been getting really good. All in the mid to upper 30’s, one morning it was 30. Bellow freezing which is fucking cold and I love it! I don’t know if it is a Vermont thing or a me thing but every time it is just about freezing I think,'“If it were to precipitate right now it would be snow?” Do you do that too? I have got snow on the brain, can you tell?

The week started off with hiking and camping at Little River. Our last camping adventure for the year. It was great thought, a nice cool but not freezing day. The colors were still popping and there wasn’t a shit ton of people around. The park was pretty much empty. So we did our hiking, made food, hung by the fire, and crawled into the tent for the last time. Woke up to a bit of rain, went for my early morning walk, then packed up and came home.

The rest if the week went. I picked the last of the flowers and chard from the garden, moved all the houseplants inside, picked up the last summer farm share, and worked a lot in both studios. Nothing too exciting.

Now back to Sunday. No camping and I am sad about it, although it is pouring rain at the moment and if we were to be going, it would probably suck…Nah, who am I kidding, I would’ve loved it anyway but that’s a moot point. So what am I going to do today? I think I am going to the studio to glaze some shit and probably going to take myself out to the woods somewhere and hike about for a little while. Then later tonight we are taking the two boys (Coco and Judah) out for trick or treating because Halloween and all. That should be fun, especially because Judah decided to dress uo as Nick. Fake beard and all. It’s gonna be some funny shit!

Internet from the week.

-I actually think about this a lot. The Joy & Opportunity Of Dropping A Routine. I live in a routine and when I step away from it…Its pretty great. Sometimes.

-How an 1880s train carriage became a contemporary living space in Dungeness. Cool cool

-Did food taste better 50 years ago? Can we even know?

-I sleep with a very very loud snorer. And occasionally kicker. How to Share a Bed With a Partner—& Actually Get a Good Night's Sleep

-I am always in the kitchen when people are over so there is never a place to hide! How to Get Guests Outta Your Kitchen (Please).

-People can be really stupid. Check Out These Hilarious One-Star Reviews of National Parks

-We Tested 6 Methods for Storing Mushrooms and Found a Clear Winner. I need a paper bag.

-Visible Mending Isn’t Just for Clothes, and I Think It Should Become the Next Big Home Decor Trend. I am all about this. Take my couch. It is amazing but is very tattered and needs mending ever now and then. I don’t hide it cause the mend is pretty too!

-Hundreds of Ceramic Marine Creatures Radiate in Gradients to Show the Effects of Coral Bleaching

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

And we are back from our Nova Scotia road trip and boy was that an epic trip. We did so much, saw the most amazing things, and just had the best freaking time ever. I have a phone full of pictures that I need to get onto my computer and go through but once I do, I’ll post them and all about the trip.

Now back to life. The mr and Barb were smart and took a day or two to kind of ease back into life again. I on the other hand, have not taken it easy and have been go go go since the moment we came back. I just feel like I have so many things to do and catch up on, on top of all the new things that need to be done. I am trying to deal with the mess of a garden, restock my fridge with food, underglaze and glaze a million mugs, work at the studio, trim pots that need trimming, do all the laundry, see the people that need seeing, water the plants, and then planning all the birthday parties (and cake making) that’s to come in the next ew weeks. (3 parties all nest week 😬).

So yeah, I am freaking exhausted and I am still in a bit of a head fog. I am happy to be home but being gone for the first time in 2 years really reignited my travel itch and I am already planning out a few more adventures (camping through Norway, yes please). Until then, I will enjoy this gorgeous place I call home with all the fall colors popping on the trees and big mountains and cool fall weather. One of the things I love about going away is coming back. No matter where I go and how much I love being away, I’m alway so happy and feel so dang lucky to live here in Vermont.

Now it is Sunday and we are not skipping a beat. The camping stuff has been aired out, repacked, and is ready to go. Heading to Elmore to climb the mountian and sleep under the stars. This time of year is prime camping time and I am so so looking forward to a day of trees and peace and quiet!

A few things from the internet this week.

-Our next long camping adventure! Bonus, we live right next to it so no lang car rides! The birthplace of the US vacation.

-Scoot Over Oat Milk; There's a New Kid in Town—Potato Milk. I don’t know, I am pretty good with oat milk.

-You Aren't Lazy. You Just Need To Slow Down

-Pretty mold. Tainted with Manufactured Objects, Slime Molds and Spores Grow Into Unnaturally Striking Compositions

-To own this house…Canary Islands ‘miracle home’ stands alone against volcano’s lava flow

-The Best Way to Store Cilantro to Prevent Sad, Slimy Leaves

-Somthing about this house that makes me happy. This Spruce Cabin in Switzerland Is Like a Grown-Up Tree House

Some pictures from the week.