Sunday Happy

So much nice weather this week. I spent a good chunk of time in and around the garden, getting everything planted (it's all in the ground) setting up a kinda fence of driftwood and yarn, running a strip of cooper around all the beds to keep the slugs out, and mad running with stick in hand screaming at all the squirrels. It's been a lot of work but so very very satisfying. The only sucky part is  with all this nice weather comes those stupid f-ing mosquitoes.  I have already gotten my allotted bites for the year. Back to wearring heavy carports and hoodies while I garden, or walk out the door. Meh. 

Other then all the gardeining, the week was productive. I did a lot of baking (cookies, banana bread, bread, hot sauce, some other shuff as usual), I picked up the last winter farm share (summer share starts in 3 weeks!!!), purged a bunch of crap, repotted plants, and finally got the taxes DONE. The big goal of the week of was for the mr and I to pick a paint color and buy primer and paint for one of the  buildings in town we are repainting. We were close. We kind of picked the color but are going to wait until next week to make sure we really like it so we didn't buy the paint. But we will so we are on track. As for the primer.. A whole day trying to track down what we needed and no one seemed to carry the product that we were looking for. Everyone said it was a  special order and it will take forever to get. We did manage to find  a few gallons so it's a start. 

And I still have not found the vacuum attachment which I keep looking for. I really should just order a new one, but I know as soon as I do I will find it. Life without the attachment is getting pretty dirty. Gurrrrr. 

Then the littles slept There was more hole digging (because why not), pizza with Barb, tandem bike riding, and apparently while I was inside cleaning up food messes, there was a bike, rope, and scooter thing that only stopped because of a cop?.... Yeah.  I also taught Judah how to play the amazing card game of solitaire. He was at it all night then after a breakfast of 10 pancakes, went out to the front porch like an old man and contuined to play. He is obsessed and its awesome. And I think I have got the Miley hooked on NPR. I was able to listen to Morning Addition through Wait Wait Don't Tell ME without complaint. She even asked me to turn it up. That right there is win for the week.

I am hoping that today is not all rain, although the garden is loving it all up and I could spend the day doing inside things.  I wanted to go for a bike ride or maybe a little hike of some sort. Going to have to wait and see. Other then that, no big plans. Probably make a few more phone calls about primer, doing a little weeding, drink a pot of coffee, and definitely take a nap. I need to reinstating summer weekend nap time. I end up staying up later during the long light hours so naps are greatly appreciated. 

Interent links from the week. 

-Are octopuses aliens from outer space that were brought to Earth by meteors? I mean, this just makes you wonder right? 

-For Animals, Plastic Is Turning the Ocean Into a Minefield. Plastic is just not good. Not good at all. 

-Avoiding Plastic When Grocery Shopping. Learn how to go grocery shopping and stock your kitchen without buying any plastic products. Lots of good advice here. Again, think of the animals.

-It's ok to eat romaine lettuce again, for now. How salad became a major source of food poisoning in the US

-Would Your Cat Choose You Over Its Food?. The stereotype of cats. Yes is the answer. I know that Only's one true love in life is food. 

-This is my kind of Earthship. 

-Food as art when there are starving people... Something to think hard about. THE RISE OF THE EXPERIENTIAL FOOD MUSEUM

-Some of my best memories from my childhood was when my mom would blast music (usually Whitney Huston or Toni Braxton) and make us dance with her. Good good times. The Surprising Benefit Of Moving And Grooving With Your Kid

-Frozen Food Fan? As Sales Rise, Studies Show Frozen Produce Is As Healthy As Fresh. I always have a bunch of frozen veggies in the freezer. 

-Delicate Accumulations of Colorful Spring Flowers Installed in a Historic French Home Just lovely

Pictures from the week

Sunday Happy

First off. Happy Mothers Day to all you mommas out there. Have the most best and fanatical day.

How's your week been? It flew by for me. There was just a lot of running around which always makes me feel less accomplished then I want to be although I did accomplish a lot. We are always getting stuff done.  The week contained a lot of firsts of warm weather season. The mr got his first haircut/ear hair trim. We went on our first fishing/me sitting and playing with rocks excursion. Did the first lawn mow. Had our first BBQ. Ate the first rhubarb. Spring time is here and summer is just rolling it's way on in. Hopefully not to fast though because I really enjoying the not to hot weather that's been going on. It keeps me not cranky. 

You know what else makes me cranky? Lost vacuum attachments. I swear I have spent way too much freaking time looking high and low for the head that I use to vacuum the floor. I don't know what could have possible happened to it and it is driving me crazy. And it's really hindering my life because I vacuum around the house at least once a day (cat hair and dirt just seem to pile up) and that missing head is the one that I use. Now I am forced to use the  thin attachment head which make vacuuming take way to long and I am getting so frustrated and I just needed you to know that. Also if you have seen me in the past week and I seem like I might be in a bad mood, I was most likely thinking about the vacuum head. 

Friday was the BBQ. We had the whole family over for a  "just because . And we probably won't see each other on Mothers day thing" and it went good. Everyone got along, the littles dug large hole in the lawn looking for diamonds and ran the scooters all over the neighborhood, the mr toasted (burnt) marshmallow with his flame thrower, and I ran around making sure no one was eating meat anywhere other then the designated meat areas. At the end of the night when my house was thoughtfully trashed and when everyone went home, the mr and I walked the left over hotdogs to the woods and threw them to the animals. I wonder if it squirrels eat hotdogs.?.

Spent Saturday slowly vacuuming the mess with the skinny attachment. Gurrrrr. 

What is in store for today. Oh, I  don't know, most likely hanging out in the garden , maybe a bike ride, definitely either finding the vacuum attachment (although after the house clean yesterday, I am pretty sure it is lot forever) or buying a new one, and returning the giant stack of library books that are just about overdue. Maybe I'll bike to the library and get a new book and  then some coffee and go sit by the lake and read. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. 

A bit of internet for the reading.

-it was Venus and not a UFO that we were seeing from our bedroom window. May guide to the bright planets

-This is pretty awesome. Every New House Built In California Will Soon Have Solar Power

-Strange Things Are Afoot: Bill And Ted Set To Return As Dad Rockers Don't screw this up because no, the would be bad for us all.

-I guess graham crackers keep all your sexual desires at bay...Or not. The Curious History of Graham Crackers and Corn Flakes

-Is There a Difference Between Pizza Sauce and Pasta Sauce? Oh there is. 

-From Collards To Maple Syrup, How Your Identity Impacts The Food You Like. Interesting how the mind and stomach work.

-If I were Monica, I would be pretty pissed off too. Monica Lewinsky: What We All Can Learn from My Disinvitation Debacle

-This Eclectic Community Transformed a Desert into a Fantastical Forest

-I didn't know it was a thing, but I am glad it is. I like running and dislike litter. So I decided to try a fitness trend called plogging.

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

How wonderful has the weather been for you? Around here, it couldn't have been any better. Warm, not to hot, lots of sun with some good rainy spell, even a really cool thunder storm. Everything is growing and blooming and it is just so fantastic.  A good spring week. We deserved it for sure. 

The week was full of all sorts of things. We finally got out taxes done after having to file an extension (well, there are still few more things were need to do, but the accountant has the pile of papers so I don't have to look a them anymore), Now I can finally stop thinking about them and focus on anything but, because taxes suck, like literally sucked the life out of me.(lets never speak of taxes again..until next year)  There were stairs rebuilt, shelves moved around, mirrors hung, so so much yard work, my first bike ride, sunburns (the mr, not me) and best yet, we found and installed a new (to us) bathroom faucet. Hooray!!  It's pretty cool, one we have never seen and looks really good with the green sink. We found it at the salvage yard attached to a sink that we did not need so we removed it, brought it home, dragged our heavy ass sink out to the backyard, and the mr installed it. Then we brought the sink back to the bathroom and stuck it back in place.  Now we can stop brushing our teeth and washing our hands in the bathtub. Things are going good. 

 I feel like I have been rolling in the green all week (green as in plants and stuff). The mr bought me the coolest plant called the escargot begniioa (see picture below) and that's the plant that made me realized that I am now obsessed and need to start the worlds greatest begonia collection. I also got a few more house plants because I just can't stop/won't stop. (Our house is basically made up of chairs, books, and plants. Not a bad house if I do say so my self.) So now the inside could be mistaken for the outside. Outside we planted a bunch of raspberry bushes our neighbor gave us which I am so super excited about and I have a ton  more  seeds in the garden, Or I hope I do. I kept getting seed/plant robbed by the birds and squriells. All the greens that I had started inside and planted in the soil were eaten and a good chunk of the seeds I directly planted were also dug up. Little fuckers, but I think the chicken wire I placed over everything really helped. And it is still kind of early so I just planted and started more seeds because thats what we do.  I basically spent all all my time this week thinking about plants and I am ok with that. 

And it's Sunday. Today I am going to spend more time then I would like digging splinters out of my hands because for some reason I just don't think about putting on gloves when doing any yard work. I know of one really big one in my thumb from a tree root that won't come out, but all the twigs and sticks I picked up gave me quite a few little pesky ones. Other then that, as long as it is not super rainy, I 'll probably spend a good chunk of the day outside again, doing more yard stuff, probably without gloves on, because why would I do that? And I will  try to throw in a bike ride too. If I am lucky, once I get tired,  it will start raining this  afternoon so I can not have to water and I can spend the rest of the day reading on the back porch with all my new plant friends. 

Internet I looked at that you can look at too.

-I am a plant lady in all the ways. My new obsession.  Begonias. BEAUTIFUL BEGONIAS: TYPES & CARE. 

-Yes, yes they do. Drake’s Lyrics Make The Best Cake Quotes Ever

-This house is pretty cool, but the pineapple light fixture. Amazing.

-I think I might be a sensitive person. Everything to Know About the Highly Sensitive Person

-Now You Can Drink—Yes, Drink—Hummus. Yeah, I don't know. I think I would really like a chick pea tahini shake.  But is it really hummus? Hum.

-Vermont Wetland Types. Became I wanted to know and you might too.

-Should I make one for the mr to push me around in? Haha, but this is pretty cool,, like for the littles. WOODEN RIDE-ON CAR DIY!

-I feel like I could really get down with the contra. Square, Contra and Henry Ford: The History And Lasting Appeal Of Country Dancing

-TALKING BREAD AND EVOLUTION WITH JEFFREY HAMELMAN Who doesn't want to t talk about bread, especially a master baker from VT? 

-This seems kind of crazy and a little gross. Old cake for hundreds of dollars. How about you throw me the money and I make you a fresh cake?  Slice Of History: Pieces Of British Royal Wedding Cakes Up For Auction. 

Pictures from the week.

Have a good one. 

-C

Sunday Happy

What kind of bees give milk?

Boo bees. Hahahaha....hahaha

I know, what an awesome joke. When I heard it, it sent a deep ripple of laughter through me. Who doesn't love a good bee joke right? 

Anyways.  How did your week go? Are you in shock and awe that it is actually finally spring? I have been. Every morning I wake up and expect to see a new coating of snow, but no, it has been ever so pleasant and warm. And raining, which makes me happy because spring rain is the best. Everything is all of a sudden  green and growing and the flowers and it's just all so freaking magical and awesome and so so needed. The winter almost broke me. I'm so much better now. And so are my feet. Chacos or barefoot all day long. I have spent way to much time in shoes this year. 

And the heat is off and all the windows are open. Ah, freshy freshness. Good stuff.

This spring week has brought on a lot of outside stuff.  I spent a good day turning over the garden beds and started to rake up the leaves. I need about another day to finish that and to dig up all the baby thistle that is covering the lawn. Although what I really need to do is get over to al the apartment buildings in town and tend to the gardens and clean up around the outsides. That's probably what I am going to be doing this coming week.  I did manage to plant some greens and peas in one of my newly turned beds, but I am having a slight problem with squirrels right now so I didn't plant any more then I was able to cover (I need to get more chicken wire). 

The mr and I did trip out to the NEK for a day. We stood by a rushing river for a while waiting to see the trout jump (we didn't), then we went to meet the piggies at Jess's farm, and installed the farmer lady a hot water heater (It's actually a water heater, not a hot water heater, but I can't stop saying hot water heater) The trip out of town and into the lushness of spring nature had me even more excited about the weather. Soon there will be days of hanging out by the river, the mr fly fishing,  and me hiking around, looking for rocks, and reading under a tree. Oh so soon. So so soon. 

We had the littles a few times. and did a sleep over the started with cupcakes and ended with Barb and pancakes and now my sprinkle stock had dwindled drastically. We watched a movie (I read, they watched), trashed my house, ate all my peanut butter, and crawled onto the new couch in the morning and feel asleep. Highlight was Judah and I got into a debate over the  pros and cons of a magic carpet vs a magic couch. I said I wanted a carpet because you can roll it up and put it away, but Judah was all about a couch because it would be more comfortable, turn into a bed, come wit pillows,  and because it was magic, you could still fold it up and store it. That kid, he got me on that one. Now I think I want a magic couch instead. 

The agenda for today. I finally broke down and bought myself new running shoes (my toes are breaking through my old ones) so when I go to the gym this morning, I am going to be breaking the new batboys in.I  know, big plans right.  Then up until like 10 minutes ago, I thought it was going to be a cool and sunny day, and I was going to be able to spend the day doing yard work.  Turns out  it's actually going to be raining and cool. I guess that just means I will have  to spend the day on the porch, wrapped in a thick sweater, reading, napping, and enjoying the coolness before it gets to mother find hot next week. 80 degree days... Now I am going to be bitching about how hot I am. Ha. 

Things that I actually spent the time to look at  on the internet.

-Homes Or Gardens? Developers And Urban Farmers Grapple Over Vacant Land. There is a need for food and a need for housing, it's a hard one.

-I didn't realize that there really was anyone that really believed the earth is flat. How to argue with flat earthers

-When I fist saw this, I thought it was fake and a little creepy. Spectacular Fans of Feathers Define the Vogelkop Superb Bird-of-Paradise Courtship Ritual

-Always thinking about what the bees will like. Make Your Yard Bee-Friendly

- Cozy 250-Square-Foot Cabin in the Pacific Northwest. Just the right size for me to escape to. Or this Joshua Tree Shack would also of the trick. 

-I check this every few days to see what the pollen count is and how miserable I might be. 

-The Tweeting of the Lambs: A Day in the Life of a Modern Shepherd. This dude takes care of 500 sheep. Thats freaking nuts. Much respect. 

-The latest star map from the Gaia spacecraft plots 1.7 billion stars. Thats a lot of stars. 

-I am either really good or really shitty at mindfulness. Mindfulness Meditation Advice for the Anxious and Distracted

This Healthy Convenience Mart Aims To Take On 7-Eleven Think this is pretty neat. 

Pictures from the past week. 

Sunday Happy

I didn't do this, it was Coco. I think he has a slight vendetta agains the Hulk. Must be jealous of his really big green body, or maybe his tiny head. Whatever it is, I am sure it is a valid problem that the 17 month old has. The head must come off. 

Another week come and gone with more snow then I think is acceptable. (The acceptable amount of snow now is none) This weather is really stalling a lot of outdoor work and projects that the mr and I have and need to do so I am very much going to appreciate the fine fine weather when it actually comes. Especially my feet because I don't know hoe much longer I can handle having to wear socks. I should be in sandals right now. 

Other then the weather holding us back, we did accomplish somet things. We brough the new couch home (yay) but it is still sitting on the front porch awaiting the cleaning of it's life.I didn't get out to the garden this week, because ice and snow, but the seedlings are growing so well that I have upgraded their indoor soil dwellings to newspaper pots. We are still on a massive, ever more pressing hunt for a new faucet for the bathroom sink, and I have decided to go into business  for myself making and selling sourdough bread and paintings of fish. (hit me uo if you need either) So yeah, we are doing things.

Early Friday morning  the mr and I hopped into the car and headed south for PA to visit with the Family. While down there we stayed at the old mans house somewhere in the Poconos. Megan, Justin, Alex, and the Bean (Sophia), came down too so it was a full house.  The visit wasn't super long but we were able to spend the afternoon yelling at  Grammy (because she can't hear for shit) at her swanky new digs of a home. There we met up with aunt Teena  for a quick visit because she too is all out crazy now with seedlings, plowing fields and keeping the voles from eating her livelihood. . We also got in a hike, walked with the dogs, saw so many deer that I don't really care that I see deer anymore and watched Major Pain because that movie is pretty much it. A good quick visit for the books. 

And it's Sunday, actually it is freaking way early Sunday morning. If you are reading this before noon, the mr and I are most likely in the car driving home.We decided to hit the road early so we have some afternoon time to get some shit done. As soon as we get home I am in for food, a walk, a nap, and then hopefully enjoy some of that spring time weather that I hear is "suppose" to happen starting today and get some yard work done.  It had better be nice out when I get home or else.

Internet fun times from the week

-All of the World's Yeast Probably Originated in China. Oh so thats where it came from. 

-This could be a great game changer, but lets not let it be an excuse to be assholes and use a bunch of plastic. Recycling hope for plastic-hungry enzyme

-I did not know, and now I do. How Birds-To-Be Get Oxygen Inside Eggs

-The Turn-of-the-Century Pigeons That Photographed Earth from Above. Pigeons are cool.

-A Decade After The Bubble Burst, House Flipping Is On The Rise. It's a crazy business.

-There’s a Giant Unicorn Island Floating Off the Shore of the Philippines This is for real and I don't think I like it.

-Why buy pots when you an make them (just make sure the new paper ink is food based) Easy Newspaper Pots

-Do I Have Seasonal Allergies or a Cold? This is always the question. And I would rather it be a cold but it's usually allergies.

-Your Cheat Sheet for All the Spring Alliums. Good to know if you don't already.

-To Curb Ocean Pollution, U.K. May Ban Plastic Straws, Stirrers And Cotton Swabs. Super proactive,smart people.

Pictures from the week

-C