Sunday Happy

And it’s Sunday again. Time is just flying by.

The camping was amazing. I guess there are not a lot of people that go camping this late in the year because we basically had the entire Lake Carmi state park to ourselves. I think we were the only people there besides and old couple in a cabin far away from us. The weather was perfect, brisk, but not too cold, the sky was a grey, the colors were popping. We went for a jaunt in the fields and a hike in the wood, the mr went fishing off a giant tree, and we enjoyed a lentil and campfire squash for dinner. Simple and sweet and all the best of the world. Sure it rained that night, but we stayed dry and yes it started to pour in the monring while we were picking up camp but then it stopped and all was good. And really, what’s camping all the time without a rain day or two. It’s part of the adventure.

And is was Alex’s birthday, he turned 13, and he had a family birthday party, but we ended up not going cause I was feeling like crap. I think it was a crash and burn, but I was weary because everyone is getting sick around me. Snotty, coughing, grossness. I am trying to avoid it if at all possible.

The next day I woke up tired but feeling better and went about the day doing the this and thats and thats and running around here and there. The mr started a rat trapping job (not for any of our properties) that turned into a whole big week long thing and I just don’t even want to deal with that. I stay away from anything that involves animal. If I were to get involved, we would probably and up with a few pet mice and a squirrel or two. And definitely a skunk or possum. So again, I stay away from that stuff.

Then there was Wednesday. I had one of those days where everything was going wrong. To start my day I woke up with a door handle smashed into my hip which I then thought was broken (the mr sure knows how to open a door). When I got to the gym my toe started throbbing and opened up and starting bleeding again (gross), but whatever, not that bad. I then went and spent a few hours over at the loft cleaning the F out of it so that my dad had clean sheets, toilet paper, and no tools in the middle of the floor when he stayed. We are over there all the time, but something about being there that day was making me just super sad and nostalgic and I basically was just thinking about Washer and I might have cried a little. But that happens and well, yeah Then it was lunch time but I was not getting lunch, which is never a good thing with me, I was taking a trip to the dentist. Hooray for me! Good thing my teeth looked great, said I am doing a good job as usual taking care of my mouth, except I was told again that I should really consider smashing my jaw and my palette and get braces and wire my mouth shut and blah blah blah. Just give the dentist $500 million dollars and they will fix all my screwed up bite and jaw problems. Yeah, no. Dental stuff is a sore subject for me so I’ll just leave it here.. So dentist made me in a bad mood on top of being sad. But I made it home and made a cake for Alex’s birthday party (his friend party) which I ended up burning it. So ok, that shit happens too but then the second cake, looking all perfect when I pulled it out of the oven, well I dropped one of the pans, and burned myself a few time. And then I cried little more..Yup. Oh, and knocked over some greenware pots by my wheel because why not add some more misery to the day. I think after all that I just gave up and crawled into bed at like 730.

Thursday went a lot better. I managed to turn the broken apart cake into a single layer cake (genius) and make it actually look pretty good. I picked up farm share and got out to the fields before it started to rain (hurray for me) Barb came over and made me smile while we talked of all things Italy and I fed her broken cake bits. I hung up all my halloween bats and did some laundry and stuck a dent in paperwork and bills that needed addressing. A way better day.

Friday was a little hectic. The political stuff brought out a slight crazed rage over the craziness of the world and I am still trying to wrap my head around it (along with the last 2 years…) But besides begin little wild eyed, I finish decorating the cake for Alex. Worked at the studio where I loaded 2 kilns and then some. Dropped the cake off to Alex then went to the groocery store for food for the party the next day, and somehow got pizza dough to rise at just the right speed (in and out of the fridge all day) in order to have dough for pizza birthday party for Coco (he turned 2 on Thursday!) that night. The littles came over for just a small something special for Coco. We had pizza, cookies, and a buzz lightyear balloon. He was sick so he ate no pizza and cried at the candle on his cookie, but then he ate it and that sugar made him happy, even when he was blowing super snot bubbles from his little nose. . And then Erin brought him home so he could have a sugar crash and be sick at home and the other littles could sleep over. They watched a Wrinkle in Time, while I started prepping apples and pie dough for Dads birthday pie the next day. And then we all fell asleep early. These darker nights really make it easy to crawl into bed at an early hour. (not complaining at all)

Saturday went swimmingly. I woke up made a pie and a loaf of pumpkin bread all before the littles woke up for breakfast pancakes. Barb came over, they all ate, then off we all went, the mr and I, Barb, Miley, Judah, to the farm for wagon ride and pumpkin picking. It’s out tradition, and this year, we brought Coco too.(and Buzz light-year of course) The ride went great, the pumpkin patch was pristine, we all got a good pumpkin and some gourds, and no one fell off the wagon. A very successful pumpkin picking adventure. After that we all ran home and I got lunch ready, The rest of the family came, ate the food, made the mess. The mr thought it would a great idea for the medium kids to have something productive to do to keep them out of trouble so he gave them all shovels and let them dig a giant hole in the middle of the back yard because why not? Uh huh, yeah. So on top of the normal mess everyone makes, there was a heavy extra layer of dirt tracked in and out of the house. After everyone left, I got to spend a little extra time cleaning late into night. How they got mud on the bathroom walls is pretty impressive.

Today we are doing something with Dad and his other children. Either a bike ride or hike, not sure yet, but something outside that will involve trees. After that, the mr and I are going to try and find a place to camp tonight. The weekly camping is just too good. We can’t not. Plus after a full week of people interaction, I could really use a night of peace and quite in the woods.

Internet from the week.

-Pumpkin Knowledge. The Best Pumpkins for Baking and Cooking. And 3 Ways to Use Those Pumpkin Guts. And What's Actually in Your Canned Pumpkin Purée?

-Wigstock, 'An Iconic Piece of Drag History,' Lets Its Roots Show At 2018 Revival. Oh my.. SO amazing. I wish I could be there!

-100% agree with this, it really is the best brand. The One Flour You Should Buy, According to a Professional Bread Maker

-Have you heard? Drunk birds are wreaking havoc in Minnesota

-Yeah, I would live here (that tree!) or definitely in this row house (the front door!)

-Most Introverts Would Like to Be More Extroverted. Yes and no. I love being alone and do not find it lonely, but I do wish I didn’t get completely drained and feel like I have ran a marathon from being around people.

-DARK MATTER IS A HUGE MYSTERY. THIS DEVICE IS TRYING TO DETECT IT. This makes me think of the His Dark Materials Books by Phillip Pullman. (read them if you haven’t, they are in my top 3 favorite books of all time)

-I kind of love this. Banksy auction prank leaves art world in shreds

-I follow this families adoption and it is so heartwarming and amazing and I just love them (Their daughter is so freaking cute, it kills me). And they are adopting again! I love how she does a Q and A about the whole thing.

And some pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

I can't believe it is Sunday already. The last week has just blown by so fast. These summer days, they can do that. But they are coming to an end and I might be a tad sad about it but I caught myself  longingly looking at all of my sweaters the other day... I will leave that one alone for a little longer. 

Our camping adventure last week started off with us under a bridge. It was so freaking hot out that my earwax was melting so the mr found the coolest place he could think of to fish, and that was under a bridge. After that, we just headed up the mountain to our campsite.  When we got there to check in we were pretty much guaranteed  to see a bear because there had been so much bear activity, especially at our site. So I was a bit nervous, a lot excited, and ready and prepared.  After the mr started a fire from logs he threw into the air and dropped so they would break (we forgot a saw) and ate our dinner, all traces of food were then packed away in the car.  All evening every little noise we heard, I was expecting bear but nothing. So we went to bed. I had my noise maker ready at my head, my shoes untied and ready to slip on, and my camera because I would need to get a picture. Every time I woke up (I wake up a lot) I would poke my head out the tent window looking for a big fury mass, but all night I did not see one. We didn't get a bear. So much for that. 

After packing up camp super early, it was back to a river for some prime fishing and coffee and reading before heading back to the real world of noise and work and people. And we needed to get back to the cat, which I keep finding in piles of leaves next to the house looking dead. I was scared once or twice but it turns out he just likes looking like a dead cat in a pile of leaves.  Yup. 

Tuesday we had the littles over for a sleep over. We gardened, drew pictures, sat around and read, ate lots of corn, and walked down to the neighborhood cornerstone for creamees. After we sent the baby back to it's mother, the littles and the mr watched another inaproperate Adam Sandler movie, I went to bed, they stayed awake all night watching cooking shows, and I had to shake them awake the next morning in order to feed them all the brightly colored pancakes before  dropping them off at camp. Those guys are doing summer vacation right. 

Wednesday the mr and I had to quick quick run up to see our friends in the north at Ikea. It was last minute, we needed a countertop, so no I did not have time to call everyone I knew to see if they wanted me to buy them anything. But shitty shit, when we got there, the countertop we needed was not there, so that kinda sucked. But I did end up getting a new toilet paper roller, a toilet brush, and the mr picked out a new pillow. We drove all the way up there, we couldn't leave empty handed. 

And how is your fresh farm and garden food these days? Farm share is at it's peak and so is my food consumption. I find myself eating more then I really want to just because we have so much fresh and beautiful goodies that I just can't stop myself. The tomatoes are so ripe and sweet, how can I not eat like 10 a day? (my acid reflux is kicking up a little)  And not only are the tomatoes going gang buster at the farm, but my garden is like a tomato jungle. There is probably going to be a day when I am buried alive by the tomatoes. It so could happen.

Saturday was work at the studio. I was on fire and unloaded  2 kilns (someone piece blew up in one) and loaded a glaze kiln in record time. After that I was pretty tired, my hip was sore (to much bending over kilns) so I came home, had a snack, cleaned the shit out of my house (there was watermelon stickiness on everything) and called myself ready for bed at like 8. The days are getting shorter again so I don't feel so bad crawling into bed earlier. HA

Today is family day. Our cousins are up in Vt at the camp so we are heading there to spend the day with them. After that, the mr and I are camping in some field somewhere (probably a baseball field?) outside of the city to each the meteor shower. It's at it's peak tonight and I am super excited to sleep under the stars and watch. Hopefully we don't get any shit for illegally camping in a park. We aren't going to have a fire (so we can see the starts, duh) so it really shouldn't be a problem. Right? 

Some reads from the internet this week. 

-It's tonight guys! How to See the 2018 Perseid Meteor Shower

-It’s Time to Admit That Iceberg Is a Superior Lettuce. I wouldn't call it superior but I have to admit, I do like me some iceberg. It's kind of like my junk green. Not much nutritional value but taste so mighty fine dipped in mustard. Crisp an refreshing. 

-I know some people (mom..) that might have a slight buying books addiction, even when they won't necessarily read them all. Tsundoku: The art of buying books and never reading them. I stopped buying books (or rarely do and its usually a book I have read and love so much) and just do the library. It would be very expensive if I just bought books... I read to much. 

-Angry People Tend to Overestimate Their Intelligence. Ever have to deal with an angry know it all.... its enough for me to run away screaming. So frustrating. 

-"If you've ever seen someone with testicles get kicked in the groin, then you probably know that male genitals — often portrayed as a symbol of male strength and virility — aren't actually that tough." hahaha, what a great opening paragraph. Boxers Or Briefs? Experts Disagree Over Tight Underwear's Effect On Male Fertility

-What's the Difference Between Zucchini and Yellow Squash?. One is zucchini and one is yellow squash. 

-Spent $200 on a Weighted Blanket, and It's Changed My Entire F*cking Life. I don't think I will ever spend $200 on a blanket, but I am really into the idea of getting a weighted blanket..I think Ikea sells one for like $30.

-I could live in a state of natural silence for ever (or for a very long time) Are You Listening? Hear What Uninterrupted Silence Sounds Like

-8 Fruits and Vegetables You Shouldn't Be Refrigerating

Pictures from the week.

Have a wonderful day.

-C

Sunday Happy

Forecasters are calling for a stormy week, supposedly starting today. And you know what, I really hope that we get it, and get it all. Everything is so dry and crunchy and we just need rain. I need rain. Too many sunny days in a row actually start to have an opposite effect on me. I get cranky. I need some overcast and gloom. It helps my brain. That might sound crazy, but I know I am not the only one. (right?) Anyway, we need the rain so it better freaking rain. 

Just another mid summer week.  The mr was all week work work working, I did some work, but was not overly busy, I kind of was feeling like shit, especially the beginning of the week. Super hot Monday followed by hot and humid Tuesday just felt like a slap in the face. I am, and I think that we are all, officially over the hot humid shit. It is just too much. I feed Megans evil cat all week which was annoying since that cat basically tries to kill me everytime I look at him (he really is a mean little fucker). Barb and I had a mid week meet up at the farm for green bean and flower picking, Now I have so so so many beans because  I have been doing a lot of picking of all sorts of tasty things, including beans, at home in the garden (so many raspberries, not to mention all of the kale (Happy dance me))  Pretty soon it's going to be an onset of so much food. I am getting ready. The chest freezer is plugged in, got some more  canning jars and freezer bags. Bring it on I say. I'l take it, I'll take it all. Which bring me to Thursday Farm share. Got the first tomatoes of the season (whoop whoop)  and had to stop myself from shoveling them all down my throat. I decided to try and be proactive this year and not overdue the tomatoes and give myself hella shitty reflux. We will see how I do. 

Friday we had plans for a tree house picnic with the littles but it ended up turning into a front porch picnic. To many people to fit way up high in that tree. It's all about safety first. We had (not me, I ate lettuce zucchini bowl) cucumbers, green beans, peaches, and fluffernutters. Miley and Judah  were not so impressed because they get to eat that shit whenever, but Barb. Oh was she excited for the fluff, just shoving it down like a champ. Haha. And Coco, that little dude can eat. He picked himself a giant cucumber from the garden and managed to eat just about all of it, this is after he ate like a quart of berries and a bunch of green beans. That little, he knows the way to my heart. 

And then somehow while we were taking our after dinner stroll around the block, the mr fell off of Miley's scooter and like maybe broke his wrist....For real, his wrist yersterday was like a ballon and he can barely move it.  I went to work at the studio (loaded a glaze kiln... I am so good at loading glaze kilns) and came back to bags of half frozen corn and peas leaking juice all over and the most miserable mr I have seen in a long time. HIs wrist was hurting him way bad.  SO two things, the littles are to NEVER ride a scooter without the proper head gear and maybe some wrist pads again and maybe not at my house for a while and  the mr is just straight up NEVER to ride a scooter EVER again. Broken wrist or not. He doesn't have a helmet. And I can't deal with a miserable mr. 

Today depends on how the mr is when he wakes up. If his wrist is still really swollen and he is miserable, I am going to run away...HA, no , I am going to drag his ass to the X-ray place and get his wrist looked at. If he is feeling better, well then I am going   bike into town to the gym, hit up the old library, hope for rain, but that it doesn't start til I get home from said library ( but really I will be ok, my back pack is waterproof so I can handle a little rain) do a few errands with the mr and then veg out for the rest of the asfternoon. I am really hoping for the latter of the two.

Internet from the week.

-Heat Making You Lethargic? Research Shows It Can Slow Your Brain, Too.  Finally some science to explain why I am garbage when I am hot.

-FDA Outlook on Plant-Based 'Milk' Is Bleak: "An Almond Doesn’t Lactate". Hahaha. No almonds do not... And not sure I care what they call plant based "milks".. maybe I should? And think of the possibilities of a new name... Almond hey yeah!

-In love. Vintage Summer: A Seventies-Style Shoppable Airbnb in Montauk

-Are We Really as Awful as We Act Online? Oh shit, some of the things people say. I don't know, sometime I think people are even worse...

-I think we are going to buy this tent. I would have already but I am trying to find it for cheaper (I have found it for 299.. still want it to be cheaper though), maybe wait for a sale? I don't know, but it is the tent that we want. 

-The Lawless Energy of Teen-Age Girls. I don't know why, but I really connected with these photos. Maybe it's because I was a teenage girl at one point, and I am pretty sure I did karate in a field too. 

-Buffy was the best, like seriously kick ass cool. A 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' Reboot Is Reportedly In The Works

-What's the Difference Between Persian & English Cucumbers? I guess size matters. 

-I want so very much to see one of these performances. I mean, a ballet at a farm, pretty fantastic. Maybe I'll surprise the mr and bring him or...Maybe he will surprise me.  Farm to Ballet Project. 

-Inside a mostly faded culture on Norway’s border with Sweden. Magical farmers. Take me there. 

Pictures from the week 

Happy Sunday!

-C

Sunday Happy

Mid summer days. Hard to believe that the year is more then half way over. My oh my, how fast time seems to be ticking by. I better get on that, and that being everything I better get on. 

The week went as usual. This and that, running around, blah blah blah.I cleaned that car, spent far to long on the phone with gas company, and managed not to mow the lawns once this week (probably should so that really soon) The mr is that same, work all day, come home and work in the tree at night. The tree house is almost done soon so that will be good. I have been tending to the garden, everything is coming in oh so nicely and all of a sudden there is more kale and rhubarb that I know what to do with (thats a damn lie, I know how to deal with it all.. MY FACE). And not only is my garden bountiful, farm shares have been mega and I am just a happy camper chopping and bagging it all to shove into the deep freezer for those cold winter nights.

Only and I made a visit to the vets where he got poked and prodded. 100% awesome, even though he is now considered a geriatric cat.  Our vet is in love with him (she loved Washer too) because our pets just sit and take the abuse. The more I poke at them, the happier they are. Weirdos. We also did a mid week littles sleep over. We played in the yard, picked  berries, made Coco scream, and ate all of my berries.  After dinner Miley somehow conned the mr into buy ice cream AND a giant KitKAT bar. So they ate a lot of sugar while we watched Billy Madison and laughed our asses off. I mean, if you were a little, wouldn't that be the perfect night? The next morning, we  skipped camp, made rainbow pancakes and I let them watch Nailed it while they ate.( they want me to teach them how to cook so they can be on a food completion. Its now my goal in life) Then Barb came over to hang and pancake and pick all the berries, kale, and beans in garden, you know to test for quality control. And then we wondered around the neighborhood, hit up the thrift store (FREE BOOKS FOR MILEY!!!) and were just the coolest kids around.  Then I had it, needed to get some shit down so wee dropped them off at home after a trip to the transfer station to get rid of the recycling. We found pogo stick there. That was fun. 

Friday my mom came over for  this cherry upside-down cake. She said it was the best cake ever so maybe you should make one too. How can you pass up the best cake ever? 

Yesterday I worked all morning at the studio, loaded a kiln, mixed some glazes then came home to an empty house. And clean did I clean. A week of in and out and littles and spilled this and so much fine wood chips. The house felt sticky and gross so I spent the rest of my Saturday scrubbing and vacuuming and raining terror down on the mr for using a cup and leaving it on the counter. Word of the wise, stay the fuck out of my way when I am cleaning. 

Today I am going to bike into town, do the  gym, return overdue library books, and then veg. The mr and I have been carving a few spoons this week so I will probably do some of that, and provably  throw some pots to go with those spoons in the basement. It's  suppose to get hot again toady so the basement might just be where it is at. I should probably do some laundry while I am down there too... 

Interneting from the internet

-Can a Laugh Be Inherited? How Genes Define Who We Are. I hope no one gets my laugh, everyone picks on my laugh (assholes)

-Hum, what is it that I Am tasting. IT's Umami.  Umami: The 5th Taste, Explained

-Do You Like Jokes and Crafts? This Punny Video Of Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman Is Sew Good. I have watched more then once... It just makes me smile. 

-I feel like you have to see this because I had to see this and cannot unsee it. MAN WITH WORLD'S LONGEST FINGERNAILS CUTS THEM OFF AFTER 66 YEARS, SELLS THEM TO MUSEUM

-It's all my brains fault. Ha. Why Your Brain Tricks You Into Doing Less Important Tasks

-Holy Shit, not good. An 11 million-ton iceberg is threatening a tiny village in Greenland

-Vintage Travel Trailer Paint Jobs You Won't Ever Forget. We need to get on fixing our....... 

-What a strange way to grow ups without a shit tin of siblings. And to be stuck near the middle is good fun. The Extinction of the Middle Child

-The thing people can create.  New Miniature Lace Scenes by Ágnes Herczeg Capture Quiet Domestic Moments

- The moment Trump baby blimp lifts off

Pictures from the week. 

Be happy

-C

Sunday Happy

What time is it really? Do you play that game when it's Daylight Savings? For the past week I have been walking around saying it's 4, but it really it's going to be 5 in a few days. So yeah, a little confusing because I can do that to things. But these year I have been proactive about the change and going to bed a little earlier ever night  (we spent an evening laying in bed, cause we couldn't fall asleep so early, looking up obscure meanings of words and things about birds. Did you know that a bunch of flamingos is called a flamboyance? Sometimes I hate the internet, but sometime, sometimes it is full of magic.) and waking up a little earlier (me, not the mr) And even better, we officially lost our hour yesterday, like I set the clocks forward when I woke up(the mr was confused all day but mostly went along with it). I wanted to get it out of the way so that today can be normal and I can stop thinking about the clock. Look at me, I am so smart, or maybe just really weird, but whateva, I am one (hour) up on everyone. 

The week had been pretty full and fun.. There was and has been lots of snow falling and melting and falling again. I have loved it all because warm snow days are like the best. On one of those nice days we took the littles and Barb and climbed a little mountain. (You know when you walk to the top of a mountain and see a snow penis? No,well its pretty freaking fantastic, especially when you have two littles with you. There was no shortage of wiener jokes for the rest of the day) The mr made Coco a sweet ass toddler bed and now he is sleeping in his own bed like a toddler boss. We found the last remaining light fixture needed for the bathroom and put that it, and now the house is completely done, except for wanting to start all over again. (we need to find a new shitty house to fix).  I got a bunch of chores done, cleaned a bunch more, and every day getting a little more pumped about spring and outside and all the things I need to do outside once the ground thaws. I can't wait to play in the dirt!.

Then a couple days ago the mr took me on a driving adventure that ended up at an outdoor church in the middle of nowhere to pick up some free church pews. And to see all the geese flying home. But church pews, yeah that was interesting. I didn't really want them, but the mr was all about them and has some ideas for them. (cutting in half and sanding)  SO we loaded up the truck and drove an hour with large cross incrusted pews sticking out of the. truck bed. (The things we end up doing.) As for the pews, they are cool, but I really don't think I need a church pew in the house, way to clunky and it just doesn't seem right. 

As I said before, we lost our hour yesterday so the day was a little wonky. Ate lunch at 1 but dinner at 5 but it was really 12 and really 6 but went to bed at 8 and his clock said 4 but mine said 5,  but who's 5 were we talking about. Yeah, it was confusing but we got through it, mostly because we didn't have anything time sensitive going on. During the day the mr and I each ended up with a little. The boys went and did some wood shop stuff and us loadies stayed here and went over her play lines and  baked cookies. Or I baked cookies and the girl watched baking shows and ate cookie dough. And then I washed my hair, ate dinner and went to bed. 

So today.. my brain is good but my body is still adjusting to time so I already know that I am going to need a nap today, hell, I might even just go back to bed for a little while (no, I probably won't) Then I am going to strip the sheets and blanket and I am going to make the bed with the spring sheets and blankets because time change means it is basically spring which means I should probably get out my shorts and mud boots and get on it. But that is all after the nap, and the million cups of coffee I will be drinking today. But spring guys!!!! 

Interesting internet that interested me. 

-Are you a fan or do you hate the time changing? One Hundred Years Later, the Madness of Daylight Saving Time Endures

-For a Brief, Brief Moment Ketchup Was Green. I just had a conversation with the littles about the colored ketchup.. they didn't believe me. 

-We are getting closer and starting to prepare... are you?  Companion Vegetable and Herb Planting in Raised Rows

-The Joyful Dancing Boys of Instagram. Amazing. These little dudes remind me of my nephew Jackson when he was a little... The kids could dance like no other..and then cry whe he messed up. SO cute. 

-I always wondered why the hell you can't recycle the cartons and try to avoid them as much as possible. I hate not being able to recycle, it makes me mad.  In The Recycling World, Why Are Some Cartons Such A Problem?

-LEGO Goes Green With Sustainable Bricks Made From Sugar. So can you eat them?

-I could see us needing this pretty soon because living in a van.... This Solar Energy System Is Perfect For #VanLife

-How cool would it be to see wild flamingos, they are so pretty. Florida's Long-Lost Wild Flamingos Were Hiding In Plain Sight

-More fantastic terms for groups or flock of birds. 

 -These shoes... I really want these shoes. 

And pictures from the week. 

Enjoy that day!

-C