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Sunday Happy

September 8, 2019 Colleen Stem
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Not just sweater weather, which it had been all week and I am LOVING IT, but it’s lamp light weather too. I forgot that I had all these fantastic lights around my house and yesterday when it was dark out at 6 (it was raining so the sky was cloudy) I got to turn on a couple lamps that haven’t had any action in months. It was soooo nice and cozy. This my friends, this is the best time of year!

Camping last week was great and not so great. The campground was pretty, but our fellows campers were very rawdy and loud and there was a party at the picnic pavilion that had a shitty classic rock cover band playing. The noisy people and shitty music echoed through the park for longer then anyone should have had to deal with it. But I guess that happens, especially on a long holiday weekend. And really, besides the buttheads, we had fun. We went for a nice hike through the woods and into giant fields of wildflowers and goldenrod then spent some great time in the kayaks on a nearby lake (away from all the people). Plus after eating dinner and then packing it in for the night, we didn’t get soaking wet, which we could tell by the many car doors slamming and people screaming at 1am , a good few people did. Our tent stayed nice and dry inside and we even managed to stay dry when we got out of the tent and and realized it was sitting in a giant puddle. We even managed to stayed pretty dry packing up and getting on our way home, in the rain! It’s because we are good at coming I guess.

Then the rest of the week came and went in a fast blur. Mostly some same. Had lunch with Barb, cleaned apartments for new tenants,, made cards for artwork, picked up farm share, and you know, other life stuff. I have been busy in the kitchen harvesting garden food and canning or freezing it as well. Trying to stock up on as much food as I can for the winter. Then the littles slept over Friday. We watched Dumb and Dumber and I fell asleep on the couch. Woke up made waffles (I was so excited to use my waffle iron. It’s been too long) and sent them on their way home to be moody tweens because that is now happening.

Oh, and I can’t forget about how some little shithead smashed in the back of our car. Yup, that happened too. But that is pretty much it. I think….

Now for today. Mt Auscunty State park if all goes to plan. Should be a fun one with lots of hiking and a big high tower and stuff. I know it is gonna get mighty cold tonight so I am packing my winter long underwear and a jacket, hat, and mittens. So excited!

Links to explore on the internet.

-Doctors are now prescribing houseplants to help treat anxiety and depression. Makes a whole heck of a lot of sense to me. And why not try this simple remedy before trying a bunch of drugs?

-I wasn't;t surprised much when I read this. Junky processed food is so bad, especially if it is all you eat. .19-Year-Old Goes Blind Due to Diet of Pringles, Bread, Fries, and Processed Meats

-Lush Botanical Forms Translated Into Abstract Embroideries . So very pretty.

-Another good reason to ditch that pessimistic attitude and to look at he bright side of things. It doesn’t hurt to try. Optimists For The Win: Finding The Bright Side Might Help You Live Longer

-Why do clowns creep us out? Because they are creepy, that is why.

-I want, no, I need this cabin. Totally Off-the-Grid Cabin in the New Hampshire Woods

-This Apple Might Be the Most Anticipated Piece of Produce in History. I heard about this apple few years ago. I wonder if it’s gonna live up tp all the hype. We shall see.

-Why don’t we have one of these? The Otter: The 1950s Amphibious Caravan That Time Forgot!

-Can Bullet Journaling Save You? I am a list maker in all the ways. I a ma doodler to no end. I love pretty things and I love hand writing and have a ton of sketch books but besides the occasional list of note in a sketch book, I have never really gotten into Buju. It’s to time sensitive I think, for me anyway.

-Squeeze in a Quick Nap at Work with This Under-Desk Hammock. A new way to sleep on the job. HA.

Pictures from the week.

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-C

In Barbara Eats, internet links, summer, sunday happy, fall Tags Sunday happy, Vt state parks, camping, hiking, kayaking, great outdoors, everyday life, life in pictures, pictures from the week, photography, vermont, life, family, interent links, the doings, barb eats, the mr, the littles, farm share, summer, fall, sweater weather
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Sunday Happy

August 4, 2019 Colleen Stem

August. Then gem of the summer. Warm days, cool nights. The knowledge that yes, it is still summery now, but soon it will be crisp, and cool, and all fall with sweaters and apples and… I am getting ahead of myself. Still summer here, and I should just enjoy it will it lasts. So that is what I will do.

This past week was busy and a little on the stressful side at times. It started with camping on Sunday which was good, maybe not the best, but no camping is bad camping, unless it is bad. It just that is was terribibly hot and there was a lot of people around and poison ivy everywhere which made me anxious because I was also getting attacked by mosquitoes so I kept thinking I was starting to get it. (I am very allergic to poison ivy). Also I woke up in the middle if the night to the mr yelling because someone was looking into our tent. I didn’t see said person because I was asleep until I wasn’t and I did questioned whether or not he might have dreamed it, but needless to say, I didn't not sleep much after that. So yeah, other then that, not bad. And then we got out of the tent early, made the coffee and went on our way home. To life. We had (and still have) a lot of stuff going on, all at once because that is how it goes. But we got stuff done, and then some. And we even managed to get in a couple kayak sessions! First of the year because we are butts and also we just finally got around to getting racks for the car.(No more truck to throw them into. Sad). We also made time to look at a big chunk of land that I was sooooo expecting to love but nope, wasn’t for us. We test drove a newer van that was awesome, but again,wasn;t for us. We picked up farm share together and ate ten thousand tomatoes, and are now officially 100% filed and finished our taxes. Checks were wrote, I might have cried a little, but done they are.

So yeah, the week went, we did, I am tired, the mr is really tired, and we are ready to get out of here for the night. Our camping stuff is packed and ready to go. Now where are we going is the question…..Somewhere without night creepers would be nice.

Links from the internet for you to take or leave.

-Plastics Or People? At Least 1 Of Them Has To Change To Clean Up Our Mess. A beach of flip flops. How depressing. People, let’s all just stop buying plastic!

-I don’t know what the heck is wrong with people but curly parsley is the shit! It’s delicious and I can eat handfuls of it. For real. How Did Curly Parsley Get So Uncool?

-Reading this made me sad and angry. Greenland Is Melting Away Before Our Eyes

-This Must Be What It’s Like to Live Inside a Rainbow. I can appreciate it and I would love to say there but I don’t think I could actually live with that much color. Sensory overload!

-Now these rooms. I could live in. Cool Pics Show Hotel Rooms of the U.S in the 1950s and '60s

-This reminded me so much of my sister Erin. She would do something like this (or already has) Three Cats in Japan Have a Closet Full of Custom-Made Hats Felted From Their Shedded Fur

-This Remote Corner Of Nevada Is One Of The Darkest Places In The World. I want to go. I will go. And I bet everyone else wants to to, so lets all not be assholes and trash the place like happens when cool places are discovered.

-I am a slut for bedding. Just pictures of pretty textiles make me happy. BOHO BEDDING.

-At Burger King, Your Meat-Free Burger Might Come With a Coating of Real Meat Juice. This is another reason why I don’t ever go out to eat. And this 1 In 4 Food Delivery Drivers Admit To Eating Your Food. I trust no one!

-Japanese Way of Making Iced Coffee. Do you drink Iced coffee? I love it but rarely drink it because I have no will power when it comes to coffee and will basically chug it and then it is gone and I am sad. Hot coffee slows me down, if only a little bit.

And pictures from the week.

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In vermont, the great outdoors, sunday happy, summer, pictures, internet links Tags Sunday happy, everyday life, pictures, kayaking, camping, the great outdoors, photography, vermont, Vermont state parks, summer, internet links
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Sunday Happy

July 28, 2019 Colleen Stem

Summer at it’s fullest and greatest. And not so great, at it’s hottest. At least this past week was freaking amazing, especially compared to last weekend. That humid heat damn near killed me!

The week started off with a soggy hike and a heat soaked day of camping and fun times. Groton State forest, at the Stillwater campground. The mr and I were both a little drained and tired from being so so hot but we managed alright, went and did some hiking, the mr did a little fishing, I sat around and read. The normal, just a little slower then usually. But it all changed that night. We woke up and walked down to the water to watch the sunrise and take in the fresh, glorious, air. It was not hot and humid and we was alive again. HA

Then after camp, home we went, back to the week. Stuff happened, like stuff that needed to happen, like those taxes that I have not wanted to talk about… They are pretty much done. HOORAY!!! All the ups and downs. The few tears, the rage, the anxiety. Over. And now I can stop worring about them for a least a few more months, until next year that is. Because every year. Blah. Stupid taxes.

Besides taxes, there was a dentist appointment that I sat around and waited for but never got to be seen. (SO PISSED) Paul came over for resume help and food. The mr, Barb, Coco, and I spent an afternoon at the park. I weeded for hours in the garden. And lets talk about the garden. Whoa it is going and going. Right now it’s all about the squash, chard, and greens and the tomatoes will be booming soon!!!!!!!!!! That on top of farm share, well I am just one happy, full to the brim, lady.

The rest of the week was and went.

Friday I worked the studio all day then the mr and the littles picked me up. We ran to the store to get supplies, then went home for our first backyard campout. The rule was, besides me, no one was allowed inside at all until just before bed time to use the bathroom and brush our teeth. (Or to go number two. They needed to use the toilet for that. Ha). And so I got dinner stuff ready (In the house but I needed to use the fridge and because I could), we ate dinner at the picnic table, set up the tents, made a fire, did so-mores, played with fire, and the kids ran around hopped up on sugar. We went to the park, walked around the neighborhood, and when it got dark, lit up some sparklers. It was the best! The kids were so happy, the mr and I were happy to be camping again, even if it was just the backyard, and really, it just was so great. Even when we were in our tent trying to fall asleep and all I could hear was Miley and Judah whispering and giggling and playing cards in their tent. Because that is what you do when you camp and it had me falling asleep smiling.

When we woke up (I woke up 3 hours earlier then everyone, made a pot of coffee and read on the porch) the breakfast stuff was ready outside. Eggs and toast on the camp stove. Hot chocolate, and freshly picked raspberries from the bushes in the yard. Then back to the park, and home they went. Probably some of the best camping yet. And now that we know they are awesome in a tent, we are taking them to a state park in the next few weeks. That’s gonna be fun.

Today we are heading south to camp. Lake St. Katherine or maybe Half Moon. Not sure yet. The plan is to get close and see which one feels right. We were going to bring the kayaks but It might rain and thunderstorm during the afternoon and tonight so I figured we can just go hiking instead. I would rather be in the woods and not in the middle of the lake during a lightning storm. That would kind of suck. But watch, it probably won’t rain, and even if it does, I am ok with that. We won’t melt.

Endeavors into the world wide web.

-IKEA Upcycles Furniture Into Homes For Birds, Bees, ​and Bats. Some sweet ass, fun-tastic looking homes for those birds, bees, and bats.

-I am not a beach person, partially because of this. Sun, Sand And Sewage: Report Shows Many U.S. Beaches Unsafe For Swimming. Happens here in Burlington too.

-What are algae blooms and why are they bad?. Another reason I avoid the beach.

-Questions We All Ask Ourselves: Why Does the Beanbag Chair Even Exist? Because who doesn’t love to sink into big ol’ bean bag?

-I can’t wait until the fennel starts flowing at the farm. It is the BEST! Fennel: The Best Ways to Pick It, Cook It, and Eat It

-Why Science Can Be So Indecisive About Nutrition. There is always something about something. Heck, even kale was bad for you at one point.

-This common plastic packaging is a recycling nightmare. When is the plastic craziness going to stop? And when are people going learn that just because it says it is recyclable, doesn’t mean that it is actually going to be recycled. We should just stop worring about recycling and focus more on reducing freaking plastic all together.

-Not sure what I think about this. Petition to change date of Halloween gets more than 80,000 signatures

-Soemthing about these photgraphs that I really like. Murky waters: Karine Laval’s dreamy photography takes you from the deep end to a surreal space

-A Needle Pulling Thread. Sashiko is the perfect simple, low-cost hobby to get you off your phone. Or just have another hobby. I have been meaning to Sashiko all the big holes in my couch cushions.. Maybe it will be my winter project?

Pictures from the week.

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-C

In vermont, the great outdoors, the fam, sunday happy, summer, pictures, photography, internet links Tags camping, sunday happy, great outdoors, everyday life, pictures from the week, backyard camping, summer, farm shre, garden, Vermont state parks, so-mores, family, internet links, photography, flowers
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Sunday Happy

June 30, 2019 Colleen Stem
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I’ll try to be good and not bitch too much about how hot I am. And really, it hasn’t actually been that bad. At least I am not in France. If I were in France, I would be losing my shit. I think they reached 113 degrees a day ago. So I am puting things in perspective here. I am not that hot.

Yup. Another week come and gone and now were are more then half way through the year. It’s hard to believe but time stops for no one. So what did you do with you week? For us, it was the basic. Work stuff, family stuff, trying to get out into the world as much as possible. The mr and I snuck (well the fence had yet to go up) into the new pool construction zone around the corner from us to take pictures and see what all the construction commotion has been about all week. As of now, it a giant ass hole in the ground. We found the mr a new desk for free on craigslist and It weighted a thousand pounds and almost killed me moving it up the stairs. I picked up farm share and picked me some fresh flowers. We went to a river for fishing/reading time. And there were a few bike rides, lots of walks, amazing sunsets, rainy days, hot nights. Trying our darnest to live up the summer as much as possible. Now we just need to get our shit together and get our camping and kayaking game going. It might be a slow start to the season but we will get there. Maybe next week and every weekend after that.

Dad Jeff came to town for a couple days and so Friday, right after I came home from work, I had the family over for family dinner. I made 8 pizzas (all the dough the night before) and ice cream cones with sprinkles. A hit for sure. We got lucky because it wasn't raining so we all got to play around outside. The littles in the sprinkler or playing soccer with the mr. Dad sitting on the stairs talking about rare coins and trying to give away the most creepy porcelain dolls that were my grandmothers and should really be buried as to not come alive and murder people. And there was no arguing or fighting, just shinny happy people holding hands. HA. But really, it was good. It’s always so nice to get everyone together. We are all a bunch of lunatics so we really understand each other.

And then yesterday I spend half the day cleaning up all those happy feeling. The sprinkles from the ice cream made there way into every crack and crevice in the house which makes no sense because everyone ate ice cream outside. Those littles. They are good at tracking the shit into the house.

Today is up I the air. I am going to bike into town to the gym and library and the maybe stop at the coop for some spices, but after that I am probably going to be hanging around the house. The mr has a big delivery coming sometime today and needs to be available at a moments notice so we can’t really take off. Just as well. I have a bunch of projects that I should be wrapping up. Today might just be that day. Or I might just sit around a read all day. I am good with either.

Interent from the internet that might be of some interest to you.

-Why We Remember Stonewall. Because it was important and significant in helping launch a civil rights movement.

-I prefer to carry a spork, but you get the picture. Why carrying your own fork and spoon helps solve the plastic crisis

-8 Types of Indoor Fruit Trees You Can Grow in Your Living Room. I have a lemon tree. I want the rest of them.

-Well done San Francisco, well done. San Francisco Bans Sales Of E-Cigarettes

-Now if I just had 2k just kicking around…..Garden Dome Igloo.

-These Prefab Treehouses Were Inspired By Cartoons. And they are so cool.

-Because you have been wondering all along too. How to solve the water puzzle from Die Hard 3

-The Infrastructure of Joy. Will building delight into cities make them more cloying or more fun? Definitely for sure. I know I am more joyful being anywhere that is more bright and happy. Isn’t everyone?

-Imagine living without time, or without the confines of knowing the time. Whoa. Meet The Residents Of A Norwegian Island Who Want To Kill Time — Literally

-The Best Potatoes Are Boiled in Exxxtremely Salty Water. Not going to disagree.

And pictures from the week.

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-C

In vermont, the fam, summer, sunday happy, internet links, pictures Tags Sunday hapy, everyday life, pictures from the week, interent links, photography, vermont, family, life, the great outdoors
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Sunday Happy

June 23, 2019 Colleen Stem
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It’s official. Summertime is here. Take it all in and enjoy it because that’s what we need to do. Before it is gone again.

The week has been good. Besides the usual work and stuff, we have spent a lot of time with our people and trying to do things outside everyday. There was an afternoon of Barb and Coco where we went to the beach to find drift wood and throw rocks. Megan and So came over for lunch and teeth wiggling (her two from teeth a loose!! (Sophias, not Megans)) another afternoon. We stopped over to Erins to see the painting mess and Coco drawings all over the walls. The mr and I went for a little hike that took us out under bridges to a graffiti wonderland. That was unexpected and very cool.

Then there is thing that has been on my mind for the past few days. One night in the middle of the week, the mr and I both woke up to a terrifying screaming noice. Like something was dying, killing something, or some creature was about to suck out my soul. It definitely was not anything human. It freaked me out so much that I didn't want to get out of bed to look out the window because I thought whatever was making the noice would see me awake and come kill me or some shit. So I laid in bed until it stopped then was worried it stopped because I didn’t know where it went…. CREEPY AS FUCK! And it happened again Friday night. So I am officially scared that the hell moth in opening up in my back yard. Or it could be a fox. Not sure. I’ll let you know either way. But until I figure it out, I am going to freshen up my Buffy the Vampire Slayer knowledge. Just in case.

Other then that, the rest of the week was a success. The mr finished off the beautiful cedar outdoor table, I picked up farm share and cleaned out my home studio. At the BCA Studio, the kids summer camps started so working there was a bit different. Instead of loading kilns, I was doing clay things with kids. Just got to say, after working all Friday with others peoples kids, hanging out with just Judah that night was pretty much the best. Being around other peoples (not in my family) kids really makes me realize just how cool my littles are. I mean, how cool is it that while I was at work, Judah helped the mr fix a roof? All for a slushy and my home made pizza and just wanted to hang out and draw? That’s a cool kid.

Yesteraday was just a gem. I woke up, did a few things before the sun even came up then sat on the front porch, drank my coffee and read. I even was able to go to the grocery store and cleaned out the pantry before Judah even woke up. (He ended up sleeping over Friday.). I then made pancakes for the boys, harvested greens, and played with the sprinkler. We then picked up Coco to go walk by the waterfront, throw rocks, and of course go down the slide a million times. All this before lunch. After we dropped the little back off, we came home and just hung out. Went for a bike ride, the mr secured the tree from the blowing winds and worked on the treehouse. I cleaned and puttered. The only crappy part was while I was putting away dishes I stabbed a fork under my finger nail. The prong went in deep and it bled like crazy. AGH. I would have rather cut my finger off. And now I have a swollen, still bleeding sometimes, very painful finger that has my heartbeat throbbing in it. But the rest of the day, and evening, besides the pain, was relaxing and lovely.

Today is suppose to be another wonderful day and we are hoping to enjoy it as much as the day will let us. I am going bike to the gym then come home and hop into car with the mr and drive away for the day. Where we are going, not exactly sure. Just out of town, into some of the world. Windows down, wind in my hair, tunes on the radio, coffee in my cup, and a lovely love by my side. Things are good.

Interesting internet. Take a look.

-How to lucid dream, and why you'd want to. I think I really started to think about controlling my dreams I might freak out go crazy.

-How important is seasonal eating? It is important to me for so many reasons. Biggest reason, I try to grow as much as I eat and the seasons depict that. Not a lot of fresh tomatoes coming Vermont in the winter.

-The terrifying screaming might be this? Red Fox Sounds.

-Whatever Happened to #Vanlife? Well, Things Are Changing. Van life is not just for the surfer dudes anymore.

-No Matter the Hack, Some Kitchen Tasks Will Always Be a Pain in the Ass. HERE HERE!! But here is a hack for garlic….just eat the freaking skin. No peeling. HA

-These are some kickass vinyl floors.

-Why wouldn’t pants like good tunes. Good vibrations. It just makes sense. Music For Plants Is Real (Even If The Science Isn't)

-What's the Difference Between Sparkling Water and Seltzer? I needed to double check.

-Give me a good, healthy life, over a really long life. Human Lives Might Be Long Enough Already

Pictures from the week.

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-C

In the great outdoors, the fam, sunday happy, photography, pictures, life, summer, Barbara Eats Tags Sunday Happy, everyday life, internet links, pictures, pictures from the week, my people, family, summer, vermont, the great outdoors, graffiti, farm, photography, happy, life
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