Sunday Happy

What a week. Cool and dreary with a little sun sprinkled in here and there. I know a lot of folks hate this weather but I love it. It’s my favorite!

Last weeks camping was so good!. We went to our favorite state park, Half Moon, and it was just so nice. Super quiet, the trees were amazing, the temperature was fantastic. We hiked through the woods to a little pond, kayaked around 2 separate ponds, and the rm did some fishing while I did some reading. Everything was just A+. Even when it started to rain in the middle of the night. It didn’t bother me. I guess I told the mr that it wasn't suppose to rain so it didn’t matter and that he shouldn’t put the rainfly on. (My logic is spot on when I am sleeping.). And yeah we got a little wet, but whatever, still was the best. (the mr eventually put the fly on. Good call on his part to not listen to me.)

Then back to the world we came. To the doctors, to work stuff, to siding the porch on one of the houses. All the fun things that was on the list of the stuff to do.

And it was Alex’s 15th birthday (Happy Birthday!!WOO HOO!) so we went over to see him and have dinner and birthday cake. We also went for a nice rainy day foliage drive which again, my favorite weather, was really some of the best fall color we have seen in some years.

After working at the studio on Friday I rushed home fast to make a Pokemon cake for Saturday. Early Sartuday morning we grabbed the little, snagged Barb, and did our annual farm day pumpkin picking, masked and social distancing and all. We took the wagon to the field, they picked pumpkins (they all picked the first ones they saw) and did a little flower picking after. Then back to my house for a birthday party celebration for Coco. Technically his birthday is today (HAPPY BIRTHDYA COCO!) but we did a little party for him yesterday. Ate lunch, played around then surprised him with his pikachu cake. He was so happy! Then we gave him his presents (his own package of his favorite cookies, a hand knitted hat, and a vintage kids accordion) ate cake, and ran around the house playing with the accordion to the point where I wanted to smash it. He loved it all (even loved the hat!) and the accordion is home with him and can drive everyone who lives with him crazy. HAHA!

I must mention one thing. Judah was talking to Barb about her job as a house cleaner and all the things she has to do. He then said he would love to get paid to clean my house because it would be like getting free money cause my house is so clean. That really made my day. With that said, it has been a while since I have had so much cake all over the house. I really don’t understand how they do it. Everyone was sitting at the table and were not being messy or gross or anything but after they left and I started in on my cleaning routine…. cake was EVERYWHERE!. I might just make it mandatory for all food to be consumed outside from now on. Although that probably won’t work either. The littles (and sometime the mr) are slobs and no matter what or where they eat, it will get all over.

And now Sunday. So so ready to get out. Elmore State Park is the destination and we are going to take a good long hike up a mountain while we are there. Hopefully there are not a shit ton of other people around. (Vermont during foliage season is the best time and the worst time.. too many people!) I have a pumpkin packed for dinner, the rain fly (just in case) and the wool blankets. It’s gonna be a chilly one tonight!

Internet from the weeks internet.

-How to Cope When Everything Feels Bad and Somehow It Keeps Getting Worse. My go to is reading. Guess that is why I have been reading 2 books a week.

-Celebrate the House Meal, the Go-To Dish for When There’s No One to Satisfy but Yourself. Sometime I wonder how weird and screwed up my tastes are compared to others but then I think how screwy other peoples are.I think that we all eat some weird shit and the weird shit is almost always the best.

-I would live here. An Architect’s Scandi-Inspired Off-the-Grid Hut

-Sugar bread is not bread. For Subway, A Ruling Not So Sweet. Irish Court Says Its Bread Isn't Bread

-Yes, Halloween Trees Are Officially a Thing, and We Don’t Hate It. But I think I might hate it. At least use a different tree. Geesh.

-All of these floors.

-58,000 Pounds of Carrots Were Dumped at a London University. Could have just dumped them in my front lawn. I like a good art installation. And carrots.

-Vermont proud. Vermonter raises zucchini currently listed as world's largest in 2020

-May The Fattest Bear Win: Voting Opens For National Park's Pre-Hibernation Contest.. Love a fat bear.

-I just really like this. Portable Candlelight

Pictures from the week.

-C

Sunday Happy

Hip hip Hooray! Spring is here and the weather is fine, fine fine! Things in the world may be cray cray at the moment, but can you deny how amazing it is to leave the house without hats, mittens, and three layers? I have all but put one jacket and one set of mittens away for the year. The heat is off (actually has been for a few weeks) and the sandals are there, by the door, waiting for whenever the moment hits. So sure, life is a little strange but spring guys. SPRING!

The week. Well the week was a week. It started off with my moms birthday. Sad that we didn’t get to have the party we had all planned for her, but nice because we didn’t have to have a big party. I made her her favorite cake then the mr, Barb, and I went over and stood on the side porch for a couple hours and talked to her through the door while she ate cake. It was actually really nice and quality and not overwhelming. She got to see us, and all of my other siblings at different points in the day, at a very safe distance. So yeah, no party, but I think she enjoyed it, maybe even more then having 25 people smooshed in her house, trashing it. Heck, this just might be the new way we celebrate birthdays.

As for the rest of the week, well not to much. Stayed away from everyone not in our quarantine bubble as usual. We went over to help out with the littles almost everyday, making sure they get outside, eat something food wise that doesn’t come in a box, and have brushed their teeth or hair (one or the other is good enough for now). I did a FaceTime cookie making tutorial with Barb and So which was actually so freaking fun. I taught them how to make chocolate chip cookies, watched them struggle while I laughed and chopped up beets and cabbage, and didn’t have to do any of the dishes! Later that day the mr and I went for a walk with them and he got to eat a few of the cookies they made, for testing purpose of course. Again, it was pretty great. And because it went so great, Barb asked me to to do a bread tutorial on the FaceTime later this weekI That one is going to be very interesting for sure. We also did our weekly food run (I HATE going to the grocery store now) and I picked up farm share which I am so freaking grateful for, even more then usual. Sure my farmer friends are now forced to pre pack shares (in plastic. BLAH) but they are still making it happen for us. And sure they are making the majority of the people really happy by packing it full of the popular veggies that people usually get, like potatoes and carrots but I am not going to lie, I was really sad when I didn’t get any celeriac or turnips (the less popular veggies). Hopefully next pick up. I think I might even give them a shot and tell them to give me all the things people don’t really want. That’s usually what I like anyway.

Other then that, well not a lot of excitement. I go for a run every morning and then a few long walks or a hike throughout the day. I spend a few hours in the basement studio working on stuff almost everyday (I need to get a freaking kiln! Greenware is piling up!). I am baking the same amount as usual. Maybe cleaning a bit more and going through stuff more then normal. I am thinking about maybe thinking about the taxes again soon, and I have been wearing a clean sweater from the closet every day. That has been the weirdest thing so far. My desire for a new sweater everyday is not normal. I usually wear the same one for at least half a week before changing it. (strange strange times.) The mr and I went for our first real bike ride of the year (!!!), and I am now and have been spending whatever decent weather time trying to clean up the back yard and get the garden beds in order. Is is kind of a hot mess back there what with the huge amount of rock breaking apart of the stone bulk head and digging up massive amounts of dirt that the mr did last fall. Don’t get em wrong, having basement access and light from from the outside is going to be amazing, but damn, I want the mess to be gone! Oh well, just another fun project that we (more like the mr) are going to start up again soon. 😬

Today, Sunday for all of those who need a reminder, is Megans birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!) and so the plan is, at some point, meet up with her to go for a hike. Other then that, more yard work, transplant my tomato seedlings into bigger pots, make some soup for dinner. Basically the normal, just with a side of apocalyptic feelings.

Internet links from the week

-So masks, I guess that is where we are at. At least I have a shit ton of fabric and am pretty good at sewing. Think I am going make a shit ton. No one else sews in my family.🤦‍♀️. Here is one pattern and here is another. Going to make a some of both and maybe a a few of these too. Might make own pattern as well, one where the wearing can’t speck.. for those who talk to much! HA

-April Horoscopes: Which Bean Are You? (Yes, Beans) I am an Aquarius and this is spot on bean wise.

-Sacred of the grocery store? Me too. Thank goodness for farmshare, even if it we have had to adapt to how we are getting it for the time being. Is This the Start of a CSA Boom?

-All the plastic I am seeing, all the disposable containers and shit. It is freaking me OUT! The plastic industry is using the coronavirus to fight plastic bag bans

-I am looking at flooring again. For what? Well I don’t rally know. But this flooring company. Swoon.

-Covid-19’s Impact on Libraries Goes Beyond Books. Goodness I miss my libraries.

-Gardens and chickens. A little back yard homesteading. 'We Are Swamped': Coronavirus Propels Interest In Raising Backyard Chickens For Eggs

-Currently reading this and this. Both are good.

-Drake, Quarantined In Style, Makes Social Isolation A Public Spectacle. At least we have Drake.

-Just Be Kind to the People Who Ensure You Get to Eat. Seriously for reals real. Smile, tell them thank you, and keep your distance!

Some pictures as well.