Sunday Happy

It’s the last week of October folks. And this time next week it will be one hour earlier then it is now. I am already playing that game in my head with myself saying it is this time but will be that time. Getting mentally ready. And I know most people hate it, hate that it going to get dark out at like 430 but me, I am excited. I like having more sunlight earlier when I am awake and as for darker earlier, it just makes our after dinner walks that much more interesting. You can see inside peoples houses in the dark so much better.😳(Don’t pretend you don’t look too.)

The week began at Gifford Woods. After getting checked in and switching our campsite 3 times (for optimal light and a good chopping block )the mr and I hiked a long hike, he did some fishing (and actually caught one), I read, we made fire, we ate soup. All the good stuff. Then we went to bed with the knowledge that there was a bear roaming about. We woke up with no bear sittings (sad but probably good) and headed on back to town.

And it was Barbs 21 st birthday. So we had dinner with her and the boys at my moms, sang her songs, gave her shit, did the cake thing, and sent her on her way to go be 21.

After that it was back to it. Basically all the same stuff with some of this and that and a new, very expensive heater replacement at one of the apartments. (OUFF!) Then Barb came over for her second birthday dinner with the littles. Pie instead of cake, Coco shaking his booty, Miley harassing the mr about when he is gong to dye her hair, and Judah, well he was just being cool like a cool kid.

And that is pretty much it.

It’s Sunday and this is it, the last camping of the year. I would be lying if I said that I am not sad, but it’s ok, I don’t think I could handle the mr camping in the winter, he does not like to be cold. And honestly, we spend just as much time running around in the woods in the winter, we just come back to our warm bed at night so it’s not like we don’t still run away all the time. Anyway, heading out early, going to soak it in as much of the day away as possible, do a good hike, the mr is gonna fish, I’ll read and look at rocks by the river, and we will eat hot soup by the fire. Maybe as a last hurrah we will see a moose or a bear. I have no real control over that but wouldn’t that be awesome?

Oh and before I forget, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

Some internet for your reading pleasure.

-A Rare Halloween Blue Moon in 2020. And it is daylight savings. Gonna be a crazy night!

This house. And the patchy, torn apart wall paper.. so good. Heading ‘Upstate’

-Are we living in a computer simulation? I don’t know. Probably. AAAAGH! But seriously, are we?

-Good to know. Is It Better to Bake in Glass or Metal?

-Veggie Burgers Can Be Called Burgers, European Parliament Says. I am sure this is pissing a lot of people off.

-Why living with and tending plants is good for you. So many reasons. I don’t know what I Would do without my plants!

-I agree. This Cozy A-Frame in the Woods Is One of the Dreamiest Cabins We’ve Ever Seen

-Cool AF mask. Zimarty Turns the Face Mask Into Wearable Architecture With zMask

-Pretty. Cloaked in Thick Smoke, Submerged Foliage Breaches the Water’s Surface in Mysterious Photographs

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Hello there friends! How is everyone holding up? Are we good? We are good. Good good good. Good. Haha!

The mr are back at it for the rest of the summer and into the fall. We will be camping and kayaking just about every weekend from here on out. Back to Belvedere because it is just the best. The weather was great, world was quiet, and we were just happy as clams. And then we came home. Which is nice yes, but really, I should just live in a tent, or like a cabin in the woods. I think it makes me a better, happier person. It’s gonna happen, one way or another. Life goals we are working on.

So home and the rest of the week went as usual. Busy. The mr and I seemed to be running around doing all the stuff and working all the workings. Nothing big happened, it just seemed like there was always something going on that needed immediate attention. Oh, we did have a freak storm that knocked out the power for hours and knocked over a bunch of big ass trees so that happened. And we did have the littles and Barb over for dinner, ice cream,and camping trip planning. Miley brought her new cell phone over with her and preceded to show everyone she could the text I sent her when she got it. I might have said something on the lines of “I am so excited that you got a cell phone!”. She screened shotted and is now using it against me. What can you do?

I also fired and unload a bisque kiln of mostly all my pieces this week and that was a treat for sure. I have never had a kiln (mostly) all to myself and I got to tell, it was pretty freaking fantastic. I can’t wait to have my own kiln.

Toward the end of the week Judah come over for a sleep over where we tried to tear a stump (unsuccessfully) out of the yard, ate so many cucumbers, and watched Ace Venture. I made the normal pancakes for breakfast followed up by bean and flower picking at the farm and then whatever else he and the mr were up to when they go out and do stuff. I came home to clean up their mess and place pretty flower arrangements all over the house. And eat beans of course.

So it’s Sunday which means we will be tossing the tent and kayaks into the truck and heading out into the woods for another camping adventure. It’s crazy how much camping we do and how I still get so very excited about it. Again, I should be living in the woods. 🏕

Stuff the internet had on it this week

-What the heck is happening with the Postal Service? Not good stuff.

-The mr was on the news! Little Free Pantries pop up around Burlington

-2020 Is the Year of the Freezer. The mr has been bitching at me for years about my freezer game. He can’t ever again.

-Underground gyms. I had a feeling this was going to be a thing. Secret Gyms And The Economics Of Prohibition

-Have We Been Thinking About Pain All Wrong? We should be grateful for pain? Kinda yeah.

-I completely agree.Don’t Be Shy—Paint Your Ceilings. We have painted out bedroom ceiling gold. It was 100% best choice ever.

-This L.A. Ceramicist Embraces the Strange. She has a treehouse for all of her ceramics. I should do that too.

-Say no to the undies!. This Gynecologist Wants You to Go Commando During Workouts — Here's Why

-The Escapist Land Of 'Cottagecore,' From Marie Antoinette To Taylor Swift. I guess when you don’t live in Vermont, well then you need the pictures. Ha

-I have a pie dough waiting to be filled. Everything You Need to Know About Par-Baking.

Pictures from the week

Sunday Happy

How are you doing these days? Me, I am fine. Fine. Fine, fine fine. I am fine right?

This week was a doozy. It started off good with a family BBQ party for Anthony’s high school gradation. It was great. The weather was perfect, Megan was happy, Anthony was happy, and it was just nice to see family together at once again.

But then the week started to suck. A list of bullshit. It started with a cute little stupid asshole wood chuck. In the matter of 24 hour, the hairy little fucker ate my ENTIRE GARDEN!!!! Pretty much everything. All the greens, the beans, the zucchini plants, all the flowers, the radishes, I mean, EVERYHITNG. The only thing that it kind of spared were the tomatoes, although he did munch on them too. So I cried. and I yelled and cried some more. Then I replanted and fenced off my garden. Hopefully he won’t come back after the mr plugged the hole in the fence and had a stern talking-to with him…..

And then there was a lot of drama drama drama with a family member that I don’t want to get into but oh my fuck. Some people, I just can’t. I am gonna leave it at that.

And then the fridge decided to stop working again.

And I got stung by a yellow jacket and my arm blew up and itched for days.

And we are in a heat wave.

And I am getting ready to finally file taxes….

AAAAAAHHHHH!

So yeah. Not the finest week. But there was good stuff too, I am just to cranky right now (so freaking HOT!) to remember. HA! I really hate hot weather. I think I get a little summer seasonal affective disorder. For real.

Today the mr is working and I am spending the day doing chores. I have a desk that needs painting, a basement that is is dire need or cleaning, laundry up the wazoo, and a broken fridge that need fixing, again. I am also going to smack on my respirator and go to town on the clay dust in my studio. Then maybe I will allow myself some time to lay on the kitchen floor with my hot sticky body pressed against the cool wood floors, with a hot coffee in hand of course. Fuck I hate hot weather!

Sorry for the ranting. Have a fantastic day!

Internet links from the week.

-Bakers, and eaters for that matter, doing thing to make the world a better place. I think I will do a bake sale soon too! Bakers Against Racism Is Just the Beginning

-This is a question that I have asked a lot.When Is the Artist Assistant Just the Artist?

-Vermont ranked largest producer of maple syrup, brings in over 2.2 million gallons. Yeaya Vermont!

-Have you baked lately? Have you slowed down or stopped? I don’t know about you, but I always bake a little less in the hot ass summer months because I don’t want to turn stove off but I do know a lot of people are sick of the kitchen from all the quarantine time and have abandoned the kitchen. IT’s ok, you an always go back! The Great Pandemic Bake-Off May Be Over

-Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Ice. Good information to know, especially now that it is summer.

-My dream WINDOWS!!!!

-BUILT-INS FOR THE WIN. I didn't think I was built in sitting kind of person but I love all of these.

-Live in Vermont? Know your shit. SINGLE-USE PRODUCTS LAW 

-Libraries Are Dealing With New Demand For Books And Services During The Pandemic. I know that my libraries (yes, I have 2) have had a huge demand. We are still doing online reservations and curbside pick up, but man, trying to reserve a book lately has been rough… always already out!

-When I was a little, I always wondered if everyone saw color differently and no one could prove that my blue was a different color then your blue because of how our brains work.. I still think that is possible. Hummingbirds can see colors we can’t even imagine. The humming birds know what I Am talking about.

Pictures from the week

-C

Sunday Happy

Hey hey hello! How’s it going? Good good? I mean, how can it not be at least a little. You are here so that’s good right? Right.

This week seemed bus, or busier then the past few weeks. We spent time with littles on Easter then went for a walk with my mom. We did a grocery run for the mr’s parents and drove it the 2 hours to drop it off on their front porch. There was the driftwood excursion for fish tank drift wood with Barb and school work days with the littles. I picked up farm share, made banana bread and cookies, and did a little tax paperwork. The mr is back to fixing this and doing that. That and this being he build me more shelves in the stairway to the basement and started a hug fire pit project in the backyard. He has also somehow turned Barb into his partner in crime with all things that have to do with fish. Those two. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ever since the gym closed I have been running every morning, 3-4 miles around town or in the woods, which consists of nothing but hills. I love it so much that I didn’t take a day off. (Which I now know was really stupid.) The beginning of the week, running through the woods, I overdid it and I either sprained my ankle, broke something, or have plantar fasciitis. And now fuck me, I can barely walk. Plus because I am having such a hard time with my ankle, my hip on my other side is killing me as well. Its what we call composition pain and seriously, I have been miserable all week. I am also an asshole and haven’t been taking care as much as I should. I ice a bit and I wrap it, but I am still walking on it and going for walks because I just cannot not move. It would be worse for EVERYONE if I cannot move. That being said, I need to stop being said asshole and really rest it so I can get back to running and even just walking without pain. Plus the hiking trails should be in good shape again soon (we try to stay off them during mud season so they don’t get trashed) and I need NEED, to get some serious hiking/woods/tree time in soon.

So today I am going to enjoy the weather. A long bike ride (biking doesn’t hurt which is why I have been biking like 15 miles a day) , maybe a short walk, and a lot of porch sitting with my foot iced and elevated. I will drink lots and lots of hot drinks and read. Hopefully if I am really good today, my ankle will be good enough to start running/walking/hiking/not being miserable again soon!

Internet from the week.

-All the disinfecting sprays and chemicals and shit are truly some of the things that scare me the most about this virus. People are just dousing themselves in all these chemicals and not realizing the side effects. Eeeee. I hate chemicals. Fight viruses in your home without making bacteria stronger.

-How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Freezer. I will freeze just about ANYTHING! Even stuff that might not freeze well…. It all is great in soup! But usually, I stock the shit out of my chest freezer with all the veggies.

-On the lookout whenever I go to the store next… Something to look forward too. Polar Seltzer’s 2020 summer flavors are out. Kiwi Pink Grapefruit… Excited!

-Plague Comforts: I Bought a Pacifier. Haha. I thought about it to. It was the only thermometer for sale anywhere. But I didn’t cause it was just to weird. And I found a normal one.

-Barb has been on the lookout for fluff for the past few weeks. Said it is all sold out everywhere. I guess people are eating a lot of fluffernutters right now. The Forgotten Inventor of the Fluffernutter Sandwich

-I would get this puzzle if I wanted to drive myself crazy. .This Clear Acrylic Puzzle Is Here to Keep You Busy from Now Until Forever

You Can Order Cardboard Cutouts of Your Loved Ones to Help Get Through Social Distancing. OR just for shits and giggles. Maybe I should just wend everyone in my family a cut out of ME!

-We just brought home 3 huge bins of Mileys American Girl dolls and stored them in the basement. And then I Read this. My American Girl Doll Tried To Kill Me. I might have to sleep wit a knife under my pillow now.

-Thinking about wearing watch. I really like this one.

The Killer At Home: House Cats Have More Impact On Local Wildlife Than Wild Predators. Only was a killer. His victim of choice was frogs.

Pictures from the week.

-C

Sunday Happy

The past week was a blur.

A friend sent me a meme the other day that really hit home for me. It said “I wish this would all be over so everyone would just leave me the fuck alone” Yup.

And a few days ago I accidentally dropped my new toothbrush into toilet. But I am ok. And in case you are wondering, I had a new toothbrush on standby so my teeth are ok too.

How are you holding up? Going crazy? Are you getting shit done? Are you loving it or hating it? Or are you just getting use to it but then freaking out about how use to it you are getting? That last is me. Usually what happens is I will be feeling calm and fine but then I will read or hear something totally fucked on the news (I listen to NPR for most of the day so it’s my own damn fault but I have been switching my listening habits to mostly music or podcasts. I have made some pretty sick quarentine playlists for sure.) and the emotions go haywire again. But I think mostly, for me, I am just feeling kind of, well I don’t know, wonky? Itchy? Irritable? All of the above, plus a little scared, sad, and crazy. But also happy, grateful, and calm. So many feelings and I am not good with a lot of feels at once. Thats it! I am a EMOTIONALLY OVERLOADED!

Anyway, the weather, so nice! Good thing to because besides taking the littles almost everyday out for their daily hikes, or being able to walk around the block with my mom (10 feet apart), either the mr or I might end this thing living up in the tree house. Hahaha. No, we are so good, we just have our moments that may or may not end in obscene hand gestures and lots a vomit. 😁 But seriously, the tree house. It’s our contingency plan. The mr has spent a fair amount of time up there carving spoons or just sitting, just to give me space. (he is so nice!) And I have discovered the amazingness of headphones. I don’t usually have a need to wear them but this week I busted out an old pair and realized how amazing it is to not hear anything other then music. Really loud music. It’s like being alone. Ah, the small things.

Today. Sunday, in case you were wondering. It is not a great day for me. It’s 4 years ago that Sean died so I am emotional and cranky and blah. So what I am going to do is go for a run, call my mom, text all my siblings that I love them and then tell everyone to leave me the fuck alone. The mr and I are going to take a drive, find some woods where I can be with no one else around hide away for a while. Then we need to go grocery shopping. I am down to my last serving of carrots and ran out of my St Patricks day stash of cabbage. I am really hoping people have calmed the fuck down and haven’t emptied the produce section by the time I get there. I will lose my shit if I can’t get some carrots. Not today. Just have the fucking carrots.

My internet looking from me to you.

-Read a few and you will laugh and feel better about wanting to punch a wall or bite your partner. The Social Distance Project

-Fuck It, Let Them Eat Cake. If it makes things ok, even just for a little while, then why the fuck not.

-I could totally be quarantined here. Detailed Minimalism’: A Designer’s Bucolic Cottage in the Welsh Countryside

-There's No Better Time to… Use the Oldest Thing In Your Pantry. Seriously. I went through my pantry and have been using all the oldest stuff first. I haven’t even restocked half of my beans because I am trying to use up all of what I have. (I have like 12 different varieties so I have a tone of beans) IT feels good.

-This is very important. How to Not Completely Hate the People You’re Quarantined With.

-STARTING SEEDS INDOORS: HOW AND WHEN TO START SEEDS. I started a bunch of stuff this week!!!!

-You wanted to know, you just didn't;t know you wanted to. The Wild but True Story of How One Writer Figured Out the Origin of the “Triscuit” Name

-As a potter and a perpetual hand washer anyway, my hands are always dry as fuck. This is one of my favorite hand creams (I use it on my face at night in the winter too) Weleda Skin Food Original Ultra-Rich Cream Also this. Hemp Hand Protector

-How Nature Has Become America’s Saving Grace As We Shelter In Place. Just remember to take care and maybe consider what will happen if we don’t take more steps and keeping this planet healthy….

-Still have a couple rainbows and mugs for sale on the web store. Going to throw some rainbow mugs up there later this week too. stem+node Ceramics

Pictures from the week.