Sunday Happy

To the last week of the year. Can you even? It’s like all the things happened and at the same time, nothing. Almost like a time warp that I still have yet to wrap my head but I think I am done trying and am just going to move forward from here. A new year. 2021! It’s gonna be good!

The week started off a little hectic. I was finishing up pottery things and dropping of pots all over town. Then grocery shopping ….I had a few things I needed to pick up to get through the week and when I Went out it was a freaking shit show. I think it was more crazy this year cause people were stocking up to spend times at home (quarantining) so yeah, it traumatized me a bit. Then Barb came over and we baked like mad women. So many cookies and muffins and we made them tiny so it looked like a million cookies! After that is was basically just trying to wrap my head around the fact that is is the end of the year, that Christmas was a days away, and that all the snow melted. That pissed me off more then anything.

Then it was Christmas which was weird but good. First off, it was SO freaking HOT. I think it go to like 65 degrees. There was no snow, lots of rain, and it was just not good. My morning run turned into a mud run and I looked like I fell into the pond. But what are you gonna do? I embraced it and wore sandals for the day and walked around the neighborhood taking selfies with all the lawn blowup Christmas things and sent them to my siblings… IT was freaking hilarious. So up until couple weeks ago the family was not going to see each other but I had the greatest idea to all meet at a big parking lot on Christmas. Because it was so freaking darn hot out, we ended up at a park, no jackets or hats, all huddled under a awning because it was kind of raining. But whatever, we made it work and for what it was, it was fantastic. I brought all the cookies to share, we exchanged secret Santa gifts, and the littles ran around burning off their sugar highs. Again, it was weird, and nothing like our usual Christmases but kind of exactly the same. It was the first time we all have been together since like March so it was great. And next Christmas everyone will come back to my house and trash it and I will be missing a park Christmas! HA! Oh, and before I forget HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CAMERON who didn't want to get out of bed to come so I didn’t get to see him..anyways.

Christmas night the mr and I went home, exchanged our stockings (he made me the best most beautiful huge cutting board that I am going to have hard time using cause it is so pretty) and I made him a ceramic slice of pizza and got him old man vitamins that are in the form of candy so he will take them. Then I basically passed out and that was that.

Then Saturday we went and said hi to Anthony because it was his birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY Anthony!) and then I spent the rest of the day in a foggy weirdness that was the day after Christmas.

Today the mr and I are starting on one of the Christmas presents he gave me… Shelving in the basement and in the linen closet!!! He set up all the tools, got the wood, we measured it all out, and now all that it needs is to be cut and put together! This is the best present ever!. (Every year I ask for shelves of some kind. It has turned into a thing) After that I Am sure I will spend the rest of the day organizing what is going on the shelves (a lot o f camping stuff) and cleaning up the mess that is sure to come from the mr going in and out the back door to cut wood. And I don’t even care cause SHELVES!

Internet from the week

-No New New Years' Resolutions. Are people even doing that anymore?

-This Foldable, $23K Tiny Cabin Pops Up in Less Than 3 Hours And it actually seems like legit.

-This is me Most people would be happy to never shake your hand again

-I just explained this to the littles the other day. What is a solstice? And other questions about the shortest day of the year, answered

-The Great Bicycle Boom of 2020. I couldn’t find a bike this summer and I even got my old shitty bike stolen so yeah, people are riding bikes which is pretty cool. (Stolen bike is not cool)

-The Absolute Best Way to Make Peanut Butter

-2020 In The Kitchen: The Year We Spent Making, Baking, Frying And Trying. It was all about the kitchen!

-A house that knows my soul. Lovely, Dark, and Deep: An 1800s Victorian House in Nebraska, Restored Down to the Doorknobs

-I need new shoes that are not running shoes or sandals and I miss my clogs. Maybe if these go on sale..

And a few pictures from the week..

Sunday Happy

Anyone else wake up wondering what time it was or what day, month, and or year it was for that matter? The time change happened last night so if you have a clock without smarts, well it is probably wrong if you haven’t changed it yet. As for the overall feel of time this year, well I feel like lengths of time have been displaced and lost this year so it is nice to get an hour back, even if I lost 6 months. HA!

We finished of the last week with the last days of October, and it was good. Did out last hurrah camping at Little River State park which was delightfully cold and gorgeous with very few people to be seen. We went for a long hike, ate hot pumpkin lentil soup, and spent a good amount of time sitting by the fire trying not to burn our faces off but trying to get close enough to not be freezing. Once the fire went down we crawled into the tent for bed and slept our last night outside. Then we woke up, I made the coffee, and we broke down camp for the last time. On our way out of the park, we noticed a lot of tiny leaves falling from the trees only to realize that it was not leaves, but snow! Within 5 minutes it went from flurries to a freaking blizzard and it was just AMAZING and I loved every bit of it. The mr, not so much. He isn’t ready for the cold.

Then back to it. The mr off on one of his many projects he has going on and I spent a good amount of time in the studio. We took Barb to look at used cars (no car yet), and I picked up the last summer farm share. (Winter share starts next week..phew!) And yes, we finally turned the heat on, although I think I could do without it for a little while longer. I prefer the heat of a thousand sweaters. HA!

And then all of a sudden it was Halloween. How was your Halloween? Ours was weird. We somehow forgot to carve pumpkins this year (I know we are not the only ones) and we knew we weren’t taking the littles out. We also decided against handing out candy cause well, you know. So instead we had the littles over and had a cookie decorating party. We ate lunch then let them get all sugared up and run around like animals all afternoon which is always a good time. Plus they still got a shit ton of candy and did so without all the work. So yeah, things weren’t bad for the littles this year. What was bad was the crazy ass mess they left me with. I know I have bitched about this before but, How the hell do they get sprinkles and frosting on EVERYTHING? There was even frosting all over the toilet. One thing I did learn though this cookie party is to never let them use tiny colored dusting sugar ever ever again. That shit spreads like fire.

Sunday. Welp, we are not camping (I’m feeling sad about it) but hopefully we are going to get out of town for a hot minute and walk into some woods. I know that the mr has a bunch of things he has to to today so I will probably be on my own for most of of the day. Not going to lie, I am kind of looking forward to it. I think I am going to grab a cozy sweater and a blanket, lots of hot coffee, and plop down on the porch and read for a while. Going for the next best thing. And hey, we are still going to eat pumpkin lentil stew for dinner so there is that.

One more thing…Make sure, if you haven’t yet, you get your ass out there and VOTE!!!!!!!!!

Internet from the week.

-'Dude, I'm Done': When Politics Tears Families And Friendships Apart. This has never been more true.

-A Japanese Forestry Technique Prunes Upper Branches to Create a Tree Platform for More Sustainable Harvests

- Eating seasonaly is the only was I eat and trust, it makes a workd of diference. This Hyper-Seasonal Eating Strategy Helps Prevent My Winter Colds

-Frozen Is Fine. Frozen is great as long as it is not garbage food.

-Need a yurt guy? The 7 Best Sources to Buy Yurt Kits

-Tiny Little Jars Contain Big, Bold Colors In The Forbes Pigment Collection. This made me smile became tiny jars of color. Yes please.

-Demand for Baking Goods Is Up 3400% as Shoppers Stock Up for Winter. Calm down, you still have plenty of time to get what you need. Just don’t be that prick who buys every bag of flour because you are worried it will be gone soon. Only get what you really need.

-Why Do Onions Make Us Cry? And How Do We Make Them Stop? I barely ever have issues with onions but maybe my eyeballs are just used to it.

-A debate worth having. Which Is Better: Showering and Dirty Clothes, or No Shower and Clean Clothes?

Internet from the week.

-C

Sunday Happy

Just the other night the mr and I were having the conversations about doing the heater checks in all the apartments, what the plans are going to be for the holidays, and all the end of the year things that need to be done before, well the end of the year. It was a weird conversation because were did the year even go? 2020 flying on by through a shit storm and we are not slowing down.

Another great week that began with more fantastic hiking and camping. We were at one of my favorite places, Groton Forest, ans lucky not a whole heck of a lot of people were there. Our hikes were beyond gorgeous,the air was cool, it was quiet and calm, and the sky was clear. Just a solid A+ camp.

Then we slept, woke up, broke down camp and came home. Every week we come home is hard. The mr and I could live in the woods forever! Life goals.

The rest of the week went as usual. The mr off doing all the work he always is doing plus talking to plumbers, plaining wood with Judah, selling (and sold) Barbs car, and was getting in as much fall scootering as he could before the thing needs to be stored away for winter. Me, same same. Studio stuff. Did some glazing, made more things, trying to get super ready for the holiday season and have a good stock of stuff to sell.

Not much really in the way fo eventfulness maybe besides me and Miley made a cake for shits and giggles then had dinner with Barb. Or that the mr and I filled out our ballets and I went and dropped them off at city hall. We also took the boys for a bike/walk. I picked up my second to last farm share for the summer (winter share starts in November) Oh, and I broke my freaking favorite eating fork. I have been eaten almost all my meals with this fork for like 10 years and it was truly a fantastic fork, perfect weight, perfect angle, perfect sharp tines. So that shook me. But I’ll be ok.

Today the mr and I are heading out for our second to last camp. Already sad about it but I am trying to not think about it too much. I want to just enjoy all the trees ans colors and go for a good hike and sit by a nice fire and go to sleep on the ground. All the good things.

Internet to read if you are so inclined.

-The mr and I had this conversation a few months back. It is pretty interesting to heat and see what others think too We Asked Americans How They Feel About The U.S. Flag. It Got Interesting.

-This Kitchen.. 2 different stoves and a wood fireplace!

-I am going to be one with the cracked teeth, I have jaw problems as it is ans I don’t remember the last time I have’t clenched my jaw. Oh wait, I think it was sometime in 2016. Sleepless Nights, Hair Loss And Cracked Teeth: Pandemic Stress Takes Its Toll

-Why social media makes you feel so old. So so old.

-I never put my vintage pyrex into the oven because I am always afraid of it exploding (it has happened before and has stayed with me) What You Really Need to Know About Exploding Glass Bakeware

-How to Survive 5 Extreme Weather Scenarios. We have been caught in some pretty extreme weather. I guess we are lucky to be alive. HA!

-Ad ode to the fork. The Rise of the Fork

-What’s the Weirdest Place You’ve Taken a Call Lately?. If you haven’t talked on the phone while you are on the toilet, well then, where are yo talking from?

-Chairs. PLEASE, HAVE A SEAT.

-Kill Your Gas Stove. I have come to terms with the fact that that next time I need a new stove or am building a new kitchen, no more gas. Induction it will be.

Pictures from the week

-C

Sunday Happy

And the week came and went. Monday was a blur, Tuesday thru Saturday was jammed packed with all the stuff. Lots of studio time, finally a day of glazing (although I barely got anything glazed), my first time experiencing zoom (that was a shit show but I got through it) and all sorts of this and thats and work things and so on and so forth. The mr has been working hard over at one of the houses replacing a roof. We have contemplated A grade or C grade cedar singles for siding over and over again, and I think my garden is pretty much done giving for the season. I have chard and kale and a few roots to pull but that just about it. Not a great gardening year (due to the stupid woodchuck and stupid hot temperatures), but not bad either but I guess any growth was a success so you know what, it was a great year. HA!

Yesterday the mr and I had Miley come over for a little birthday celebration lunch. (Barb came too ) We asked her if she wanted any one else but she said no. Just wanted to eat and be left alone. (she might get that from me). I got her favorite food, made her a batch of her favorite cookies (we are making a cake together later this week) and we bought her the biggest bag of sour patch kids that we could find. I also knitted her a hat, but when I showed it to her she told me she didn't like it and that she would prefer if I would just knit her a pair of black mittens. So that is 13 and you know what, sure I was a little disappointed she didn’t like the hat but I am glad she said so and I didn't give it to her and have her just toss it into one of her junk piles. I’ll just give it to someone else, or keep it. I like it.

Today, first and foremost, is Miley’s actual 13th birthday so again HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! She is with her grandparents so I won’t be seeing her stinky little face today which is all fine and good because the mr and I are doing our thing and heading out into the woods. I am so in need of trees and sky and quiet right now. Again, a long week. And this is probably the last time we will drag that kayaks with us so we are going to make it count and hit a couple of really cute and quiet ponds on our way to camp. And hopefully we won’t see all the people out looking at all the trees. Fall foliage season. It is on it’s way and the trees are looking so good this year. Unfortunately it brings out all the people and we all know how I feel about people….

Internet from the week.

-We all owe her so much. RIP lady. RBG’s Fingerprints Are All Over Your Everyday Life

Farmers' Almanac Extended Forecast for Winter 2020-2021. ALL THE SNOW!!! I really hope that we get lots and lots of snow.

-Wellenss is all well and good but don’t just jump on any old trend. Do the homework and make sure you are not putting yourself first before whole communities. From Palo Santo To Crystals, Millennial Wellness Damages The Communities It Borrows From

-How To Say No, For The People Pleaser Who Always Says Yes. I used to be way more of a people pleaser and then I realized I hate being around people which solved that problem (still a family people pleaser though…)

-Regular doses of awe can do wonders for emotional health. Of course. I think about this everyday, letting something, even the simplest thing, really struck me with awe because really, life and all the good stuff is pretty freaking awe inspiring.

-And then the birds sing! When COVID-19 silenced cities, birdsong recaptured its former glory

-Berkeley Is First in the U.S. to Ban Candy, Chips, and Soda From Grocery Store Checkout Lanes. This is so smart.I support this.

-It is so important to know where your food comes from and how it was made. Also if they are destroying environments as they go along.. Big Meat Is Selling Veggie Burgers—But It's Still Destroying the Environment

-We Quit Our Jobs to Build a Cabin—Everything Went Wrong. Worth it

-I Walked All 1,114 Blocks of My ZIP Code Just to Catalog How People Style Their House Numbers. This is something that I do too! I need to look at people house numbers when I walk by. It’s a reflex.

Pictures from the week.

-C

Monday Happy

Last day of summer and guess what, the mr and I woke up to ice all over our tent! Yup. 30 degrees the past few nights that we have been camping. Not exactly what we had in mind this early, but heck, I had the right mind to pack the wool blankets so we were all good.

The week. Well it’s now Monday but we camped Saturday night too so you know, no computer stuff. Anyway, the past week was great as far as I can remember. Camped at Emerald State Park and ddi our usually hiking and kayaking. We hung out with the littles, made cookies, and worked when work was needed doing. Dad Jeff came to Vt and we got to spend the weekend hanging with him. We camped outside, he stayed indoors because well, no one besides that mr and I are into freezing cold camping. We did a long ass rail trail family bike ride, chatting up the nieces and nephews, did a little road side apple picking, and I tried to eat as much hot food to keep my body warm. After Dad left, the mr and I did another solo day of adventure and camped again because that is what we do. We did all the good stuff. I would go into more detail but I am on the trashed side of a human right, my body is freezing and sore, and due to the mr’s ever increasing snoring regiment, I have barely slept in the past few nights so my brain can’t really comprehend much. But yeah, a dang good week.

And whoa it is Monday morning. Just got home from the long camping weekend and now I have gots to get on with the day. The goal is to post this, finish unpacking camping stuff, maybe shower, start laundry, go to grocery store, make phone calls…. The list of things to do keeps growing. But right now I am boiling water and am going to make a hot hot cup of tea and hold the cup , with both hand, until I can feel my finger again. I am still frozen to the bone. And I love it! Oh, and Happy Birthday Jackson!

Some internet that I looked at the past week.

-When I read the news screamed many profanities. I wish was was able to live long enough to see the crazy psychopath fucker out of office. Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s legacy, and the future of the Supreme Court, explained. Now lets all pray for sane politicians to do what is right and not appoint another fuckface to the courts…. AGH!

-I love the winter but I am not going to lie, I am a little nervous about this coming one. Fucking pandemic. Good thing I don’t spend time with very many humans.  How We Survive the Winter

-A Reusable Food Wrap You Can DIY in 5 Minutes. I have done this, it works.

-Judah asked mw why Earth is called Earth….I had no idea. Now I can tell him. How Did Earth Get Its Name?

-Have you had this tea? I know it is easy but I love holiday teas but I don’t want to order it unless I hear it tastes good. Christmas in Paris Herbal Tea Stash Tea

-Sure, I’ll live here forever

-I don’t know this existed and nowI want to watch it..eventually when I feel like watching tv. The Soothing 'Great Pottery Throw Down' Makes Great Isolation TV

-I Asked 14 Parents What School Lunch Looks Like for Them During This Weird Fall. Must be such a pain in the ass for some parents.

-Very cool. Bees Encase Raw-Material Embroideries with Honeycomb

-Oh heck yeah. Welcome to my high-fashion, trash shopping mall’

Pictures from the week

-C