Sunday Happy

I got a handful of mosquito bites, the sky is still light when I go to bed, and I’m already getting cranks from the heat. It is full fledge summertime. Are you ready for it? Me, not so much because well, I turn into an asshole when I get hot and guess what? It’s already too hot out. And we are expecting a heat wave this week so watch out.

The week started off with a mad dash through apartments for turn overs and ended with a mad dash of finishing up apartment turn overs. The mr has been putting in 14 hour days every day so the only time we see each other is when I am with him painting or cleaning and for the few minutes we eat dinner together before he leaves the house to go back to work. But it is mostly over now so he can go back to his less crazy work schedule and maybe come home before 11pm!

So yeah, the week wasn’t all that eventful. I was still feeling like a pile of crap early on (from the vaccine) so I was slow going. I painted wall and scrubbed floors. I fed Megans cat and fed Barb all the food. I did get to see and hang out with my oldest friend for the first time in years, (we are getting so old!) and I managed to get a few things done in the studio. I mixed up a few more test glazes, trimmed and stuck handles on pots, and stated the reclaim process of about 100 lbs of clay. I was suppose to go pick up like 400 lb this week but we have just been too busy and the clay store is almost 2 hours away so I didn’t make it in. Hopefully Ill get there next week. I need clay.

Today is another work day. The mr is finishing up apartment turn over stuff so he will be gone all day and I have a house to clean, a studio to clean, and a butt load of reclaim clay to deal with. Not exactly a hike in the woods (which we would much rather be doing) but hopefully starting in the next few weeks we will be back on the Sunday camping circuit and all will be right again!

Internet from the week.

-How to Escape the Happiness Guilt Trap. Is is ok to be happy. For real.

-Doughnut Or Donut? Discuss. I swing both ways.

-Everything Tastes Better When You Eat It Over the Sink. The burnt on tomato sauce.. That is me in a nutshell.

-Do you and don’t try to label it.Want to Be a Minimalist? Here’s What No One Tells You.

-There Are 5 Types of Kitchen Towels — Here’s What Each One is Best For.

-I love these quilts. Minimalist Linen Quilts, Made in Rhode Island

-Exercise is he pain the ends the pain. How to Harness the Pain-Blocking Effects of Exercise

-Pollen Allergies Are Getting Worse, and It's All Our Own Fault. Damn right it is our fault.

-Harvard study: Want to be less depressed? Wake up earlier. I know that I am a way happier person for waking up early and going to bed early. I always thought it was because no one else is awake to bug me and everyone and I am asleep when everyone else is annoying. HA!

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

I am sure no one wants to hear it but jeez, did we have to skip over to summer so soon? It seems like all of a sudden everything is grown and the temperatures flew up. I have ditched the sweaters, can’t even stand a blanket at night, and a few hours outside leave me hot and sunbaked. It’s not that I hate it (yet), it’s just, well I love spring and wanted to dwell in the not so hot far just a little longer but oh well, nothing I can do about it.

How you feeling, how you doing? Are you adjusting to this new life we are embarking on with seeing more human faces and maybe returning to a more normal state of living? Me, well I am not one for lots of people in general but driving into town the other day gave me a shock. So many people out and about and lots of naked faces. It shook me which then shook me. Lets’s just say that I am happy to stay in my little bubble for the time being and maybe forever and ever. HA!

The week. Did it and now it’s done. Taxes are in just in time for tax day. I got a bunch of pots out of the glaze kiln that I didn't hate, worked an this and that, and went on a couple little hikes with the mr. I have been enjoyed the smell of fresh cut grass and seeing all the flowers and trees immensely. We hung out with the boy littles for a little bit, fed barb food, and I planted and played in the garden. Same old same old.

Today the mr and I are running far away into the woods where there (hopefully) won’t be a ton of people. We’ll find a river, he will fish, I will read. A nice quiet afternoon of nature and nobody. And coffee. And shorts… I just need to dig them out of the back of the closet!

Things to look at on the internet.

- Kitchen waste is a such a big anxiety trigger for me. I can’t even when I see people tossing things or letting things go to waste. It kills me inside. 15 Very Doable Tweaks to Reduce Kitchen Waste.

-People hate on iceberg but I freaking love it. How Iceberg Lettuce Wedged Its Way Into American Culture

-What is Hibiscus? For Starters, It’s Not Exactly a Flower. Huh.

-Why are all cracks not fixed like this? Ceramic Mosaics Mend Cracked Sidewalks, Potholes, and Buildings in Vibrant Interventions by Ememem

-No one had offered me anything for free for getting the jab but I here over in Idaho the are giving away a million bucks. Americans Love Free Stuff, But Will They Get Vaccinated for It?

-Experts Say That Many of Us Are Experiencing Languishing — Here's How to Cope. Yeah, I see that

-I will not lie. I will tell you straight up, number 21 is always the reason. 21 Believable Excuses For When You Need To Flake On Plans

-How much to worry — and not worry — about inflation. I don’t buy things but man have prices on food gone up.

-Cats love sitting in boxes so much they’ll even sit in fake ones. Cause cats are weird.

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Cool and dreary spring days. My absolute favorite weather, well besides the full on allergy face I get when all the green stuff pops, but I will take itchy eyeballs and a leaky nose for this any day. I mean, how can you not love watching all the colors grow into living stuff? It is pretty freaking fantastic.

Nothing to exciting happened this week. Went for walks, played in the garden and threw some seeds in. The mr caught the woodchuck (he moved in under the porch.. he had to go) and released him into into the wild. I read a lot, worked in the studio, and we did the stuff we needed doing . And that is about it. It was a quiet week but I needed a quiet week.

Back to Sunday. I have a handful of pieces that I need to glaze so I am going bop into the studio for a few while the mr does a little work. After that we are going to find a trail to hike and a place to picnic lunch. And I will probably close out the rest of the day with hot coffee and tea, on the porch, reading. A good day for sure.

Internet from the week.

-Need a Mothers Day gift or maybe just a little something something for yourself? Check out my instagram @stemandnode. I got mugs, planters, and espresso mugs sets for sale!

-My morning runs have turned into a obstacle course trying not to step on all the worms. They are everywhere! Why Do Earthworms Surface After Rain?

-Skates, sewing machines, and sex toys: See the everyday objects that got us through COVID-19. I think the one big change that happened with lockdown was the gym closed so my bike and my running shoes got me through.

-I can’t even imagine trying to get he mr on this thing. He can barely make it over the 50 ft long one over the river. World’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge opens in Portugal

-This Retro Cooler Is Back in Action. I love these coolers!

-Having a hard time sleeping? Look at you diet and when you are eating. Like me. I drink large quantities or tea at night and wonder why I have to get up and pee like 5 times. Is your diet keeping you up at night?

-Epicurious Ditches Beef In A Move It Calls 'Pro-Planet'. I cool with this

-Mattel Created Nearly 200 Retro Glam Vintage Barbie-Themed Wallpaper Designs. Toy to wallpaper….Thats a natural progression.

-I have been thinking a lot about this windbreaker

-The Coming Conflict Between Introverts and Extroverts. I agree. The best plans are the ones you make with people who then cancel them on you. HA!

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Ah, another week down. And how was it for you? Was is warm and spring all week or did you get a late April snow storm? We got a few inches in the middle of the week. And honestly I might have grumbled a bit, but mostly because I couldn't bike for a couple days. Other then that, I freaking loved it. Soft fluffy snow one day, 60 degrees the next. And this is why I love VT!

Beside a weird summer, winter weather swing, the week was not to different fro the last. Both the mr and I have been doing our things. Him off redoing a kitchen, me trying to get a big batch of mugs done. I was (and still am) trying to finish up the taxes and all that jazz. We also (and more the mr then me) finished putting up the garden fence and I am in LOVE with it. It is so cute but also so needed! Sure the squirrels can still get it ( they jump in from the trees but I am not to worried about them) but it will keep the bunnies and cats and woodchucks out. Hopefully. Last years garden fiasco really hurt my soul so those little fuckers better not this year. HA!

Did a few other fun things. I went to the dentist! That was super exciting given the fact that they we closed for 1/2 a year and this was the earliest appointment I could get. Nothing like a good teeth cleaning, am I right? And I went for a nice spring hike with Meg, Barb, and the kiddos. So found a big river rock at the beginning of the hike and made Megan carry it for an hour and a half because she was convinced she found a dinosaur egg. I was convinced too. But now that I think of it, no one had informed me of a hatched dinosaur so I think it was probably just a rock. We also had the littles over. I fed them all the food. Judah and I made cupcakes. Barb got frosting all over her clothes. Coco ran around like a like mad man, and Miley, well she was 13. Enough said.

Yesterday was one of those super gratifying days. I woke up to late spring again. Went for a bike ride and a run then came home to the mr doing a few things for me and off he went to work. I then spent the rest of the day in and out of the house doing yard work, playing in the garden, and cleaning the house. It was so nice, if not slightly frustrating because I wanted to do everything at once and didn't get more done. But none the less, at least I got some seeds in the ground. And my house is nice and clean!

Today is suppose to rain all day and I am glad about it. I think the mr and I are going to have a little chore date this afternoon and then after chores I hope to spend some of the rainy afternoon sitting on the porch with coffee and a blanket and my pile of books. I am currently in the throws of reading 4 books at the moment. Not exactly sure how that happened but I know 2 of them are new releases so I can’t renew them which means I gots to read them before they are due. Library problem right?

Interesting internet from the week.

-Taking On Climate Change At Home: How You Can Cut Carbon Emissions. Every little bit counts.

-I think this is very good advice. Don’t Wish for Happiness. Work for It.

-We knew about the shortage, so heres what to do about it. How to Cope With the Garden Gnome Shortage

-WTF Is Absinthe Anyway?. I have never had it but always thought of it as tripping on the green fairy cause it makes you hallucinate? But I bet I would love it (maybe too much)

-The “Whitest Paint On Record” Was Just Created, and It Could Lessen the Need for AC. Huh.

-If you are a juggler, this house is for you. A Double-Dome Home Built by a Juggler

-The Swedish Law of Wanderlust. Unrestricted camping and outdoor adventure.When it is safe, this is where I want to go!

--Sorry to crush your goals but You (Probably) Can’t Everest Mount Everest.

-The Sneaky Way Your Dirt Is Sabotaging Your Houseplants (and How to Fix It). The dirt your plant live in is very much important.

-ON TREND: LESS STYLED, MORE YOU. All so pretty.

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

What a week. We had sunshine and we had snow. I was hot at time and I was cold at time. My eyes Itch but I don’t care because the world is turning green again and there are flowers and tree buds and veggie starts and all the good things. This is why I love spring so much. It is crazy and unpredictable and more or less not to sunny and not to warm. (I like me a cool cloudy day!)

Stuff happened this week. We had a farewell dinner for Mark because he is now off in the Police Academy which is so freaking weird and now I have a guy on the inside to delete any and all parking and speeding tickets I plan on getting in the future. Ha!. The mr, Barb, and I went for a much needed drive out of town to a river. We had a picnic, watched that water flow, played with rocks. You know, river stuff. Oh and I got a new bike!!! Well not new new but new to me. Ever since I got my bike stolen last fall I have been on the look out for a new one and I got to tell you, things in the bike world are not great right now. New new bikes are a million dollars and even the reasonably priced ones are hard to find cause of lack of inventory (because covid). And used bikes, well finding something that works, not garbage, and fits, is a pain in the ass. But it finally happened and I am just a happy lady on her bike again!

And now my garden, it is being fenced! The mr has been bugging me for a few years now to fence it in and I finally caved. I don’t know why I have been so hesitant about it but I just never wanted a fence. But now that he is putting it up well I am so excited! And the mr being the mr, he is making is so freaking cute and pretty and I am just really really excited and can’t wait for it to be fully up so I can put some shit in the ground and not have it eaten by the massive woodchuck lurking in the neighborhood!

Other then all that good stuff, same old same old. Made plans with the littles for sleepover next week while they are on spring vacation. Worked on pots, sat with the piles of papers then decided I would rather clean the fridge. Picked up second to last farm share. Ate all the greens. Basic life stuff.

And it is Sunday, again so soon. The mr and I are planning on a little drive to a place. Not sure the place exactly but I am hoping for a river/woods situation. A little hike, he can do a little fishing. I can sit by the river and read. That is my hope for today. That and to get all the laundry done. I have been ignoring it and now I have to deal with it. Stupid laundry.

Internet from the week.

-Your Biggest Climate Decision Isn't What You Cook—It's What You Don't. Food waste is one of my biggest anxiety triggers. Holidays and little kids… It can get pretty intense.

-The state of the plant-based food industry. And maybe stop eating so much meat.

-'Comfort Decorating' Is All About Making Your Home A Sanctuary. The key is to make is comfy and not ugly. HA!

-I never thought I would see the day. Gnome shortage: Lockdown and Suez canal blockage blamed

-Why Do We Compete? Sometime a little competition is a good thing.

-I am in love with this house and the property and can’t wait to see the renovations. LAKESHORE RENOVATION | PART 1

-I Got High to See if Weed Would Help Me Work Out. I don’t get high before I work out but when I use to go to the gym there was sa group of guys that came in that were always high as fuck. I always thought that if they were coming to the gym stones, well they were still coming to the gym so who care if they are stones.

-This is not a joke. Fancy Feast Released a Cookbook So Cat Owners Can Coordinate Meals with Their Pets. So how do you feel about this? I mean, well, why not?

-Watch out for those baked goods. Mystery tree beast turns out to be croissant

-I love a good scallop. Trend Alert: 21st Century Scalloping

And some pictures from the week.