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

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

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

Sunday Happy

The week started off with the normal. Hiking up a mountain in our old college stomping grounds, kayaking, the mr fished while I read, then we camped for the night. A packed day of outdoor recreation that was very much needed and appreciated. Then the next day we went home and the mr dyed Judahs hair or half of it at least, bright ass pink. The kid started fifth grade the following day so we figured what the hell, might as well make it awesome. I wish I had pink hair in fifth grade.

After that, nothing to outlandish. I stopped to say hi to the bean and see her new glasses. Went for a hike with Megan and worked at the studio. I went for a bike ride picnic with the mr, we finally fixed the fridge for sure, and had dinner at moms to celebrate Marks zoom college celebration graduation thing (even though her graduated months ago). A recurring theme of the week has been me lossing/leaving my phone in unknown places. It has happened more times then I can count. My memory and mind are on the fritz right now. But the weather… The weather here in Vermont has been just the best! There was a frost warning, I have warn a sweater or two, and have been eating pumpkin everyday. This is exactly why I love living in Vermont.

I am more excited about camping tonight then ever. Emerald Lake State Park. It is going to be chilly, it’s getting dark out earlier, and there is always way less people around after Labor Day so hopefully we won’t have to see(or hear) anyone. We got a good hike maped out, a lake to kayak in, and a pumpkin to eat for dinner. We sure know how to live. HAHA!

The stuff from the internet this week.

-How We Got Conned Into Drinking Bottled Water — And How We Can Stop. And it is not how we can stop, it is WE HAVE TO STOP!

--This week is just been the shit in terms of our environment. It breaks my heart. California’s recurring wildfire problem, explained

-The benefits of note-taking by hand. Notes by hand are always the way to go.

-Need a fridge? Got one here for you. The ad says it all.

-Do You Really Need Both Dish Soap and Hand Soap in the Kitchen? I am all about one and done so this is good.

-She knows. Martha Stewart Now Has Her Own CBD Line in Appropriately Fancy Flavors

-Love this kitchen and this ceiling

-. The World Lost Two-Thirds Of Its Wildlife In 50 Years. We Are to Blame.We suck

-Is this going be a thing? Top it Cake Shield

-What is a people carrier?

Pictures from the week.