Sunday Happy

Happy New Year! How’s it going so far? Ours has already been a shit show so expectations for the next 364 more days are low at the moment but if they are low then all the highs will be good right?

The past week was and we did it. Usually the week between the holidays is a little more slow and gentle but this year it didn’t offer as much reprieve from the chaos of life as usual. Day after Christmas we went to Megans and hung out with Anthony cause it was his birthday (Happy Birthday Anthony!) while still trying to figure out what the hell happened on Christmas. HA! Then once the offices we back open we had a day of aggravating phone calls with doctors and insurance people and I probably don’t need to tell you that it was the most frustrating day of calls ever. Another day was spent at the doctors where we were told the exact same thing that the doctors at the ER told us, but the mr got a new cast and they scheduled his surgery so not completely pointless?. (The mr is losing his shit with the cast and fun with that has just barely begun!) By mid week we were burnt out so we have been going out everyday looking for woods close by to walk in and be less. Then the end of the week came and we hung with Judah on his birthday (Happy Birthday Judah!) The mr spent 2 days making a one handed pop up card for him and then took him, the girl, and his friend to the movies while Coco and I walked around the neighborhood looking for discarded curb Christmas trees. Then they came home, Judah got a bearded dragon, Barb twisted up Coco’s slinky, and everyone ate cake.

New Years Eve was whatever. A holiday that sounds fun but when it comes down to it, I am not one to spend a late night doing anything. The mr and I went for a little hike and basically laid low. I did a little new year window washing, read some, started to clean my studio, and then was in bed by 730.

Woke up to this new year with a note on the mr’s truck. Someone smashed into it while we were sleeping. At least they left a note! But what was really fucked up was the phone call from the police asking to be let into one our apartments (the loft) because they needed to retrieve one of the bullets that was shot off and hit the house that morning. That was at 6am. So the mr ran on over and dealt with that. And then had to fix a leaky faucet with one hand.

Smashed cars, gun shots, and leaks… Happy New Year indeed.

Back to Sunday. Not much planned other then spending a few hours at the studio, glazing some mugs, but mostly doing a couple hours of cleaning. After that I am coming home to finish cleaning my studio, do the laundry, make some soup. Hopefully I will have some time to sit around on my butt and read. I got a stack off books calling my name and I really need to get out of my head.

Internet from the week.

-What’s the most eco-friendly way to dispose of your Christmas tree? We usually just chop it up and compost it. There is a goat farm down the road that takes them and I think I might do that this year.

-How to Delete Your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. I am sure there are a lot of people that are thinking about this. Or if not thinking about it, should be.

-Misery loves company and that is the truth. The Cost of Engaging With the Miserable

-Take These 7 Fire Tower Hikes In Vermont For The Most Rewarding Views. We have been to half of these (I have climbed them, the mr refuses) Always amazing views.

-Remembering the smart, sharp, naughty Betty White. This lady, what a freaking badass. And to go out, at 99, on New Years eve no less. Thats the way to do it.

-I didn't know this was. thing, did you? Inside the Starbucks Collectors Cup Market, Where a Single Tumbler Can Sell for Nearly $2K

-Three ways to be more rational this year. But do I need to be more rational?

-I would most certainly live in this tree house.

-Trend Alert: Hand-Painted Details All Over. I am into this. Way cheaper then wall paper and easier to get on and off.

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Oh thank goodness it snowed yesterday. The past week of the weird warm weather just put me into a funk but last night going for a walk in fresh snow refreshed my brain a bit. I don’t like warm weather in winter. It’s just not right.

The week and just not any week but the week before Christmas week and all seemed a little chaotic. But was it really? Just a bit of running around here and there, trying to get some last minutes things done. Grocery shopping, list making, dealing with people. People dealing with me. I finally got the winter tires on the car, made a dentist appointment, you know, adult things. So maybe not that chaotic but still. I am ready for a couple days if not, you know?

A few nights ago we had the littles over for our traditional cookie house decorating shenanigans and it was a hoot. Spent that day making cookies, waiting oh so patiently for the house cookie cutters that I decided to buy to come in the mail (they were days late and said they would be there). Finally decided they weren’t coming and free handed the cutouts. Just as I was putting the last batch of cookies in the oven, the cutters arrived. That was some shit. Anyways, the cookies might not have been perfectly cut, but they worked just the same and the littles came over, busted open all the sprinkles and frosting they could get their hands on, made the cutest houses, and ate all the sugar. We had dinner then a dance party and then they left. That was Wednesday. I am still finding sprinkles everywhere.

And the rest of the week was. I worked, did some last bits of glazing, cleaned the crap out of the house, and yeah. thats about what I got.

Back to Sunday. I’m excited because the mr and I are going to a lovely spot in the woods for a nice snowy winter hike. Probably going to get some coffee after that and then probably going to spend the rest of the day reading. I want a chill day. I have a feeling (I know!)nthat this next week is going to be a little chaotic too.

Internet from the week.

-An A frame I should live in.

-Can Wax Paper Actually Go in the Oven? What do you think?

-How To Build An Indestructible Gingerbread House. SO I used the marshmallow gleaned it was a damn mess but I must say that after it dried a bt, it was pretty dang strong. How To Build An Indestructible Gingerbread House

-Why some misremembering might show your memory is functioning properly. I like to think that my brain never misremembers but then I remember it does.

-Not good. Not good at all. A major Antarctic ice shelf could shatter within five years, scientists warn

-THis is a start.. The largest city in the U.S. bans natural gas in new buildings

-There is just something about this house. Probably the stairs.. Swoon! Dutch Light: A Collector’s Vintage-Filled Home in a Former Tavern in Amsterdam

Pictures from the week

Sunday Happy

Thanksgiving week coming up on us here and yeah, what the? How? Every year this happens but I guess that what’s expected when it is a yearly holiday. 🤣

The past week was kind of busy. I’m trying to get a big batch of mugs done so I have been spending a lot of time with the clay. I also started, but had to stop, painting all the radiators because the paint store screwed up the paint (gave us the wrong finish) and it took a few days to get back to the store and get the right paint. So I decided to go ahead and paint the bathroom (pink) because why the heck not do that when I have a ton of other shit I could be doing. Besides that, a lot of the same. Walks and hikes, feeding people food, living life. Big news on the mr front though… He got a hair cut. And not from me, but a soon to be professional hair cutter person (It was Qui, our brother friend) He went into a shop, sat in a chair and let Qui perform his very first human haircut on his actual head. And you know, it looks pretty damn good. And bonus, I didn’t have to do it or deal with the hair getting in my toothbrush. (Every fucking time!)

And yesterday we had family Thanksgiving and whoa I am freaking tired. Spent the entire day chopping and peeling. Kneading and roasting, then everyone came over, ate the food, made the mess, and left. It was so nice nice nice to see everyone all together although being that there are a million if us it is hard to cook, talk, and clean all at once so I never feel like I get to talk to everyone as much as I want t. Good thing we have 10 million other family events coming up so I’ll ne able to catch up eventually and noe that I think of it I might as well just leave my house thrashed for the next few weeks and just wait to do a massive clean after all the holiday tomfoolery.

Now it is Sunday and yeah, not going to leave the house trashed. Can’t do it so I am basically going to spend the day cleaning food out of all the cracks of the floor, wash all the laundry that some how ended up dirty (we only use cloth napkins and towels so theres a lot of dirty things) , and reorganize the very precarious food container situation in the fridge. One wrong move and the whole contents could come crashing down. Wish me luck!

Internet from the week.

-Just in Time for Thanksgiving: How to Load a Dishwasher. This is very much important information that could resolve many arguments.

-I am in love with the tiled walls in tis bathroom.

-The winners of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards will brighten your day. These are good.

-I get dizzy just watching them. How Do Figure Skaters Not Get Dizzy During Those Impressive Spins? 

-Its a mood. Abstract Shapes Respond to a Relaxing Melody in a New Animated Music Video for Janek Murd

-The Personal Clutter No One is Talking About. I actually think I am dam good at getting rid of it all. Go me!

-Life goal is to have a personal library.Volume control: how creating my library brought order in a world of chaos.

-I am scared for many people (the mr especially) Netflix is finally going to reveal how much time people spend watching its shows and movies

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

And we are back from our Nova Scotia road trip and boy was that an epic trip. We did so much, saw the most amazing things, and just had the best freaking time ever. I have a phone full of pictures that I need to get onto my computer and go through but once I do, I’ll post them and all about the trip.

Now back to life. The mr and Barb were smart and took a day or two to kind of ease back into life again. I on the other hand, have not taken it easy and have been go go go since the moment we came back. I just feel like I have so many things to do and catch up on, on top of all the new things that need to be done. I am trying to deal with the mess of a garden, restock my fridge with food, underglaze and glaze a million mugs, work at the studio, trim pots that need trimming, do all the laundry, see the people that need seeing, water the plants, and then planning all the birthday parties (and cake making) that’s to come in the next ew weeks. (3 parties all nest week 😬).

So yeah, I am freaking exhausted and I am still in a bit of a head fog. I am happy to be home but being gone for the first time in 2 years really reignited my travel itch and I am already planning out a few more adventures (camping through Norway, yes please). Until then, I will enjoy this gorgeous place I call home with all the fall colors popping on the trees and big mountains and cool fall weather. One of the things I love about going away is coming back. No matter where I go and how much I love being away, I’m alway so happy and feel so dang lucky to live here in Vermont.

Now it is Sunday and we are not skipping a beat. The camping stuff has been aired out, repacked, and is ready to go. Heading to Elmore to climb the mountian and sleep under the stars. This time of year is prime camping time and I am so so looking forward to a day of trees and peace and quiet!

A few things from the internet this week.

-Our next long camping adventure! Bonus, we live right next to it so no lang car rides! The birthplace of the US vacation.

-Scoot Over Oat Milk; There's a New Kid in Town—Potato Milk. I don’t know, I am pretty good with oat milk.

-You Aren't Lazy. You Just Need To Slow Down

-Pretty mold. Tainted with Manufactured Objects, Slime Molds and Spores Grow Into Unnaturally Striking Compositions

-To own this house…Canary Islands ‘miracle home’ stands alone against volcano’s lava flow

-The Best Way to Store Cilantro to Prevent Sad, Slimy Leaves

-Somthing about this house that makes me happy. This Spruce Cabin in Switzerland Is Like a Grown-Up Tree House

Some pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

I am ready, ready for summer to be over. It was so nice for a few days. Not hot, cool nights, but then it started to get hot again and I started to get real bitchy again so yeah, done with it. Plus I am really craving apples. 🍎🍏🍎

We had a good start to the week with a great camp adventure. Sure it rained a whole bunch but we knew that going in so we were prepared. Rain jackets, a canopy to put over the picnic tables, extra clothes. And really, most of the day it wasn’t pouring to badly and hiking around in the woods, the rain doesn’t get you ad bad. We did decide not to bring the kayaks because I wasn’t feeling lightning and water, but hey, that is just me. And we were able to have a nice big warm fire after dinner thanks to the mr been smart and good with flames and wood. It was great and perfect timing too because once we crawled into the tent for the night, well that was when the rain really started to come down. But again, no worries, we started dry.

And we woke up, still a little rain coming down, made coffee, tossed everything into the car and headed back to the rest of the week.

What did we do? Nothing much different then all the rest if the weeks. Hung with Barb, Had the littles over for food and play and then had a girls afternoon where Barb, Miley, and I made cookies and cakes for the upcoming weekend. I have been harvesting lots of goodies from the garden, pickling and freezing all the zucchini, and watching my pumpkin rapidly grow bigger and bigger. I thew some pots, but things have been drying really slow so that means studio stuff slows down too. And thats about sums it up I guess.

Today is the annual Stem family get together. (We didi’t do it last year cause, well you know.) After I spend the morning doing some chores we are heading up to Belvedere to the cabin and hanging with my people. Camping there too. I am really excited to see my family, see the Dad, and also see them in the comforts of the woods in the middle of nowhere so I can run away if need be. And its great that we have camping built in to the day. It is one of my favorite places to camp so it will be good, even if it is suppose to thunderstorm all afternoon. We are getting use to camping in the rain.

Internet from the week

-August 8 Is One Of The Luckiest Days Of The Year. And it’s today! So should I play the lottery?

-Summertime And Vacationing Isn't Easy. Blame It On Climate Change. And blame that on humans.

-Basically the only time I wear a bra is when I am running and that is only because I don’t have pockets in my shorts to shove my phone into it (in the winter I have pockets so no need for the bra). It acts more like a pocket than anything else. HA! Why So Many Women Are Turning Their Backs On The Bra

-Yes to all of these. Designers on Holiday: Modern, Minimalist Tents, Cabins, Guest Houses, and More

-We Tried 9 Ways to Shuck Corn (and Really Get the Silk Off!) and Found a Clear Winner. How do you shuck corn? And does the silk really bother you? I don’t care if there is a few strands but that is me.

-I take a lot of pictures but I also don’t take a lot of pictures. Sometime I just don’t want to it is going to interferes with me being present. To Remember The Moment, Try Taking Fewer Photos

-Homeownership can bring out the worst in you. There is a lot to think about when owning a home.

-Just like antibacterial shit, hand sanitizer kits the bad and the good. You might be overusing hand sanitizer

--A Serendipitous Photo Captures an Acrobatic Goose Contorting Its Body to Fly Upside Down

Pictures from the week