Sunday Happy

Does anyone else feel like time is going by like a sink drip (I don’t even know what that means.) But basically super fast and really slow and holy shit it is almost the end of the year and when did that happen? Yeah, I got hit with that realization and it’s kinda thrown me off and now I don’t even know. You know?

We started off the week with camping at Mt Ascutney State park and we brought along Barb for the fun. Drove down into the gorgeousness of the woods, hiked up a mountain in the cold, walked around the campground in the rain, made food, ate food, and sat by the fire. When the rain got bad enough we slipped into our tents and assed out, woke up, made coffee, and drove on home.

And then it was Barbs birthday so we did that. Food and cake at moms and everyones mouth turned blue except mine cause I don’t eat cake.

Then the rest of the week was a lot of pot painting, waxing, and glazing. I also managed to sneak in a wet ass hike with Meg and So. I also picked up one of the last summer farm shares, cleared out more of the garden, and made a batch of bagels because why not.

Yesterday we had all the littles over to carve/paint pumpkins. It was messy, it was loud, and it was fantastic. The mr was a champ and gutted them all, I made food and offered up my knife cutting skills, and Barb got white paint all over my floor. Miley, Jada and Judah are old enough now where we dont matter much so they did their own thing but little Coco, oh what a ham that kid is! Painted and grooved to tunes and just was such a happy dude. Gosh I love those little people!.

Needless to say the pumpkins came out great and after everyone left I spent the rest of the night cleaning up paint and pumpkin guts…Of course.

It’s Sunday and it is the last camping Sunday of the year. I always get sad when camping season ends but we got this last one and we are gong to make it count. A good hike, a big fire, and all the warmest clothes. It’s gonna be a cold one, it might even snow a little tonight and I am all the way here for it. (Yay!)

Internet from the week

-100% yes. Stop Shopping. America needs you to buy less junk.

-Apple-Picking Is Too Easy. Truth. I can’t bring myself to pay the crazy prices to pick pesticide covered perfect apples anymore. Road side apple picking all the way!

-Gardening 101: How to Use Fallen Leaves. We just mow them over and let them decompose or I lie the garden bed with them.

-Sad that they needed to but good that they did. Ivory poaching has triggered a surge in elephants born without tusks

-I have wondered this myself.What Makes Something “Antique” Versus “Vintage”?

-When Did This Time of Year Become “Spooky Season”?

-Carving a pumpkin? Don’t chuck the seeds. How to Store Pumpkin Seeds, Raw or Roasted

-4 Truths About Cleaning Away Spider Webs at Home, According to an Arachnologist. Try to be nice.

-I am here all the way for this. TIS THE SEASON FOR COZY CABINS.

-Anatomy of Fall Reading. Exactly.

Pictures from the week

Sunday Happy

The past few days have been almost summer like around here and I am not having it anymore. I look at my sweaters but do not put them on because it’s too hot. Seriously the fuck?

The week started at Half Moon Stare Park. We hiked around a nearby lake, took the kayaks out for one last time before winter, and enjoyed all the pretty colors that the trees we flashing. It was gorgeous and wonderful and we didn’t even mind that the park was full of out of state leaf peepers (Well, the mr didn’t mind. I was a little annoyed but you know..) Then after a feast of soup and a relaxing evening fire, we crawled into the tent and passed ourselves out. Woke up, broke down the tent, made the coffee and headed on home.

The rest of the week was pretty uneventful. Started the fall list of things to do before winter. I ripped out most of the garden. Worked, made phone calls, did the stuff that needed doing. Yeah, not really much to say about that.

Back to Sunday. Camping as usual but this week we are brining along Barb. Heading out early, driving south to a mountain to climbing it, then gonna hang out, eat food, and enjoy the last bits of fall foliage with nice cool weather next to a camp fire. I got my hat, mittens, and long underwear packed. I am here for it!

Stuff I looked at on the world wide web.

-This truly scares the shit out of me. High schoolers are training to drive 18-wheelers amid a shortage of truck drivers

-30 Spooky, Odd & Adorable Pumpkin Carving Ideas. The littles are coming over this weekend to carve and if I remember correctly, they suck at it (at using a knife that is). Might bust out some paint for the weak ones.

-Keep in mind. Holiday Shipping Deadlines Are Out 

-Why Does Dust Accumulate So Quickly After You Clean? Dust is the freaking worst. I feel like I am always dusting.

-The Dinner Party Is Dead. Long Live the Dinner Party. Are you partying at your parties? You will not see any fancy china or place settings at a dinner “party” of mine, that is for damn sure.

-Watch out friends! B.C. woman nearly hit by meteorite that crashed through bedroom ceiling

-Everybody’s Eating Like It’s the ’90s Again and it is gross. Ha

-Awesomeness. Immerse yourself in nature with these 2021 Wildlife Photographer of the Year images

-Not to be a bummer but…The Problem with Halloween Spiderweb Decorations. I hate them anyway so you know, stop with them.

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

The colors are popping, the people are milling about, and the out of state cars are all over which means it is that time again. Vermonts great foliage season. Love every ounce of color but could do without the annoying amount of traffic that comes with it. (IYKYK Ha!)

The week started at Coolidge State Park. A cool dreary day and it really was just perfect camping. We went on a long ass hike and took in the trees, hung out under the canopy next to the fire while it rained, and crawled into the tent before it really started to pour but that was even soothing. The whole place was just super gorgeous and super quite. It’s one of my favorite places to camp.

After we woke up and packed up, we heading back to town. The mr went off to work and I made giant cookie cake for Coco because yes, he turned 5 freaking years old. Can’t even believe that shit. We went over for pizza and shenanigans and giant cookie cake (everyone wants one know) and that was that.

The rest of the week went by as usual. The mr was out doing his thing, I did a shit ton of chores, ripped up half the garden, threw some, worked at the studio and met another Gigi (I might steal her) and yeah, just did life.

Yesterday, well the mr and I took a little drive to a place were I gave a nice man money to stab a hole into my face. Yup, that was fun. Then I came home and cleaned the house. What a day.

Sunday again which means we camp. Going south a bit to one of our favorites, Half Moon, and this time we are brining the kayaks. (Probably going to be the last time for the year). Hopefully the drive down doesn’t piss me off too much (leaf peepers are terrible drivers) but I am really looking forward to the day. How could I not?

Internet from the week.

-America Is Running Out of Everything. For real, but also, what do you really really need?

-I learned this trick a few years back when I worked as a cleaning lady at a hostel. You’re Probably Loading Your Top-Loading Washing Machine Wrong, This is the right way.

-ON TREND: WOOD PANELED KITCHENS ARE WHERE IT’S AT.. Agreed.

-Leaf-Peeping Looks Different This Year. Here in VT the leaves are not as bright because of a fungus that had been getting worse due to climate.

-I make a lot of bundt cakes so I was intrigued and am defiantly gonna try this method. We Tried 6 Methods for Preventing a Bundt Cake from Sticking to the Pan and the Winner Was Pure Magic

-Why Owls Are a Spooky Symbol of Halloween, According to Folklore Historians. Oh, okay.

-Vermont history lesson. Then Again: Vermont spent 70,000 years under ice about a mile thick

-The mr and I were talking about how from now on, everything that needs replacing in the apartments is going to be electric. We need to talk about your gas stove, your health and climate change

-This annual starling murmuration is so dense it’s called ‘The Black Sun’I never tire of starling pictures.

Pictures from the week

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

Sunday Happy

Besides the usual hubbub of life around here, a few things really stick out to me from last week. First off, at the beginning of the week we FINALLY BOUGHT A VAN!!! It was amazing. A big white astro van. Original big boat like seats. The three door trunk that was everything. Ashrtays in the back seat (yes they did) . Its was perfect. Perfect for work, for travel, perfect for life. But notice I say “it was”. Well guess what? We also RETURNED A VAN!!!! Yup. We bought it, brought it home, and as soon as we got home, the brakes went out. Oh, ok we thought. Let’s bring it to our mechanic and see what he says. Turns out the mechanic that we bought it from was a little shady and sold us a lemon. Not only were the bakes rotten, but there was a bunch of other hidden issues. So yeah. no more van. We were, and still are a bit crushed, but it could have been worse right? We could have been flying down the interstate when the brakes gave out and that would have been much much worse.

Enough about the van. A good thing this week is Erin and I went and got bikes for the littles. It was awesome. They were so excited and cute and it was just so good. We walked into the bike shop, picked out bikes, test rode bikes, and bought bikes, all within an hour. Yeah I might have told them they suck because they were able to just go get a bike and I have been bike shopping for over a month and have spent hours at the bike shop, but whatever. And so we brought the bike back to my house, I made dinner, and they biked around the neighborhood. At first Judah was having really hard time because he had never ridden a grip brake, shifting bike, but after a little lesson from the mr, the kid was off. Only stopped to tell us that his nuts hurt. (Good to know kid).

And last but but not least, maybe the worst part of life at the moment. The MOTHERFUCKING MOSQUITOS. Those fuckers be feasting on me like what. It’s nasty disgusting, and all sorts of terrible. All of a sudden there are millions and billions and you can barely even walk out of the house before they start to swarm. I have received no less then one thousand bites this week, and that is me trying not to get bitten. (Yes I am exaggerating, but seriously.) I don’t even know what to do anymore. It is so bad that when you walk from the house to the car you are probably going to get bitten in the face at least once if not a bunch of times. It is all sorts of wrong and I just can’t even. I lay awake at night trying not to itch off all my skin because of all the bites. And they are not normal mosquitos bites, these bits itch and almost hurt for days. Gardening.. please. I am out there in all my socks, pants, jackets, and hoods. Still they attack my face and hands. Hopefully this is the worst of it and any day now all the bats will come and eat them aaaaaalllllll!!!!!I(I might start importing bats to my house) That or I am going to turn myself into an electric bug zapper. How? Not sure yet. I’ll let you know if I figure it out.

Anyway. That is mostly the gist of the week. Some downs, some ups, but all and all not horrible. The weather alone folks. Let talk about that for a minute. How freaking fantastic has it been? I am loving it. Little sun here and there, Some rain showers, a few thunderstorms. Not cold, not hot. Pretty much perfect in my eyes. And the world. So much pretty! The trees. I mean, can you not say spring foliage might be even better then fall? The trees are just so vibrant in greens, whites and purples. It is good. We are good.

Now for today. I am leaving the house much too early to go read and drink coffee in the car, waiting for the gym to open. Why you may ask would I do that. Well if I want to go to the gym, I need to get inside the perimeter of the Vermont City Marathon. The course starts right around there so the roads will be blocked off with thousands of people running for a few hours this morning. Sure I could skip gym and run around here, but I would rather not have to run in full body armor. (DAMN the MOSQUITOES AAAGHHHH!!!!) And really, I don’t mind. I can even sit on the steps at the gym that overlook the lake. It actually will be kind of nice. After that, I’ll come home, grab the mr, and we will head up to Belvidere for some family time. Cousins are in the state so we, and the other sisters, are going up for lunch. Let’s just hope the mosquitoes are not as bad up there. I can’t take it.

Interent for the taking.

-I have always considered the use by date a suggestion. I think the simple wording change will make a big difference. To Reduce Food Waste, FDA Urges 'Best If Used By' Date Labels. And really, who says the best isn’t yet to come? HA

-Erin has the right idea, to buy THESE in bulk. I am seriously considering getting at least one set. I can’t take the MOTHERF$%#ERS anymore!

-This feels heavy. Finding purpose is a somewhat fluid concept, don’t you think? Either way, this makes a lot of sense. What's Your Purpose? Finding A Sense Of Meaning In Life Is Linked To Health

-My dad sent me this link. It’s a little video of his life goal, to be a extreme mountain bike nanny. (my dad is a weirdo.)

-GLAMOUR CAMPER SPF 50+ ALL NATURAL SUNSCREEN WITH ALL NATURAL BUG DETERRENT & GLITTER. And Glitter. Need I say more?

-I love old charts and pictures from textbooks. These are particularly fantastic. Cross-Sections of Geological Formations and Views of the Cosmos Bring the World to Life in 19th Century Educational Charts

-What Is A Moonbow?  And now on my life bucket list of things I need to see.

- Shipping containers just keep getting cooler. Modpools. Shipping Container Pools

-This Study Shows That Having Flowers and Plants Can Ease Pain and Anxiety. Truth. Flowers and plants are everything.

-Firefly magic. How these mysterious fireflies synchronize their dazzling light shows

Pictures from the week

-C