Sunday Happy

I know some people are bummed that summer is over and that is has been abnormally cool and dreary this past week but I couldn’t be happier about it. I have worn some of my favorite sweaters, busted out all my comfy socks, and even pulled an extra blanket out for the bed. Yes friend, just yes.

We started the week hiking up Mt Elmore to the fire town and took the ridge to the big balancing rock. The day was gorgeous, the view was stunning, and the camping that night was good as usual, although it did rain a little on our fire and it kind of puttered out. We didn't really care, we just crawled into the tent early and were not mad about it. After a good nights sleep we woke up, packed up, and headed on into town. Did some stuff, made some bread for birthday dinner, then headed over to said birthday dinner with Miley. The girl is 14 freaking years old now and I don’t even know. When the hell did that happen? Anyway, we just hung out, Erin made her a cake, Emerson blew out the candles, we gave her a box of raisins with some money in it, Judah didn’t punch her back even though she was pounding on him, and Barb smashed a pyrex full of mac and cheese all over the floor. All and all It was a good night.

The rest of the week went by fast with work and paper work and making the lists of all the fall projects that need to get done. Then Friday after work, we headed over to Alex’s 16th birthday party. And I know, that happened too. A night of jokes, pizza, and another ice cream cake, all the while Sophia harassed everyone with her skeleton cat and Anthony broke everyones ribs from squeezing us with his massive arms. Then after Alex was sick of us, we went home.

Saturday was a wet one and because of that, the farm canceled it’s annual pumpkin day where we all get on a wagon and ride to the pumpkin patch. But my farmers being awesome and amazing told me I could walk out to the the fields if I didn’t mind getting wet. And so that is what we did. Rain jackets and boots, grabbed a wagon, and walked ourselves to the pumpkin patch. I think I enjoyed it even more then the wagon ride. And we didn’t have to see any other people. Ha! Had the first pick of the pumpkins! After that, we went back to the loft for hot chocolate and giant marshmallows and then we brought them home. The rest of the night I spent cleaning because that is what I do with my Saturday nights.

Today. Another wet one. We bounced the idea around to skip camping this week but as of right now, we have decided to preserver and just go for it. There are only a few more weekends of camping left so we figured we might as well. Plus I always think fall looks best on a rainy day. So yeah, we are going and it’s gonna be wet! Hope we can find some dry firewood.

Some internet from the week

- I just sent out a family Thanksgiving text.It seemed early but I there can be no excuses this year. @ months notice is ample time to figure shit out, no? The holidays are coming! The Atlantic Daily: Start Planning Your Holidays Now

-Mail Delivery Is About To Get Slower And Pricier Just In Time For The Holidays. Well shit. This kind of sucks.

-I have always said that I would never run a mrarthon, that I just don’t see the point. Buuuttttt… I kinda sorta have thought about it recently. 🤷‍♀️ Why do people run marathons?

-80s Fantasy Movies Are Awesomely Cheesy. DUH!

-How reading aloud can help you bond with your kids and make them better readers. Why is this not obvious to everyone?

-What Are Sichuan Peppercorns? First of All, They’re Not Peppers

-I know a lot of kids that think this. I was one of them. Kids are onto something: Homework might actually be bad

-Where Trust Grows Alongside Produce. Respect the honor system! Don’t be an asshole.

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

Sunday Happy

It is kind of hard to believe that it is October already. I thought I was ready, but I feel a little like I am falling behind. There is so much fall stuff to do and I need to do it all. Like hiking up all the mountains and then a lot of sitting in a pile of bright fall leaves, wrapped in blankets, wearing my coziest socks, drinking hot drinks, and reading/knitting/napping. All three at once, while the apple and pumpkin things bake and the little paper bats hanging from the ceiling sway in the breeze. Yeah, that sounds about right. And I am getting some of it done, just need to get more of it done. Especially the napping. Haha.

Last week, camping at Zack Woods Pond, was for sure, some of the best we ever have done. Before we got to the middle of nowhere that was camp, we stopped at a harvest festival and did some poking around. Found letters for all the games, a washing machine, and unicorns. Then we drove away some more and checked out a chunk of land that we want to buy but won’t because it is almost unaccessible in the best of times, so yeah no, not gonna work. But the search continues. After the land we headed to the place where we were camping but got a little lost. We had to go to a nearby state park to talk to the ranger and get a hand drawn map to find the place. Well hidden to say the least, but we found it and pretty sure not many other people know about it because we didn’t see a soul. It felt like we had the entire world to ourselves. And oh was it beautiful. The colors were starting to pop, the air was crisp and clean and brisk. The campsite was, well it was a small rock fire pit and trees. Perfection. After setting up the tent we took the kayaks out on the pond and paddled around in all the greatness that was there. Then we hiked around and the hung out by the fire because it was cold. Had dinner facing the pond and all the pretty trees, then the mr did a little sunset fishing. More campfire sitting and off to bed. As it got dark out a couple girls ended up having a fire or something that far away where we couldn’t see them, but we know it was a couple girls because they were very LOUD. And annoying, but they only stayed for an hour or so and their echoing mouths were gone and it was back to being the most silent night and back to sleep. Then the painful part. Waking up the next morning. 33 degrees was the number of the air. We didn’t complain but we did packed up really fast, jumped into the car, and blasted the heat. Cozy and warm and full of happy outdoor feelings. The best way to start a week.

Back home the days did their thing. Work, dealing with stupid stuff, me breaking everything. I dropped my camera and smashed the lens. My phone all of a sudden didn’t want to work right and the battery is now basically dead. The shower head decided to break mid shower and spray water all over the freaking place. I broke a chunk of finger off pugging clay at the studio. Then the stem of my pumpkin broke off right before I broke a flower pot. All not the worst individually, but goodness gracious, give me a freaking break.. Ah hahaha. Oh well. Shit break I guess.

Other then all that, there was a 14th birthday party for Alex. I found a new cute pyrex bowl for 50 cent which made me happy. I went down to the farm mid week and picked bags and bags of parsley to freeze for the winter. Then there was actual farm share with celeriac back in rotation! I worked at the studio (the chunk of my finger is still there), did another birthday party for Coco, who is now 3, and took the littles pumpkin picking with the mr and Barb as per our tradition. They got their jack o lantern pumpkins, I got me my pie pumpkins, and we found a garden snake. A game of tether ball and that was that. I came home after dropping them off and spent the day trying to warm up because it was freezing. And yeah I know,I could turn the heat on but no, not yet. I refuse to turn the heat on for at least 3 more weeks. November 1st. Until then, all the sweaters and socks will have to do to keep me warm.

Today we are doing it, camping at Branbury State Park, even though it miiiight rain. Hoping that it holds off until at least 830 tonight (we will be in the tent by then) or maybe even until we wake up in the morning and are on our way home? That would be great. We will see, and either way it will be good. And not going is not an option. There are only 2 more weekends of camping before everything closes up and it starts to snow. Yup, before it snows. That is happening and I don’t think I can convince the mr to set up the tent in the snow.

Links from the week from the internet of stuff.

-All the pretty colors! What Causes Leaves To Change Color?

-Got a garden? These are the Frost Tolerance of Vegetables. My tomatoes are caput but the chard is looking oh so fine.

-How Gen-Z Is Dealing With a Looming Climate Apocalypse. Yup, shits hitting the fan and everyone knows it,

-Kneadable erasers are the best and I guess work for more then there attended purpose. The best $1.50 I ever spent: a kneadable eraser

-Swetaer weather for sure, but what is sweater weather? What “Sweater Weather” Is

-The Female Founders Disrupting the Vagina Economy. Of course they are not.

-Philip Pullman and his dark materials. A new book. I an SO EXCITED, I might just buy it!!! 'The Secret Commonwealth'

-How to charge your devices the right way. I have been doing it wrong for so long.

-I am good. Actually, even better then good. I change towels pretty much every day. Here’s How Often You Should Be IWashing Your Dish Towels, According to Microbiologists

-I am in love with this little place.

Pictures from the week.

-C

Sunday Happy

And it’s Sunday again. Time is just flying by.

The camping was amazing. I guess there are not a lot of people that go camping this late in the year because we basically had the entire Lake Carmi state park to ourselves. I think we were the only people there besides and old couple in a cabin far away from us. The weather was perfect, brisk, but not too cold, the sky was a grey, the colors were popping. We went for a jaunt in the fields and a hike in the wood, the mr went fishing off a giant tree, and we enjoyed a lentil and campfire squash for dinner. Simple and sweet and all the best of the world. Sure it rained that night, but we stayed dry and yes it started to pour in the monring while we were picking up camp but then it stopped and all was good. And really, what’s camping all the time without a rain day or two. It’s part of the adventure.

And is was Alex’s birthday, he turned 13, and he had a family birthday party, but we ended up not going cause I was feeling like crap. I think it was a crash and burn, but I was weary because everyone is getting sick around me. Snotty, coughing, grossness. I am trying to avoid it if at all possible.

The next day I woke up tired but feeling better and went about the day doing the this and thats and thats and running around here and there. The mr started a rat trapping job (not for any of our properties) that turned into a whole big week long thing and I just don’t even want to deal with that. I stay away from anything that involves animal. If I were to get involved, we would probably and up with a few pet mice and a squirrel or two. And definitely a skunk or possum. So again, I stay away from that stuff.

Then there was Wednesday. I had one of those days where everything was going wrong. To start my day I woke up with a door handle smashed into my hip which I then thought was broken (the mr sure knows how to open a door). When I got to the gym my toe started throbbing and opened up and starting bleeding again (gross), but whatever, not that bad. I then went and spent a few hours over at the loft cleaning the F out of it so that my dad had clean sheets, toilet paper, and no tools in the middle of the floor when he stayed. We are over there all the time, but something about being there that day was making me just super sad and nostalgic and I basically was just thinking about Washer and I might have cried a little. But that happens and well, yeah Then it was lunch time but I was not getting lunch, which is never a good thing with me, I was taking a trip to the dentist. Hooray for me! Good thing my teeth looked great, said I am doing a good job as usual taking care of my mouth, except I was told again that I should really consider smashing my jaw and my palette and get braces and wire my mouth shut and blah blah blah. Just give the dentist $500 million dollars and they will fix all my screwed up bite and jaw problems. Yeah, no. Dental stuff is a sore subject for me so I’ll just leave it here.. So dentist made me in a bad mood on top of being sad. But I made it home and made a cake for Alex’s birthday party (his friend party) which I ended up burning it. So ok, that shit happens too but then the second cake, looking all perfect when I pulled it out of the oven, well I dropped one of the pans, and burned myself a few time. And then I cried little more..Yup. Oh, and knocked over some greenware pots by my wheel because why not add some more misery to the day. I think after all that I just gave up and crawled into bed at like 730.

Thursday went a lot better. I managed to turn the broken apart cake into a single layer cake (genius) and make it actually look pretty good. I picked up farm share and got out to the fields before it started to rain (hurray for me) Barb came over and made me smile while we talked of all things Italy and I fed her broken cake bits. I hung up all my halloween bats and did some laundry and stuck a dent in paperwork and bills that needed addressing. A way better day.

Friday was a little hectic. The political stuff brought out a slight crazed rage over the craziness of the world and I am still trying to wrap my head around it (along with the last 2 years…) But besides begin little wild eyed, I finish decorating the cake for Alex. Worked at the studio where I loaded 2 kilns and then some. Dropped the cake off to Alex then went to the groocery store for food for the party the next day, and somehow got pizza dough to rise at just the right speed (in and out of the fridge all day) in order to have dough for pizza birthday party for Coco (he turned 2 on Thursday!) that night. The littles came over for just a small something special for Coco. We had pizza, cookies, and a buzz lightyear balloon. He was sick so he ate no pizza and cried at the candle on his cookie, but then he ate it and that sugar made him happy, even when he was blowing super snot bubbles from his little nose. . And then Erin brought him home so he could have a sugar crash and be sick at home and the other littles could sleep over. They watched a Wrinkle in Time, while I started prepping apples and pie dough for Dads birthday pie the next day. And then we all fell asleep early. These darker nights really make it easy to crawl into bed at an early hour. (not complaining at all)

Saturday went swimmingly. I woke up made a pie and a loaf of pumpkin bread all before the littles woke up for breakfast pancakes. Barb came over, they all ate, then off we all went, the mr and I, Barb, Miley, Judah, to the farm for wagon ride and pumpkin picking. It’s out tradition, and this year, we brought Coco too.(and Buzz light-year of course) The ride went great, the pumpkin patch was pristine, we all got a good pumpkin and some gourds, and no one fell off the wagon. A very successful pumpkin picking adventure. After that we all ran home and I got lunch ready, The rest of the family came, ate the food, made the mess. The mr thought it would a great idea for the medium kids to have something productive to do to keep them out of trouble so he gave them all shovels and let them dig a giant hole in the middle of the back yard because why not? Uh huh, yeah. So on top of the normal mess everyone makes, there was a heavy extra layer of dirt tracked in and out of the house. After everyone left, I got to spend a little extra time cleaning late into night. How they got mud on the bathroom walls is pretty impressive.

Today we are doing something with Dad and his other children. Either a bike ride or hike, not sure yet, but something outside that will involve trees. After that, the mr and I are going to try and find a place to camp tonight. The weekly camping is just too good. We can’t not. Plus after a full week of people interaction, I could really use a night of peace and quite in the woods.

Internet from the week.

-Pumpkin Knowledge. The Best Pumpkins for Baking and Cooking. And 3 Ways to Use Those Pumpkin Guts. And What's Actually in Your Canned Pumpkin Purée?

-Wigstock, 'An Iconic Piece of Drag History,' Lets Its Roots Show At 2018 Revival. Oh my.. SO amazing. I wish I could be there!

-100% agree with this, it really is the best brand. The One Flour You Should Buy, According to a Professional Bread Maker

-Have you heard? Drunk birds are wreaking havoc in Minnesota

-Yeah, I would live here (that tree!) or definitely in this row house (the front door!)

-Most Introverts Would Like to Be More Extroverted. Yes and no. I love being alone and do not find it lonely, but I do wish I didn’t get completely drained and feel like I have ran a marathon from being around people.

-DARK MATTER IS A HUGE MYSTERY. THIS DEVICE IS TRYING TO DETECT IT. This makes me think of the His Dark Materials Books by Phillip Pullman. (read them if you haven’t, they are in my top 3 favorite books of all time)

-I kind of love this. Banksy auction prank leaves art world in shreds

-I follow this families adoption and it is so heartwarming and amazing and I just love them (Their daughter is so freaking cute, it kills me). And they are adopting again! I love how she does a Q and A about the whole thing.

And some pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Did any of you get a chance to see any of the meteor shower yesterday morning? I did. I woke up at 430, shook the mr awake only for him to fall back asleep, grabbed a blanket and went out to the back yard. (our yard is pitch black at night)  I spent a good forty five minutes with my head tilted up just watching.  I saw a least a dozen if not more meteorites  and wow, it was pretty amazing. I think that from now on I need to start my day with watching the stars, it centered me in a very real way and gave me all sorts of feelings. Just me and the sky. I like the sound of that.

We had a few littles all week long. Miley, Judah, and the baby, Coco. Everyday after school we picked them all up, came home and did the homework, ate all the peanut butter and cinnamon apples and carrots, kept trying to spell dick out of the nick refrigerator magnets, then played in the trees.  One of the days while I was inside getting dinner together, the mr and the two bigger littles were out back in th e giant cedar tree cutting down branches to get ready for the tree house that they are going to build. (No one asked me to help OR whether I thought cutting any of my tree was ok, but you know) So littles all week, Sunday through Friday. But that was just that. We also had a planned birthday party lunch here for Barb and her friends. Chill, bread, ice cream cake, and tandem bike riding. A bunch of 18 year old ladies and their very fancy high heeled shoes. The mr was a little scared and stayed out back playing with his tools while I got to feel like an old lady trying to decipher the language of the cool kids. (I think I did ok) Then that night we took the littles to Barbs field hockey game and watched them play a game that I have to grasp for. All I know was that even though they didn't win, they still played pretty good. That was her actual birthday.The next day the littles didn't have school so we woke them up,  I made the best pancakes ever, grabbed Barb again, and headed to the pumpkin patch. This year the pumpkins at the farm got flooded early in the season so no pumpkin day for this year (so sad) We were left to find a replacement farm to tide us over. We found a cute little farm stand with a good selection of pumpkins (no hay rides) where we each picked out our carving pumpkins for next weeks Hocus Pocus watching and pumpkin carving party . I forgot how difficult is is to pick a pumpkin. You have to consider the size, stem, color, and over all feel. But which one is best? Life decisions right there. We got the pumpkins, feed the littles, and sent them back home to their mother. Wiped out and reeling, we spent the rest of the day running around feeding Megan's cat, cleaning up the house, and restocking the fridge ( the kids ate all the food) 

On the work front, I didn't get much done, It was hard starting any projects because we only could work mornings due to  the children infestation. We did get all the tile for the bathroom which is nice and stacked in a pile on the front porch. No it's not on the floor or the walls where it is suppose to be, but at least we got it so there is that. The mr was out most days (until the littles came over) doing work for a few other people. I got to spend a day one the phone trying to figure out how I had a almost $1800 phone bill then only to figure out after a very frustrating day  that I accidentally paid one of the mortgages to the phone company and that they owed me money. That set me off and I spent another day trying to get my money back so I could actually pay the mortgage (once a place has your money, they do not want to give it back) I also had an eye appointment one morning were I had my eye dilated and was freaking blind for like four hours and was told I am suppose to wear glasses all the time, which I figured, but dang. And now I need to shop for glasses for the eyes on my face and I don't like things on my face and I don't like shopping so suck. But I am going to do it because being able to see better will be kinda nice I think, but I'll let you know.  

Then last night another party. Barb had her birthday party at my house on her birthday, but I guess my mom was feeling extra special toward her youngest of nine  now being an adult and threw her a surprise party. All her family and friends at the old man Eagles Club with a DJ, tons of food and a cash bar (for the adults) Barb though she was on her way to go out to dinner (which she was really excited about) and how she ended up going into the VFW without knowing something was up I have yet to ask, but she was surprised, and happy, and it was all really cute. I got to dance my dance moves (the mr took a video and now has material for blackmail) and got to play ballon chase with all the littles that were there, and snack on the broccoli that no one else was eating. It was all a lot of fun and then I came home and assed  the f out. 

That was one heck of a week. 

Today, oh today is all about the river. The mr and I are packing up food and coffee, a blanket, me a book, him his fishing pole, and off we are going. A calm and quite day outside, away from people is exactly what we need. I love my family but I need a day away from them all. 

Interneting from the week

-Why We Should Be Cooking Like Our Grandmas From scratch and all. 

-It's not gonna happen this year, but a definite for next. KNIT OR TREAT: HOW TO MAKE A (SUPER EASY) GIANT KNIT PUMPKIN FOR HALLOWEEN

-The 36 Questions That Lead to Love Do you believe that answering theses equations brings love? I don't know, but some of the  questions are a little whoa. 

-Sleep Scientist Warns Against Walking Through Life 'In An Underslept State' Heed the warning...get your shut eye!

-This is happening and it's kind of crazy. Should College Professors Give 'Tech Breaks' In Class?

I have used youtube to learn a few things, like knitting and I think that is actually it, but still. But at least young adults are trying to figure out how to do things for themselves, even if it means watching youtube. Without YouTube Videos, Young Adults Now Lack Even Basic Life Skills

-Want to Escape to the Wilderness? This Job Comes With a Colorado CabinTwo years living in the woods, sign me up!

-These Are The 6 Types of Minimalists. Which One Are You?  I am  a sustainable- thrifty minimalist.

-His Dark Materials are without a doubt one of my top two favorite books (I know its a trilogy, but I count them as one) And now a new trilogy!!! The first book came out this week and I am picking up my copy this week. With ‘La Belle Sauvage,’ Philip Pullman Begins a New Trilogy

-BEST OF: COLORFULLY PARISIAN.I love the floors.

Lots of kiddo pictures from the week